Modal Theory Understanding how the modes work is often difficult to do because the modes have multiple functions.

Complicating the issue further is that the functions of the modes in traditional (classical music) music theory sometimes differs from the functions of the modes in Ja music theory. !s a guitarist (or any instrumentalist) of today who seeks to fully understand and use the modes for composing " songwriting# improvising# soloing# etc.# we need to understand all the functions of modes to use them effectively. $elow is a list of all the possible functions the modes can serve% & 'n a ma(or key# each standard mode is an e)tension of the Ma(or scale. & 'n a *atural Minor key# each standard mode is an e)tension of the *atural Minor scale. & 'n a +armonic Minor key# each +armonic minor mode is an e)tension of the +armonic Minor scale. & 'n a Melodic Minor key# each Melodic Minor mode is an e)tension of the Melodic Minor scale. & !ny mode can be in its own key. ,ith all of these various functions the modes can take on# how do you determine which function is in effect at any given timeThe answer is% Conte)t. 'n some conte)ts a mode may be its own key# in other conte)ts a mode may simply be an e)tension of another scale or mode. 'n the sections below# '.ll give you e)ample of this# showing you how to determine a mode/s current function. 0eference chart 1 Ma(or and *atural minor modes (also known as the standard modes)% 'onian mode 2 Ma(or scale 3orian mode 2 same as the Ma(or scale starting on the 4nd note. 5hrygian mode 2 same as the Ma(or scale starting on the 6rd note. 7ydian mode 2 same as the Ma(or scale starting on the 8th note. Mi)olydian mode 2 same as the Ma(or scale starting on the 9th note. !eolian mode 2 same as the Ma(or scale starting on the :th note 2 *atural Minor scale

7ocrian mode 2 same as the Ma(or scale starting on the ;th note. Using the key of C ma(or as our starting point# the chart below shows all the modal scales derived from the C 'onian scale. *ote% The 'onian mode and the Ma(or scale are the same thing and the two terms are often used interchangeably. !lso# the !eolian mode and the *atural Minor scale are the same thing and the two terms are often used interchangeably. *otice that all the notes in these seven scales are the same. The difference between the modes are distinguished by which note each scale begins. 0eference chart 4 mode% notes of each mode (scale) C 'onian C3<=>!$C 3 3orian 3<=>!$C3 < 5hrygian <=>!$C3< = 7ydian =>!$C3<= > Mi)olydian > ! $ C 3 < = > ! !eolian !$C3<=>! $ 7ocrian $C3<=>!$ 0eference chart 6 +armonic minor modes% Mode 1 2 +armonic minor scale Mode 4 2 same as the +armonic note Mode 6 2 same as the +armonic note Mode 8 2 same as the +armonic note Mode 9 2 same as the +armonic note Mode : 2 same as the +armonic note Mode ; 2 same as the +armonic note

minor scale starting on the 4nd minor scale starting on the 6rd minor scale starting on the 8th minor scale starting on the 9th minor scale starting on the :th minor scale starting on the ;th

0eference chart 8 Melodic minor modes% Mode 1 2 Melodic minor scale Mode 4 2 same as the Melodic minor scale starting on the 4nd note Mode 6 2 same as the Melodic minor scale starting on the 6rd note

Mode note Mode note Mode note Mode note

8 2 same as the Melodic minor scale starting on the 8th 9 2 same as the Melodic minor scale starting on the 9th : 2 same as the Melodic minor scale starting on the :th ; 2 same as the Melodic minor scale starting on the ;th

'n the following e)amples you will see how to determine which mode a piece of music is in. ' highly recommend to play and record the chord progressions given and then to improvise a solo " melody over the progression with the given scale " mode. <)amples 1# 4# 6 and 8 are all derived from chords in the key of C ma(or# but only 1 e)ample is actually in the key of C ma(or. 0eference chart 9 +ere are all of the possible triad chords in the key of C ma(or% C 3m <m = > !m $? ' ii iii '@ @ vi vii? 0eference chart : Mode 3iatonic triads 3iatonic triad function C Ma(or C 3m <m = > !m $? ' ii iii '@ @ vi vii? 3 3orian 3m <m = > !m $? C i ii ''' '@ v vi? @'' < 5hrygian <m = > !m $? C 3m i '' ''' iv v? @' vii = 7ydian = > !m $? C 3m <m ' '' iii iv? @ vi vii > Mi)olydian > !m $? C 3m <m = ' ii iii? '@ v vi @'' ! !eolian !m $? C 3m <m = > i ii? ''' iv v @' @'' $ 7ocrian $? C 3m <m = > !m i? '' iii iv @ @' vii <)ample 1 A Chord progression in C ma(or% Chord symbols C !m = > C 3m > = C Chord function in C ma(or% ' vi '@ @ ' ii @ '@ ' 0ecord this chord progression and use C ma(or scales to improvise over it. Bou will hear the C note (and the C chord) sound like the root of the key (the note that is most at rest.)

Bour ear wants our little chord progression to end on the C chord. <)ample 4 A Chord progression in < 5hrygian% Chord symbols% <m = <m 3m <m = > = <m Chord function in < 5hrygian% i '' i vii i '' ''' '' i Chord function in C ma(or% iii '@ iii ii iii '@ @ '@ iii 0ecord this chord progression and use the C ma(or scale to improvise over it. *otice % !ll of the chords in this e)ample are derived from the key of C ma(or# and can be found in 0eference Chart 9. <ven though the chords in this e)ample are derived from the key of C ma(or# you will hear that the C note does *CT sound like the root of the key and your ear does *CT want the chord progression to end on a C chord. 't wants to end on the <m chord. The C note in the scale sounds more like a passing tone most of the time. 't is the < note that sounds like the root of this chord progression. ,hy is this so- 'n this e)ample there is no C chord anywhere in the progression. The C chord and the C note are being deAemphasi ed. 'nstead it is the < note and the <m chord that is being emphasi ed# this is what is causing the < note and the <m chord to sound like the root of the key. This is accomplished by repeating the <m chord multiple times. Do the key is not C ma(or# but < 5hrygian. ,e (ust established that the root is < and not C# but we are not in the key of < ma(or or < minor (because the chords in the progression are not part of either the < ma(or or < minor scales) but all of the chords are a part of the < 5hrygian mode. !nother way to look at this is% Dince the chords are derived from C ma(or but the root note of the progression is <# then we need to look at where the < note is in a C ma(or scale. The answer is that the < note is the 6rd not of a C ma(or scale. *ow we need to determine what mode starts on the 6rd note of a ma(or scale. 7ook at 0eference chart 1 above and you can see that the answer is 5hrygian. Do we now have our root note of < on the 5hrygian mode which makes the key# < 5hrygian. *ow look at 0eference chart : and you can easily see how the chords in this e)ample fit nicely in to the < 5hrygian key (mode). <)ample 6 A Chord progression in = 7ydian% Chord symbols% = > = <m = > = 3m <m = Chord function in = 7ydian% ' '' ' vii ' '' ' vi vii ' Chord function in C ma(or% '@ @ '@ iii '@ @ '@ ii iii '@

0ecord this chord progression and use the C ma(or scales to improvise over it. 7ike the < 5hrygian e)ample# this e)ample/s chords all are derived from the key of C ma(or# and can be found in 0eference chart 9. <ven though the chords in this e)ample are derived from the key of C ma(or# you will again hear that the C note does *CT sound like the root note of this e)ample and your ear does *CT want the chord progression to end on a C chord# it wants to end on the = chord. The = note is the root of this chord progression. 'n this e)ample there is no C chord anywhere in the progression. The C chord and the C note are being deA emphasi ed. 'nstead it is the = note and the = chord that is being emphasi ed because it is repeated many times in the chord progression. Therefore# the key is = 7ydian# not C ma(or. ,e (ust established that the root is = and not C# but we are not in the key of = ma(or because the chords in the progression are not a part of = ma(or. !ll the chords are a part of the = 7ydian mode. !nother way to look at this% Dince the chords are derived from C ma(or but the root note of the progression is = then we need to look at where the = note is in the C ma(or scale. The answer is the = note is the 8th note of a C ma(or scale. *ow we need to determine what mode starts on the 8th note of a ma(or scale. 7ook at 0eference chart 1 above and you can see the answer is 7ydian. Do we now have our root note of = of the 7ydian mode which makes the key# = 7ydian. *ow look at 0eference chart : and you can easily see how the chords in this e)ample fit nicely in to the = 7ydian key mode). <)ample 8 A Chord progression in 3 3orian% Chord symbols% 3m > 3m <m 3m > 3m = Chord function in 3 3orian% i '@ i ii i '@ i ''' Chord function in C ma(or% ii @ ii iii ii @ ii '@ 0ecord this chord progression and use the C ma(or scales to improvise over it. 7ike the previous 4 e)amples# this e)ample/s chords all are derived from the key of C ma(or# and can be found in 0eference chart 9. <ven though the chords in this e)ample are derived from the key of C ma(or# you will again hear that the C note does *CT sound like the root note of this e)ample and your ear does *CT

want the chord progression to end on a C chord# it wants to end on the 3m chord. The C note in the scale sounds more like a passing tone most of the time. 't is the 3 note that sounds like the root of this chord progression. 'n this e)ample there is no C chord anywhere in the progression. The C chord and the C note are being deAemphasi ed. 'nstead it is the 3 note and the 3m chord that is being emphasi ed because it is repeated many times in the chord progression. Do the key is 3 3orian# not C ma(or. ,e (ust established that the root is 3 and not C# but we are not in the key of 3 minor or 3 ma(or because not all the chords in the progression are not a part of 3 minor or 3 ma(or scales. !ll the chords are a part of the 3 3orian mode. !nother way to look at this% Dince the chords are derived from C ma(or but the root note of the progression is 3 then we need to look at where the 3 note is in the C ma(or scale. The answer is the 3 note is the 4nd note of a C ma(or scale. *ow we need to determine what mode starts on the 4nd note of a ma(or scale. 7ook at 0eference chart 1 above and you can see the answer is 3orian. Do we now have our root note of 3 on the 3orian mode which makes the key# 3 3orian. *ow look at 0eference chart : and you can easily see how the chords in this e)ample fit nicely in to the 3 3orian key (mode). The best way to remember all of this information is to use it. Copyright 4EE4 by Tom +ess. !ll rights reserved. >ood 7uck# >uitar Decrets
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