Really hearing the modes
It is quite fitting to use a song about the rainbow as a teaching tool for the (often dreaded but oh so beautiful!) modes…
Watch my student Carmie – who starred in another student feature a while back – beautifully demonstrate a terrific ear training exercise he picked from our popular Ear Training Course “Ear Confidence – Six Paths to Fearless Ears”
The points of the exercise are:
- Identify the modes from brightest to darkest sound
- Apply playing the modes to a song
- Play the song in all modes (from brightest to darkest) and
- observe that only one note changes from one shade to the next
I have written extensively about the modes on this blog:
Where to start if they are all Greek to you.
The importance of distinguishing between modal and functional harmony.
Super easy shortcuts hearing the modes.
And even a technique exercise (Talking Technique Video) to get the modes under your fingers on one string.
Had a student demonstrate a great exercise on how to practice the modes.
