36 lines
5.9 KiB
Plaintext
36 lines
5.9 KiB
Plaintext
TITLE: Mode Formulas
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DOMAIN: Music Theory
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CONCEPTS: modes, interval formula, whole step, half step, Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian, scale construction, W H pattern, construct scale, build scale, apply formula, starting note, root note
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TYPE: reference
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PRIORITY: medium
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W means whole step also called a tone or T. H means half step also called a semitone or S. W and T are equivalent. H and S are equivalent. A whole step equals 2 semitones. A half step equals 1 semitone. W means whole step and H means half step in mode interval formulas. To construct any modal scale choose a starting note and apply each interval step in the formula in sequence to arrive at the next note.
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The Ionian mode interval formula is W W H W W W H. To construct a scale using the Ionian formula start on the root note and apply W W H W W W H in sequence. Ionian is the natural major scale. Ionian has a natural seventh compared to Mixolydian and a natural fourth compared to Lydian. When asked to construct an Ionian scale use the formula W W H W W W H.
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To construct A Ionian apply W W H W W W H starting from A giving the notes A B C# D E F# G#. To construct C Ionian apply W W H W W W H starting from C giving the notes C D E F G A B. To construct G Ionian apply W W H W W W H starting from G giving the notes G A B C D E F#. To construct D Ionian apply W W H W W W H starting from D giving the notes D E F# G A B C#.
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The Dorian mode interval formula is W H W W W H W. To construct a scale using the Dorian formula start on the root note and apply W H W W W H W in sequence. Dorian is a minor mode with a raised sixth compared to Aeolian. When asked to construct a Dorian scale use the formula W H W W W H W.
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To construct A Dorian apply W H W W W H W starting from A giving the notes A B C D E F# G. To construct D Dorian apply W H W W W H W starting from D giving the notes D E F G A B C. To construct G Dorian apply W H W W W H W starting from G giving the notes G A Bb C D E F. To construct E Dorian apply W H W W W H W starting from E giving the notes E F# G A B C# D. To construct C Dorian apply W H W W W H W starting from C giving the notes C D Eb F G A Bb. To construct B Dorian apply W H W W W H W starting from B giving the notes B C# D E F# G# A. To construct F Dorian apply W H W W W H W starting from F giving the notes F G Ab Bb C D Eb. To construct F# Dorian apply W H W W W H W starting from F# giving the notes F# G# A B C# D# E.
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The Phrygian mode interval formula is H W W W H W W. To construct a scale using the Phrygian formula start on the root note and apply H W W W H W W in sequence. Phrygian is a minor mode with a lowered second compared to Aeolian. When asked to construct a Phrygian scale use the formula H W W W H W W.
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To construct A Phrygian apply H W W W H W W starting from A giving the notes A Bb C D E F G. To construct E Phrygian apply H W W W H W W starting from E giving the notes E F G A B C D. To construct D Phrygian apply H W W W H W W starting from D giving the notes D Eb F G A Bb C. To construct G Phrygian apply H W W W H W W starting from G giving the notes G Ab Bb C D Eb F.
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The Lydian mode interval formula is W W W H W W H. To construct a scale using the Lydian formula start on the root note and apply W W W H W W H in sequence. Lydian is a major mode with a raised fourth compared to Ionian. When asked to construct a Lydian scale use the formula W W W H W W H.
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To construct A Lydian apply W W W H W W H starting from A giving the notes A B C# D# E F# G#. To construct C Lydian apply W W W H W W H starting from C giving the notes C D E F# G A B. To construct G Lydian apply W W W H W W H starting from G giving the notes G A B C# D E F#. To construct D Lydian apply W W W H W W H starting from D giving the notes D E F# G# A B C#.
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The Mixolydian mode interval formula is W W H W W H W. To construct a scale using the Mixolydian formula start on the root note and apply W W H W W H W in sequence. Mixolydian is a major mode with a lowered seventh compared to Ionian. When asked to construct a Mixolydian scale use the formula W W H W W H W.
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To construct A Mixolydian apply W W H W W H W starting from A giving the notes A B C# D E F# G. To construct G Mixolydian apply W W H W W H W starting from G giving the notes G A B C D E F. To construct D Mixolydian apply W W H W W H W starting from D giving the notes D E F# G A B C. To construct E Mixolydian apply W W H W W H W starting from E giving the notes E F# G# A B C# D. To construct C Mixolydian apply W W H W W H W starting from C giving the notes C D E F G A Bb.
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The Aeolian mode interval formula is W H W W H W W. To construct a scale using the Aeolian formula start on the root note and apply W H W W H W W in sequence. Aeolian is the natural minor scale. When asked to construct an Aeolian scale use the formula W H W W H W W.
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To construct A Aeolian apply W H W W H W W starting from A giving the notes A B C D E F G. To construct E Aeolian apply W H W W H W W starting from E giving the notes E F# G A B C D. To construct D Aeolian apply W H W W H W W starting from D giving the notes D E F G A Bb C. To construct G Aeolian apply W H W W H W W starting from G giving the notes G A Bb C D Eb F. To construct B Aeolian apply W H W W H W W starting from B giving the notes B C# D E F# G A. To construct C Aeolian apply W H W W H W W starting from C giving the notes C D Eb F G Ab Bb.
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The Locrian mode interval formula is H W W H W W W. To construct a scale using the Locrian formula start on the root note and apply H W W H W W W in sequence. Locrian is a diminished mode with a lowered second and fifth. When asked to construct a Locrian scale use the formula H W W H W W W.
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To construct A Locrian apply H W W H W W W starting from A giving the notes A Bb C D Eb F G. To construct B Locrian apply H W W H W W W starting from B giving the notes B C D E F G A. To construct E Locrian apply H W W H W W W starting from E giving the notes E F G A Bb C D. To construct D Locrian apply H W W H W W W starting from D giving the notes D Eb F G Ab Bb C.
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