From: LIVENGOOD.MIKE@A1GW.GENE.COM (Mike Livengood) Modes: What's a mode? No it's not that green fuzzy stuff that grows on old cheese in the refrigerator. A mode is...well, it's kind of tough to explain I suppose. But let's try to work through it together and see if we can discover for ourselves what modes are. Let's start with a C major scale C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C 2 Octaves in TAB form: E------------------------------------------- B----------------------------------10-12-13- D--------------------------9-10-12---------- G------------------9-10-12------------------ A----------8-10-12-------------------------- E--8-10-12---------------------------------- This is a C major scale in its natural mode, starting on C. This natural mode is called the Ionian mode. No big deal, see, you knew one mode already. What about the other modes? Well, what if we are playing and our progression has a C7 chord in it, (which has a flat 7) and we want to stress that in a melody line or solo? So instead of playing our normal 7 in the scale (B) we play the same scale but flat the seventh each time (Bb). No big deal, just the one note. So now our scale looks like this: C-D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C 2 Octaves in TAB form: E------------------------------------------- B----------------------------------10-11-13- D--------------------------9-10-12---------- G------------------8-10-12------------------ A----------8-10-12-------------------------- E--8-10-12---------------------------------- But wait a minute! I think I recognize those notes. Yeah, a single Bb is the key signature for F-major/D minor. Amazing! Who would have thought that? But I'm not playing in F major or D minor. Hmm. My progression is still in C. Yes, I'm in C but I'm no longer in the Ionian mode. With the flat seventh I am now in the Mixolydian mode. I know it sounds like we've been transported to some alien parallel universe, but don't worry, it's just a way of playing. Hey guys wait up! Apparently the band has switched to C minor on me. Well, I know my C minor scale: C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-C E------------------------------------------- B----------------------------------9-11-13-- D--------------------------8-10-12---------- G------------------8-10-12------------------ A----------8-10-11-------------------------- E--8-10-11---------------------------------- Well, once again I have changed modes. What we familiarly call the minor scale is also the C Aeolian mode. While the Mixolydian has a flat 7, the Aeolian has a flat 3, a flat 6, and a flat 7. Notice also that these notes are the same as an Eb major scale. OK, Now the guys are really getting on my nerves. We just changed to a progression that demands a Cm6 flavor. Hmmm. First, what's a Cm6? Well, it's a Cm (C-Eb-G) with a major 6th added on (A). Shoot, I can't play the scales I've been playing if I want to stress the Cm6 sound. I either have to flat the 3 of the Mixolydian, or sharp the 6 in the C Aeolian. OK let's try it. The new scale is: C-D-Eb-F-G-A-Bb-C E------------------------------------------- B----------------------------------10-11-13- D--------------------------8-10-12---------- G------------------8-10-12------------------ A----------8-10-12-------------------------- E--8)10-s1) €%A8 bHE±"$KL Ι0M ΰ8ΞΗ'6Dτζβ"ΑΩ21(9MA2δΒ₯ΑpΩ §Α@Ν.d0qR2Dχ& γr|΅9 Ή½ΉΝ₯ΝΡΜ½4)± ΠΜ Ή± ΠάΈQ‘Ν Ι ±ΝΌΡ‘Ή½ΡΜΡΌΡ‘ ΅ ©½ΘΝ ±Έ½½°Έ$΄4)ΡΡ₯ΉΡ‘‘ Ή½Ρ‘₯ΜΈ½ΈΠBb) : major triad Gb or Gbmaj [x x 4 3 2 2] (Db Gb Bb) : major triad Gb #5 or Gbaug [x x 0 3 3 2] (D Gb Bb) : augmented triad Gb/Ab [x x 4 3 2 4] (Db Gb Ab Bb) : major triad (altered bass) Gb/E [2 4 2 3 2 2] (Db E Gb Bb) : major triad (altered bass) Gb/E [x x 4 3 2 0] (Db E Gb Bb) : major triad (altered bass) Gb/Eb [x x 1 3 2 2] (Db Eb Gb Bb) : major triad (altered bass) Gb/F [x x 3 3 2 2] (Db F Gb Bb) : major triad (altered bass) Gb6 [x x 1 3 2 2] (Db Eb Gb Bb) : major triad plus 6th Gb7 or Gbdom 7 [2 4 2 3 2 2] (Db E Gb Bb) : major triad, minor 7th Gb7 or Gbdom 7 [x x 4 3 2 0] (Db E Gb Bb) : major triad, minor 7th Gb7(#5) [2 x 4 3 3 0] (D E Gb Bb) : minor 7th, sharp 5th Gb7/#9 [x 0 4 3 2 0] (Db E Gb A Bb) : major triad, minor 7th augmented 9th Gb7sus4 [x 4 4 4 x 0] (Db E Gb B) : sus4 triad, minor 7th Gbadd9 or Gb2 [x x 4 3 2 4] (Db Gb Ab Bb) : major triad plus 9th Gbaug/E [2 x 4 3 3 0] (D E Gb Bb) : augmented triad (altered bass) Gbdim/D [x 5 7 5 7 2] (C D Gb A): diminished triad (altered bass) Gbdim/D [x 0 0 2 1 2] (C D Gb A) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gbdim/D [x 3 x 2 3 2] (C D Gb A) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gbdim/D [x 5 7 5 7 5] (C D Gb A) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gbdim/E [x 0 2 2 1 2] (C E Gb A) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gbdim/E [x x 2 2 1 2] (C E Gb A) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gbdim/Eb [x x 1 2 1 2] (C Eb Gb A) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gbdim7 [x x 1 2 1 2] (C Eb Gb A) : diminished triad, diminished 7th Gbm [2 4 4 2 2 2] (Db Gb A) : minor triad Gbm [x 4 4 2 2 2] (Db Gb A) : minor triad Gbm [x x 4 2 2 2] (Db Gb A) : minor triad Gbm/D [x x 0 14 14 14] (Db D Gb A) : minor triad (altered bass) Gbm/D [x x 0 2 2 2] (Db D Gb A) : minor triad (altered bass) Gbm/E [0 0 2 2 2 2] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad (altered bass) Gbm/E [0 x 4 2 2 0] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad (altered bass) Gbm/E [2 x 2 2 2 0] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad (altered bass) Gbm/E [x 0 4 2 2 0] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad (altered bass) Gbm/E [x x 2 2 2 2] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad (altered bass) Gbm7 [0 0 2 2 2 2] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad, minor 7th Gbm7 [0 x 4 2 2 0] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad, minor 7th Gbm7 [2 x 2 2 2 0] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad, minor 7th Gbm7 [x 0 4 2 2 0] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad, minor 7th Gbm7 [x x 2 2 2 2] (Db E Gb A) : minor triad, minor 7th Gbm7(b5) or Gbo7 [x 0 2 2 1 2] (C E Gb A) : diminished triad, minor 7th : half-diminished 7th Gbm7(b5) or Gbo7 [x x 2 2 1 2] (C E Gb A) : diminished triad, minor 7th : half-diminished 7th Gbm7/b9 [0 0 2 0 2 2] (Db E Gb G A) : minor triad, minor 7th flat 9th Gbmaj7 or Gb#7 [x x 3 3 2 2] (Db F Gb Bb) : major triad, major 7th Gbsus or Gbsus4 [x 4 4 4 2 2] (Db Gb B) : no 3rd but a 4th from a major triad Gbsus2/Bb [x x 4 3 2 4] (Db Gb Ab Bb) : sus2 triad (altered bass) Gbsus4/E [x 4 4 4 x 0] (Db E Gb B) : sus4 triad (altered bass) Gdim/E [x 1 2 0 2 0] (Db E G Bb) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gdim/E [x x 2 3 2 3] (Db E G Bb) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gdim/Eb [x 1 1 3 2 3] (Db Eb G Bb) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gdim/Eb [x 6 8 6 8 6] (Db Eb G Bb) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gdim/Eb [x x 1 3 2 3] (Db Eb G Bb) : diminished triad (altered bass) Gdim7 [x 1 2 0 2 0] (Db E G Bb) : diminished triad, diminished 7th Gdim7 [x x 2 3 2 3] (Db E G Bb) : diminished triad, diminished 7th Gm [3 5 5 3 3 3] (D G Bb) : minor triad Gm [x x 0 3 3 3] (D G Bb) : minor triad Gm/E [3 x 0 3 3 0] (D E G Bb) : minor triad (altered bass) Gm/Eb [x 6 8 7 8 6] (D Eb G Bb) : minor triad (altered bass) Gm/F [3 5 3 3 3 3] (D F G Bb) : minor triad (altered bass) Gm/F [x x 3 3 3 3] (D F G Bb) : minor triad (altered bass) Gm13 [0 0 3 3 3 3] (D E F G A Bb) : minor triad, minor 7th, plus 9th and 13th Gm6 [3 x 0 3 3 0] (D E G Bb) : minor triad plus 6th Gm7 [3 5 3 3 3 3] (D F G Bb) : minor triad, minor 7th Gm7 [x x 3 3 3 3] (D F G Bb) : minor triad, minor 7th-4-5-7---7-5-4--------l A-3-5-7---------------7-5-3--l E----------------------------l OK...Now we are all experts on modes and can break further out of our timid selves and conquer the musical world. (Maybe later) Any questions, comments, additions? M.L.