---
title: "What are the modes? (Modal Harmony and YOU!)"

description: "Many musicians find the modes scary. They have big names. Let's demystify them and share how they can (and do!) spice up pop music. Here are the names for reference: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian"

status: complete

date: 2024-04-23

kind: solo

guestSlugs: []

listenUrl: "https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/What-are-the-modes--Modal-Harmony-and-YOU-e2imr40"
appleUrl: "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-are-the-modes-modal-harmony-and-you/id1567355195?i=1000653300422&uo=4"
spotifyUrl: "https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nKwgBZpYKeRsJfzKAUajK"

topicsDiscussed:
  - "Music theory"
  - "Funk"
  - "Jazz"
  - "Understanding Modes"
  - "Modal Harmony Explained"
  - "Pop Music and Modes"
  - "Major vs. Minor Modes"
  - "Improvisation Techniques"
  - "Historical Context of Modes"
  - "Emotional Response to Modes"
  - "Practical Application in Composition"
  - "Breaking Down Musical Scales"

hostNote: |
  "You cannot only surprise, then it's not pop. You cannot only deliver what is expected, because then it's crap." That tension is exactly where modes live, they're not exotic scales with fancy Greek names, they're a decision about where you plant your feet inside a set of notes.
  
  A mode is choosing where you stop and start. Take C major and hammer on A instead of C, and the whole thing shifts into Dorian, that funky, slightly unresolved feeling. Same notes, completely different emotional address. I get into why cultural norms make the major scale feel like the "real" one, even though that's mostly accident.
  
  The episode ends on modes as a tool for surprise in pop: you can't lean on them all the time, but knowing how to borrow that color: Lydian's floating lift, Phrygian's menace, gives you something to reach for when the straight major or minor isn't quite right.

selectedMoments:
  - label: "Introduction to Modes"
    startSec: 142
    note: "I introduce the concept of modes and discusses their relevance in pop music."
  - label: "What is a Mode?"
    startSec: 225
    note: "I break down the definition of a mode, comparing it to a scale and explaining its significance."
  - label: "Cultural Norms of the Major Scale"
    startSec: 271
    note: "I discuss how the major and minor scales' cultural implications shape musical expectations."
  - label: "Daily Use of Modes"
    startSec: 630
    note: "I emphasize that understanding and manipulating modes is a crucial skill for musicians."
  - label: "Building Emotion with Modes"
    startSec: 720
    note: "I explain how shifting emphasis in modes can change the emotional impact of the same notes."
  - label: "Spicing Up Pop Music"
    startSec: 1442
    note: "Exploring how modes can create surprise and interest in pop music."

excerptQuotes:
  - text: "What is a mode? A mode is deciding where you stop and start within those collection of notes."
    startSec: 226
    reviewed: true
  - text: "It's not actually normal in terms of the world; it's normal in terms of cultural norms."
    startSec: 270
    reviewed: true
  - text: "You can take literally the same notes and decide which one is going to be the one that I'm going to hammer home... and it changes the entire emotional response."
    startSec: 316
    reviewed: true
  - text: "If the A note is your home, it feels like the Dorian funky Dorian, that's cool. But it's all the same notes."
    startSec: 718
    reviewed: true
  - text: "You cannot only surprise, then it’s not pop. You cannot only deliver what is expected, because then it’s crap."
    startSec: 1440
    reviewed: true

faq:
  - question: "What are musical modes?"
    answer: "Musical modes are variations of scales that create different emotional and thematic qualities in music."
  - question: "How can I use modes in my music?"
    answer: "By shifting the emphasis of your notes within a scale, you can create different modal sounds that enhance your compositions."
  - question: "What is the significance of modes in pop music?"
    answer: "Modes can add unexpected twists and emotional depth to pop music, making it more engaging for listeners."

transcriptPublished: false

draft: false
---