Clever ways to memorize mode names

[consectaneus]

I just watched one of those Rick Beato music analyses on some of Peter Frampton's solos. Frampton heard about it and agreed to an interview (also a great watch). Beato called him a modal player and analyzed things like "here he goes to a Dorian", etc. Frampton looked like he found that slightly amusing. He was steeped in jazz early on and had absorbed those principles (even if he didn't know what mode it was) and you could tell that he never thought about them when he played because he never once mentioned it.

 

[AudioTaper]

When I was taking lessons in high school, my instructor used
If
Dora
Plays
Like
Me,
All's
Lost


But I think this is my new favorite

My favorite is I Don't Punch Like Mohammed Ali (it's true).

 

[SteveC]

I
Don’t
Pheel (Like phat)
Like
Makin’
A
Love

That’s what our jazz guy used and I still remember it 30 years later.

 

[consectaneus]

Sorry, but that's just dumb enough to be memorable. Like, Oh Be A Fine Girl Kiss Me I once learned in an astronomy class decades ago. I don't know what it means now as I sit here, but I can't believe I still remember it and this thread just triggered that. I thought it was really dumb then, too.

 

[dreamadream99]

A lot of people think learning modes is the way to spice up your bass lines/solos, but my approach is so much simpler:

Include chord tones in your playing. What you play between them is totally up to you.

 

[J Sudjian]

Ok guys a little bashing here and there I see......I’m actually interested in it, sometimes have a little trouble memorizing things, and may decide to teach bass later, so let’s just stick to the fun ways to memorize the modes thanks.

 

[Charlie Tuna]

I Doubt Phish Lyrics Mean A Lot (Lydian and Locrian each have their first two letters represented to avoid mixing them up).

 

[Papageno]

Those mnemonics refer to the modes than can be built on a given scale (say on C major or white keys on piano).

I find it more useful to learn them for a given tonal center (say C), moving from the brightest to the darkest, i.e.:
- C lydian. (=C major with diminished 4th)
- C ionian (= C major)
- C mixolydian (=C major with minor 7th)
- C Dorian (= C minor with major 6th)
- C aeolian(= C minor)
- C phrygian (= C minor with minor 2nd)
- C locrian (=C minor with 2nd and diminished 5th).

So you would need to find a mnemonics for the letters L I M D A P L (does not come to my mind though...).

 

[Wasnex]

Ok guys a little bashing here and there I see......I’m actually interested in it, sometimes have a little trouble memorizing things, and may decide to teach bass later, so let’s just stick to the fun ways to memorize the modes thanks.

Just because most of us don't think modally when we are playing does not mean there is no value in going through the process of learning and practicing modes. Learning the modes teaches us new fret board/finger patterns and also opens our ears up to new sounds. Then when we are playing we use these patterns and sounds automatically without thinking about it. So I think you are on the right track. But it helps to have some context, so you know how far to go before you consider getting off the track and thinking about something else.

For some reason I never had much of a problem remembering which mode is associated with which major scale degree. Now if I am in minor it's a different story, but since I don't really think modally when I play it not really important. What I find important, and also what I have trouble with is remembering the shapes of each mode. But if I work with them regularly, I find it's not really that difficult.

For memorization purposes, consider making a set of flashcards rather than relying on mnemonic devices.

I used to do a couple of exercises when I was working modes. Some days I would pick a couple of major keys and work through all of the modes. Other days I would pick a mode, and work through all of the keys in major. You might also consider picking a mode and working through all the keys in minor.

As I mentioned earlier, IMHO it gets a lot more challenging if you analyze the harmonic minor and jazz melodic minor scales in a modal context. It's more difficult because you have to memorize an additional 14 scale forms, instead of just the 7 modes we normally think of. Additionally some modal names are recycled with alterations, but the names don't always fall in the same order.

It's too much for my little pea brain to keep straight so I don't even bother....but here is part of my cheat sheet, if you feel like tormenting yourself.

Harmonic Minor
Locrian #6
Ionian #5
Dorian #4
Phrygian Dominant
Lydian #2
Ultralocrian

Melodic Minor
Dorian b2
Lydian #5
Lydian Dominant
Mixolydian b6
Semilocrian
Superlocrian

 

[devnulljp]

I Ionian
Don't Dorian
Particularly Phrygian
Like Lydian
Modes Mixolydian
A Aeolian
Lot Locrian

 

[vvvmmm]

So you would need to find a mnemonics for the letters L I M D A P L (does not come to my mind though...).

Little Idiots Might Draw A Poor Likeness
Lambs, Iguanas, Mice, Dogs And People Live

 

[MonetBass]

From my college bass teacher:
In Denver People Like Music After Lunch

 

[Bob_Ross]

Ionian is synonymous with the major scale.

C ionian (= C major)

Thread drift: Captain Pedantic would like to point out that while the Ionian mode and a Major scale built on the same starting pitch are 100% identical in terms of note and interval content, it is disingenuous to say they are "synonymous" or the same thing or "equal to" one another. The reason there are two different names for that otherwise identical pitch class collection is that a "Major Scale" implies functional tendencies that are not always present in the modal equivalent.

Now back to our discussion of mnemonics ...which btw I find fascinating; I've been a music student for over 50 years and I never learned any shortcuts for memorizing the names of the modes!

 

[Wasnex]

Thread drift: Captain Pedantic would like to point out that while the Ionian mode and a Major scale built on the same starting pitch are 100% identical in terms of note and interval content, it is disingenuous to say they are "synonymous" or the same thing or "equal to" one another. The reason there are two different names for that otherwise identical pitch class collection is that a "Major Scale" implies functional tendencies that are not always present in the modal equivalent.

Now back to our discussion of mnemonics ...which btw I find fascinating; I've been a music student for over 50 years and I never learned any shortcuts for memorizing the names of the modes!

Please enlighten us. If a tune is composed in C major versus C Ionian what are some of the important differences.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Please enlighten us. If a tune is composed in C major versus C Ionian what are some of the important differences.

Are you familiar with the functional names of scale degrees? E.g., Tonic, Supertonic, Mediant, Subdominant, Dominant, Submediant, Leading Tone...
And are you familiar with musical scenarios that ascribe those same names to the diatonic chords built on those scale degrees? So that, for example, the IV chord in the key of C major is referred to as the Subdominant chord?

Those musical scenarios all presuppose that the scale degrees, and the diatonic chords built on those scale degrees, will behave in a predictable fashion....because those names and the qualities they describe refer to how pitch collections function traditionally/historically.

In modal music those names and functions are effectively meaningless.

You can create a chord progression in C Ionian where the simultaneous sounding of the pitch classes G-B-D-F doesn't "want" [sic] to "resolve" [sic] towards C, because the concept of a dominant>tonic resolution is entirely the province of the common practice major-minor tonal system. Modality allows the musician to explore pitch space without the same implications of inherent meaning that tonality assigns to collections. That's why we have two separate names for what is architecturally the same object: to differentiate between subsets of that object that have ascribed behaviors and tendencies, and subsets that, while made of the same constituent parts, are implicitly free of those same behaviors and tendencies.

Whether one hears them as different objects is a whole 'nother issue entirely.

 

[Wasnex]

Are you familiar with the functional names of scale degrees? E.g., Tonic, Supertonic, Mediant, Subdominant, Dominant, Submediant, Leading Tone...
And are you familiar with musical scenarios that ascribe those same names to the diatonic chords built on those scale degrees? So that, for example, the IV chord in the key of C major is referred to as the Subdominant chord?

Those musical scenarios all presuppose that the scale degrees, and the diatonic chords built on those scale degrees, will behave in a predictable fashion....because those names and the qualities they describe refer to how pitch collections function traditionally/historically.

In modal music those names and functions are effectively meaningless.

You can create a chord progression in C Ionian where the simultaneous sounding of the pitch classes G-B-D-F doesn't "want" [sic] to "resolve" [sic] towards C, because the concept of a dominant>tonic resolution is entirely the province of the common practice major-minor tonal system. Modality allows the musician to explore pitch space without the same implications of inherent meaning that tonality assigns to collections. That's why we have two separate names for what is architecturally the same object: to differentiate between subsets of that object that have ascribed behaviors and tendencies, and subsets that, while made of the same constituent parts, are implicitly free of those same behaviors and tendencies.

Whether one hears them as different objects is a whole 'nother issue entirely.

I used to have a rudimentary understanding of everything you mentioned, so I get what you are saying.

My statement, "Ionian is synonymous with the major scale" has nothing to do with harmonic functions. My point was the Ionian mode and the major scale have the same notes and intervals; nothing more is implied or inferred.

When people are playing jazz and talking about playing modally, IMHO most of the time they are actually talking about playing diatonically. For example if you are given |ii7 V7| you might think of playing Dorian over the ii7 and Mixolydian over the V7. In this case you're just playing diatonically to the major key center, but colloquially people think of it as playing modally. So the meaning is probably a little different here than the way you think of it.

Of course there are modal jazz pieces like "So What" which is written in Dorian mode. Chords are D-7 (Dorian) and Eb-7 (Dorian). There really is no harmonic function to worry about since it's just two key centers in Dorian mode.

 

[Papageno]

Thread drift: Captain Pedantic would like to point out that while the Ionian mode and a Major scale built on the same starting pitch are 100% identical in terms of note and interval content, it is disingenuous to say they are "synonymous" or the same thing or "equal to" one another. The reason there are two different names for that otherwise identical pitch class collection is that a "Major Scale" implies functional tendencies that are not always present in the modal equivalent.

Agreed. For example, in the key of C, if we have a chord progression //: C / C / Dm / Em :// that is looped over and over, the sound this progression is not C major, but rather C ionian (although the progression and melody contain only notes of the C major scale) because it revolves around the note C (the tonal center), without ever using any of the cadences that are the hallmark of tonal (common practice) music.

 

[Papageno]

I think that a good part of the confusion around "modes" in jazz, arises from the fact that the term "mode" is frequently used in context that has nothing to do with modal music.
For example, it is very frequently stated that to play over a ii V I progression (Say Dm G7 C), one should (or can) play D Dorian over the ii (Dm), G mixolydian over the V (G7) and C ionian over the I (C). This is confusing to many people because all these modes contain the same notes. It would be more meaningful (in my view) to say: play notes of the C major scale, while emphasizing the chord tones over each chord, and play the non-chord tones as passing tones, neighbor tones, appogiaturas, etc.

 

[Wasnex]

I think that a good part of the confusion around "modes" in jazz, arises from the fact that the term "mode" is frequently used in context that has nothing to do with modal music.
For example, it is very frequently stated that to play over a ii V I progression (Say Dm G7 C), one should (or can) play D Dorian over the ii (Dm), G mixolydian over the V (G7) and C ionian over the I (C). This is confusing to many people because all these modes contain the same notes. It would be more meaningful (in my view) to say: play notes of the C major scale, while emphasizing the chord tones over each chord, and play the non-chord tones as passing tones, neighbor tones, appogiaturas, etc.

Relating modes diatonically to chords is a different way of thinking that can give you a deeper and more thorough understanding of what's going on. If you want to learn and retain a complex subject, you learn it from as many possible angles as you can.

Think of learning as building a neural network in your brain. If you learn an idea one way, you create a localized network that forms a concept. If you can learn about the concept in different ways you create multiple networks the reinforce each other.

I agree that thinking about it all diatonically is good. But thinking about it modally is a systematic way of informing your hands and ears. When you practice playing the Dorian mode, it creates a certain recognizable sound that you learn to recognize. It also generates recognizable hand shapes or finger patterns, that you can practice until they become automatic and easy.

Then if you can analyze a chord progression and associate chord functions with the modes, you can form an automated process where the ears and hands know what to do and you don't have to think too much. This is, and always will be aspirational for me, but some players actually navigate through music by converting notes and chords into a numbering system. I believe modes fits right in if you are the type of player who will rise to this level.

 

[Papageno]

When you practice playing the Dorian mode, it creates a certain recognizable sound that you learn to recognize.

Sure, but playing the tones of the dorian mode is not enough to make what your playing sound "dorian". What enables your playing sound dorian results form a prioritization of certain tones, by giving them more emphasis via rhythm, accent, duration, pitch, dynamics, articulation, etc. In order to sound D dorian you have to give emphasis to to the tonic (D), to the minor 3rd (F), and most importantly to the major 6th (B) which is the characteristic tone of the dorian mode. In other words, you emphasize the important chord tones of the Dm6 chord, and play other more as passing tones. Similarly, to sound G mixolydian, you have to emphasize the tonic (G), the major 3rd (B), and the minor 7th (F), which is the characteristic tone of the mixolydian mode; those are the important chord tones of G7.
Once your playing revolves around the chord tones, the other tones you play as passing tones (or other kind of ornamentation) can be either the diatonic tones of the mode, or some non-diatonic tones (which amounts to play some altered version of the chord), or chromatic tones, etc. depending on the "color" you like to give to your playing. In any case, this remains tonal playing (from the point of view of harmony), as opposed to the kind of modal playing you would do on So What.