What are modes in music?
Q: What are modes in music?
A: Modes in music are a kind of scale. They were used by Ancient Greeks and borrowed by Medieval musicians to describe the scales used in their music.
Q: How many scales does Western music predominantly usually use?
A: Western music predominantly usually uses two scales - major and minor, which correspond to the Ionian and Aeolian modes.
Q: What is the pattern of tones and semitones between each note for the Western major scale?
A: The pattern of tones and semitones between each note for the Western major scale is tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone.
Q: What is the pattern of tones and semitones between each note for the Western natural minor scale?
A: The pattern of tones and semitones between each note for the Western natural minor scale is tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone ,tone.
Q: What are some common modern modes?
A: Some common modern modes include Ionian (C D E F G A B C), Dorian (D E F G A B C D), Phrygian (E F G A B C D E), Lydian (F G A B C D E F), Mixolydian (G A B C D E F G), Aeolian (A B C D E F G A) and Locrian (B C D E F G A B).
Q: Where do mode names come from?
A: Mode names come from cities in Ancient Greece. In Medieval times they were widely used in church music.
Q: Are folksongs often modal?
A: Yes ,folksongs are often modal. An example of a well-known tune that is modal is Greensleeves
