What's A Mode - Discussion 04

Can you think of a song that may be written in a mode? Is there a mode that you may consider using to write your next composition?

What is a mode? Dr. Levin stated it well:

Modes are useful because they allow you to bring out different emotions and atmospheres in your music. The more you learn about modes and how they sound, the more you can vary the vibe of your composition. I love using modal concepts in my writing, and a big part of making that work relies on knowing how to write chord progressions that fit in a mode. In this lesson, I demonstrate one way to do that as well as an important principle behind mode progressions.

His video can be found here.

Artist: Bob Tozier
School: North Allegheny

Notes:

Can you think of a song that may be written in a mode? Is there a mode that you may consider using to write your next composition?

Comments

Amanda McGurgan from: North Allegheny - posted: September 27, 2015
Royals by Lorde is written in a mode. I maybe would use a dorian mode in my next compostion because it has a cool sound to it. After watching the video I think it is cool how each one creates a unique sound.

Matt Hickly from: North Allegheny - posted: September 28, 2015

The song YYZ by Rush is a song that definitely has modes. Throughout the duration of the song, it uses phrygian,phrygian, and locrian along with minor scales. The modes help enhance the quality of the song which makes it sound very cool. I would probably use the lydian scale in my composition because it has a very interesting sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdpMpfp-J_I&noredirect=1

Katelyn Dauer from: North Allegheny - posted: September 28, 2015
The song "Hey Jude" by The Beatles is written in Mixolydian which I may play in for my next composition.

Kyle O'Brien from: North Allegheny - posted: October 7, 2015
This is a pretty self explanitory modal song. written in E Phrigyanhttps ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY9lYn_6oYI

Thomas Cwalina from: North Allegheny - posted: October 11, 2015
Thriller by Michael Jackson (doesn't get much more popular than this) uses the C Dorian mode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA

Eric Dunbar from: North Allegheny - posted: October 21, 2015
Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles uses the dorian, I may write something in locrian.

Sophia Lee from: North Allegheny - posted: October 22, 2015

The song "You and I" by Lady Gaga is written in A Mixolydian mode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9YMU0WeBwU). I think I might write my next composition in Mixolydian as well.

Weston Waite from: North Allegheny - posted: October 27, 2015

Get Up and Jump by The Red Hot Chili Peppers is in a mode. I may use a phrygian mode in my next composition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVpGRgiO1xI

Rebekah Funk from: North Allegheny - posted: October 28, 2015

This piece is in Phrygian mode, which I may utilize in my next composition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goeOUTRy2es

Josh Krassenstein from: North Allegheny - posted: October 28, 2015

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd is written in the Mixolydian mode. I think I could use the Aeolian (or minor scale) mode in one of my next compositions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye5BuYf8q4o

Rani Pietrzyk from: North Allegheny - posted: October 30, 2015
"Losing My Religion" by R.E.M is written in the Aeolian mode. I'm not sure what mode I may use in my next composition.

Caitlin Kelly from: North Allegheny - posted: October 30, 2015
Rather than a single song that I can think of that is written in a specific mode other than major or minor, what comes to mind first is medieval music. So, if I wanted to create a song with a more ancient feel to it, I would probably use Dorian or Phrygian.

Regina Munsch from: North Allegheny - posted: October 30, 2015
Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye is written in Aeolian. I would definitely use this in a composition! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY

Julie Choe from: North Allegheny - posted: October 30, 2015
I think that "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" is in phrygian, which I will use as an influence for my next composition.

Margot Jezerc from: North Allegheny - posted: November 2, 2015
"In My Own Little Corner" from the musical Cinderella is written in Myxolidian. I would consider writing something in Dorian if I did much writing.

Grace Traynor from: North Allegheny - posted: November 3, 2015
Eleanor Rigby was written in dorian mode, and I'd like to give that a try sometime.

www.dailymotion.com/video/x158ze_beatles-eleanor-rigby_music

Grace Traynor from: North Allegheny - posted: November 3, 2015
After seeing that someone else thought of my favorite Beatles song, I remembered that Horse with No Name is also written in Dorian mode, something I'd like to try sometime.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSAJ0l4OBHM

Casey Hoel from: North Allegheny - posted: November 4, 2015
Most songs are written in a mode i assume without knowledge. Mixolydian is a really beautiful mode to compose minor songs in.

Bob Tozier from: North Allegheny - posted: October 6, 2016
Royals by Lorde is an interesting song. I would like to listen to it and try to hear the mode.

Liz Guo from: North Allegheny - posted: October 6, 2016
Scarborough Fair by Simon & Garfunkel is a song in the dorian mode. I really like the way this song sounds. Hopefully, I can figure out how to incorporate it into a song.

Holly Jones from: North Allegheny - posted: October 6, 2016
Sweet Home Alabama is a song that has an example of a mixolydian mode in it. This is the fifth mode.

RJ Dula from: North Allegheny - posted: October 6, 2016
Isn't it technically true that all songs are written in a mode?

RJ Dula from: North Allegheny - posted: October 6, 2016
And remember guys... I Don't Particularly Like Modes A Lot

Bob Tozier from: North Allegheny - posted: October 6, 2016
I love YYZ. I didn't realize that locrian was used in the comp. I will liten to it now.

Nicholas Hladio from: - posted: October 6, 2016
Considering writing the Ukrainian Folk Song called shchedryk in lydian

Anu Elapavaluru from: - posted: October 6, 2016
Royals, by Lorde has a Mixolydian section. I like the souund of Mixolydian, so I'll look into that for my next composition.

David Bjorklund from: North Allegheny - posted: October 6, 2016
A Sun Came by Sufjan Stevens might be written in Mixyodian. If not it is written in something that gives it a unique sound, like most of the album from which it came.

Matt Rees from: North Allegheny - posted: October 6, 2016
I did not know that Somebody that I Used to Know was in Aeolian mode. It's a great song! I'm thinking of writing "Feels So Good" in one of the modes, but not sure which one yet.

Chris Piccoli from: North Allegheny - posted: October 6, 2016
I got modes down, i'm going to check out what mode sounds the weirdest for a Ska song y Streetlight manifesto for my next composition.

John-Thomas Robinson from: North Allegheny - posted: October 24, 2016
Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult is in the Aeolian mode. I like the way it sounds, but I may do my composition in a different mode.

Charles Hart from: North Allegheny - posted: November 2, 2016
The intro to Stockholm Syndrome by Muse is written in Phrygian mode, I'm doing my next composition in Phyrigian as well.

Owen Traynor from: North Allegheny - posted: November 4, 2016
The Man Who Sold The World by David Bowie uses an ascending C Mixolydian scale in the chorus.

Jayne Park from: North Allegheny - posted: November 4, 2016

The song "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk is written in Dorian mode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kum7JKbwzNs