okay, so I understand modes and how to play them, etc. I was told to practice them going up and down, for example

1. Ionian
2. Ionian

3. Ionian
4. Dorian
5. Dorian
6. Ionian

7. Ionian
8. Dorian
9. Phrygian
10. Phrygian
11. Dorian
12. Ionian


etc, but I was told that there should be a certain number of them in total once you go all the way through the seven modes, but when I counted it out I came up one short of this "number". I've googled it, asked friends and used the search feature... please tell me how many modes there are in total (in this exercise)!!!

thank you!

Theres 7 modes

Ionien
Dorien
Phrygien
Lydien
Myxolidien
Aeolien
Locrien

If I was you, Id pratice them all with this exercice.

You start on the c notes and do the cycle of fifths. each notes you do the 7 modes

okay, so I understand modes and how to play them, etc. I was told to practice them going up and down, for example

1. Ionian
2. Ionian

3. Ionian
4. Dorian
5. Dorian
6. Ionian

7. Ionian
8. Dorian
9. Phrygian
10. Phrygian
11. Dorian
12. Ionian


...please tell me how many modes there are in total (in this exercise)!!!

Assuming I understand the problem and that you are using only the 7 modes of major, I get this:

1 x 2 + 2 x 2 + 3 x 2 + 4 x 2 + 5 x 2 + 6 x 2 + 7 x 2 =
2 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 10 + 12 + 14 = 56

Ionien
Dorien
Phrygien
Lydien
Myxolidien
Aeolien
LocrienI think you forgot Alien.

But really:

Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Aeolian
Locrian

Practicing them going up and down could mean several things.

I would recommend picking a starting note, and playing the modes up from and down to that same starting note, so that you learn the sound of those different scales. And you should think of them as different scales and listen for the different sounds of each scale.

Most people make the mistake of starting out toward the nut of the bass neck, play the Ionian scale up and down, and then shift down the neck and play the Dorian mode on the next note, and think they are practicing modes, when instead they are in fact simply playing the seven different positions of one major scale.

You need to practice them like a trumpet player or sax player would practice them, thinking about and learning the SCALE and the SOUND...not thinking about and learning the FINGERING.

Good call, timmbass. I used to have some complex excercises for practicing modes, but I abandoned them and used the exact method you described instead, among a few others. It's about the way things SOUND, not the fingering.

Assuming I understand the problem and that you are using only the 7 modes of major, I get this:

1 x 2 + 2 x 2 + 3 x 2 + 4 x 2 + 5 x 2 + 6 x 2 + 7 x 2 =
2 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 10 + 12 + 14 = 56

Yes, I got 56 too, but I was told there should be 57. Also, timbass thanks for the advice I'm going to think about that next time I'm practicing.


Thanks for your help guys!

Exercises are good and all but remember to never practice or study anything without thinking of the "why".

Yes, I got 56 too, but I was told there should be 57...

Sez who?

Not enough info to determine the boundary error, but obviously one repetition of one scale is pretty trivial versus a total of 56. Why does this matter again???? :p

Why does this matter again???? :p

You must be new here. Don't you know that Modes are The Secret to bass playing? And don't forget Arpeggios and The Circle of Fifths.


What? Functional harmony? What? Is that a mode?

Sez who?

Not enough info to determine the boundary error, but obviously one repetition of one scale is pretty trivial versus a total of 56. Why does this matter again???? :p

Hah my bass teacher. I think he wants me to go back to Ionian one last time, but I was just posting here in case anyone else knew.... so I wouldn't have to wait a week to ask him.

It really doesn't matter, I just don't believe in doing something half-heartedly when its something I care about. :bassist: :smug:

You must be new here. Don't you know that Modes are The Secret to bass playing? And don't forget Arpeggios and The Circle of Fifths.


What? Functional harmony? What? Is that a mode?

No, everyone knows that chord tones are the secret key to bass playing and modes and scales are worthless.

why circle of 5ths? 4ths makes better sense, because as you go around, you are playing the roots of a ii-V-I, which, in a lot of music, is the most common progression.

just my $0.02

Up a 4th, down a 5th, whatever. I say learn it both ways.

why circle of 5ths? 4ths makes better sense, because as you go around, you are playing the roots of a ii-V-I, which, in a lot of music, is the most common progression.

just my $0.02

Dude, if you go the other direction on the circle they become 4ths. Relax.

Personally I think the circle of m2s is more fun.

I like to harmonize in parallel tritones.

Personally I think the circle of m2s is more fun.

The free world calls that Chromatic. Chromatic is what we were looking for...

Good Game.

The free world calls that Chromatic. Chromatic is what we were looking for...

Good Game.

In the mother country we call it the people's melodic movement. Long live the union.