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MODALITY

MODALITY can help you better understand the relationship between notes.  It's not important to memorize all scales but rather familiarize yourself with what notes create tension and release.

Mode Tonic relative to major scale Interval sequence Example
Ionian I W–W–H–W–W–W–H C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C
Dorian II W–H–W–W–W–H–W D–E–F–G–A–B–C–D
Phrygian III H–W–W–W–H–W–W E–F–G–A–B–C–D–E
Lydian IV W–W–W–H–W–W–H F–G–A–B–C–D–E–F
Mixolydian V W–W–H–W–W–H–W G–A–B–C–D–E–F–G
Aeolian VI W–H–W–W–H–W–W A–B–C–D–E–F–G–A
Locrian VII H–W–W–H–W–W–W B–C–D–E–F–G–A–B

DEGREES FROM THE TONIC

The tonic is the key.  As in, "Yo brutha, is this song in Bb or G#?"    "It's in Bb, foo."  "Solid."   Now musicians know their starting position on the frets and keys.  As singers, if we are not multi-instrumentalists accompanying ourselves,  we will rely on our ears to give us relative pitch.   In other words, the more the musicians play, the more apparent the notes you will gravitate towards will become.   We can use this information below to break away if we're feeling limited in our note choices.  Ask Will to demonstrate if this is confusing.

1      Key/Nat/Tonic
2      Dom
2      Nat
3      Min                        
3      Maj
4      Nat/ Perfect
5      Dim
5      Nat/ Perfect
5      Aug
6      Nat
7      Dom
7      Natural
8      Octave

SHORT GLOSSARY

Everything is music is normally abbreviated so you'll commonly see three letters.  Here are a few big ones that you'll run across often.

P5 = Perfect 5th
P4 = Perfect 4th
Maj = Major
Min = Minor
Nat =  Natural
Dim = Diminished
Dom = Dominant
Aug = Augmented
Sus = Sustained
# = Sharp
b = Flat
#5 = a half-step higher than the 5
add9 = Add the *9th note from the scale to the chord
* Other examples are Cadd7 or Cadd#5

Further Glossary of Italian Music Terminology 

                                   Solfège

Solfège is used to help singers identify their pitches based on relation to one another.   The distance from each pitch is a half-step away.   This can be extremely helpful when writing harmonies or if you're looking to explore ways to create more dynamic colors to your note choices.   Asteriks * mark the distance in the Ionian scale we will primarily be concentrating on.  If you'd like to see how this is used, ask Will to teach you.

1          *Do
2           Di
2         *Re
3          Ri
3        *Mi
4         *Fa
5         Fi
5        *Sol
5         Si
6        *La
7         Li
7        *Ti
8       *Do