🎼Learn the Seven Modes of Music
Hear, play, and write in all seven modes — one mode per drop, each tied to a real song — then compose a 16-bar Dorian melody and recast it in Mixolydian.
Phase 1Mapping the Seven Modes
Map modes from the parent scale and tonal center
One scale, seven starting points, seven flavors
6 minOne scale, seven starting points, seven flavors
The note you linger on is the mode
6 minThe note you linger on is the mode
Ionian, Lydian, Mixolydian — the bright three
6 minIonian, Lydian, Mixolydian — the bright three
Dorian, Aeolian, Phrygian, Locrian — the dark four
7 minDorian, Aeolian, Phrygian, Locrian — the dark four
Phase 2Ear Training and Drone Practice
Sing, play, and name each mode by sound
A drone is the only way to actually hear a mode
6 minA drone is the only way to actually hear a mode
The signature note is the mode's fingerprint
6 minThe signature note is the mode's fingerprint
Improvise in Dorian over one chord
8 minImprovise in Dorian over one chord
Name any mode from its key signature and root
6 minName any mode from its key signature and root
Move a mode to any key without thinking
7 minMove a mode to any key without thinking
Phase 3Modes in Rock, Jazz, and Film
Hear modes in rock, jazz, and film scoring
You've been hearing Mixolydian since you were a kid
7 minYou've been hearing Mixolydian since you were a kid
The night Miles Davis threw out the chord changes
7 minThe night Miles Davis threw out the chord changes
The composer wanted dread, so they used Phrygian
7 minThe composer wanted dread, so they used Phrygian
Borrow one chord from a parallel mode and the whole song shifts
8 minBorrow one chord from a parallel mode and the whole song shifts
Phase 4Write a Modal Melody, Then Recolor It
Compose, then recolor, a melody across two modes
Write 16 bars in Dorian, then rewrite them in Mixolydian
8 minWrite 16 bars in Dorian, then rewrite them in Mixolydian
Frequently asked questions
- What are the seven modes of music in order?
- This is covered in the “Learn the Seven Modes of Music” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- What is the difference between Dorian and Mixolydian?
- This is covered in the “Learn the Seven Modes of Music” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- How do you hear a mode instead of just naming it?
- This is covered in the “Learn the Seven Modes of Music” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- What is the parent scale and why does it matter?
- This is covered in the “Learn the Seven Modes of Music” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- How do modes get used in rock and film scores?
- This is covered in the “Learn the Seven Modes of Music” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
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