Properties of Musical Modes - Relationship Between The Modes

Relationship Between The Modes

Perhaps the simplest way to understand the seven modern modes and the relationship between them is to view them as successive rotations of a single set of seven notes—for example, using the notes of the C Major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. This is the C Ionian mode because C is the referential note, and the pattern of intervals above that note corresponds to Ionian. (The major scale and Ionian modal scale in any key are identical.) Retaining the notes of the C-major scale as the frame of reference:

• C Ionian mode consists of the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do)

• D Dorian mode consists of the notes D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D (Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re)

• E Phrygian consists of E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E (Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi)

• F Lydian consists of F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F (Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa)

• G Mixolydian consists of G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G (Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol)

• A Aeolian consists of A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A (La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La)

• B Locrian consists of B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B (Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti)

All of the above examples consist of precisely the same notes; the distinction amongst them is the tonal center of each mode. The D Dorian scale assumes the note D to be central. In other words, the note D becomes the tonic, while all the notes remain the same as those of the C-major scale. This concept can be transposed chromatically to every major scale.

Applying this principle to the fixed-do solfège syllables and scale-degree numbers from the original major scale results in movable-do solfège and scale-degree numbers relative to each new tonic (and with accidentals applied in relation to the degrees as found in the major scale) as follows:

The seven modern modal scales may therefore be regarded as a shifting of center onto successive degrees of the major scale. It follows that each interval within a mode is assigned a new interval designation according to its position relative to the new tonic.