Modes - What Mood?

The major scale forms the basis of much of Western music, and from it, we can derive seven distinct modes. Each mode provides a unique emotional color, and many famous songs make use of these modes, whether intentionally or intuitively. Let's explore the seven modes of the major scale, their characteristics, and provide song examples that reflect each mode.

What Are Modes?

In music, modes are different types of scales that create unique tonalities or feelings. They are variations of the traditional major and minor scales, each having a distinct pattern of intervals (the distance between notes) and a characteristic sound. Modes were used extensively in ancient and medieval music and are still widely used in various musical genres today.

A mode is a type of scale that originates from a specific note in the major scale. By starting on different notes within the scale, you create a new mode, which shifts the emotional quality of the music. The seven modes are derived from the major scale (Ionian mode), and each one brings a distinct flavor due to the pattern of whole and half steps between the notes.

I. Ionian Mode (Major Scale)

• Formula: R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R

• Sound Quality: Bright, Happy, Stable

• Characteristics: The Ionian mode is the familiar major scale. It’s uplifting, harmonious, and stable. When most people think of "happy" or "resolved" music, they’re often hearing the Ionian mode.

Song Examples:

1. "Do-Re-Mi" – The Sound of Music (C Ionian)

2. "Happy" – Pharrell Williams (F Ionian)

3. "Let It Be" – The Beatles (C Ionian)

4. "Here Comes the Sun" – The Beatles (A Ionian)

5. "Don’t Stop Believin’" – Journey (E Ionian)

ii. Dorian Mode

• Formula: R 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 R

• Sound Quality: Jazzy, Minor, Melodic, Slightly Mysterious

• Characteristics: The Dorian mode is a minor scale but with a bright, major sixth degree. It creates a sound that’s somewhat melancholic yet hopeful. Often used in jazz, blues, and rock, it has a soulful, versatile feel.

Song Examples:

1. "Oye Como Va" – Santana (D Dorian)

2. "Mad World" – Tears for Fears (Em Dorian)

3. "The Weight" – The Band (C Dorian)

4. "So What" – Miles Davis (D Dorian)

5. "Eleanor Rigby" – The Beatles (E Dorian)

iii. Phrygian Mode

• Formula: R b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 R

• Sound Quality: Dark, Spanish, Exotic, Intense

• Characteristics: The Phrygian mode is often described as the “most minor” of all the modes. It has a tense, dark, and exotic feel, commonly used in flamenco music, Spanish guitar, and metal for its dramatic and mysterious tone.

Song Examples:

1. "Wherever I May Roam" – Metallica (E Phrygian)

2. "Misirlou" – Dick Dale (E Phrygian)

3. "The Trooper" – Iron Maiden (E Phrygian)

4. "Pavane" – Gabriel Fauré (C Phrygian)

5. "Spirits in the Material World" – The Police (B Phrygian)

IV. Lydian Mode

• Formula: R 2 3 #4 5 6 7 R

• Sound Quality: Dreamy, Ethereal, Bright, Floating

• Characteristics: The Lydian mode is like the Ionian (major scale) but with a raised fourth degree. This makes it sound open, airy, and “dreamy.” It’s often used in film scores to evoke a sense of wonder, space, or surrealism.

Song Examples:

1. "The Simpsons Theme" – Danny Elfman (C Lydian)

2. "Purple Haze" – Jimi Hendrix (E Lydian)

3. "Don't Stop Believin’" – Journey (E Lydian)

4. "Flying in a Blue Dream" – Joe Satriani (F Lydian)

5. "Big Love" – Fleetwood Mac (D Lydian)

V. Mixolydian Mode

• Formula: R 2 3 4 5 6 b7 R

• Sound Quality: Bluesy, Funky, Major with Tension, Rock-Oriented

• Characteristics: The Mixolydian mode is a major scale with a lowered seventh degree, giving it a bluesy, funky feel. It often conveys a sense of joy, but with a touch of tension and edge. It’s very common in rock, blues, and country music.

Song Examples:

1. "Sweet Home Alabama" – Lynyrd Skynyrd (D Mixolydian)

2. "Good Times" – Chic (B Mixolydian)

3. "No Woman, No Cry" – Bob Marley (C Mixolydian)

4. "She’s a Rainbow" – The Rolling Stones (G Mixolydian)

5. "Back in Black" – AC/DC (E Mixolydian)

vi. Aeolian Mode (Natural Minor Scale)

• Formula: R 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 R

• Sound Quality: Sad, Somber, Melancholic

• Characteristics: The Aeolian mode is the natural minor scale, and it’s often used to evoke sadness, melancholy, or introspection. It’s the go-to scale for darker, emotional music, from classical to rock and metal.

Song Examples:

1. "The Sound of Silence" – Simon & Garfunkel (D Aeolian)

2. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" – Nirvana (F Aeolian)

3. "House of the Rising Sun" – The Animals (A Aeolian)

4. "Hurt" – Nine Inch Nails (D Aeolian)

5. "Nothing Else Matters" – Metallica (E Aeolian)

vii. Locrian Mode

• Formula: R b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 R

• Sound Quality: Dissonant, Tense, Unstable

• Characteristics: The Locrian mode is the most unstable and dissonant of all the modes. The diminished fifth (or "tritone") creates a tense, unresolved sound. While it’s rarely used as a tonal center in traditional Western music, it can be effective for creating dissonance or experimental atmospheres.

Song Examples:

1. "Breathe" – Pink Floyd (B Locrian)

2. "The Chicken" – Jaco Pastorius (F Locrian)

3. "Cassandra" – Don Ellis (C Locrian)

4. "Misery Business" – Paramore (B Locrian)

5. "Psycho Killer" – Talking Heads (A Locrian)