Question about Modes

StickmanJam

So I've been getting into modes and exploring them, and I think I understand how they work, how for each degree of the scale there is a mode (like in C major, starting and ending on the second not (D) would be Dorian mode)

My question is, though I am starting on a different note, the D Dorian scale is the same as the C major scale, so How am I achieving a different sound? Or is by simply treating the D note in the Dorian as the root?

I hope I didn't confuse the hell out of anybody with my question, if so, just ask and I''ll try to explain it better. Thanks

ianvomsaal

StickmanJam wrote:

StickmanJam wrote:

Hey Ian, don't mean to bother you but I made a post about modes on the board, and wanted to make sure to get your thoughts. I appreciate all the knowledge you give the board.

Anyways, here was my post

So I've been getting into modes and exploring them, and I think I understand how they work, how for each degree of the scale there is a mode (like in C major, starting and ending on the second not (D) would be Dorian mode)

My question is, though I am starting on a different note, the D Dorian scale is the same as the C major scale, so How am I achieving a different sound? Or is by simply treating the D note in the Dorian as the root?

I hope I didn't confuse the hell out of you with my unclear question, if so, just ask and I''ll try to explain it better. Thanks

You’ll want to emphasize the notes that revolve around the key you're playing in (as in your example of C-Major, which allows you to play D-dorian, E-phyrgian, F-mixolydian, G-aeolian/minor, etc, etc). To sound a bit different just emphasize the roots and triad or chord voicings of each mode you're playing - If you're playing D-dorian, emphasize D a lot, or emphasize the triad D-F-A, which hints at a D-chord in the key of C - plus in D-dorian you can also emphasise other notes for color like the D# (which is the 5th scale degree out of the blues pentatonic scale - remember that the typical pentatonic scales removes the 2nd and 6th scale degrees, so this adds a different tonal character - remember that accidentals aren’t always a bad thing). Make sense???

- Ian

Drew263

ianvomsaal wrote:

remember that accidentals aren’t always a bad thing). Make sense???

- Ian

Ian..speaking of accidentals, my instructor told me a funny story from his days at Berklee that every once in awhile cracks me up (when I do it). They told him, if you hit a wrong note...hit it twice to make everyone know you meant it. lol

justam

StickmanJam wrote:

So I've been getting into modes and exploring them, and I think I understand how they work, how for each degree of the scale there is a mode (like in C major, starting and ending on the second not (D) would be Dorian mode)

My question is, though I am starting on a different note, the D Dorian scale is the same as the C major scale, so How am I achieving a different sound? Or is by simply treating the D note in the Dorian as the root?

I hope I didn't confuse the hell out of anybody with my question, if so, just ask and I''ll try to explain it better. Thanks

Even though the collection of pitches is the same, the order of the intervals is different. That's what the mode is really defining. The order of whole and half steps.

ianvomsaal

Drew263 wrote:

Ian..speaking of accidentals, my instructor told me a funny story from his days at Berklee that every once in awhile cracks me up (when I do it). They told him, if you hit a wrong note...hit it twice to make everyone know you meant it. lol

Yup, keep going back to it - Eventually people will think you meant it, and are just adding an ill-fitting color.
Another one "jokingly" told to me by Scott Henderson was, "when in doubt, chromatic out"

- Ian

BinFrog

Drew263 wrote:

Ian..speaking of accidentals, my instructor told me a funny story from his days at Berklee that every once in awhile cracks me up (when I do it). They told him, if you hit a wrong note...hit it twice to make everyone know you meant it. lol

That's the Hendrix & Santana method. Hendrix would bend the shit out of a note until it was right, while Santana would just noodle around that wrong note making it sound all right.