Identifying the diatonic modes
except for Locrian because that one isn't real
In Aural Skills class we continue our sprint through harmony concepts with the diatonic modes. These are an advanced topic in classical theory, but for popular music, you need to deal with them up front, especially Mixolydian and Dorian.
Here are the tunes I'm giving the class to practice distinguishing the modes from each other.
The major modes
These scales have major third degrees. They stereotypically sound "brighter" than the minor modes.
Ionian mode/major scale
What is the difference between Ionian mode and the plain old major scale? I think of Ionian mode songs as having a floating quality, without functional or directional harmony.
I hear “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club (1981) as being in G Ionian.
"The Anchor Song" by Björk (1993) is in C Ionian.
Mixolydian mode
To make C Mixolydian, you take C major and lower B to B-flat. It's like a bluesier version of major. It's extremely common in pop, rock, dance and country across all eras.
The "na na na" section of "Hey Jude" by the Beatles (1968) is in F Mixolydian. The I - bVII - IV (F - Eb - Bb) chord progression is one of the most characteristic Mixolydian sounds.
Two of the best Michael Jackson songs are in Mixolydian. “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” (1979) is in B Mixolydian. Listen for that D-sharp to A tritone at the beginning of the vocal melody, and the alternating A/B and B chords.
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (1982) is in E Mixolydian.
"Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads (1980) is in D Mixolydian. It's most clear in the end section, which uses the "Hey Jude" progression.
Lydian mode
Lydian has a dreamy, unreal quality that has made it a crucial tool in the film/TV/game composer's toolbox. To make C Lydian, you take C major and raise F to F-sharp.
Lydian mode is rare in pop. Many of the examples you find online are really just ordinary diatonic songs where the I chord is in a weak metrical location or is absent entirely. For example, people talk about “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac as being in F Lydian, but when you listen to the melody, it's pretty clearly in A minor, the lack of Am chords notwithstanding. For "real" Lydian, you have to go to more artsy people like Björk. The verses of "Possibly Maybe" (1995) are in B Lydian. (And the other part is in C-sharp melodic minor! Cool song.)
"The Dream's Dream" by Television (1978) is in G Lydian.
Like I said above, Lydian is more of a film score sound than a pop or rock sound. "Define Dancing" from the Wall-E soundtrack (2008) is in D-flat Lydian. Listen to that characteristic Lydian II-I (Eb - Db) chord movement.
The minor modes
These three scales have minor/flatted third degrees. They stereotypically sound "darker" than the major modes.
Aeolian mode/natural minor
Isn't this just regular old minor? Not quite. Full-blown minor keys have variable sixth and seventh scale degrees. The key of C minor can use A-flat or A-natural or both, and B-flat or B-natural or both. Meanwhile, C Aeolian mode strictly uses A-flat and B-flat.
“Family Affair” by Mary J Blige (2001) is in C-sharp Aeolian. It has that classic i - v (C#m - G#m) Aeolian progression.
“Careless Whisper” by Wham! (1984) is in D Aeolian.
“Can’t Get You Out of My Head” by Kylie Minogue (2001) is also in D Aeolian.
Dorian Mode
This scale has been nicknamed "the key of James Brown" because he uses it in so many iconic tunes. To make C Dorian, you take C Aeolian and raise A-flat to A-natural.
“So What” by Miles Davis (1959) is alternately in D Dorian and E-flat Dorian. Listen for the "So What chords", ii - i (Em - Dm).
“Oye Como Va” by Tito Puente, as famously covered by Santana (1970), is in A Dorian. The i7 - IV7 (Am7 - D7) shuttle is a classic Dorian sound.
The groovy soulful part of “The Great Gig in the Sky” by Pink Floyd (1973) is in G Dorian. It also uses the i7 - IV7 shuttle.
Phrygian
To make C Phrygian, you take C Aeolian and lower D-natural to D-flat. It's no accident that two of my three examples are from hip-hop.
“Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Lauryn Hill (1998) is in A Phrygian. Listen for the i - bvii (Am - Gm) progression.
"Get Ur Freak On" by Missy Elliott (2001) is in F Phrygian.
The A section of "Mothership Connection" by Parliament (1975) is in D-sharp Phrygian. It doesn't have an overt Middle Eastern or Iberian sound like most Phrygian tunes; listen for that flat second.
What about Locrian mode? Don't worry, that scale isn't real and can't hurt you. In all seriousness, no one uses Locrian mode unless they are trying to show off. Björk uses it for "Army of Me" but it's not very clear. "But Ethan, what about iiø7 chords in jazz?" Just play natural minor from 2^ to 2^.
Read more about the modes: