Celtic Music
Re: Modes for different styles of music.
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2003 13:16:10 -0400Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.jazz
Size: 1,887 bytes
The only cultural style I've ever been able to associate with any single mode is that Phrygian has a Spanish color to it. I think that scale degree b2 was a very odd choice in most music of the Western traditions and for some reason the Spanish were maybe the 1st to explore this. But if we're talking about modes of the diatonic scale then as far as tonal music is concerned (music based on major and minor keys) then all those sounds have been used in one guise or another and which mode is prevalent has very little to do with the style of the music. But a few others that come to mind now that I think about it. Ionian is the main scale that classical music in major keys is based upon. Mixolydian is prevalent in Scottish and Celtic music. Dorian is a prevalent in the music of Carlos Santana and lots of rock and blues. <g> Phrygian -Spanish (see above) Lydian is often used by film music writers to indicate modernity. The Jettsons, The Simpsons, etc. Aeolian is the main scale that classical music in minor keys is based upon but classical music usually makes use of the harmonic minor and melodic minor scale variations. Lots of folk music uses pure minor/Aeolian though. Locrian is not used very much in association with any type of a tonic chord. Also: 5th mode of harmonic minor (aka mixolydian b2 b6) has strong associations with Semitic music (Klezmer, etc.). I'd have to say that use of the melodic minor ascending scale (aka the jazz minor scale) and its modes is propotionally higher in modern jazz than in any other music style that I am aware if. lucid77 wrote: > > I have heard that some modes lend themselves better to different > styles of music than others.( Ex. mixolydian = jazz ) or a comparison > simliar to that. If this is true does anyone have a list? > > Thank you, > Sam -- Joey Goldstein http://www.joeygoldstein.com joegold AT sympatico DOT ca
