Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange
Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [modes]

For questions concerning the musical modes. These can include historical views of mode by the Greeks or the various rotations of scale collections. Questions about historical views of mode should also include the history tag.

A mode is a type of scale, coupled with a set of characteristic melodic behaviors.

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What is the difference between a mode and a scale?

I can't seem to find a straight definition for both.
crimson_sprite
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Key signature for writing in modes other than major and minor

I have trouble deciding what accidentals to put in the key signature for pieces in Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian or Mixolydian modes. There seem to be trade-offs associated with each choice. For example, when writing in G Mixolydian, setting an empty key…
Gauthier
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When were the terms "Major" and "Minor" applied to keys?

In 1547, Heinrich Glarean published Dodecachordon in which he posited that in addition to the 4 existing pairs of church modes (plagal and authentic versions of modes with finals on D (Dorian), E (Phrygian), F (Lydian), and G (Mixolydian)), there…
Caleb Hines
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What are modes and how are they useful?

I'm a self-taught guitarist with zero to little experience in music theory. After marrying a violinist I found that there's a lot to music theory that I know tribally but don't understand the technical or formal definitions for. I'd like for someone…
Jduv
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Understanding minor key harmony

A comment discussion under this question from me, clued me in to the fact that I don't really understand how minor keys work very well. So here is what I think I know The natural minor comes from the Aeolian mode of the major scale. It gives us the…
Tim Seguine
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Why does the Dorian mode on C have two flats?

I'm studying scale modes and I just found on Wikipedia that the Dorian mode on C has two flats... Why is this? Because the Dorian mode is just the major scale (Ionian) starting from the second note, shouldn't it keep the key signature? In the case…
andrerpena
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Why is the aeolian mode the minor scale?

I've studied music theory for many years now, and one thing has always confused me about the naming methodology for the minor scale. A major scale is based off the Ionian mode and consist of only major and perfect scale intervals. C D E F G…
Dom
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Is F Lydian mode in the "key" of C Major?

In most cases (if not all), a piece of music without sharps or flats in the key signature, would be considered in the key of C major or A minor. This question assumes the context of Western Music since that is the only type I know much about. The…
Rockin Cowboy
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What are the greek modes, and how do they differ from modern modes?

This Question might be TwoFold, based on an uncertainty I have I understand the construction of traditional Ionian-Locrian modes, and I have read that various notes in the modes have traditionally been slightly sharpened/flattened from what they are…
Alexander Troup
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Is this piece of renaissance music really in the locrian mode?

A fifteenth-century dance manual contains this piece of music: which appears to be (uncharacteristically) in the locrian mode. Is it really, or am I mis-reading? Does anybody know of other music from this period in this mode? Any in multiple…
Monica Cellio
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Harmony in Phrygian : What chords are tonic, subdominant, and dominant?

Phrygian is a very distinct sounding mode. I've been trying to better understand the harmony of the mode so I can use it more. Obviously the i chord is a tonic chord and iv is a subdominant chord, but the other chords in the mode seem not to line up…
Dom
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What are modes in the real world?

For months, I have been trying to understand modes. Even though I have memorized all the names, what notes they start from and so on, I do not understand their meaning in the real world of music making. Let's say I have the C Major scale: C D E F G…
divHelper11
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Different modes of pentatonic scale

Just as there are seven modes of the diatonic scale, I would expect five modes of the pentatonic scale. Have these been classified? Here they are, in the form of {semitone interval gaps} (Notes for root:C) { 2 2 3 2 3 } ( C D E G A ) {…
P i
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How to know if it's a mode or scale?

How do I differentiate between modes? Suppose a person is playing "D Dorian". How do I know that it's "D Dorian" and not "C Major/Ionian" or "E Phrygian" and so on, and in fact "A natural minor" because it has same notes as C major.
mihirjoshi
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Why did Beethoven include "in the Lydian Mode" in the title of String Quartet, Op.132 - 3?

Beethoven himself gave a title to String Quartet No.15 in A minor, Op.132 - 3: A Convalescent's Holy Song of Thanksgiving to the Divinity, in the Lydian Mode From the language and context, and also the particular mention of the mode and not just…
Stinkfoot
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