Piano Modes Made Easy: Instant Moods and Colours

To get a modal sound on piano, write the mode as a scale, build a triad on every note, find the note that makes the mode unique, and alternate the tonic chord with a chord containing that note over a held bass drone.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Intermediate · 32 min

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This lesson by Jason Zac shows a simple, sound-first way to explore four modes on the piano: Dorian, Mixolydian, Lydian and Phrygian. It uses only triads, so it suits intermediate pianists who already know their major and minor triads. Instead of thinking of modes as offshoots of the major scale, treat each one as a scale in its own right, a set of seven notes you can learn and enjoy, much like a raga.

The method for any mode

1. Write the scale down in a neat circle rather than a straight line. This makes the triads easier to see.
2. Build a triad on each note: take a note, skip one, take the next, skip one, take the next. Always use the notes of the mode.
3. Find the unique note, the one that separates this mode from plain major or minor.
4. Make a progression that moves between the home (tonic) chord and a chord containing that unique note.
5. Hold a drone on the root in the left hand so you can really hear the colour.

C Dorian

Start from C major and flatten the 3rd and 7th: C D Eb F G A Bb. Or start from C natural minor and raise the 6th to A.

Triads: C minor, D minor, Eb major, F major, G minor, A diminished, Bb major.

The Dorian colour comes from a minor 3rd combined with a major 6th. The A sets it apart from natural minor; the Eb sets it apart from major. Chords containing A, such as F major and D minor, sound very Dorian. Try C minor to F major, or C minor to D minor, over a C drone. Eb major is pleasant but sounds more like the tonic, because Eb G Bb over C makes a C minor seventh. An occasional Bb or G minor also works. The mood is like facing something sad and being brave about it.

C Mixolydian

Take C major and flatten the 7th: C D E F G A Bb. The flat 7 together with the major 3rd gives its character.

Triads: C major, D minor, E diminished, F major, G minor, A minor, Bb major.

Bb major brings out the Bb strongly; G minor gives a milder Mixolydian feel. A common progression is Bb major (the flat VII) to F major (IV) to C major, or simply C major to G minor and back. The sound is grand and epic, heard in rock, pop and film music.

C Lydian

Take C major and sharpen the 4th: C D E F# G A B. The F# is the unique note, giving a dreamy, ambient vibe.

Triads: C major, D major, E minor, F# diminished, G major, A minor, B minor. The F# diminished is an unusual sound you can mostly ignore.

The most traditional Lydian move is C major to D major, because D major contains F#. E minor over a C bass is also lovely, forming a C major seventh. When improvising, start by playing the chord tones.

C Phrygian

The scale is C Db Eb F G Ab Bb: flat 2, flat 3, perfect 4 and 5, flat 6, flat 7. The flat 2 is the unique note, separating it from natural minor. It is widely heard in Spanish flamenco music.

Triads: C minor, Db major, Eb major, F minor, G diminished, Ab major, Bb minor.

Try C minor to Db major and back, all over a C bass. It sounds mysterious, as though you have left home and returned. Eb major and a soft Bb minor also fit well.

How to practise

• Write each scale and its triads on paper before playing. Do not play until you know what you are playing.
• Keep the left hand on a steady root drone and let it last, so the right-hand triads colour it.
• Later, move the left hand to the roots of the new chords.
• Improvise melodies that stress the unique note; playing modal chords keeps your melody inside the mode.
• Repeat the process in other keys, and listen to songs built on modes.

Questions about this lesson

What chords are in C Dorian?

C Dorian (C D Eb F G A Bb) gives C minor, D minor, Eb major, F major, G minor, A diminished and Bb major. C minor to F major is a classic Dorian move because F major contains the characteristic A.

What is the easiest Lydian chord progression on piano?

In C Lydian, simply alternate C major and D major. D major contains F#, the sharp 4th that gives Lydian its dreamy sound.

How do I make Phrygian sound Phrygian?

Highlight the flat 2nd. In C Phrygian, play C minor to Db major and back over a held C in the bass.

Why play a drone in the left hand when learning modes?

A long-held root lets you hear each right-hand chord against the home note, so you absorb the mode's colour instead of hearing a string of unrelated chords.

Practise it

• CantusChoose a root and scale, hear piano voicings, and move the same shape through different intervals.
• Solfa StudioPractise scales, solfège and swaras with visual and musical context.
• Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
• All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.

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