MODES: How to Understand & Actually Use Them | Music Theory

Instead of thinking of modes as subsets of the major scale, learn their unique characteristics.
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#musictheory #modes #harmony
0:17 One way to think of modes
0:59 A different way
2:07 Ionian
2:40 Mixolydian
3:24 Lydian
4:00 Aeolian
5:15 Dorian
6:18 Phrygian
7:05 Locrian
8:16 What makes them special?

[@RyanLeach]

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[@jamclass]

Ryan, Great video. Have you seen “Harmonic Experience” by W. A. Mathieu? He has a wonderful approach to the modes. Great video.

[@iamfrankbiesta]

Finally an extremely clear explanation of modes. I love your use of the ranking from light to dark - makes a lot of sense. Thanks a million!

[@RyanLeach]

Glad to hear it was helpful!

[@aysegulozguler7712]

it's pretty common to rank them like that. you'd find it in almost any book

[@iamfrankbiesta]

@@aysegulozguler7712 Although that may very well be true not all books explain this as clearly as Ryan does. So: well done Ryan!

[@aysegulozguler7712]

@@iamfrankbiesta yes he indeed did a good job! well done ryan!

[@adaptercrash]

Just go to the store buy a book

[@ignatiusjackson235]

I think it's CRUCIAL to know BOTH ways of interpreting the modes. I found it more confusing when it was explained this way. Once I started interpreting modes as "scales" beginning on certain degrees of the major scale - the method against which you advise, then everything made sense to me. From there, I was able to piece together the "major with a flat 7" approach. It probably depends on how you first learned it. BOTH METHODS OF INTERPRETATION ARE NECESSARY, and people are usually only taught how to think about it from one direction. That leaves you staring at the wall instead of looking around the room. It doesn't matter which wall you're facing. This was a very thorough explanation of one approach, though. Well done!

[@scottmoyer1357]

Very true. I was never able to comprehend altering the C Major scale in so many ways because there was no explanation as per how everything in music is relative and must be placed into it's proper "context." to fully see the whole picture. When I started to see that there are 7 C modes located in 7 different Keys, it all started to make more sense. Here are all of the C modes and the actual Keys each C is contained within. G, C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, & Db. Uniquely, these Keys are all conveniently located on the Circle of 5ths in a perfect sequence moving counter-clockwise in 4ths. Since this kind of musical perfection can happen for the Key of C, then it can also happen for all modes which will summarily show up in 7 Keys with each starting point on the 12 degrees of the Circle. All of the answers are right in front of us all the time. We just need to perceive how to see them. The key to learning this thought process is knowing your scales both alphabetically and numerically. All the rest will fall in place when you begin to think alpha-numerically..

[@prettygneissproductions]

Exactly. This is a little more towards just memorization, vs a fun trick that can help you if you can’t remember. I have a memory disability, so the fun trick is what got me through school. I do wish my professor had spent more time relating the darker scales to minor, though, this was really helpful, even if I won’t remember what to flat or sharp.

[@angelacherrington208]

Thank you. Very useful. I had only considered starting on different degrees of each scale before. The examples are very helpful.

[@lucashatt8871]

​@@scottmoyer1357 what is the name of your channel ?

[@Mikemcjr]

Yep.

[@epicbo]

The way I'm going to remember them is as following: If we start with the major scale, we got Ionian. Want to go brighter? Sharpen the 4th, and we have Lydian. Want to go darker? Flatten the 7th, and we have Mixolydian. Both modes close to the major scale have lydian in their name, I'm sure that's helpful. If we start with the minor scale, we got Aeolian. Want to go brighter? Sharpen the 6th and we have Dorian. Want to go darker? Flatten the 2nd and we have Phrygian. Want to go even darker than that? Flatten the 5th and we have Locrian. In other words, I think it's easier to remember, Dorian, Phrygian and Locrian by their relation to the minor scale, rather than to the major scale.

[@thermitty_qxr5276]

Phrygian is the darker one. Mixolydian is the mellow one. Dorian is a less sad mode for cheerless songs. Give hope and brightness. Aeolion has a cool more laid back sound. Locrian sounds bad because of the b5 a tritone. So use the phrygian to avoid the tritone. If you want to use locrian avoid the 5th. Lydian has a magical sound.

[@thermitty_qxr5276]

Dorian is like a minor but with a b6. Making it less minor edit：Oops i meant because of that sharpend 6 from the minor scale

[@kelasbebas8742]

Is it really work for any kind of genres? I will give some try...

[@CrankyRayy]

@@thermitty_qxr5276 oh i guess you’re like the magical gatekeeper of subjective music then. I’ve heard songs in Ionian major which sound dark.

[@thermitty_qxr5276]

@@CrankyRayy wdym

[@sarahstyles6859]

What's so important about knowing this is being able to transpose to any key easily. When everything is learned from C, people struggle to do this.

[@mariecarie1]

This. This is my problem.

[@gavinmackinney8484]

Excellent explanation, thanks. Those “dark” modes don’t sound so dark in cultures that use them a lot, eg Greek, Persian, Turkish, Arabic have gleefully happy music that is all kinds of minor. Ethiopian music often uses flattened 5th scales/ modes. Balkan music often includes flattened 2nd with major 3rds.

[@VRNocturne]

I was going to ask if Locrian was rarely used in music in general or rarely used in Western styles of music. You named a lot of Middle Eastern/Eastern Europe cultures and an African culture as using these "rarely used" types of scales.

[@MechaUsagi]

Yes, the whole light-dark thing is self-reinforcing cultural biases.

[@zachkester3]

I really appreciate your dry/strait forward approach. A lot of youtubers try to 'spice up' the info, but I find this much more helpful.

[@ipudisciple]

Also, Phrygian is strongly associated with Spanish guitar. For example, _concierto de aranjuez_ (second movement - the famous bit) is basically just a phrygian scale.

[@RicardoMarlowFlamenco]

Actually it is just B minor normal key stuff. Spain by chick corea borrows the form. However the solo cadenza passage toward the end, is actually in G# Phrygian. Compare the two sections to hear the difference

[@SheetFiber]

I associate phrygian for arabic and metal music

[@murk4552]

​@SheetFiber that's Phrygian dominant, as most Arabic music uses a ton of semitonal, if not microtonal degrees for their styles. Spanish music is typically diatonic and will frequently "borrow" chords, other voicings, etc

[@danielyapesque]

Super clear. And a pro tip on modal interchange, mixing chords from different modes. Makes me wanna write.

[@InventorZahran]

Even when playing existing pieces, I sometimes use modal interchange to accentuate the emotion of a certain musical moment. For example, if I want to inject some hope or triumph into a song that's written in Aeolian, I might play a major IV chord where a minor iv should be, momentarily moving into the Dorian mode.

[@lucasimmons075]

Ever since I started listening to Yes I have been fascinated with the way they (Steve Howe especially) jumps around keys with modes so fast you can't tell half of the time. I recommend them for learning some interesting ways to use modes and parallel keys

[@SheetFiber]

​@@InventorZahranIsn't in Aeolian mode the 4th already in major?

[@InventorZahran]

@@SheetFiber No. In Aeolian, all the primary chords (1, 4, and 5) are minor. Dorian is the mode where the 4 chord is major.

[@SheetFiber]

@@InventorZahran Ah yeah, I count it wrong. In A aeolian, the 4th note is D not F.

[@chameleon-dream-band-official]

Perfect! This is exactly how I think of modes and I also think it's easier for the brain to remember differences relative to other scales than remembering all the absolute intervals.

[@thermitty_qxr5276]

Heres every information i have wih these modes. Dorian- a less sad mode. Giving more brightness and hope for cheerless songs. Applying ethereal intriguing quality to a melody. A less minor mode Phrygian - Sounds dark & unnerving but also exotic. Gives elusive mysterious sort of sound. Most appear in rock and hiphop songs giving the right tonality and mood. Lydian - has a bright, ethereal magical sound. Has a potent sound. Mixolydian - sounds mellow, relaxed, bluesy yet bold sound. Its a less directional than a major scale. Its like a cool c major scale and gives joy to a song Aeolian - has a mournful solemn sound. Gives a song a cooler more laid-back sound Locrian - Not recommended and hard to use for composing music because of the dissonance of the b5 a tritone. Instead use the Phrygian to avoid the dissonance. But if you wanna use locrian just avoid the 5th.

[@azeitegallo2]

After dozens of weak, lengthy videos about modes I found this to be the best explanation ever. This is concise, short and straight. I'd wish I could find this video waaay earlier.

[@TheJonesy138]

Absolutely brilliant, I’ve known for a while the relation modes have with the major scale, but not really come across clear examples highlighting their purposes before now!

[@PIANOSTYLE100]

After years of playing. Mostly by ear on 🎹 and 🎸. I started hearing about modes.. possibly 10 years ago and only learned their purpose last year A very quick way to learn them is write out 12 major scales. I only learned them accurately about a year ago Anyways .copy them in a row. All the modes there. It's amazing. Let's worked with just a few. Bb is not for beginners, but is a confidence builder. Bb (C D Eb F G A Bb) C D( Eb F G A Bb C D Eb) F G A Bb C D Eb F G A Bb.. It really is amazing that the Eb Lydian is in the third parentheses. Lydian is the major scale with a #4.. An A I think this works in every scale. Eb Lydian is as above is (Eb F G A Bb C D Eb), Eb major scale has no A in it.. Just write out the C scale continuously ..as I did the Bb scale. C D E F G A B C D E .... Try to G to G. A quick way to get the G mixylydian G A B C D E F G . Scale degrees of G 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 .. It's amazing that this can be done in all 12 keys.

[@sandgaijin]

For me, instead of memorizing which notes are flattened from it's major or minor counterpart. I figured which notes have the half step between them. Each mode should have two, everything else is a whole step.

[@ncpolley]

I have a really big question: How do you keep the gravity of the scale around the 1st degree? How do I keep the Dorian C from falling into the BbM or the Gm?

[@maheshpadalingam3137]

Probably the same way Mozart pinned down chromaticism to a key. Chords, triads, open triads probably? Maybe that would work.

[@ncpolley]

@@maheshpadalingam3137 I've been experimenting with this ever since asking. I'll try incorporating open triads as a concept. I really like the sound of that wide tone spread.

[@PhucNguyen-yn7ng]

Just end at C, you will make C sound like the tonal

[@JohnnyBoy14532]

Figure out the things that make Bb Maj/Gm sound like Bb Maj/Gm and stay away from these things. For example (Bb Maj): the chords **Bb** - Eb - F (these can also sound like they belong in Gm), melodies from the Major Scale and common chord progressions like 1-5-6-4 or 2-5-1. You _could_ use these eventually but if you do use them sparingly You can play melodies from the Dorian (Focus on the 1, b3, 6, b7) or use a V7 (G7 in this case) to make your rote note C, more significant. (V7 in Dorian would be out of key but acceptable.) You can also just Play Cm very often and for a very long time. Dorian is a very ambiguous mode. It doesn't really have a clear sound of its own. Its not _quite_ Major and it's not _quite_ minor. It is Closer to Minor than Major however, hence the Cm chord being the root of the Dorian mode. I would suggest listening to music in Dorian to get a better feel the mode. One example would be 15 Step by Radiohead

[@tonybarron282]

the actual pitch of the written notesvaries from one mode to another (he does touch on this) Enharmonic equivalence is a artefact of equal temperament,and doesnt work in just intonation

[@FishingForLife28]

This is by far the best guide to modes I've found. I'll be watching this atleast once a day for the next month and a half when I have my entrance exam for the music conservatory

[@mikescofield]

I have spent many hours in workshops, reading and watching KZbin videos trying to understand modes. I mostly understand them now and how to use them. However, I wish I had seen this video before all that. This is the clearest, easy-to-understand, dare I say 'obvious' explanation of modes I've encountered. I find all your videos terrific. Thanks.

[@wwjjss33]

I really like this angle on modes; the arrangement from 'brightest' to 'darkest' appeals to my emotional memory vs the intervals moving which appeals to my logical memory Thank You! --instant new subscriber👍

[@oneworld9071]

I was taught to consider "mode" and "mood" as having close association. It can be quite helpful to associate certain modes with certain players......... Lydian mode with Joe Satriani, Phrygian with Al Di Meola, Dorian with Carlos Santana, etc.

[@FractalMelody]

This is the best explanation of modes I have seen, and I genuinely feel more informed. Thank you!

[@tarasmith3696]

I was a music education major in college, and I have never heard the modes explained so well and clearly! Thank you!

[@jonorgames6596]

Press F for Locrian Scale. :(

[@quasark7314]

my favorite

[@polyrhythmia]

I find it is definitely easier to think of modes as modifications of major and minor scales. Mixolydian and Dorian are quite common in pop music.

[@tsongyt7539]

For the beginners thats even more confused as me Ionian = all white keys starting with C Dorian = D Phrygian = E Lydian = F Mixolydian = G Aeolian = A Locrian = B It confused me even more for some reason But I still learn something on this video, like when to use those kinds of scales. Still a great video

[@sarahstyles6859]

But can you play them in every key easily? You need to know the pattern of each in order to play in every key. Add what you know about starting on C then add all of this so you can move around the keyboard with ease. I have an issue with teachers stick with C and in the middle of the keyboard. Students are then scared of black notes and the other octaves. They cannot easily transpose.

[@maddog2314]

Nice! I was wondering because he mentioned it but never revisited it

[@patrickrobinson317]

The Best explaination I've ever heard !!! 😀 You were born to teach !!! Thanks !!!

[@joshuaholke]

This is very interesting to me. My first theory teacher briefly introduced us to finding the modes by knowing which notes are sharped/flatted, and then he said "but there's an easier way" and showed us the first way you described, the starting on different notes in the major scale. I still find that way easier when it comes to finding the notes of the mode I'm looking for, but I'm gonna try using the other tips you have to know when to use each mode in compositions and what each one sounds like.

[@brayden1306]

I’ve been trying to understand these concepts for years, whereas I considered only 14 scales now you opened my eyes to 98. (Or 91 I’ll use). Thank you so much!!

[@rxw.8862]

This is INCREDIBLY helpful and clear!

[@midwinter78]

Another handy thing to remember about the six non-locrian modes is their relationship between major and minor pentatonic. I like to think of major pentatonic as the background of lydian, ionian and myxolydian, and minor pentatonic as the backbone of dorian, aeolian and phyrigian. The modes are about how you make seven from five, and where you put those pesky minor seconds and tritones.

[@MrElfOwl]

Excellent footnote. Very useful.

[@sharonkaplan6674]

I like the way you think. When I teach the modes, and my students are supposed to recognize them aurally, my first question is always "is it basically major or basically minor." They get it easily that way.

[@jamiebriggs8277]

This is a great primer on modes, and I wish I had found it a year ago :) I don't know a lot of music theory, but I've spent the last couple years trying to learn more. Originally learning about modes I was convinced I'd just never get it. Every source I ever found make it so opaque... I eventually did the same thing you do here, by starting with Ionian, and diagramming which degrees differed and how, and identifying the major vs minor modes. I was blown away by how relatively simple it actually is to understand. The extra details you've included here really help tie it up for me.

[@MarcoLongoMusic]

It's a very good way to explain it to someone who is not very familiar with modes. However I always wonder why people explain just the modes from the major/natural minor scale. There is so much more to say about the different modes of the other minor scales, especially for someone interested in writing music for media. I'd love to see them covered in a coming video, it could give people a lot of interesting ideas

[@Nemo_Anom]

I hate when people try to explain them as being just the Ionian or Aeolian but a bit different. Each mode is its own thing!!

[@Notmehimorthem]

If you start from the Lydian, which is brightest, then flat the 4th, next is Ionian, then flat the note a fourth away from that, the seventh, this gets the myxolidian, continuing in this way, stepping down fourths will get you all the modes, this time in order from brightness to dark

[@zach_in_space5150]

This was incredibly helpful! Thank you so much. I've learned the "starting from X scale degree" in the past, but never understood to apply it to the HARMONY. It lead to me trying to do a Dorian Melodic phrase over a C Ionian backing track (when the D would come by) and feeling like it was just over complicated. Especially as when I Improvise I try to follow the chord changes anyways. Hearing the different harmonies and 1-4-5 examples using different modal positions made it much more clear what the characteristics/feelings and purpose of each mode is. Thank you very much

[@McGuire40695]

I've been telling people for YEARS about relating modes to the major and minor scale. I pretty much tell everyone that there's 3 modes based around a major chord (Ionian, Lydian, Mixolydian), 3 minor chords (Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian), and a diminished one. Modes are often taught rather ineffectively, and so many people get confused with them. This was a great video! I also try to explain to people that learning how resolutions happen and where the progression resolves would be your tonic, or the key of the song. I pretty much tell everyone keys are most likely going to be in a major or minor key, and the characteristic notes of the modes are just unique accent note within the key that provide extra color and tension to the root.

[@domacimacak7502]

best explanation so far on yt

[@RyanLeach]

Wow, thanks!

[@tmusic99]

In addition, 1) Lydian, Ionian, Mixolydian are built on a major pentatonic; 2) Dorian, Aeolian, and Phrygian are built on a minor pentatonic.

[@vicfirth1]

Nice Video! I noticed you only mentioned major scale modes. You should do another one talking about Melodic Minor Scale Modes, and Harmonic Minor Scale Modes!

[@jazznotes3802]

Take the diatonic scale and just change one note and you get the Harmonic minor, same can be said for the Melodic minor. Sharpen the 5th note = Harmonic minor & flatten the 3rd note and you get the Melodic minor. So they’re basically small alterations of the diatonic scale. To get all the modes from these scales you just target the chord tones (arpeggios) that outline the chord that belongs to the mode. (Basically the chords that belong to each of the scale degrees) This is the fastest most effective way to think about (and learn) all this. It cuts down the memorisation massively.

[@kodowdus]

It's not trivial to leave out any mention of the (ascending) melodic minor mode and just focus on the "Church modes". The former is a standard (particularly in the jazz world), while the Locrian mode is hardly worth mentioning (as indicated in the video).

[@Panos.Koutroumanis]

This video is amazing!!! As a composer myself, I find these informations extremely helpful!!! Thanks a lot!

[@CMVM1990]

I couldnt for the life of me figure out the practical use of modes until you broke it down with examples. Great video. Thank you.

[@jncrook5409]

I didn't realize each mode had such a specific character, thanks for enlightening me!

[@wiegraf9009]

I use Locrian quite a bit for game soundtracks. You can mellow it out with instrument choice and your rhythm/tempo.

[@soulmusic7979]

Just found your channel two days ago and I’ve been binging

[@tag1123]

This was the way I was taught modes in my theory 1 class in undergrad, and I'm so, so grateful for it, because it was so clear and made so much sense relative to scales I was already familiar with (major/minor). It took me until my second year of grad school (right now, and about 7-8 years after aforementioned theory 1 class) to understand the scale degree version at all, and I would still not use it if given the choice between the two methods.

[@kymanimc3599]

Do you think you could do a video similar to this talking about the modes of the harmonic minor scales etc? Your explanations are so well recieved… hoping to take lessons in the future🤞🏽

[@muralist_]

I'm so happy I already learned all of that when I was a 9 year old kid. Using the different modes and the 'colour palettes' of chords and sounds that typically come with each mode is therefor like a natural thing to me to apply when composing and looking for a certain feeling, a mood an thus... a MODE. 🙂

[@Whoiskimb]

Dude used modes to make a pokemon type chart and explained everything in 8 minutes🤯🤯this some top notch music education!

[@ChristopherJGould]

Very clear explanation - this video (and one from Jason Zac) finally unlocked my understanding of modes. All of your videos take concepts otherwise presented as obscure and difficult and reveal their simple inner elegance. We are indebted.

[@thandosilinda2590]

Thank you, I start music college in the fall and I don't want to fall behind in classes! amazing and simple video.

[@timwallace6486]

Thank you for your explanation. I have watched many videos on the topic and this is by far the clearest. What is missing from all of these videos is a video that describes how to use this knowledge. I understand the mechanics of the modes but still don't know how to incorporate them into a composition or solo. How do I create harmonies for these scales? What chords will work with each scale? Should I change modes every time I change chords within a song? A follow up video that applies this knowledge would be appreciated.

[@RyanLeach]

The chords for the mode are built from the notes of the mode. In the same way you get the triads for C major from the C major scale, you get the chords for D Dorian from the D Dorian scale. In other words, the exact same chords as C major but starting on Dm. The challenge/tricky part is not accidentally making D Dorian sound like C major by using expected chord progressions from C major. This video is in a composition context, not for taking a jazz solo over shifting harmonic changes. So in the sense of composition, you write a piece of music using that mode as your home 'key'.

[@adicsbtw]

This is *so* much more helpful than the typical style of teaching. When I was first taught modes, I was just like "ok, that's cool, how is this any different from the major scale?" and then immediately forgot about it because it seemed useless, and now I'm realizing how incredibly indispensable it is

[@kevincage1641]

Thank you Mr Leach. Way back in the 1970’s when I was at college, was a guy from NoVA who “knew the 7 Modes.” He played a fender Stratocaster. and he kept the info to himself, and wouldn’t even tell his fraternity brothers. Now, 43 years later thanks to You, I can apply it myself with some work. Additionally, thanks for pairing a specific mode with various sentiments…purely medieval mindset. Thanks greatly.

[@YoshTown]

I like to order it from light to dark with the numbers 4,1,5,2,6,3,7 but to remember it I start at 4 and add 11 to find the next two modes 4 15 26 37

[@JimMonsanto]

I do this, too, but a little less. . . numerical. Lydian is home base. Lydian is the first mode of the Lydian Mode. The second mode of the Lydian scale is the Ionian scale. The third mode is the Mixolydian scale. The fourth mode is Dorian, the fifth is Aeolian, the 6th is Phrygian, and the 7th is Locrian. Thus, if you're in C lydian, to go darker, just move down the circle of fifths. If you're in in C phrygian, and want modulate to C ionian, move up the circle of fifths from Db to C.

[@YoshTown]

@@JimMonsanto Interesting

[@thedesignnerd]

THANK YOU! I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD THIS CONCEPT! ugh I was so exhausted with all that theory coming at me in the other 184892 KZbin videos I had to watch to finally get to your video. I just wanted to understand how to apply it and you finally helped me understand this. You're a great teacher

[@vikingguitar]

You put a BIG smile on my face using Link to the Past for the Dorian example. 🙂

[@DepressedCapitalist]

As usual, thank you Ryan for your top notch videos. It would be interesting if you could make a video on the harmony used with modes, the tonic and the dominant/sub dominant chords, the harmonic rhythm, the strong and weak stress, the chords that should not be used since they imply resolution to the I. the duration of vamps, chord line cliches, ostinattos and such and such. I took Modal harmony at Berklee and I still believe there is a lot to be said about the harmony. Even more than the melodic aspect of modes. Cheers from Argentina.

[@MikeDial]

Thank you for this explanation. I had heard the first explanation and had only recently made baby steps toward your explanation, but the ranking of brightest to darkest put it all in context.

[@tomtoss2463]

You are the first person to actually explain this. I am subscribing.

[@Zoey5374]

My band teacher teaches scales this way. Last semester in jazz studies we had to do all 12 major, mixolydian, dorian, and blues scales. For example I remember blues as 1 b3 4 #4(b5) 5 b7 1. And in concert band we have to do just one key at a time, for example right now we have been doing D major, the natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. Just start of the 6th scale degree to switch to the minor, then raise the 7th for harmonic, or for melodic raise the 6th and 7th on the way up and lower on the way down. I remember last year I didn’t really bother remembering what scale degrees to change, I just read the scales. After taking jazz studies I find it easier to remember what scale degrees are changed.

[@HenryPley]

Super clear and concise explanation in less than 10 minutes. Thank you!

[@peterchetty3169]

This video is brilliant and awesome explanation of how to practically use modes, love the description of what kind of music it used for too. Bravo!!

[@keithlillis7962]

This is great - I have been confused watching other videos, but this explains Modes well 🙂

[@paulstodolny3091]

GREAT EXPLANATION!!!

[@Mr.SharpNumber1]

This video is great, it gets to the point and teaches exactly what is needed, kudos to

[@louie1litk619]

Thanks for using video games as examples and thanks for breaking down the interval formula for all the modes

[@Markrspooner]

Really great video Ryan. I think this is a better way to think about modes

[@RyanLeach]

Thanks, then mission accomplished!

[@miladeskandari7]

It's interesting from the perspective of a middle eastern watching how you interpret phrygian. For us it is synonymous with the sound of sadness and grief

[@Zeromusicvideos]

I cannot thank you enough for this video and how you approached this. So helpful, man! SUBSCRIBED!

[@MrShaktirock]

Finally a good explanation. I tried the so-called easy ways several timed but never really understood. This one is easier to understand for and easier to remember.

[@laapprentisorciere5241]

A great video and thank you very much for this. Every time I'm having trouble, or I'm stuck, or even when i am just trying to relax, your videos really help me through anything. This is also how a friend taught me these modes, with the characteristic interval and thinking with sharps and flats instead of mode names. Again, thanks..

[@jslonisch]

That’s really helpful. I already knew how to derive the modes relative to the major scale but a lot of them seemed really complicated. I hadn’t twigged that you when you do the minor modes relative to the minor scale it’s just one single accidental each.

[@sachachanyan]

Best approach I‘ve heard of so far.....

[@davidkempmail]

Great explanation - this is how I remember the modes from bright to dark. But always good to refresh your memory - fave for electronic music is definitely Phrygian 🖤

[@primslim620]

Cool. I was waiting to stumble across a thorough walk-through on these modes. Trying to get better at the keys. I got bored playing major, minor, and harmonic and melodic minor scales, including other exercises. This will keep me busy.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

merci for this.

[@fernandoroza6061]

Jazz players do not see modes as "useless" at all. "Au contraire". Nice video 😌👍 Interesting analysis in therms of "bright" and "dark", but I feel that in Jazz way of seeing, the aspect of TENSION comes also to mind: the more or less tension caused by each mode. 😌👍

[@sharpproductions-frankbria8380]

Brilliant video. Literally I was thinking, hey I just need to know these modes differ, but I'll probably have to watch 7 videos to figure it out. Nope! You've got them all covered. Nice job.

[@dorothylynn4035]

Thank you so much for this explanation! It makes so much more sense to me now!!!

[@jrvailoces5404]

Brief and concise. Love this ❤

[@GregHarradineComposer]

This is great Ryan, very succinct - I'll point my students to this video when we start talking about modes. Thanks!

[@fish_throw3909]

Imagining Homer Simpson going "mmmm.. aioli.." then drooling when you mention aeolian

[@kushito3693]

Finilly someone who explain the modes very clear!!! Thank you!!

[@nayawoosypiti5848]

So the modes are in ranked in terms of Durum and Molle! I can think of this because I just learned about this.

[@fionanogawa1730]

Thanks for a fantastically useful and interesting lesson

[@Blondesax]

I so hope we keep talking about and talking about this mode brightness hierarchy on the internet until colleges go beyond "There are modes. They start on these scale degrees. Cool." I totally agree: I was left feeling "Ok... well that sounds kinda unhelpful. What do I do with them, though?" There should be SOOOO much more discussion on this, especially mode mixture/parallel modes and what kinds of chords you get. Then you can move beyond "C major has C Dm Em F G Am and Bº" and say "It also can have Eº Gm and Bb from mixo, Bm D F#º from lydian, etc. etc." Then it's like "Oh! We have more color here than I thought!

[@Nemo_Anom]

If you mix the modes, you're not in a mode anymore but are making chromatic music.

[@psychoticbreaks167justletm4]

Mixing modes involves chromatic movement. Changing tonal center basically requires it. And yet, we do not refer to pieces with one or two key changes as "chromatic music." Because it still sounds (and largely still is) diatonic and not like Flight of the Bumblebee. Like, putting borrowed notes in a chord or melody does not make chromatic music by default - it can be otherwise diatonic with a splash of chromaticism or atonality. Even The Beatles did that.

[@jameslabs1]

Beautiful and clear. Thanks

[@wewereborn2beloved]

Great video I will be watching this over and over.

[@tammybradshaw7175]

Thank you for simplifying the modes for me...I now am ready to conquer the Music Therapy Boards!🎶🙌🙌🙌🎉💕

[@robinchesterfield42]

First of all, THANK YOU for using actual examples! I never knew the E.T. theme song was in Lydian or that the battle with Magus in Chrono Trigger was in Phrygian, but now that I've heard them in that context it makes _so much sense_. Personally, I'm not a music expert or proper scholar at all, so I never really learned the modes other than major or minor, until (relatively) recently. (My music "credentials" include several years of band class in school, being moderately decent at singing, for an amateur, and being able to play by ear but NOT sight-read.) But one day I thought "Hey, I vaguely remembered hearing about so-and-so song being in like, the Dorian 'mode'. What IS the Dorian mode? What does it sound like?" ...and THAT'S how I went down the rabbit hole of this topic, at first being startled to find out that there's not just three, but SEVEN. SE. VEN. modes in Western music alone, and further startled to find out that yes, I have indeed heard examples of the ones besides major and minor. "Norwegian Wood" by the Beatles? Dorian. Tons of stuff by AC/DC? Mixolydian. Metallica? Loves them some Phrygian. Lydian? Look at "Skywalker's Theme" from Star Wars or, for pete's sake, THE SIMPSONS THEME SONG (although I'm not sure on that one, people were arguing in the comments. It's _definitely_ some kind of quirky, off, not-quite-standard key, though.) But I don't think of the modes in EITHER of the proper music-theory scholarly ways at all. I think of them...on the Bright to Dark scale, simply because that's how the first KZbin video I ever saw about the subject listed them, and it just made sense in my brain. Like, if you actually climb up the scale on a physical instrument, you get different modes in all kinds of wacky order, with like Dorian right next to Major, etc. but I think of them as a Brightness to Darkness scale. Is this professional in any way? No, but it helps me remember which is which. It also helps, weirdly, to kinda...anthropomorphise them. At least, for me, and the way my brain works. --LYDIAN is a postive, happy person who's....not quite all there, sometimes. A bit spacy. A bit mystical. Sometimes walks into walls while reading a book. --IONIAN is a cheerful Basic Beeyotcyh, who loves her some goofy sitcoms and pumpkin spice latte. But please, we don't have to be so formal. Call me Major! --MIXOLYDIAN is like, Ionian's cooler, older sibling. Leaning against the wall in a leather jacket, snarking back to the teachers at school, etc. but not actually a mean person. --DORIAN is kind of a...hipster beatnik jazz chick who's way into medieval fantasy? It's used in such a weird mix of songs. Anyway, I'm imaginging someone in a black turleneck and beret. --AELOIAN wants to be left alone. IT'S NOT a PHASE, Mom! CRAWLING IN MY SKIN, painting your walls black, Nobody Understands Me. Minor, to her friends. (beat) We're not friends. --PHRYGIAN is another kind of interesting hybrid, both exotic and Egyptian sounding but also used in metal. Not sure how I'd picture this one--a MIddle-Eastern-looking Metallica fan? ---....and, LOCRIAN is just kinda straight-up The Joker. Every song I've heard in Locrian has sounded UNHINGED, not just dark but like the person might just stab you at any moment for funsies. To be fair, most of the songs I've heard that way were not written FOR Locrian. They were other songs transposed into it. ("Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in Locrian is straight up HORROR MOVIE SOUNDTRACK material.) I imagine that a song originally written IN Locrian would sound more just...off-key, than deranged.

[@ramonawilliams7269]

Thank you!

[@chandlerpaulk4518]

When I'm playing around with music, personally I like to indicate the Ionian mode by throwing in both a maj7 and a add4 of that chord, so like Cmaj7 and Cadd4 for C Ionian.

[@oliverlacota3112]

A fantastic explanation! I have a piano student who's interested in learning about modal scales, and another student who's exploring composition - this video (and your other video on the music in the Lord of the Rings films) will be perfect to help them!

[@zara11135]

Thank you so much!! You made them so understandable

[@christianleonardotalarico7080]

So interresting this connection between light and Darkness and the Modes and their chords: Yin Yang translated into music, so beautifull and amazing!

[@LieLikesMusic]

Loving the Chrono Trigger reference. Great game. From now on i'll associate the Magus battle with the Phrygian mode. Thanks ;)

[@sumiranbinmohd.sallehkpm-g8076]

Thank you so much for these explanation. I did struggling to understand it. Now i understand it completely. Thank you very2 much man

[@billymcguiremusic]

0:53 "[Learn modes ]In how they related to the major and minor scale" I've been playing guitar for 15 years, and I've been telling people for nearly as long EXACTLY what you said. The people that argue with me over modes stop at "Oh, I played a major scale starting on the 3rd; it MUST be Phrygian" when they dont want to dig a bit deeper into properly understanding modes.

[@stephenbingham5935]

Best lesson on modes I have seen and better understood. Wonderful work, thank you.

[@RyanLeach]

Wow, thanks!

[@blackfootelite2800]

That was a good refresher. Thanks for taking ur time to explain.

[@GDM223SR]

Thanks - you’ve changed my understanding of modes.