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You guys know way more than me but I just think about TTsTTTs and then putting the first letter last for next mode, then arranging chords for what sounds good within that mode..

But how does that differ from scales? I mean I know the circle of fifths (Father Christmas Gave Dad An Electric Blanket ) and how they work, but I myself am confused as to what makes a mode different from a sale. Is a scale a variant of a specific mode?

dubunked wrote:yeah, it's flat compared to a major chord, but by the same token you could just call minor 1-3-5 and then major 1-3#-5.

in terms of the scale though, both major and minor chords are just 1-3-5 because (in the case of a minor), C# (the fourth semitone) is not a part of the a minor scale, so C is considered "3".

Yeah, just convention. It's helpful though if you know what the major chord is, and you want to make the minor; often when you're not thinking in scale terms, or haven't really learned scales yet, you do know what, say, the basic notes of most major chords, and it's helpful to understand what to change to make them minor, and the basic convention for the structure is easy to remember. Particularly for guitar players when they start out. Also I guess if you play a minor out of key, like the typical IVmaj -> IVmin passing chord, you really would have a b3 against your key, so it's useful shorthand there as well.

Musick wrote:You guys know way more than me but I just think about TTsTTTs and then putting the first letter last for next mode, then arranging chords for what sounds good within that mode..

But how does that differ from scales? I mean I know the circle of fifths (Father Christmas Gave Dad An Electric Blanket ) and how they work, but I myself am confused as to what makes a mode different from a sale. Is a scale a variant of a specific mode?

Rather, the mode is a variant of the scale; a mode is a type of scale. The major scale is a mode, the minor is another, etc (and you can have modes of the major scale but also modes of different minor scales, harmonic, melodic, etc). We use the term mode to denote the new scale built from the step pattern of a given scale, if you start on a note other than the tonic, but the name "mode" is just a semantic convenience imho-- it's all just different scales. The point of the modes is just that they have a different step pattern than other scales, relative to their root note, so they give a different feel or quality. I think that's really it, it's just about having a different musical character, but no doubt someone can tell me if I'm off-base. You can arrive at the chords via modes, the very handy idea that sunklo was the first to introduce me to, or just via your basic scale and the steps thereof, or whatever.

gabosht wrote:

Musick wrote:You guys know way more than me but I just think about TTsTTTs and then putting the first letter last for next mode, then arranging chords for what sounds good within that mode..

But how does that differ from scales? I mean I know the circle of fifths (Father Christmas Gave Dad An Electric Blanket ) and how they work, but I myself am confused as to what makes a mode different from a sale. Is a scale a variant of a specific mode?

Rather, the mode is a variant of the scale; a mode is a type of scale. The major scale is a mode, the minor is another, etc (and you can have modes of the major scale but also modes of different minor scales, harmonic, melodic, etc). We use the term mode to denote the new scale built from the step pattern of a given scale, if you start on a note other than the tonic, but the name "mode" is just a semantic convenience imho-- it's all just different scales. The point of the modes is just that they have a different step pattern than other scales, relative to their root note, so they give a different feel or quality. I think that's really it, it's just about having a different musical character, but no doubt someone can tell me if I'm off-base. You can arrive at the chords via modes, the very handy idea that sunklo was the first to introduce me to, or just via your basic scale and the steps thereof, or whatever.

So then is a chord just another pattern within a mode? Like when we say a triad (1-3-5?) are we referring to the specific pattern, whereas C minor is just a coincidental name for a specific chord? So the same chord could be moved a "step" up in the mode and be called a different name?

Yeah, in a major key the root major triad is the Ionian major built on 1-3-5, the 1-3-5 of the next mode up is a minor Dorian chord which is slightly different than the next minor chord, the Phrygian minor (major sixth vs flat ninth) If you're building harmony and melody lines on top, it's useful to think in relation to the underlying chordmode for phrasing and melody rather than relating back to the root mode of the key.

There's songs that aren't even built around an Ionian or Aeolian center. Miles Davis' "So What" is centered around Dorian, which then moves a half step to Dorian again. If you're trying to write a bassline or a horn topline in that scenario you can't think down a whole step to the Ionian mode. All the intervals and chord functions will relate to the Dorian center instead.

I'm not on par with a high level jazz musician or classical composer, but I've played enough jazz and composed enough to feel confident. I honestly love explaining it to people because it fascinates me. I'm thinking of making a video that can give a primer to theory for producers. I'll get back at you.

I'm sitting here reading all these posts just like what....

Someone posted a little... word thing (forgot the name) for the circle of fifths. Thanks for that. I've been practicing it and now I know all the major scales!

FCGDAEB

BEADGCF

all u need 2 kno.

ChadDub wrote:I'm sitting here reading all these posts just like what....

Someone posted a little... word thing (forgot the name) for the circle of fifths. Thanks for that. I've been practicing it and now I know all the major scales!

Father Christmas Gave Dad An Electric Blanket
I learned it from YouTube so might as well pass on the wisdom!

Another question for you guys then:

So then when we practice in respect to the circle of fifths (let's just talk about major since it's easier), does the amount of flats or sharps of the notes always correspond to a mode?

Also:

Ignoring key signatures, are there any specific scales or modes that are used most often in dubstep? I mean I particularly can't tell a difference of which mode a song may be in yet

The number of flats or sharps corresponds to a key which contains 7 modes.

Phrygian gets used a lot. Also harmonic minor.

I've had this bookmarked for ages, only ever messed around with it briefly. Could come in handy?

http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/