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I have a huge gap in my musical education - I learned to hear the major scale pretty well, and I learned how to "derive" the modes from the major scale, but I never learned to 'hear' the difference between songs in one mode over the other, or to hear the difference in progressions in one mode vs. another.
I realize how the notes in the mode can be 'figured out' or derived from the relative major scale. But this has actually hindered me in a sense, becuase 'knowing' the names of the notes in a mode is a far cry from being able to hear when another musician is playing progressions that lend themselves to soloing in that mode. Also, when I hear different songs, I cannot hear if they are 'modal' or not - or even if using a modal concept applies to some of the pop songs I listen to.
So my questions are threefold:
1.) What's the best practice method (on my guitar) to learn the sounds of different mode progressions
2.) What books will give me the most common progressions used in each mode ?
3.) Do the typical major scale harmonized progressions hold equal utility for the modes - e.g.
I IV V,
II V I,
I VI II V I
or do different modes have different sequence progressions for some reason I probably won't understand.
(perhaps it will relate to the terms Tonic, sub-tonic, dominant, sub-dominant, yada yada)
4.) Is it more useful to think of modes with their roots expressed as a "I" chord, vs. thinking of them in the relative numbers of their major scale ? e.g.
for playing in A aeolian - is the progression Dm7 G7 C better thought of as:
II V I of C Maj, even though I should resolve to A root or
IV VII III of A Ael,
I realize they're equivalent, I'm looking for some pros and cons of each approach, and why one would choose to think of the numbers one way over the other
5.) BB questions:
a.)Which nomenclature will BB use with respect to question 4, and why ?
b.)Is it possible to have a listing of songs with respect to the modes used within them ? Can BB figure this out somehow and tell me which mode is being used ? I believe there was once a view telling me what key each song was in (is that still there) ?
c.) How often in typical pop tunes are modes changed, and for what affect - are there 'rules' or guidelines musicians use
6.) Can you give some good examples of famous pop or rock songs that are very modal, and if so - what few progressions and accompany scales give that modal sound ? For example, I know Santana mastered the Dorian mode - evil ways Am7-Bm7 progression; solo in D dorian.
I'll say up front - I know I posted LOTS of questions above. A small nugget on any one is appreciated.
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Joined: May 2000
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First thing to do is use that BiaB Ear Trainer for ten to twenty minutes a day, no longer, daily, until you can nail all twelve intervals Up and Down with at least a 90 percentile daily score.
The way to internalizing the modes starts here.
--Mac
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Joined: Feb 2006
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Quote:
First thing to do is use that BiaB Ear Trainer for ten to twenty minutes a day, no longer, daily, until you can nail all twelve intervals Up and Down with at least a 90 percentile daily score. The way to internalizing the modes starts here.
...and so here I will start. thx.
(BTW - can most of you regulars do this with no problem ? - I bet yes, but just wondering)
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Arpeggiate each chord of the scale. The arps will define the sound of each chord, and thus define the sound of the mode.
Cmaj - Ionian
Dmin - Dorian
Emin - Phrygian
Fmaj - Lydian
Gmaj - Mixolydian
Amin - Aeolian
Bm7b5 - Locrian
This should keep you in the shed for a bit.
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This stuff is a bit over my head, but I found this site quite helpful to my understanding. Each mode is diagrammed along with an audio file and then all are combined in a work by DeBussy . http://brebru.com/musicroom/theory/introduction/modes.html
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Joined: Jan 2013
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Antwort auf:
I have a huge gap in my musical education - I learned to hear the major scale pretty well, and I learned how to "derive" the modes from the major scale, but I never learned to 'hear' the difference between songs in one mode over the other, or to hear the difference in progressions in one mode vs. another.
See it like this:
There are 2 archetype of scales: the ionian (major type) and the aeolian (minor type) mode.
major type
The distinction between Ionian and Lydian is the #11. So #11 becomes the characteristic tone of Lydian.
The distinction between Ionian and Mixolydian is the b7. So b7 becomes the characteristic tone of Mixolydian.
minor type
The distinction between Aeolian and Dorian is the 6. So 6 becomes the characteristic tone of Dorian.
The distinction between Aeolian and Phrygian is the b2. So b2 becomes the characteristic tone of Phrygian.
(Locrian is not considered a Mode by itself because of its instability. It is used only in the context of a chordscale.)
No try to remember tunes which are written in a certain mode.
Dorian:
Simon and Garfunkel:
Scarborough Fair
John Lennon:
Working-class Hero
Bob Dylan / Eric Clapton:
Knocking on Heavens Door
Carlos Santana:
Evil Ways
Soul Sacrifice
Phrygian:
A lot of celtic or flamenco music.
Lydian:
Joe Satriani
Flying In A Blue Dream (= Polytonal - Unimodal)
Steve Vai
The Riddle
Mixolydian:
The Beatles:
Within and without you
Love Me Do
Got To Get You Into My Life
A Hard Day's Night
Eric Clapton (Cream):
I Fell Free
J J Cale / Eric Clapton:
Cocaine
When listening to these song, try to concentrate your ear on the characteristic tone of the sounding mode.
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Quote:
...First thing to do is use that BiaB Ear Trainer for ten to twenty minutes a day, no longer, daily, until you can nail all twelve intervals Up and Down with at least a 90 percentile daily score. -- Mac
I'd be happy with 50%! But my ears are pretty bad. But, I bet if I practice every day for 5-10 minutes, I could get it up to 90% on the easy stuff!
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Thanks for the reference, Don, and that summary, Cudo - both very useful : )
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