To me, they're easier to remember when you sort them a little differently: Lydian, Ionian, Mixolydian, Dorian, Aeolian, Phrygian and Locrian. That way, you only need to remember the one note that changes between each one:
Lydian -- just like the major scale but with a sharp four. In C its C, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C
Ionian -- the major scale; just like Lydian but with a natural four: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.
Mixolydian -- like Ionian but with a flat seven: C, D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C.
Dorian -- like Mixolydian but with a flat three: C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C. Now were getting minor sounding.
Aeolian -- like Dorian but with a flat six: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C. This is the natural minor scale.
Phryrgian -- like Aeolian but with a flat two: C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C. Spanish sounding.
Locrian -- like Phrygian but with a flat five: C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C.
See how in moving from Lydian to Locrian we have flattened each note in the scale except for the tonic (C, in the example). What's more, each new note we flatten is a fifth away from the note we flattened before: the fourth, the seventh, the third, the sixth, the second and the fifth.
If we keep going and flatten the tonic we come back around to Lydian except this time we're in the key of B: B, C# (same as Db), D# (same as Eb), E# (same as F), F# (same as Gb), G# (same as Ab), A# (same as Bb), B.
Music is so cool! It all fits together.
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 3:36 PM
"See how in moving from Lydian to Locrian we have flattened each note in the scale except for the root (C, in the example). What's more, each new note we flatten is a fifth away from the note we flattened before" the fourth, the seventh, the third, the sixth, the second and the fifth. If we keep going and flatten the root we come back around to Lydian except this time we're in the key of B: B, C# (same as Db), D# (same as Eb), E# (same as F), F# (same as Gb), G# (same as Ab), A# (same as Bb), B.
Music is so cool! It all fits together. "
Very cool indeed! Now you've got me wanting a chromatic harmonica.
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 10:29 AM
Chromatics are cool but you don't need one to play around with modes. You can hear all the modes on a diatonic harp -- you just need to know where the tonic (i.e., the first note of the scale) is and then go up the scale from there without bends or overbends:
Lydian: tonic is 5 draw (i.e., 12th position).
Ionian: tonic is 4 blow (i.e., 1st position).
Mixolydian: tonic is 6 blow (i.e., 2nd position).
Dorian: tonic is 4 draw (i.e., 3rd position).
Aeolian: tonic is 6 draw (i.e., 4th position).
Phrygian: tonic is 5 blow (i.e., 5th position).
Locrian: tonic is 3 draw (i.e., 6th position).
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 10:50 AM
Yeah but I want to explore them starting on the same gin&tonic, like in your system above. Maybe I'll pick up a cheap twelve pack of hohner diatonics instead, or both!
Love this stuff.
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 10:47 AM
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 11:11 AM