The Beauty of Modes

As quoted by JL from the Sax On The Web Forum:

Modes are derived from a specific scale (usually from the major scale, but the melodic minor scale also has a series of modes) by using different notes as the starting point, or "tonic," for each mode. So the major scale has seven tones and therefore seven modes, each starting on a different note. If you number the notes of a major scale from 1 to 7, the modes can be figured out as follows: 1=ionian, 2=dorian, 3=phrygian, 4=lydian, 5=mixolydian, 6=aeolian, 7=locrian. So, for example, a dorian mode starts on the 2nd note of a major scale, the lydian mode starts on the 4th note of a major scale, and so on.

This applies to all major scales, so you can figure out the modes from each major scale. You'll find that the same intervals apply for each given mode. All dorian modes have a minor second and minor seventh, for example. So there are two ways of figuring out D dorian: Take a C major scale and play it from "D" to "D," OR take a D major scale and flat the third and seventh tones (F# goes to F and C# goes to C). To give another example, here's how to get E dorian: Take a D major scale and play it from "E" to "E," OR take an E major scale and flat the third and seventh. And so on.

Note dat all the following are but modes of the Major scale. These mathematical complex sounding words are actually Greek terms (no pun please). Am i speaking Greek to u? Well seems like it but it's actually a pretty easy concept to figure out.

According to the Music Scales website:

In modes, the series of semitone jumps changes. In other words, the separation of notes of the scale is different (ie the relative differences in frequencies between notes is not maintained).

So, unlike transposition, where the KEY changes but the series of semitone jumps REMAINS; for example Gmaj to Cmaj, the semitone jump still remains at 2212221, transformation holds the SAME KEY but series of semitone jumps CHANGES within dat particular key, which therefore gives you 7 different semitone jump series or MODES as they call it.

So wat are modes then? Let's see.

1. so the first mode is called the 'Ionian' mode with a semitone scale jump of 2212221.
2. the second mode is called the 'Dorian' mode with a semitone scale jump of 2122212.
3. the third mode is called the 'Phrygian' mode with a semitone scale jump of 1222122.
4. the fourth mode is called the 'Lydian' mode with a semitone scale jump of 2221221.
5. the fifth mode is called the 'Mixolydian' mode with a semitone scale jump of 2212212.
6. the sixth mode is called the 'Aeolian' mode with a semitone scale jump of 2122122.
7. the seventh mode is called the 'Locrian' mode with a semitone scale jump of 1221222.

The brains should be fucked by now~ However, looking at the Ionian and Aeolian modes, one can tell dat they are the major scale and minor scale respectively. Man even i myself am gettin mind fucked tryin to make the best sense out of these..

Let's take C maj as our guinea pig. The 'mode' is signified by the letter 'm'. since we are using C major, we note dat the seven tones in this scale are as follows: C D E F G A B (C). Therefore since Ionian is the first mode which means the scale 'begins' on the first tone or 'tonic'. Therefore Ionian is symbolised by 'mC'.

*If we take Dorian which is the second mode, and start off with it, the 'tonic' changes from C to D, which is to say dat we begin the scale on D instead. Therefore, the new transformation becomes D E F G A B C D and Dorian is symbolised as mD. Thus, Phrygian will be mE, Lydian mF, Mixolydian mG, Aeolian mA and Locrian mB.

Quoting JL again:

This applies to all major scales, so you can figure out the modes from each major scale. You'll find that the same intervals apply for each given mode. All dorian modes have a minor second and minor seventh, for example. So there are two ways of figuring out D dorian: Take a C major scale and play it from "D" to "D," OR take a D major scale and flat the third and seventh tones (F# goes to F and C# goes to C). To give another example, here's how to get E dorian: Take a D major scale and play it from "E" to "E," OR take an E major scale and flat the third and seventh. And so on.

Wat this means is dat to get D Dorian we can either use * method, or take a D maj scale which is D E F# G A B C# D and flatten the third and seventh notes which are the F# and C# notes respectively, thus giving u F and C. Now put dat back in and u get D E F G A B C D, same as *.

The brains should reaaally be fucked by now...

So, to see how we achieve these semitone jumps? We just use C maj as an example, and we move up each letter as we go along, from Ionian all the way to Locrian. Therefore we would get the semitone jumps as such:

Ionian mC would be C D E F G A B C semitone jump 2212221.
Dorian mD would be D E F G A B C D semitone jump 2122212.
Phrygian mE would be E F G A B C D E semitone jump 1222122.
Lydian mF would be F G A B C D E F semitone jump 2221221.
Mixolydian mG would be G A B C D E F G semitone jump 2212212.
Aeolian mA would be A B C D E F G A semitone jump 2122122.
Locrian mB would be B C D E F G A B semitone jump 1221222.

Therefore, once and for all, taking C as the root or tonic,

mC Ionian C or the maj scale of C would be C D E F G A B C
mD Dorian C would be C D Eb F G A Bb C - 3rd & 7th notes flattened
mE Phrygian C would be C Db Eb F G Ab Bb C - 2nd, 3rd, 6th & 7th notes flattened
mF Lydian C would be C D E F# G A B C - 4th note sharpened
mG Mixolydian C would be C D E F G A Bb C - 7th note flattened.
mA Aeolian C or min scale of C would be C D Eb F G Ab Bb C - 3rd, 6th & 7th notes flattened
mB Locrian C would be C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C - 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th & 7th notes flattened

NOTE: (Aeolian C is also the RELATIVE minor of maj Eb and the TONIC minor of C maj.)

Now we see a pattern of how many notes are flattened or sharpened when compared to Ionian mode or maj scale. This pattern becomes very clear when we arrange the modes in the order of mF, mC, mG, mD, mA, mE, mB. Notice how sharps are added in this order? FCGDAEB yes :)

Therefore we get this:

2221221 mF Lydian C would be C D E F# G A B C - 4th degree sharpened
2212221 mC Ionian C or the maj scale of C would be C D E F G A B C
2212212 mG Mixolydian C would be C D E F G A Bb C - 7th degree flattened
2122212 mD Dorian C would be C D Eb F G A Bb C - 3rd & 7th degrees flattened
2122122 mA Aeolian C or min scale of C would be C D Eb F G Ab Bb C - 3rd, 6th & 7th degrees flattened
1222122 mE Phrygian C would be C Db Eb F G Ab Bb C - 2nd, 3rd, 6th & 7th degrees flattened
1221222 mB Locrian C would be C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C - 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th & 7th degrees flattened

Now starting from the Ionian mode of tonic C major, we can get the other modes simply by comparing them to the ones directly above or below. The difference should only be ONE note. We can then transform an Ionian into a Lydian or Mixolydian simply by just sharpenin or flattenin ONE note. Therefore from Ionian C, we get Lydian C by simply SHARPENIN F in mC(Ionian) to F# in mF(Lydian), and we get Mixolydian C from Ionian C simply by FLATTENIN B in mC to Bb in mG :)

However, we can only derive the modes which are adjacent to each other. This time the tonic or root is in C or the scale of C maj. How then do we derive all 7 modes without having to compare them to each other?

Simple. To derive the 7 modes of any other major scale is not difficult. All you have to take note of is the tonic or root of the scale, OR in other words, the Ionian mode of the scale. Take note of those highlighted in red. These are extremely important because they are CHARACTERISTICS of a particular mode! And therefore apply to ALL modal scales and transformations.

For example a Locrian with tonic G ALWAYS has the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th & 7th degrees flattened. Therefore, comparing from Ionian G - G A B C D E F# G, we can deduce Locrian G as G Ab Bb C Db Eb F G with a 1221222 semitone jump :) AINT DAT EASY OR WAT?!

Another example say, ok, Phrygian Db. How do we derive this mode? Simple, we take the Ionian Db which is Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db and FLATTEN the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th degrees. We will then derive Phrygian Db which is Db D E Gb Ab A B Db. Rewrite dat in proper order and you get Phrygian C#(same as Phrygian Db) which is C# D E F# G# A B C#!

Transforming Major Scales Into Minor Scales

Now let us take a step back in time when we discussed how the 6th deg of a major scale is it's concurrent or relative minor and likewise how the 3rd degree of each minor scale is its concurrent/relative major.

The whole transformation of a major scale into a minor scale is simply a mode switch. We switch Ionian into Aeolian. Simple as dat. Now this gives us not the relative minor BUT then TONIC minor of the major scale.

An example, how do we find the tonic minor of A maj? First, the tonic minor of A maj is simply A minor. We take Ionian A - A B C# D E F# G# A and according to the rule or pattern in an Aeolian mode, we flatten the 3rd, 6th and 7th degrees. Thus we achieve Aeolian A or A minor as such - A B C D E F G A. VERY SIMPLE AINT IT??

Another example, i could go on till the cows come home~ Let's see.. er.. Ab major! ok, as before, we take Ionian Ab - Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab and again, flatten the 3rd, 6th and 7th degrees. This gives us the tonic minor of Ab maj which is Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab. Rewrite it as G# minor (not Ab minor) - G# A# B C# D# E F# G#. Now isnt the tonic minor of Ab major G# minor?