Broadly speaking, there are two types of modes, major and minor. But we can be more specific, and distinguish between specific functional associations between modes, in order to properly use them, in the context of chord progressions and during improvisation. When we talk about using modes in improvisation. We are talking about chord scale theory. We will return to that concept momentarily. The 14 diatonic and chromatic modes that we've introduced earlier, can be compartmentalized, into four functional categories, major tonic, minor tonic, dominant, and intermediate or predominant. Having three modes in the major tonic category, for instance enables you to chose from these modes when you improvise. On the screen you can see the three modes from the major tonic family, with a detailed analysis of their pitch structure. These modes are organized a hierarchy, starting with the most diatonic, and ending with the most chromatic one. So, the Ionian mode. [MUSIC] Comprises all diatonic or white keys on the keyboard. And the characteristic note, or the beauty mark, what I like to call, is the major 7 on that. [MUSIC] That's the sound of your Ionian mode. [MUSIC] Okay? The next mode, a little bit more chromatic is Lydian mode. And the characteristic pitch, the beauty mark of the Lydian mode, is sharp 11. [MUSIC] You see? The sound is a bit more dramatic, more contemporary. [MUSIC] So that's your mode. [MUSIC] So now, in your solo, if you want to convey Lydian characteristic, you have to use sharp 11 in your lines, because without the pitch, there is no Lydian. And the most dramatic mode out of the major tonic category is Lydian augmented. [MUSIC] And you can see two beauty marks, sharp five and sharp four. So that's the sound of the Lydian Augmented used as a harmony. [MUSIC] So it's completely different from your Diatonic Ionian. [MUSIC] Ionian. Lydian. [MUSIC] And Lydian Augmented. [MUSIC] It's really important to identify these beauty marks. Major 7 [SOUND], sharp 11 [SOUND], and sharp 5 [SOUND]. These pitches have specific sound, okay. The next family that I would like to discuss is minor tonic family. There are three modes from the minor tonic family. Melodic minor. [MUSIC] With the beauty marks. [SOUND] A natural 6 [SOUND], and the leading tone. And that is the sound of the melodic minor. [MUSIC] Aeolian [SOUND]. And the beauty mark is on flat 6 or flat 13. So hear the sound of the Aeolian mode. [MUSIC] This and solemn on the account of flat six. That's your minor tonic chord with a flat six. And all these notes are derived from the Aeolian mode. The Dorian mode. [MUSIC] The beauty mark is natural six. [MUSIC] As you could notice, all the minor modes, have a minor third as their essential chord member. [SOUND] And are the minor seven [SOUND] Or major seven [SOUND]. But they're really, the main differences between them are on the count of their beauty marks. So the difference between Aeolian and Dorian is as follows. [MUSIC] The sound of the Aeolian mode. [SOUND] And that's the sound of Dorian mode. [SOUND] And that's the sound of the Melodic Minor. [SOUND] A bit more chromatic. So again, the reason why we have three modes, we can select from these modes during improvisation. And while rendering harmonic progressions. The next functional category is dominant family. The dominant family contains four unique model collections. Mixolydian [SOUND]. The beauty mark [SOUND] as flat 7 [SOUND]. All the dominant modes have flat 7 as a beauty mark. And these modes are also considered major, because all of them have major third as the other guide tone. Mixolydian sharp 4 or Mixolydian sharp 11. [MUSIC] And that's your sound. [MUSIC] Mixolydian flat 13. [MUSIC] As the name suggests, beauty mark is flat 13 or flat 6, so that's the sound of your Mixolydian flat 13 mode. [MUSIC] And finally we have the altered mode, which wins in the category of most beauty marks. Hear the sound. [MUSIC] So we have, flat 9 [SOUND], sharp 9 [SOUND], sharp 11 [SOUND], and flat 13 [SOUND]. All available chromatic extensions that we can add to the dominant sound. [MUSIC] Highly chromatic structure. So again, the dominant family modes is organized hierarchically, starting with the most diatonic, and then gradually increasing chromatic tension within their pitch structure. And finally, we have the intermediate or predominant family. So we have four modes, Locrian natural tone. [MUSIC] The beauty mark on flat 5 [SOUND] and major 9. [MUSIC] That's the sound of Locrian natural 2. The next one is Locrian. [SOUND] With two beauty marks on flat two and flat five. The main characteristic of the Locrian mode is that unique tri tone between [SOUND] the root of the chord, [SOUND] the fifth. And the absence of natural fifth, so we cannot really generate a major triad on that mode. Next intermediary mode is Phrygian. [SOUND] With the characteristic note beauty mark on flat two. [SOUND] And finally, we have a Dorian flat two. [SOUND] So again, we have a natural sixth at the part of the Dorian collection and flat two as the secondary beauty mark. And again, the intermediate family of modes is derived from the minor modes. All right, because all of these modes are a minor third in their bridge structure. Their functional status, within chord progression, is that of connecting tonic and dominant chords. Each of these modes have the specific sound and each of these modes, major tonic, minor tonic, dominant, and intermediary can be further, characterized by the use of specific, or characteristic opera structure trials.
