Contents
3. Review of the Dorian Mode
Firstly, the Dorian mode, which is the most versatile among the church modes.
| Name | Dorian Mode |
|---|---|
| Type | Minor |
| Characteristic Note | Sharpened 6th note |
| Mood | Exotic, mysterious |
By coincidence, it aligns with the scale used in Celtic music, and perhaps because of this, it exudes an exotic atmosphere. That is the Dorian mode.
It easily creates a sense of ethnicity and, moreover, was quite popular in game music BGMs because it doesn’t specifically evoke a particular ethnicity.
Dorian Mode and Chords
Let’s summarize the main chords used.
Upon closer inspection, even chords categorized as “neutral chords” have differences in actual usage frequency. In the Dorian mode, the frequency of IIIm is not particularly high.
The parentheses around the V chord indicate that when extended to the seventh, it produces a sound not found in the normal minor key. When used as a triad, it can be introduced quite naturally, and its actual usage frequency is high.
Jazz and Rock with the Dorian Mode
Now, here comes the introduction of its hidden uses. The Dorian mode is not necessarily limited to creating an ethnic atmosphere. It is commonly used in improvisations in jazz and rock. In such cases, chords often involve simply VIm, serving as a base for improvisation.
It’s something like this. In the Dorian mode, the absence of fa guarantee of safety of the tonic chord VI, la–do–mi, without getting overlapped by a half-step above. This makes the melody line less disruptive to the chords, which may be one of the reasons why the Dorian mode is favored in improvisation. Actual examples of songs include Miles Davis’s “So What” and Yes’s “Close to the Edge”.
All the church modes, when incorporated into popular music, take on roles that differ from their original contexts. It’s an interesting story, isn’t it?
4. Review of the Mixolydian Mode
Next, let’s review the Mixolydian mode!
| Name | Mixolydian Mode |
|---|---|
| Type | Major |
| Characteristic Note | Flattened 7th note |
| Mood | Bold, powerful |
In the melodic structure, the crucial leading tone drops by a half-step, creating a whole-step in relation to the tonal center. As a result, the smoothness of half-tone progressions disappears, giving rise to a “bold” or “merry” mood. That’s the Mixolydian mode. Depending on the choice of sound and melody lines, it can evoke a pop or a rock feel.
Emphasizing the four consecutive whole-tone differences in the line of “ti♭-do–re–mi” creates a funny feel, while focusing on “fa–so–ti♭-do” gives it a rock flavor.
Mixolydian Mode and Chords
The main chords used in Mixolydian mode are as follows.
Due to the dark sound of IIm and VIm, their actual frequency of use is relatively low. And using too many auxiliary chords tends to shift towards the C minor key, so the balance is important.
While compositions in the Dorian mode often uses relatively diverse chord progressions, in Mixolydian and Phrygian, simplicity is the key to bring out the charm of the modes more effectively.
Blues and Mixolydian
One application of Mixolydian that we haven’t discussed yet is its frequent use in blues.
Blues is a bit musically unconventional genre that becomes familiar by using C7 instead of C. So, when you try to play a solo over a C7 chord, the Mixolydian scale naturally comes into play.
The unique brightness found in blues music is partly due to the disappearance of the leading tone. The flatting of ti, known as one the “blue notes”, contributes to this effect, and Mixolydian shares similarities with this characteristic.
5. Review of Phrygian Mode
Finally, let’s revisit the Phrygian mode we covered not long ago.
| Name | Phrygian Mode |
|---|---|
| Type | Minor |
| Characteristic Note | Flatted 1nd note |
| Mood | Heavy, Gloomy |
Originally, the note ti should be pulled upward. With that note flattened, the downward tendency gets stronger. As a result, the Phrygian mode creates a “weightiness clinging to the earth”. Compared to Dorian and Mixolydian, it is tough to establish a tonal center, so it’s advisable to keep the chord progression relatively simple.
When used in piano compositions like this, a stagnant, heavy atmosphere is evident. Due to this weightiness, it pairs exceptionally well with contemporary bass music.
Highlighting its unique heaviness is the key to utilizing the Phrygian mode.
Phrygian Mode and Chords
The main chords used in the Phrygian mode are as follows:
That being said, in practice, using only the VIm and ♭VII chords is sufficient. Adding unnecessary elements can risk unsettling the tonal center and making it unpleasant.
Spanish Music and Phrygian
Phrygian is fundamentally characterized by its “heaviness”. But what happens when you repeat the VIm and ♭VII chords at a slightly faster tempo?
It gives off a slightly different vibe. This sound evokes something familiar to us… we’ve heard it somewhere before…
Yes, it’s reminiscent of Spanish dance music! It takes on a flamenco style. Naturally, when soloing over these chords, the Phrygian scale fits perfectly. So, using the same Phrygian mode, the atmosphere created can vary significantly.
Due to the guitar tones and intense rhythm, the somber atmosphere has somewhat receded.
Spanish Scale
It’s a bit of a digression, but the Phrygian scale actually has similarities with the scales used in Spanish music. By adding just one note to the Phrygian scale, it becomes what is known as the “Spanish Scale.”
E Phrygian Scale
E Spanish Scale
Using eight notes within one octave makes this a “octatonic scale”. Therefore, this scale is formally named the “Spanish Eight-Note Scale.”
It is highly unique as it combines so and so♯, creating IIIm and III respectively. This produces an atmosphere not found in classical or pop music.
Here is an example using the Spanish Eight-Note Scale. It also has a somewhat Arabian feel, but this is indeed a scale used in Spanish music. Ethnic music is truly fascinating!
6. Relationships Between Modes
The modes we’ve covered in Chapter III are not arranged in the traditional do-re-mi order. Instead, focusing on the differences in their tones makes it easier to see the overall picture.
Now, let’s compare all the seven modes form a different perspective than “only-white-key scales with the different tonal centers”. Are they closer to the major scale or the minor scale? Do the tones sharpened or flattened? From such perspectives, arranging the scales from a brighter one to dark one yields the following:
Yes, this way, by shifting a note one by one, we cover all the modes.
Three scales in the bright major group include the major third note in relation to the tonal center. When the third of “Mixolydian” drops, it turns darker and transitions into the Dorian mode in the minor group. Locrian, having lost the ordinary fifth note, becomes even more unstable. By arranging them in this manner, it becomes evident that “Lydian”, with its too uplifting character, and “Locrian,” with its overly sinking nature, are the most challenging scales when it comes to composing music.
This perspective is akin to comparing C major scale and C minor scale—a “parallel viewpoint” arranging the modes. There exist literally seven “parallel worlds” where similar but slightly different members reside.
By the way, in case you forget the original order of the modes in the do-re-mi order, there’s a mnemonic using the initials: “I Don’t Particularly Like Modes A Lot.” Recite this, and you can recall Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian with the initials I, D, P, L, M, A, L.
Summary with Major/Minor Table
Alternatively, instead of organizing everything with C set as the center, it’s also helpful to categorize them into major and minor groups, summarizing them from the familiar “relative viewpoint“.
By excluding “Locrian,” the other four (Dorian, Lydian, Phrygian, Mixolydian) are just one altered tone away from major or minor scales, and moreover, the altered tone is either fa or ti.
Looking at it this way, just as major and minor scales are mutually shifted versions of each other, the pairs of Lydian/Dorian and Mixolydian/Phrygian are also relationships where their only difference lies in their starting points1.
The two tables above contain a wealth of information and serve as crucial reference charts. They show you a vision that the world of sounds is interconnected.
Broad Definition of “Relative”
The major scale and the minor scale have the same set of tones; their difference lies only in the perceived tonic. This relationship is referred to as “relative”. While we’ve used this term to describe the pairing of major and minor scales, it turns out that the seven church modes also share the characteristic of having “the same set of tones but a different tonic”. In essence, all seven are in a relative relationship.
- Relative
- A term referring to the relationship between two scales where the members of the scales are the same (but the tonic is different).
- All seven church modes are in a relative relationship with each other.
It seems they are really big family! They all share a common lineage, born by rotating a single octave cycle with the step pattern “WWHWWWH.”
Starting with the preparatory section covering major/minor scales, in Chapter I, we learned pentatonic, omit-4, and some ethnic scales. In the first half of Chapter III, we explored the “blue note,” “harmonic minor,” “melodic minor,” and the “whole-tone scale”. And now we acquired five church modes and the “Spanish Eight”. With this, you’ve reached quite an advanced level!
Summary
- Lydian and Locrian pose challenges in terms of application compared to other modes, requiring considerable ingenuity.
- Church modes are employed across various genres, and the impression varies based on the style of expression.
- Arranging church modes with the tonic aligned reveals a relationship where each mode can transform into another by one note from Lydian to Locrian. Adopting such a “parallel” perspective makes it easier to understand the identity of each mode.
