57 Ear Training – Modal Scales, Ascending and Descending Motion

Modal Scales

As with all topics in ear training, the key to successful identification and notation of dictated material is having a step-by-step procedure. When you identify a modal scale, you can spare yourself a lot of work by having a method for “grouping” certain scale IDs so that you can exclude wrong answers immediately, leaving you more time to focus on identifying and notating the right ones.

Flow Chart: Modal Scales in Ascending Motion

Write out the modal scales, sing them, and play them on the piano. This gives you auditory, visual, and tactile methods for recognizing, internalizing, and building fluency in these scales. Notice how the patterns of whole and half steps differ between each of the modes. For ascending modal scales, this flow chart may help you to sort through information on your journey towards the right answer.

The Next Step

After you have identified a modal scale, you need to notate it. There are several ways to do this that will help you avoid errors in notation.

• Interval by interval: take your starting pitch, write out the solfege, and notate each note according to the intervallic relations inherent in the solfege. You will need to check that you have notated accidentals correctly.
• Find the key signature: relate your mode to the Ionian scale. For example, if you identify a Dorian scale, consider the Ionian scale that would start a whole step lower. If your Dorian scale starts on F, the Ionian scale would start on E-flat. The key signature of the Ionian scale is B-flat, E-flat, A-flat. Therefore, those are your accidentals for a Dorian scale starting on F.

Flow Chart: Modal Scales in Descending Motion

Many learners find it more difficult to identify scales when they’re presented in descending motion. While you can certainly use the first flow chart to identify descending modal scales, the second chart will also help you to sort through information.

Writing, Singing, and Piano Practice

As always, it is good to practice notating, playing, and singing all theoretical concepts. This is because it’s human nature to be stronger at some topics than at others. This being the case, explore every concept from every “angle” — listening, singing, playing on the piano, writing, reading scores. Experiment with making up songs based on the modal scales.

Look for examples of modal scales on your travels around the world of music. At the piano, sightread the melodic line from Mozart’s Piano Sonata in C Major K. 545. Notice Mozart’s use of the Aeolian, Mixolydian, Lydian, Phrygian, and Dorian modes. How does Mozart use modes to move the melody and harmony along?