Simple Mode Work

Neurojazz

Ok,

I've prepared an example here.

This was using the Fiesto midi.

The example has notes with it, but will also explain the mechanics behind modes to my limited understanding of them. If people add technical theory, please keep it in laymans terms where possible with real examples of applications made with own works.

Ok, in it's simple form - take a C major scale.

C D E F G A B

That's all the white notes.

If you take your right hand and play the note C in a steady rhythm (like in that Fiesto midi) - it's really boring/dull.

So take your left hand and play another C lower down at the same time.

This is also dull - so now play D with your Left hand in the same rhythm and the right, the the E etc...

You'll hear that the high C you play appears to change colour as you change the note beneath (that could be a bassline for example)

Now usually modes are used to describe the note you'd start a melody on in a certain scale, but works both ways - so if you have a simple melody you could also use this theory the other way around.

A good practice example (and you can't be told this knowledge as it's totally experience based) is to write pieces using one scale but starting with different roots (roots meaning the central note that the whole track rotates around)

If you wrote a track in C Major and the Root was C then you'd get a very specific feel and sound for that track... but if you moved to the third mode of the scale (the E) you'd get a whole different feel)

The more you experiment with this the more stunning, dramatic and emotive changes you'll discover.

Hope the example helped a bit - but the whole modes thing is a large musical can of worms - enjoy the journey!

jtsuited

go on Neuro, explain the phrygian, mixolydian, and Aeolian modes in relation to the development of 1970s prog rock. Without using the letter 'e'!!

Android 666

jtsuited wrote: »

go on Neuro, explain the phrygian, mixolydian, and Aeolian modes in relation to the development of 1970s prog rock. Without using the letter 'e'!!

How about this - prog rock its propa' rubbish! Psytranz only with hippys with guitars and facial hair who pong of vanilla and hash.

Neurojazz

jtsuited wrote: »

go on Neuro, explain the phrygian, mixolydian, and Aeolian modes in relation to the development of 1970s prog rock. Without using the letter 'e'!!

Can't be arsed with the names - partially as i'm thick as pigs**t and could never read well and then when i tried to learn to sight read the staves kept disappearing when i'd try to concentrate (used to get migraines all the time etc...) - so my theory all used to get done by ear.

Even knowing all the mode names doesn't help much with comprehension of what actually happens to the sounds.

Part of the mode work also is related to intervals - same thing in a way and can be added into the bargain when working with modes for hyper melodic layers...

I have some really old stuff that uses all this stuff excessively - one chill piece that is almost classical and one very cheesy dance piece that got used for some crazy frog game music - i might drag that out for fun at some point in midi.

krd

jtsuited wrote: »

go on Neuro, explain the phrygian, mixolydian, and Aeolian modes in relation to the development of 1970s prog rock. Without using the letter 'e'!!

I once learned the Phrygian on guitar - what complete an utter waste of time that was.

Modes. At the minute, I don't have access to a piano keyboard. My midi keyboard is in one place, my big keyboard somewhere else.

The piano is great if you can play it - since you're using both hands - you can feel around for notes. Some notes and sequences just work some don't.

You can really flesh out a melody if you keep playing it, trying different note combinations.

There's a huge amount of theory to it. There are 12 notes. There always have been 12 notes and there always be 12 notes. The formalisation of music has always caused problems in limiting music to scales and note relations. There are 12 notes - In the end of the day it's just whichever ones you like you pick.

Historically some of the limitations were caused by instrument makers - who could only make instruments in major or minor keys - something like the Solfège scale is only do - re - mi. It doesn't let you use the other notes available. Something like a tin whistle can only play in the Solfège scale of the key it's been made for - flute players learned to get other notes by half covering the holes. Eventually, the instrument makers figured out there were 12 notes and started making fully chromatic instruments.

Complexity in Piano music goes something like Mozart breaking many musical conventions - He arrives at around the same time as the first real pianos. Then Chopin really goes for it. By the time it reaches the 20th century Jazz piano players are going nuts and throwing all the rules out the window.

Jazz players do nuts things like play in different keys to each other. Cycle through weird keys that are not really related to each other.

And then 303 programmers just start hitting random buttons and keeping what they thought sound good.

Funnily, this fits in with music theory predictions of the 50s and 60s - that eventually we'd throw the rules out the window completely and just use all the notes depending what mood we were in. Even we'd throw notes out the window - and make music with weird atonal noises.

Then people like Tiesto go back and raid people like Pachelbel - who came before Mozart and was a stickler for the rules of the formal music of the time. I would say in Pachelbel's works there are possibly hundreds of trance anthems waiting to be discovered. In Chopin - there possibly isn't - though there may be in little runs here and there if they were simplified.

krd

Neurojazz wrote: »

Can't be arsed with the names - partially as i'm thick as pigs**t and could never read well and then when i tried to learn to sight read the staves kept disappearing when i'd try to concentrate (used to get migraines all the time etc...) - so my theory all used to get done by ear.

Sounds like you've got a form of dyslexia. What you could try. Get some lighting gels of different colours. Put them over the page. If you find one colour that works for you, bingo. Glaring white paper is hard for anyone to read from. Like you'll notice things like novels are always printed on eggshell coloured paper. full high contrast will give anyone a splitting head after a while.

[QOUTE]
I have some really old stuff that uses all this stuff excessively - one chill piece that is almost classical and one very cheesy dance piece that got used for some crazy frog game music - i might drag that out for fun at some point in midi.[/QUOTE]

Please no - not the frog.

Neurojazz

krd wrote: »

Sounds like you've got a form of dyslexia. What you could try. Get some lighting gels of different colours. Put them over the page. If you find one colour that works for you, bingo. Glaring white paper is hard for anyone to read from. Like you'll notice things like novels are always printed on eggshell coloured paper. full high contrast will give anyone a splitting head after a while.

I used St. Johns Wort (which you can't get over here), and that sorted out my reading - and i've got borderline symptoms for just about anything you can find wrong with a human


The frog eh? - what's he ever done to you MUHAHHAHA. - serious tough, it's NOT the frog track, just one used on its game.