All Questions
19
questions
1
vote
2
answers
112
views
What were Plato's main ideas on musical aesthetics?
Plato, one of our Western philosophical fathers, turns out to be a music critic even in his dying moments criticizing a flute music performance he enjoyed in his last evening!
A passage deciphered ...
- 1,832
0
votes
2
answers
119
views
I’m looking for information/references on how we developed the Major Mode (Scale/Key) [closed]
As the title says, I’m looking for some information on the history of how the Major Mode (Scale,Key) was developed/designed. I already know a little bit, that is, I am not completely new to the topic, ...
- 994
2
votes
5
answers
322
views
What makes the ionian and Aeolian modes different from other modes?
There were initially seven modes back in the era of modal music, but when tonality set in, the use of modes dropped to just two; Ionian and Aeolian, now the major and natural minor scales. Why were ...
- 1,626
2
votes
2
answers
622
views
Historical origin of the raised sixth scale degree in minor
The way I understand the melodic minor scale — with its raised 6 and 7 ascending and lowered 6 and 7 descending — is that it's representative of how composers operated when composing in minor.
However,...
- 91.3k
9
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What is the origin and original meaning of "tonic", "supertonic", "mediant", etc.?
Each of the pitches in the diatonic scale has a "name":
tonic
supertonic
mediant
subdominant
dominant
submediant
subtonic
I was first introduced to tonic, dominant, and subdominant in the ...
- 91.3k
8
votes
6
answers
1k
views
How come modern modes are based on the same set of intervals?
I couldn't find any answer regarding this specifically, so I assume there's some basic concept behind this that I missed.
So, as far as I know:
Modern modes are based on the same set of intervals, ...
0
votes
1
answer
130
views
Celtic modes, what modes are these?
I know the ancient Greek modes and the Gregorian modes of the medieval era. Reading in a comment the term Celtic modes I wonder is there something different or special that I have missed until today?
- 26k
5
votes
2
answers
761
views
What scale were the very first modes based on?
If all modes derive from a scale which scale were the very first modes derived from? I know the modern modes are derived from the diatonic scale but if the first modes came before the major and minor ...
1
vote
2
answers
516
views
Pandiatonicism in “She’s leaving home” (Beatles)?
In a documentary about the Beatles it was said She’s leaving home is in aeolian mode. I thought this would be rather dorian as we have a major 6th in the scale passage of the cello after the first ...
- 26k
1
vote
2
answers
161
views
Was there a conscious decision of medieval composers to compose within a harmonic framework?
How much were medieval composers (such as Hildegard von Bingen) aware of modal approach when they composed and "engineered" their pieces?
Now, this question is almost stupid. They didn't compose ...
- 111
0
votes
5
answers
838
views
Why is Eastern Music a Mode of Western Music? [closed]
Western music (to me at least) is best captured in the major scale. And Phrygian, which is the 3rd mode of the major scale can be used to get a more Eastern sound (for example Jefferson Airplane/White ...
user34288
0
votes
1
answer
141
views
Locrian mode is not part of standard usage?
I got this answer on one of my questions:
The Locrian mode is mostly a music theory concept in western music
history, and it is very rarely used for music pieces that use western
harmony, but ...
user53472
3
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Gregorian modes in Renaissance music (with Cabezón's 'Tiento del Cuarto Tono' as an example)
I'd like to ask a question on how Gregorian modes were transformed during Renaissance using a piece of Antonio de Cabezón as an example. His 'Tiento del Cuarto Tono' is written in mode 4, which is, as ...
- 33
4
votes
2
answers
906
views
Is the usage of scales (modes) in jazz music common practice?
A friend of mine told me that the usage of scales or modes in jazz music is not common. Even I heard myself in a Miles Davis interview that jazz is a tradition. So here are two questions basically: Is ...
- 101
13
votes
4
answers
14k
views
How did the plagal modes differ from their authentic counterpart in practice?
In the traditional modal system there were eight modes. Four that were authentic and four were plagal. These modes are depicted below:
Based on the description of the modes the final note of the ...
Dom♦
- 47.8k