ABitRusty said

 

Well to be fair to them..@ELCBKk explained...its not the one seen there..its like it.   

AND its not unique to FH...youll find these everywhere. 

 What i found someones model of these useful for was a quick chord suggestion dwpending on key/mode whatever ..but that was after just memorizing. 

I think people learn different and need different approaches.   Im not neccesarily saying these wheels are useless.. i just think THIS one seems confusing to ME.

And,  Im not sure of the intent and maybe more info on where this particular graphic was located would help.   It may have been in context to some point the maker was trying to bring across.  And again..it could just be the way im looking at it.   Im sure it was an attempt to help explain things not be confusing and if it does that for someone it worked.

 

  

  

Hey @ABitRusty  I guess tongue-in-cheek humor doesn’t come across as intended in forum posts, especially with folks who don’t know us.  No meanness intended to @ELCBK  or Fiddle Hell.

(My friends and I always question why it’s called Fiddle Hell instead of Fiddle Heaven.  In fact, if the price drops when it’s over tomorrow morning, I’ll register to take a few rerun sessions of interest. Need to stretch the music budget for live summer festivals.)

The motivation for my post was to assure folks who are new to music theory that they should not be intimidated or dissuaded by this.  Maybe it’s useful in some way to someone.  Like you say, we’re all different with different styles of learning.  I have a solid theory background and this graphic makes my eyes blur and my head spin.  I said to myself What? Why?

I simply want to make the point that modes, and much of music theory, is simply understood when presented in an old school simple way.

Personally, I think the simplest way to simultaneously become a better musician while gaining an intuitive understanding of theory is to practice and internalize the basics:

Play arpeggios every day while reciting in your head 1, 3, 5… 5, 3, 1 and also do, mi, sol… sol, mi, do and then do the same, reciting the note names from whatever key you’re in such as D, F sharp, A… A, F sharp, D.   Do the same with scales.  The rest will fall in place.  This practice will internalize a slide rule of music theory in your brain and hands.

For those who find basic modes confusing:

What is the E Dorian mode?  Well, Dorian by definition begins on the second note of the major scale.  E is the second note in the D major scale.  Play your D major scale.  Now play the same scale again, but start on the second note, E, and add one more note at the end, another E.  Play a scale, E to E, but use the D major key signature.  That’s the Dorian Mode.  Repeat the concept for every other key.  Easy. You’ve got it.

Next, try Mixolydian mode.  It’s given that Mixolydian begins on the 5th note of the corresponding (parent) major scale.  Well, since we’ve already internalized our 5ths in all keys from that daily arpeggio (triad) practice, we know what the 5th is.  In the key of D major that would be A.  Warm up with a D major scale.  Now, play the same notes of the D major scale but begin on A, the fifth note of that scale.  Continue playing up the scale until you reach the A that is an octave higher.  You’ve got it.  A Mixolydian.

Dorian and Mixolydian are two of the most commonly used modes.  Just focus on them for a while.  You’ll quickly internalize that Dorian begins on the second and Mixolydian begins on the fifth.  Learn some tunes in these modes.  Later on, branch out and learn about the other modes if or when you feel the need for them.

My point, which I hope is taken kindly, is that this isn’t hard if you keep it simple at the start.  If anything in music ever seems mind boggling simply look around until you find a simpler explanation.

ELCBK said
@Unfretted -

I appreciate your humor - thank you! 

You have always given me the impression you have a very good, solid, music foundation - and you make great points, especially for young people starting out.  

Did you start playing when you were young? 

 

@ELCBK   Thank you for your kindness and compliments.

Yes, my music education began on the piano at the age of three!  

Violin followed at age 7, flutophone at age 10 😂, guitar at 12.  Of course music theory was interwoven with all of my childhood music studies.

I studied formal college level music theory and ear training at a fine conservatory.

I worked for a time transcribing lead sheets by ear and by hand for publication, long before the days of fancy computers with music transcription software.

Since then, I’ve learned to play Native American flute, six-string banjo, Poland Spring gallon-sized ribbed bottles (a percussion instrument 🤣), hammered dulcimer, and mandolin.

In adult life, the violin finally got put on the back burner for a while, and eventually into the freezer.  But I did come to my senses and returned to the violin with a vengeance several years ago.

There’s the resume.  Am I hired? LOL!!