The Modes-Scales page Paragraphs in this page are: Definition Modes-Scales relation Various Modes Mode analysis Explanation Definition As we have seen till here, "raw" tones are only the base in any music system. Once a basic material is defined, then further structure takes place in order to bring the material into a more usable stage. The first organization is the interval which we have seen in the relevant page. The second organization is the "mode" and "scale". We definetly have heard either or both. We have also noticed that they appear to be the same in a way or another. But if same, why waist 2 words for the same meaning? Although relevant, mode and scale are different and apply to different eras in Music. Modes derive from various Modal Systems around the world, and are in most cases relevant to vocal music. Voice is the first tool a human being posesses to produce music and definetly one of the first. If we also count percussion instruments, we have rhythm and melody, being therefore able to fully produce music. Vocal music has an interesting property. Though it doesn't care completely about tone, it cares very much about tone relation, therefore intervals. The intervals themselves are more important than the tones for further development of the contemporary music system. Every vocalist has experienced this in a rate or another. Using primarily intervals, the same melody can be constructed in every position in the acoustic range. This is what makes modes: the interval order. A Mode is a specific order of intervals usually dividing an octave, indipendent of position in the acoustic range. The intervals are usually close to each other, but there are exceptions to this. The division of the octave is the rule, but there can be exceptions. Now we can imagine what happens next. After percussion, comes the making of musical instruments capable of producing tones, meaning sounds with pitch clarity. Musical instruments have a special difference to voice. A certain fingering produces a certain tone. The instrument player is therefore concerned with an additional "burden": He/she has to know the exact tones to play, therefore translate the interval distances to tones. Just think how easy is for a vocalist to sing a tune one semitone lower, and how much more difficult is for an instrument player to follow. Instrumentalists are therefore concerned more with the second definition: Scale. A Scale is a Mode applied on a specific position in the acoustic range, dependent of the actual tones that produce it. Modes-Scales relation So,  modes are "floating" inside the acoustic range, scales are "positioned" inside the acoustic range. A single Mode produces many Scales. Speaking on the tones of our Music System, one Mode can produce 12 Scales. If we count the different names of the same tones, the scales are more than 12. Here are 3 Major Scales based on the Major Mode. The Major Mode and the Ionian Mode are the same. Consiquently, the Major Scales and the Ionian Scales are also the same. Names differ The C Major Scale is the only Natural Major. Because traversing the natural tones from C to C produces a different interval order than from G to G, the G Natural Scale is NOT Major. Accidentals have therefore to be placed. Some Scales need more accidentals than others. Here are 3 Lydian Scales based on the Lydian Mode. The Lydian Mode is one and only. The Lydian Scales would be far more than 3. The F Lydian Scale is the only Natural Lydian. For the Lydian Scale to be produced in C, accidentals have to be used, b/s as you remember, the C Natural Scale would be Ionian (or Major) and not Lydian. Notice the difference between E Major (previous example) and E Lydian (present example). To define a Mode we need only the intervals To define a Scale, we need specific tones with their accidentals or a Key Signature. The key signature issue concerns the relevant page. Various Modes Here are various Modes often used. Order is alphabetical. Name Interval Order (T=whole tone, s=semitone, 3m=3rd minor) Aeolian TsTTsTT Altered (Super locrian) sTsTTTT Chromatic ssssssssssss (12s) Diminished Ts TsTsTsTs (4Ts) Diminished sT sTsTsTsT (4sT) Dorian TsTTTsT Harmonic minor TsTTs(3s)s (3s is the trisemitone, the 2nd Augmented) Ionian TTsTTTs Ionian Augmented TTTTsTs Locrian sTTsTTT Locrian 2M TsTsTTT Lydian TTTsTTs Lydian Dominant TTTsTsT Major Pentatonic TT3mT3m Melodic minor TsTTTTs Minor Pentatonic 3mTT3mT Mixolydian TTsTTsT Mixolydian 6m TTsTsTT Phrygian sTTTsTT Phrygian 6M sTTTTsT Whole Tone TTTTTT (6T) To create any scale, you just have to apply a Mode in a tone minding the needed accidentals. Mode analysis The previous paragraph was created in this way in order to notice Mode issues just by seeing the intervals. An abstract observation can definetly mark 5 issues: Mode Alteration We see that there are modes that look like others and are named in a relevant way. The Locrian and Locrian 2M are nearly the same. Although it appears that all modes would be used in the older Modal Systems, this does not happen necessarily. Those modes appearing to be "altering" others, are a product of modern Music Systems. In most cases, the alteration happens in order to make a mode behave differently in terms of harmony. When referring to an improvised music, they have specific names, but in composed music any of these modes could be passing melody without taking a specific name. This is because the improvisator needs a "vehicle" for creating phrases, a vehicle the composer does not need desperately. Improvizing will need more times the word "Dorian" than composing will. Genre Notice that some modes, allthough different than others, have certain characteristics similar? The Ionian Mode is TTsTTTs, the Dorian Mode is TsTTTsT. They have "TTT" a tritone inside them, but not 4 sequential whole tones like others do. Many modes are similar if intervals traverse from the beginning to the end. This brings the case of a generic "Mode Genre" that if applied in a Tone that would produce different Scales that use the same tones. Ionian T T s T T T s Dorian T s T T T s T Phrygian s T T T s T T Lydian T T T s T T s Mixolydian T T s T T s T Aeolian T s T T s T T Locrian s T T s T T T The next scale would apply in the next relevant tone. So, the Natural Genre would produce: C Ionian D Dorian E Phrygian F Lydian G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian The Bb Genre would produce: F Ionian G Dorian A Phrygian Bb Lydian C Mixolydian D Aeolian E Locrian The "Diagonal" interval alteration was created by a student of mine a year ago, just after she learned all the Major Scale Modes, and I feel the need to share this "cycling" idea with all of you. This is not prototype of course, but I was very happy that she had found it by herself: "If we slide a note, why not slide the intervals too?" Symmetry There are scales that have the same intervals allover: Chromatic and Whole Tone. There are others that have a sequence of intervals repeated: Diminished Ts and sT These scales have an interesting behaviour: If I find something, I will find it again in a certain order until I reach an octave. In the case of the Diminished sT or Ts: If I find a Dominant chord, I will find it again in 3rd minor steps. Further more, these scales or structures inside them can belong to different harmonies depending on the step distance and quantity. A single diminished chord of the Diminished Scale can lead to four harmonic environments. A single 7/5# chord of the Whole Tone  can traverse two whole tones and solve to an unexpected tone. Finally, interesting "parallel" melodies can be created, significally "destabilizing" the harmonic environment. Inversion There are Modes that appear "inverted" to others and Modes "inverted" to themselves: Ionian Mode TTsTTTs is inverted to Phrygian Mode sTTTsTT Dorian Mode is inverted to itself: TsTTTsT As we see also, all simple periods are invered to themselves: Whole Tone and Chromatic. Inverted symmetries lead to each other: Diminished Ts - Diminished sT. Inversion can be very interesting when applying the 12tone Inversion-Retrograde procedure used in the Atonal System (and already existing in the Western Modal System polyphony), still not wanting to produce an atonal piece of music. Vertical relation This is the key for Harmonic Functions, Mode Harmonic quality and Mode-Scale role inside the Tonal Music System. Instead of counting the mode steps horizontally, from one note to the next, we count them vertically, each note from the base. All notes are "degrees" meaning that they have an interval relation to the base note. For the C Major Scale, D is 2nd Major, F is 4th Perfect and so on. We will later see that the degrees in a tone play significant role in the Tonal Music System, so the "vertical" approach to any mode is the key in understanding harminy issues. Scales vertical analysis Analyzing the C Major Scale vertically we find that all notes are either Major or Perfect. The chord seen on the right is the base 4-voice triad constructed by the Scale's notes: 1st 3rd 5th 7th. If we keep the first three. we see that the 3-voice chord is Major. The seventh is Major. So, the 4-voice chord is Major 7th: C7M Analyzing the C Natural minor Scale vertically we find that: 2nd is Major all others are minor or Perfect. The chord seen on the right is the base 4-voice triad constructed by the Scale's notes: 1st 3rd 5th 7th. If we keep the first three. we see that the 3-voice chord is minor. The seventh is minor. So, the 4-voice chord is minor 7th: Cm7 Analyzing the C Phrygian Scale vertically we find that all notes are either minor or Percect. The chord seen on the right is the base 4-voice triad constructed by the Scale's notes: 1st 3rd 5th 7th. An optional chord can be made with the use of 4th Perfect steps. Explanation A possible question would be: "just why all this information overload? Do I really have to know all these things? Remember that these pages are mainly theoretical and do not concern on practice, use, style or taste. Thinking theoretically means trying to find everything we can without limiting ourselves even before starting. Exploring new roads must have an suitable disposition.