In my “Unsolved Music Mysteries” blog entry, I set out a basic framework for what modes are and how they are used in general terms. In this blog entry, I’ll deal with this topic in higher resolution.
Each mode/scale creates a series of intervals measured from the root to each secondary note.
The major scale is simply:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7…
that is Root, major 2nd, maj 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th, major 7th.
All other modes are various alterations of that structure.
What Is A Characteristic Note?
In each of the 7 modes of the major scale, there will be one note that makes that scale unique.
A characteristic note is a note within a mode that differentiates it from the other modes with the same tonic chord.
IE: There are 3 modes with a I minor tonic chord:
- Dorian (1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7)
- Phrygian (1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7)
- Aeolian (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7)0
Consider:
- Only Dorian has a natural 13
- Only Phrygian has a b2
- Aeolian has b6 and natural 2
There are 3 modes with a IMaj tonic Chord
- Ionian (1 2 3 4 5 6 7)
- Lydian (1 2 3 #4 5 6 7)
- Mixolydian (1 2 3 4 5 6 b7)
- Only Lydian has a #4.
- Only Mixolydian has a b7.
- Ionian has a natural 4 and 7 which separates it from Lydian and Mixolydian
What is a Characteristic Modal Chord:
A Characteristic Modal Chord is any chord within a mode that contains the characteristic note(s)
Characteristic Chords will have:
- three triads possibilities
- four 7th chord possibilities.
The characteristic note can be the
- root
- 3rd
- 5th
- 7th
What Is a Modal Interchange Chord?
Chords within a mode that contain the characteristic note are considered modal interchange chords.
Examples of Modal Interchange in the key of CMajor
- Introducing an Fmin chord introduces the note Ab. That’s scale degree b6 which is the characteristic note of Aeolian
- Introducing the chord DMaj introduces the note F#. That’s scale degree #4 which is the characteristic note of Lydian.
- Introducing an DbMaj7 introduces Db (scale degree b2) which is the characteristic note of C Phrygian
Here are the three parent scales (Major, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor) and all the secondary modes they create through inversion. Each mode in effect has a unique signature sound because of the unique interval spacings and tonic chord. Here they are:
Major Scale Modes
| Name | Interval Structure | Tonic Chords | Characteristic Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionian | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | maj, maj6, maj7 | 4 |
| Dorian | 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 | min, min6, min7 | 6 |
| Phrygian | 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 | min, min7. min7(#5) | b2 |
| Lydian | 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 | maj, maj6, maj7, maj7b5 | #4 |
| Mixolydian | 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 | maj, maj6, dom7, 7sus4 | b7 |
| Aeolian | 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 | min, min7, min7#5, 7sus4 | b6 |
| Locrian | 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 | dim, min7b5 | b5 |
Harmonic Minor Modes
| Name | Interval Structure | Tonic Chord | Characteristic Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harmonic Minor | 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 | min, min(maj7) | b6, 7 |
| Locrian natural 6 | 1 b2 b3 4 b5 6 b7 | dim, min7b5 | b5, 6 |
| Ionian #5 | 1 2 3 4 #5 6 7 | aug, maj7#5 | 4, #5 |
| Dorian #4 | 1 2 b3 #4 5 6 b7 | min, min6, min7, min7b5 | #4, 6 |
| Mixolydian b2 b6 | 1 b2 3 4 5 b6 b7 | maj, aug, dom7, dom7#5 | b2, b6, b7 |
| Lydian #9 | 1 #2 3 #4 5 6 7 | maj, maj6, maj7, maj7b5, maj7b5, min6, min(maj7) | #2, #4 |
| Double Diminished | 1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 bb7 | dim, dim7, | b5, bb7 |
Melodic Minor Modes
| Name | Interval Structure | Tonic Chord | Characteristic Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melodic Minor | 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 | min, min6, min(maj7) | 6, 7 |
| Dorian b2 | 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7 | min, min6, min7, dom7sus4 | b2, 6 |
| Lydian Augmented | 1 2 3 #4 #5 6 7 | aug, maj7b5, maj7#5 | #4, #5 |
| Lydian b7 | 1 2 3 #4 5 6 b7 | maj, maj6, dom7, dom7b5 | #4, b7 |
| Mixolydian b6 | 1 2 3 4 5 b6 b7 | maj, aug, dom7, dom7#5 | b6, b7 |
| Locrian natural 2 | 1 2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 | dim, min7b5 | 2, b5 |
| Super Locrian (Altered) | 1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7 | dim, min7b5, dom7b5 dom7#5 | b4, b5 |