Discussion 2b - Modes and Pentonic Scales

Modal Mayhem

“Order the modes from lightest to darkest”

• Lydian, ^#4
• Ionian, no changes from the major scale
• Mixolydian, ^b7
• Dorian, ^b3 ^b7
• Aeolian, ^b3, ^b6, ^b7
• Phrygian, ^b2, ^b3, ^b6, and ^b7
• Locrian, ^b2, ^b3, ^b5, ^b6, and ^b7

“Why do the modes sound darker as we add more flats (or take away sharps)?”

• We associate upward resolution with brightness.
• Partially from societal bias, partially from inherant consonance and dissonance built in our brains for survival purposes.

“Why is Locrian so unused?”

• Locrian is the only mode which doesn’t contain a perfect fifth from ^1 to ^5, making the tonic chord extremely dissonant and feel unresolved.
• Also, the lowered ^5 prevents the mode from having a standard V to I resolution that we are accustomed to hearing.

“How do most people think about modes?”

• A major scale starting on different pitches. Using the same pitch collection with a different tonic.

“How do you label intervals?”

• It’s important to remember that a dyad (two pitches played together) is different than an interval (the space between two pitches).
• Intervals are labeled with a quality first (perfect, major, minor, diminished, and augmented), and a quantity next (unison, second, third, fourth, etc.).
• Harmonic intervals are intervals played together, melodic intervals are played seperately (one after another).
• Simple intervals are intervals within the octave, compound intervals are inervals are that stretch further than an octave.

“What on Earth is Lydian Dominant?”

• Compared to Ionian (major), it has a raised ^4 and a lowered ^7
• You take the lower half of Lydian mode combined with the upper half of Mixolydian mode
• Solfege: Do, Re, Mi, Fi, So, La, Te

How to practice/learn modes:

• Think relative: What scale degree of Ionian do I start on to get this mode?
• Think parallel: What tones are altered compared to Ionian?

Pentatonic Persnicketiness

“What are some tricks to crafting pentatonic scales?”

• Using a major scale, take out the tri-tone notes (degree ^4 and ^7) to form major pentatonic.
• Using a natural minor scale, take out scale degree ^2 and ^6 to form minor pentatonic
• In other words, for both major and minor pentatonic, you are removing the scale degrees which are a half-step away from a chord tone to form the pentatonic version
• Major and Minor pentatonic are modes of each other. The notes in a major pentatonic scale match the note in its relative minor pentatonic scale. (Ex: if you play the notes of C major pentatonic, but start on A, you will get A minor pentatonic)

Pentatonic Solfege:

• Major: Do, Re, Mi, So, La or ^1, ^2, ^3, ^5, ^6
• Minor: Do, Me, Fa, Sol, Te or ^1, ^b3, ^4, ^5, ^b7

Further Reading

From Open Music Theory

The Chromatic Scale

The chromatic scale consists entirely of half steps, and uses every pitch on the keyboard within a single octave. Here is the chromatic scale that spans the pitches C4 through C5.