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9.2 · The Modes

The bright modes

Put all seven modes on the samehome note and you can hear exactly what each one changes. Three of them keep the bright major third: major's siblings, each a single note away from plain major. One note, whole new weather.

The reference: C Ionian

Plain C major over a C drone. The yardstick the other two get measured against.

the major scale itself · bright, settled: nearly every pop chorus.

Lydian: raise the 4

Push the 4th up a half step and the scale lifts off the ground. Film scores lean on it.

♯4

major with a raised 4 · floating, filmic wonder: The Simpsons theme · dream sequences.

Mixolydian: lower the 7

Flatten the 7th and the scale loses its urgent lean toward home. Sunny, loose, made for guitars.

♭7

major with a flat 7 · sunny but never quite resolves: Sweet Home Alabama · Norwegian Wood.

Quiz

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Lydian is major with…

Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson.The dark modes →