Episode 33 leads you through all seven modes with listening examples.
Episode 33 leads you through all seven modes with listening examples. Ionian (1:04), Dorian (1:49), Phrygian (2:26), Lydian (3:16), Mixolydian (5:24), Aeolian (6:10), and Locrian. (6:45)
Question of the day: What mode starts on ti? (7:44)
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Hi and welcome to the APsolute Recap: Music Theory Edition. Today’s episode will recap Modes
Lets Zoom out:
We’re in Unit 8 Modes and Forms
Topic 8.1
Our Big idea is pitch
I download podcasts, listen more and learn. Not only do I actually do this, but this is my mnemonic device for remembering the modes: I, Ionian, download, dorian, podcasts, phyrigian (starts with p-h), listen, lydian, more, mixolydian, and, aeolian, learn, locrian. Modes are simply scales with pitches organized in different ways than just major or minor.
Lets Zoom in:
Ionian- (sound clip)
This is simply the major scale. There are tons of examples of major mode music. One more can’t hurt right? Here is Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2
(example: 0:00-0:29 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E6b3swbnWg)
Dorian- (sound clip)
In Camille Saint-Saens’ March of the Lions in Carnival of the Animals, Dorian mode is used to invoke a Persian style song to represent the lion. (Example 0:00-0:26 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE4CATvZ188)
Phrygian- (sound clip)
Orlando di Lasso was one of the earliest known composers in the Renaissance. He was most well known for his franco-flemish style. Here is the phrygian mode shown for his work “In me transierunt” (example: 0:00-0:30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJfLUZukOyo)
Lydian- (sound clip)
Beethoven used the Lydian mode in the third movement of String Quartet No. 15. Ops 132 His full title of this piece even overtly states, hey this is in lydian (but in a much classier way in German). (Example:0:00-0:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI4xhQVwzSg)
Mixolydian- (sound clip)
This scale is the most similar to the major scale. The only difference is
in the seventh scale degree, you are expecting a half step between the
seventh and eighth pitch, but instead of ti do, we have fa sol.
She Moved Through the Fair is an Irish folk song that uses the Mixolydian mode.
(Example: 0:35-0:56 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8A-ZPtOnGk)
Aeolian- (sound clip)
This mode is simply the natural minor scale. There are many
examples of this in music. Here is a well known folk song about the
Underground Railroad called “Follow the Drinking Gourd” performed by Marvin Hayes
(Example: 0:34-0:48 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNyhfQ7argU)
Locrian- (sound clip)
Claude Debussy composed for a ballet called “Jeux.” In this piece he creates wave-like motives and flips between modes, mainly dorian and locrian. This example starts off in locrian.
(Example: 4:32-4:42 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0esY1veyEFE)
To recap……
Modes are scales with different organizations of half and whole steps. When labeling a mode, use the letter name of the first scale degree with the mode name, for example, F Lydian. The seven modes are: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. Remember: I download podcasts, listen more and learn.
Coming up next on the Apsolute RecAP Music Theory Edition: Common Formal Sections
Today’s Question of the day is about Modes.
Question: What mode starts on ti?