The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #55442   Message #862269
Posted By: Cluin
09-Jan-03 - 12:51 AM
Thread Name: Who Named the Modes?
Subject: RE: Who Named the Modes?
TIA, you can do it for yourself easily. Just transpose the chords.

The tonic, IV, and V notes of the G scale are G, C, and D.Wherever you see a C above, replace it with the G. Wherever you see the F above, replace it with the C. Etc. So...

for G Ionian: G major, C major, D major
for G Dorian: G minor, C major, D minor...

and so on. (the other chord, corresponding with the Bb major in the C Myxoldian would of course be F major in G Myxo.)


But note also how with every step to the right on the Circle of Fifths, another # is added to the scale ( in the Major Scale(Ionian mode)).

Keys: C=no#, G=1#, D=2#, A=3#, E=4#, B=5#...

And the # added is always to the 7th note of each new scale. The previous #s are retained. i.e.:

Key of C: C D E F G A B C   (no#)
Key of G: G A B C D E F# G   (1#)
Key of D: D E F# G A B C# D   (2#)...
Key of A: A B C# D E F# G# A
Key of E: E F# G# A B C# D# E
Key of B: B C# D# E F# G# A# B

Whereas, when you go to the left on the Circle, it is the 4th note of the scale that is the new one flatted:

Keys: C=no b, F=1b, Bb=2b#, Eb=3b, Ab=4b, Db=5b...

Key of C: C D E F G A B C   (no b)
Key of F: F G A Bb C D E F   (1b)
Key of Bb: Bb C D Eb F G A Bb   (2b)...
Key of Eb: Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb

Notice another trivial pattern there?

All this theory kinda gives me a headache though. It's the kind of stuff you learn just to forget, so you can get down to actually playing music.