The MIXOLYDIAN Mode is Really Kind of Goofy

[@DavidBennettPiano]

The cease and desist letter is in the post.

[@lo-fi-luna]

No replys?

[@beatrixlivesey-stephens1892]

"We're here to catch magic rats, not fall in love in the Italian countryside" had me DYING

[@cmdraftbrn]

as we send children off into the countryside with either a water turtle, fire lizard, or a plant.

[@huhneat1076]

I was about to quote this same thing

[@awp81]

Same here. I'm still laughing about it as I comment.

[@tyrrhus5248]

Yeah someone didn't like movie 4

[@BrazillianCara]

This line may become funnier when they eventually release a Pokémon game(s) in a region based on Italy.

[@emilywebzone]

I think mixolydian and more generally the bVII-I cadence is used in video game music in a more general sense to evoke a feeling of confidence. Sometimes that is juxtaposed with an absurd cartoonish scenario which makes it come across as a bit silly, but that's all it is, the context surrounding the confidence. To me the sound on its own feels much more boisterous and self-assured than anything else, which comes across slightly goofy in some video game scenarios, but has a certain wholesome stride that keeps it grounded.

[@m1chacha]

Exactly, that's what I was thinking - it generally gives (to me at least) more of a macho or heroic vibe which can come across as goofy within the context of certain characters.

[@limplad3]

Yes, exactly. Context is everything. In fact, I love Mixolydian, and most examples of Mixolydian music I can think of sound heroic, confident, adventurous, melancholic, bittersweet, funky, groovy, folky, medieval-ish, or sometimes even "exotic"... but usually not goofy. Mixolydian can also sound playful of course (there's quite a few VGM examples), but I feel it's not the norm.

[@essebrunoai]

As a Brazilian that spent a lot of time listening to the musical genre called Baião, the mixolydian mode evokes a feeling of dryness, hot and arid air, typical of the climate of the places where it's been invented. I believe the most important difference between Baião and the mixolydian modes showed on the video is that Baião doesn't really resolve the flat 7 tension - it let's it linger as if it where the natural resting place of the scale. Listen to some music written by Luiz Gonzaga to understand what i mean, it is truly something in itself!

[@joshmireles4999]

This is so interesting because the strongest reference I have for mixolydian has been in Worship music growing up, which always gave a “contemplative” or “yearning” feeling. b7-1 is so versatile 🤩

[@joshmireles4999]

This is so interesting because the strongest reference I have for mixolydian has been in Worship music growing up, which always gave a “contemplative” or “yearning” feeling. b7-1 is so versatile 🤩

[@sharpphilip]

The David Bennett reference made me chuckle. I hope you’re buddies!

[@BlueMeeple]

This! It was an instant like to the video. xD

[@TheBassPanda]

Missed it somehow; where is it ?

[@Taylurrrrrrr]

@@TheBassPanda 0:23

[@nathandorsey9145]

I think they've been on one or more "5 composers do X" videos together at least.

[@swill6500]

definitely a vicious storied history of hatred between the two channels lol

[@Kylora2112]

Mixolydian is *the* sound of rock & roll. It's the mode that lets you play E, A, and D major (the three "open" power chords on guitar, so the easiest to play) that plays really well with E and A minor pentatonic (having the major and minor thirds clashing is a fundamental aspect of the blues, where a lot of rock & roll comes from). The I-IV-bVII-IV vamp is to rock & roll as the I-V-IV-vi loop is to pop. "Gloria" (Them) and "What I Like About You" (The Romantics)are among some of the classics built on this foundation (basically a 12 bar blues that never goes to the bIII7).

[@JPBrooksLive]

Dire Dire Docks, Kokiri Forest, Zora's Domain, and Hyrule Field all are great mixolydian songs. I love the versatility of it, and it's always mesmerized me how many moods that mixolydian can evoke.

[@MercuryHg34]

I'd actually argue that Dire Dire Docks isn't entirely mixolydian, because the 6 chord is borrowed from g minor (I'm talking about that absolutely sexy EbM7 chord), and we only get the E natural note in the 2 and 4 chords during that piece. Also glad someone else mentioned Kokiri Forest before I did.

[@JPBrooksLive]

@@MercuryHg34 I was considering the EbM7 as just another mode mixture I guess? Since it only shows up at the end of each big phrase. And yeah I absolutely LOVE that chord there. The "Mario cadence" gets a hell of a lot of mileage from Kondo!

[@bradoliver9324]

I agree that mixolydian is quite versatile, and that while some of the goofy examples given in the video are truly goofy, I would argue that Hyrule Field, and also every song you mentioned is not at all goofy, even without using minor feels. Hyrule Field and Kokiri Forest are both quite jaunty and smiley, but I'd also argue that they underscore a hero's journey and the mixed emotions of venturing into something new and exciting and also leaving behind familiarity. I would put it down as whimsical before "goofy".

[@WhitePaintbrush]

@@MercuryHg34 i still think of Dire Dire Docks as being in Mixolydian even if it doesn’t stricly _stay_ within it, because the bVI shows up less frequently than the bVII. It opens with a classic I bVII vamp as well.

[@MercuryHg34]

@@WhitePaintbrush That's a fair point, though I'd say because the VI chord is always a flat VI and never a natural vi chord that is normally part of the mixolydian mode. This is the awesome thing about music, the way you approach analyzing the piece can be influenced by the aspects of the tonality your brain resonated with the most.

[@ScotsmanRS]

As a traditional Scottish musician, I found your take on mixolydian quite novel and surprising. A lot of our music uses this mode thanks to the bagpipes and I wouldn’t say it really fits any of the categories or moods described in this video. As a 90s kid, I found your take on mixolydian to be immediately intuitive and relatable. Context is everything, it seems!

[@michaelmaloney8183]

I agree! As a fellow piper, it's really interesting how the bagpipes use a measly 9 notes within the Mixolydian mode to convey such emotions as sadness, joy, confidence, fear, light, darkness, and just overall, power... As an example, three of my favorite pipe tunes that convey some interesting emotions are... Cabar Feidh, Haughs of Cromdale, and Bronni's Blue Brozzi. Still can't believe that we can get so much expression out of only 9 notes lol.

[@TheNewCortadasPNC]

I always felt like the rock n roll sound was the biggest common denominator with mixie. What do you call a cross between Celtic music, the Blues, and the sound of kids having fun?

[@nrauschermusic]

The steady improvement in editing and timing of the jokes in these videos is really joyous to watch

[@Josh_Fredman]

I have never heard the mixolydian mode described as goofy before! Usually people use words like mystical, bittersweet, cool, fun-loving, Celtic, bluesy, etc. (You touch on a couple of these in your video.) Interesting to hear a different take on my favorite mode. I can definitely see what you're getting at, though I would argue that it's just another facet of mixolydian, and not the main identity.

[@schwa4883]

In video games at least, it seems to be the most common besides adventurous.

[@CarbonRollerCaco]

I'd call it freespirited.

[@Frederatormusic]

You show so many great examples as to why Mixolydian is good for heroism and adventure, not goofiness! Makes sense considering how Mixolydian (and Dorian) are pretty much the go-to for adventure in film music.

[@DeliciousOrange]

5:32 does this mean we can do the REVERSE and turn a romantic ballad into a goofy romp by just adding the mixolydian to an existing composition?

[@amoureux6502]

I wanna do that

[@elver2218]

OMG!

[@jamesenke7218]

Yeah. It's usually done to a waltz

[@ShowWithNoName]

I always associated Mixolydian with epic rock music. Besides the classic I - bVII - IV - I chords from Hey Jude or Sympathy for the Devil, Bittersweet Symphony and Nowhere Generation use the flat 7 in their melodies as well as a I - v7 - bVIIsus2 - IV (or IVsus2) chord progression that has a really open sound.

[@peev2]

Also Third stone from the sun.

[@KororaPenguin]

I associate it with "Old Joe Clark", a comic ditty.

[@andocobo]

I always associate it with Chuck Berry and Angus Young

[@zeta0134]

Okay, that was real slick at 10:11, adding one extra repetition of that intro section so that the timing worked well with your delivery. Your editing skills are just getting better and better :)

[@ap1evideogame44]

Yeah I thought "hold on, he cheated!"

[@Yipper64]

5:48 I like these sort of slight shifts to music in these videos as examples because if I where to make a game sound track id want to use these slight shifts to give something thats the same theme with a different vibe. Knowing that Mixolydian can go from goofy to romantic when you take it out is certainly interesting.

[@pizza2262]

this is a great point, if you want to learn more about something similar i'd suggest researching variatons on a theme. its a well studied topic and there are some great youtube videos on it. works great for different vibes like you said!

[@NoahThys]

I wasn't aware of the mixolydian mode being able to create this effect! I had always learned about it as creating a more dreamy feel, given the lack of tension the leading tone usually creates. The Gapra Whitewood from Final Fantasy XIII is a good example of this.

[@TaleshicMatera]

My associations with the Mixolydian mode have always been rather Medieval; and just how the Medieval period has become a "toy" for fantasy settings to play in, that goofy/playful/not-too-serious vibe can arise pretty easily (just just as easily can achieve the darker more regal vibes of said period when orchestrated as such).

[@early2000skid]

Ok, but the fact that he switched up the instrumentation of Hyrule field to make a "Italian RomCom" rendition just to push home the point and make the joke really funny is why 8-bit is one of the best KZbinrs on the platform. Hilarious and informative vid, gj as always :)

[@Mrjcowman]

Clocks by Coldplay is an excellent example of how Mixolydian can give a sense of wonder and drift rather than silliness or confidence.

[@rumblingrose49]

I was scrolling forever to find a comment on Clocks - it might not be the most common use of mixolydian, but it is an incredibly powerful one.

[@noelleelizabeth9991]

Chicago by Sufjan Stevens too

[@henriquemontalvao8492]

Baião is literally country mixolydian

[@simonschrenk6647]

Belfast Child by Simple Minds is THE mixolydian showcase for me. Love that tune!

[@insanemtl5890]

I might be misinterpreting Mixo, but more than anything, I love it for how beautiful it can sound whenever it's going in the bittwesweet adventurous or medieval-ish areas, my favourite being Lake Of Rage from Pokemon and In Gods Country by U2 :)

[@RyanLeach]

I love the alternate history versions with the raised seventh, such a great way to demonstrate what works by showing what doesn’t work!

[@kmw1191]

5:24 "we're here to catch magic rats, not fall in love in the Italian countryside" might be one of my new favorite quotes ever

[@usinganear]

I think another super important thing to take note of (no pun intended) is rhythm and timbre. I noticed when you “changed” an example to being in major instead of mixo, you also changed the instrumentation from loud, dated samples (that all of those great games have, and it’s awesome of course!) to a slow, quiet piano. That has a huge effect regardless of changing the mode. The argument can also be made that major is really goofy/silly but it really just has to do with how you use it and not it’s inherent qualities. I’ve heard mixolydian sound dark and surreal, major can be bittersweet and tug at your heartstrings-but both of those modes can also just be really campy and offputting as well. Interesting how many factors combined influence our perception of these things!

[@Remour]

I agree, Context and instrumentation matters a ton, I don’t like how some try to apply different emotions to these modes since what emotion it gives off relies HEAVILY on how it’s used. The only inherent differences are how dark or bright the mode is, but either or can sound happy, sad, wondrous or playful. To give an example for major, when you harmony and melody heavily emphasizes the dissonance between the mediant, subdominant, leading tone & tonic scale degrees you get a much more mysterious tone, almost “eerie.” To me I consider this kind of use of Ionian as emphasizing the tonality of the mode since you are using the pitches which gives the mode its character.

[@shreddedyeet]

Loving these modal analysis videos man, they really highlight the unique identities and vibes each mode brings to the table. they really help me understand the framework of how some music is built. Keep it up!

[@sparklefulpaladin]

As an appreciator of music, thank you so much for making your videos informative, but also able to be understood by those of us who may not have much, if any, music theory training.

[@kennyholmes5196]

On the subject of the Root-Flat7th vamp, it really says a lot that even when you were playing just the chords just before you went into the actual retro theme, I could pretty much immediately recognize it as being the Chocobo theme.

[@aJazzyFeel]

I love this advanced editing style! The storytelling and the editing, the jokes you use in this video are fantastic! I've been subscribed for such a long time and I can sense that you feel much more comfortable now than ever. Keep it up man, cheers!

[@JoHe_SonicBanana]

For me mixolydian sounds very triumph and is thus very suitable for video games. That bVII-I (or the other version in the video) is such a powerful musical step. BTW, love your videos, never stop.

[@rruhland]

Bringing those themes out of Mixolydian sounds really pretty but damn you’re right how much it just does not fit the situations in which they are supposed to be used.

[@Morgoth714]

The I-iv progression you talked about at the end is something I've always called the Runescape progression since an overwhelming number of their tracks use it. It's like a melancholy medieval sound, which is exactly what Runescape was going for.

[@Benjy45RS]

First thing I heard as well!

[@wohdinhel]

Mixolydian is my favorite mode, I always think of it as the “Trigun mode” because the episode preview music is very clearly in Mixo, but frankly a lot of “spaghetti western” style music or other things meant to evoke cowboys uses it. It’s really interesting how many vibes can be evoked through Mixo. The lack of a LT makes it kind of perfect for video game music too, because it doesn’t have a final V-I cadence to signal an “end” meaning that you can very easily loop Mixo compositions without ever feeling like there’s a clear stopping point. The adventure can go on forever.

[@timnordberg7204]

never really thought about it until you mentioned spaghetti westerns, but non-V dom7 chords code as very "American", probably because of its proliferation through blues, rock, and funk.

[@vgmkas]

Love that you touched on I-v rather than just the typical I-bVII! Adding bVI as a chromatic mediant to create bVI-bVII-I at points is also semi-common in Mixolydian tracks. I-bVII-iv is another favorite of mine that can imply Mixolydian b6 (an example being the Seaside Town theme from Super Mario RPG). The Wario Land 3 OST is nearly entirely in Mixolydian.

[@Brassydoots]

Great examples chosen for this video. Iconic songs that traverse across multiple genres of gaming. This video was put together really well, thank you for this!

[@griffinc466]

I often associate Mixolydian with Celtic and other related folk musics, cool to see how else it's used and perceived! Would love to see you look at modes of other scales like harmonic and melodic minor too!

[@sdw-hv5ko]

I also think the bVII-I sound has a certain power to it, which Hyrule Field is a great example of. It makes me think of a lot of rock/metal music from the 70s and 80s, which tended to be in minor or use a blues scale rather than a mixolydian scale, but still use that bVII-I resolution all the time

[@walkaboutarts]

I agree, to me Hyrule Field and that Pokemon Theme have a more "heroic" quality to them. for me the classic hero/adventure theme feeling consists of the I, the bVII and finally, the bVI, which I think would perfectly fit both zelda and pokemon themes

[@haikaido]

I freaking love this video. I like the information and I really like hearing those songs played with the mode "removed" if you will. That could be a series on its own lol

[@pAWNproductionsDE]

For years I didn't use the mixolydian scale much specifically because it was hard NOT to make it sound goofy (or like cheesy dad-rock), until I listened to some japanese jazz. For example, "Clouds" (both the Tatsuro Yamashita and Minako Yoshida versions) heavily emphasize the mixolydian sound by using the 5th as a pedal bass note with chord changes over it. Personally I find the use of the IV chord over the 5th scale degree (ex. Bmaj7/C#) to be a really beautiful, ethereal sound. Really broke me out of the "mixolydian is goofy" mindset

[@gamestopholdmusic]

dad rock is great though 🙄

[@cashwarior]

wow at first I was kinda like "okay but you're just using examples that make it sound silly" but as you explained and showed your reasoning behind this I was like "oh... i guess it is goofy 😳"

[@thegreatmup]

Same, once he explained the differing sound of the D minor chord, it made much more sense why the original sound is more goofy.

[@kreeperkiller4423]

goofy 😳

[@SamWickens]

Hey now, Malon's Gondola Training is the best Zelda spinoff and I'll hear no word against it!

[@musicman9901]

@ 5:11 I love how sleepy and contemplative the over-world theme becomes. Would listen to a full version.

[@jessemyers_music]

Always loved the quick b7 for the fanfare opening to the pokemon rby end credits. Gentle touch of both adventurous and bittersweet while celebrating the completion of the elite 4.

[@thepulseman7154]

Excellent video, I'm really hyped for what's next! As for my personal favourite example, it is the third random dungeon theme from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon - Explorers of Sky, sorta goofy, though it does evolve into something else completely that kinda screams FF airship theme. Also I kept confusing dorian and mixolydian, no wonder why the other favourites I was thinking of felt much less goofy, though dorian does have it's part of goofiness at times.

[@edonslow1456]

There's a great example of mixolydian in one of the two player mode songs in Sonic 2. Whenever I hear the mode, I'm taken back to my childhood and killing time over summer playing that game.

[@andrewericdavison]

That theme from OOT is literally my shorthand for remembering what mixolydian sounds like. ❤

[@jbradleymusic]

I immediately started humming the Chocobo theme before I even realized you were leading up to that. That stuff is potent. Also: "NO THANKS"

[@maria.garavaglia]

Nice video! I'm reminded of Customize It! from the Steambot Chronicles soundtrack. The b7 is used a lot there as part of an enclosure, making that sort-of-medieval sound mentioned in the Chrono Cross example.

[@mknacho4187]

I wouldn't have been able to talk about mixolydian without constantly talking about the 6/b7 to 7 relation, such a funky blend of major and minor :)

[@leixo]

Here in Brazil mixolydian is a mode used in baião a tradicional music, and even the lyrics isn't happy most of the times, the music is really fun and fun, people dance to it

[@auriels1451]

Wow amazing timing. I'm literally writing a piece using mixolydian as the main sound and thought might be good to do some digging into it. Thanks so much this was so so helpful!

[@moldyshishkabob]

This has been an awesome series. Having learned music theory but having a completely different career path, I never got to the point of applying these enough to recognize them in what I'm listening to. It's real cool, and it's neat to see what fun songs from my childhood were all Mixolydian lol

[@tristanyoungquist]

Love your mode analysis series. Always coming back to this channel for inspiration!

[@Kinda___Happy]

Im so happy to be digging into your videos again!! They’re my favorites 🙌

[@stllr_]

thank you for these mode videos. i've always thought modes were really interesting but couldn't wrap my head around why they were chosen for specific pieces, or hell how to even pick them out of a song. thanks for your service

[@TheAdvertisement]

10:14 Oh wow, never noticed how minor and slightly threatening the chords of Millenia Fair sounds by itself. The melody hides and blends with it really well!

[@guyedwards22]

I will make the argument that Mixolydian has a somewhat hidden "Mystical" quality to it. There is an extremely warm, colorful magic sound you can achieve by mixing the fourth scale degree into the melodies over the I7 chord. The 7sus4 chord captures this really well; the verses in Toto's 'Stop Loving You' vamp between F#7 and F#7sus4, and the result is this feeling of intense freedom and flight. Inside The Great Deku Tree from OOT also demonstrates the sort of 'spiritualism of nature' vibe evoked by Mixolydian. If you have access to a piano, hold down the sustain pedal and descend through 1-b7-5-4-3-1 scale degrees repeatedly down successive octaves to get an idea of this mystical quality.

[@Razaak666]

Inside the Deku Tree is in F# Dorian, it's based around a minor third :)

[@smoothbeak]

Very interesting, having listened to the examples and looked at the games I would describe the quality of the I to bVII as being "forward momentum", it's letting the player know that there is an expectation of moving and exploring, in particular this is so in the Ocarina of Time example.

[@zacharywong483]

Awesome video as always! These musical examples from so many games are spot-on and fantastic listening samples!

[@wellurban]

Interesting! The first example was definitely goofy, but overall I’ve tended to think of Mixolydian as playful and energetic rather than necessarily goofy. Particularly the bVII-I vamp, which Leonard Bernstein used as a defining example of Mixolydian by playing the “You Really Got Me” riff. Or as Signals Music Studio put it, it’s why “your Mum likes AC/DC”: you can get the bluesy/rocky/funky vibe of the flat 7th but the sing-along brightness of major.

[@rho421]

I love your videos so much! As I was listening, "Born to be Wild" came to mind, so I googled it...and sure enough, it has moments of E Myxolidian! Thank you for your incredible work.

[@chaoinspace2]

Mixolydian is also used quite a lot in Indian Classical Music too.

[@BlueMeeple]

Mixolydian is quite often used in game music, beside dorian. My favourite example is Jazz Jackrabbit Diamondus.

[@oliverlacota3112]

The Hyrule Field theme reimagined as a romantic Italian piece is the most blursed thing I've heard in recent memory. Thank you so much.

[@MarcelPetit]

LOVE the content man! Have been interested in this stuff since I was a kid already and it's great and helpful to see your views

[@TheViolaBuddy]

Before this video, if I had to describe Mixolydian with one adjective, I'd have used "adventurous" - I think I what I thought of was that category of songs you describe in the middle with the Pokémon main theme or OoT Hyrule Field. But sure, goofy is a common feel, too, as you show, as is "medieval-y" (which I think is related to Celtic music, where Mixolydian is also common). And I never really thought about how mixolydian and blues brush up against each other. That's a really interesting idea. The modes get a lot of attention because they're packaged up together tidily as a set, but if you wanted to continue making more videos about the uses of non-mode scales like the blues scales or the pentatonic or whatever, I'd be down for that.

[@interruptingPreempt]

Oh, I am so glad you made this video. I've been trying to wrap my head around mixolydian mode and wasn't finding leads that were helpful for me. The great highland bagpipes actually play in mixolydian, but it is difficult to find music for it when just starting out. This helps give me some sort of context I can work within. Thanks! (The bagpipe chanter's scale is: G, A B C# D E F# G A)

[@PunkTenshi]

You are simply fantastic!! Thank you for your fun, high quality work. 😊

[@AaronRinggenberg]

The Patreon logo purchasable in the Goron shop at the end was an excellent idea!

[@ThevenimX]

The minor 5 option sounds like a game over where its the main characters theme but the retry is right there

[@5BBassist4Christ]

I often think of the mixolydian mode as a "stately" mode. It is a mode that is comfortable where it's at. Whereas ionian (standard Major) is great for creating narrative tension, rising action and falling action, mixolydian is good at just chillin'. I think a lot of this is do to functional harmony. When you're on the tonic of an ionian mode, you're stable and resolved. You can leave the comfort of your home (tonic) by going to V or ii. This sets you up on a grand adventure that climaxes on the dominant V7, which resolves triumphantly back to I, -home. In this, it has a "there and back again" sensation. Mixolydian doesn't have this. It doesn't have a dominant, -it is its own dominant. It's not looking for a grand narrative structure of going out, being challenged, and returning triumphant. Mixolydian just is what it is, and is perfectly content where it's at. With this, I think there are a number of things you can do with a mixolydian scale. Because it is so stately (self-resolving, never going anywhere), it can be used for fanfares and royalty. There is no upward climb when you're king, so there is no melodic or harmonic need to raise tensions to grow and learn. But simultaneously, we often get bored when we're in one place for too long, and having nowhere to go can make us feel stuck. So mixolydian can also be used to create somber feelings of loneliness or depression. It can also be used for melancholy, as it doesn't want anything but to just be what it is. But lastly, mixolydian can be used to create a "perfect atmosphere", -and by that I mean anything from a city that nations from around the world revere, or a society that acts like they are perfect. Again, mixolydian doesn't need to go anywhere, so the "perfect atmosphere" doesn't need to improve. You should feel honored that you, o lowly peasant from a far off land, are gifted with this rare opportunity to visit our most glorious place. This, of course, could be used as a distraction to hide dark secrets, or a true state of one's genuine splendor.

[@brianb12321]

One of my favorite examples of Mixolydian is Metroid 2: Surface of SR388. The F to Eb (I => bVII) vamp combined with the syncopated baseline evokes the sound of adventure and fun--like you're about to explore a brand new planet! In addition, I like how the same chord progression but with different sounds evokes a different feeling. When AM2R was around, the Initial Descent theme had more of an atmospheric, peaceful sound. It was still lighthearted but not in the same way as the original. Another favorite of mine is probably Digimon World I: Gear Savanna Night--with its Bb to Ab progression and somewhat "contrapuntal?" style.

[@nthgth]

This is wonderful. THANK you. Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice the similarity between the original Pokémon theme and Hyrule Field!

[@pikmin4743]

wow, years of theory and a degree in music and I never knew about the I to bVII vamp. dope

[@Rextraordinaire]

I have never hear of this mode but the more I came to understand it, the more I recognized that this was all over the entire Wario Land 3 soundtrack

[@vgmkas]

It is, yep! Most songs in that game are a variation of the same Mixolydian melody over I-bVII!

[@elemangell2981]

Okay but your example of shifting the Pokemon theme away from the mixolydian mode just makes me want an Italy region even more.

[@MelodyWarp]

I spent most of this video thinking about how interesting it was that you find Mixolydian goofy and fun when I've always found it meloncholy, bittersweet, and at times hopeful. Then you used all those words by the end! 😆

[@Kylora2112]

I always think rock & roll when I think Mixolydian.

[@nathanlawrence2484]

Your connection to typical Italian love songs made me realize that this existed and now I can't unhear legend of Zelda, linksa awakeninga

[@RedAsTheFire]

I think the reason why the Mixolydian mode is my favorite mode is that it seem the most apt at straddling the line between major and minor cadences. It takes a lot less work to wring something melancholic out of the Mixolydian mode than it is for other major modes, not only with the FF6 example you brought up but another good example is Dire Dire Docks from SM64. When done right, minor Mixolydian can give off a sense of nostalgia or, perhaps, even a sense of anemoia.

[@aterr]

my AP music theory teacher has started using your videos in my class to teach lessons, so cool to see

[@anthonyramirez7272]

Thanks for making separate videos on each musical mode

[@9Syren9]

This is really interesting, because I certainly get where you’re coming from, but have never thought of Mixolydian as goofy. I’ve always thought of it as having an uplifting feeling, as fits with its major tonality, but in a much less tacky or sappy way than traditional Ionian major. It feels like a deeper, more emotionally nuanced major sound to me. It really gets shown off for this in songs like Blue Sky Action or See The End, both by Above and Beyond. Realistically, I think it’s a versatile mode that can do a lot for you if used wisely, as you showed in this video.

[@alexhraha6056]

Jam bands love the mixolydian sound because of it's lighthearted happy sound

[@smergthedargon8974]

Mixolydian, to me, is simply "Major but tolerable" I don't hear it as "goofy" so much as I hear it is "relaxed and comfortable".

[@frogabelle]

I never thought I'd get to be personally offended by an opinion on a musical mode, so thanks! This is great examination of how this mode can be used, however I have to point out that it can also be used for much more somber or even grave tunes, as the mixolydian "flat 7th" is iconic to traditional Irish Sean-nós singing! I was very excited when I saw the scale on screen as I actually recognised it from that. Great video, but unfortunately I'm patriotically obligated to say, "how dare you!"

[@HaveYouTriedGuillotines]

Blues itself is modal, you can flat or sharp the relevant notes in any mode to make it blues and you'll get basically that mode but with more "coolness" in its sound. Nobuo uses this trick extensively. FF7's boss theme is a chief example, as its main melody swaps back and forth between a mode and its relative blues scale, and it does this seamlessly, by weaving it into a call and response structure, such that it can be really hard to pick out where one starts and the other ends. As a rule of thumb, though, he plays the mode going up, and then resolves with a blues-y riff, but there's also points where he hovers between them ambiguously. The resulting music is perfect for a 90s Final Fantasy game: It's the perfect sound for a cast of cool characters having an epic battle.

[@mandel4065]

Paper Mario TTYD is literally the first thing that pops into my head when I think goofy myxolodian so I was stoked to see it being shown first!

[@JPBrooksLive]

DUUUUUDE THANK YOU! I just learned Kokomo by the Beach Boys and it has a C - CM7 - Gm to start the verse progression and I think I've only ever noticed the Beatles using a minor V like that, (I know there's tons of other examples, I just haven't come across them!) And I've been wondering WTF makes that work! I love these videos 😊

[@Dunamis_010]

Keep these vids coming man! I’m learning SO much!

[@thefuzstache1139]

A few years back I made a march-esque piece with that exact 1 to b7 chord vamp, and I called it ‘Goofy March,’ so this video was incredibly cathartic for me in a way.

[@amiwan9596]

this mode series is awesome! so much different than the usual take on modes

[@victorstorer7868]

I actually really love how the Pokémon theme sounds in the normal g scale with the natural 7. It sounds like a theme they would use for a data selection scene or something.

[@jasperzanjani]

wow I never in a thousand years would have divined that these songs are all so deeply interconnected... great research!

[@StonyBlazestation]

My default mixolydian example is the Everquest Theme. It has just the right feeling of heroism and majesty to draw you into this sprawling fantasy world.

[@Mucrush]

I didn't fully understand the meaning behind mixolydian mode and what the big difference is until you gave us the Pokémon and Hyrule Field themes! Nooow I get it!

[@en4626]

These videos never fail to inspire me, great stuff!

[@mariosbrother6845]

i get giddy every time you bring up the Pilotwings 64 soundtrack is is one of my absolute FAVORITES

[@bdellovibrioo5242]

One of the spicier mixolydian moments I've heard happens during the "strings only" presentation of the Ode to Joy melody in the finale of Beethoven's 9th. He dips into the mixolydian very briefly by having the 2nd violins descend from tonic -> flat 7 (c natural) -> 6 against the first violins carrying the familiar tune. Very easy to miss but adds a lot of expression to the by now over-familiarized melody.

[@chazzer5968]

The Mixolydian Mode is just the mode that does whatever it wants really. I was experimenting with it in my own composing and it's just so versatile

[@theIpatix]

LOL, I would have never ever gotten the idea before to describe Mixolydian as goofy, but I guess it all makes sense now. In videogames I've always found it to be an exciting adventurous type of sound with the I to bVII changes (I guess Motoi Sakuraba introduced me into that). Thank you so much for making this video. I honestly never really believed I would hear someone talk about Mixolydian without talking about rock music all the time (I mean, I guess there are similarities, but perhaps my brain is just a bit twisted). So, how about Dorian next or was it already featured on 8 bit music theory before?

[@1Andypro]

Really great VG examples from my favorite mode. I was surprised by the "goofy" adjective, but you backed it up well. I personally always felt mode V was the "most normative" mode, or at least could have been - had modes originated in, say, Ireland rather than mainland Europe. For example, traditional Irish jigs and reels seem to default to mixolydian for the major key sound (and then mostly dorian for the minor key sound). There's also a case to be made that the natural 7th of the Ionian mode fits into fewer chords than the flat 7th. But of course, it's hard to pull yourself out of your musical upbringing and try to hear each of the modes without being bombarded by contextual memories.

[@seanbrennan5192]

Zappa specializes in mixolydian jams. Mixolydian is my favorite to solo over

[@noodlesthereugo9277]

My party by KKB I think uses this mode; it would explain the quirkiness of their sound. Then it has that Phrygian sounding solo

[@clusterfigure]

Cool! I'll have to listen to that again. And "It's Bugsnax" utilizes mixolydian as well with the I to minor v in the chorus.