CPTP102:​ ​TEACHING​ ​AND​ ​EXPLORING​ ​MODES 

IN​ ​THE​ ​PIANO​ ​STUDIO 

EPISODE​ ​102​ ​TRANSCRIPT 

Announcer: Welcome​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Creative​ ​Piano​ ​Teaching​ ​Podcast,​ ​the​ ​place​ ​where​ ​teachers​ ​from​ ​around​ ​the
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piano​ ​teacher.

Tim​ ​Topham: Good​ ​day,​ ​everyone,​ ​and​ ​welcome​ ​back​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Creative​ ​Piano​ ​Teaching​ ​Podcast.​ ​You're
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Let's​ ​get​ ​stuck​ ​into​ ​today's​ ​episode.​ ​It's​ ​all​ ​about​ ​modes.​ ​And​ ​I've​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​create​ ​an​ ​episode
on​ ​modes​ ​because​ ​I​ ​know​ ​that​ ​there's​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​confusion​ ​around​ ​modes.​ ​People​ ​are​ ​really​ ​not
sure​ ​what​ ​they​ ​are,​ ​how​ ​to​ ​work​ ​out​ ​if​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music's​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mode,​ ​what​ ​relevance​ ​they​ ​have
to​ ​teaching,​ ​if​ ​they​ ​should​ ​introduce​ ​them​ ​to​ ​their​ ​students,​ ​how​ ​they​ ​should​ ​do​ ​that,​ ​all​ ​those
kinds​ ​of​ ​questions.​ ​So​ ​that's​ ​what​ ​we're​ ​getting​ ​stuck​ ​into​ ​today.​ ​And​ ​you're​ ​going​ ​to​ ​love
today's​ ​freebie​ ​download​ ​that​ ​I've​ ​created​ ​for​ ​you.​ ​It's​ ​my​ ​modes​ ​worksheet.​ ​It's​ ​just​ ​two​ ​pages
ready​ ​to​ ​pop​ ​on​ ​your​ ​piano​ ​bench​ ​or​ ​next​ ​to​ ​your​ ​piano​ ​for​ ​teaching,​ ​and​ ​I​ ​actually​ ​have​ ​this​ ​on
my​ ​piano​ ​all​ ​the​ ​time​ ​with​ ​my​ ​circle​ ​of​ ​fifths.​ ​And​ ​I​ ​use​ ​both,​ ​as​ ​you​ ​probably​ ​know,​ ​quite
regularly.

The​ ​mode​ ​worksheet​ ​of​ ​course​ ​is​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​great​ ​way​ ​for​ ​you​ ​to​ ​quickly​ ​reference​ ​if​ ​a​ ​piece
of​ ​music's​ ​in​ ​a​ ​particular​ ​mode,​ ​or​ ​what​ ​notes​ ​are​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mode,​ ​and​ ​how​ ​they​ ​sound,​ ​and​ ​what
they​ ​can​ ​do,​ ​and​ ​those​ ​kinds​ ​of​ ​things.​ ​So​ ​grab​ ​that.​ ​Whenever​ ​you've​ ​got​ ​a​ ​chance,​ ​you​ ​can
head​ ​to​ ​timtopham.com/episode102,​ ​that's​ ​the​ ​show​ ​notes​ ​page,​ ​and​ ​you'll​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​scroll
down​ ​and​ ​find​ ​the​ ​download​ ​link​ ​for​ ​the​ ​piano​ ​modes​ ​worksheet.​ ​I​ ​really​ ​hope​ ​that's​ ​helpful
for​ ​you,​ ​and​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​referencing​ ​it​ ​a​ ​few​ ​times​ ​in​ ​today's​ ​episode.

I've​ ​actually​ ​really​ ​enjoyed​ ​digging​ ​into​ ​modes​ ​in​ ​preparation​ ​for​ ​this​ ​episode.​ ​As​ ​you​ ​probably
realize,​ ​I​ ​put​ ​a​ ​fair​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​thought​ ​into​ ​all​ ​my​ ​podcasts,​ ​and​ ​I​ ​like​ ​to​ ​see​ ​this​ ​as​ ​a​ ​little​ ​mini​ ​free
training​ ​for​ ​you.​ ​And​ ​so​ ​hopefully​ ​today's​ ​episode​ ​is​ ​no​ ​exception​ ​to​ ​that.​ ​And​ ​I​ ​posted​ ​on
Facebook​ ​in​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​of​ ​groups​ ​and​ ​on​ ​my​ ​own​ ​page​ ​about​ ​questions​ ​that​ ​people​ ​had​ ​about
modes,​ ​and​ ​there​ ​was​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​questions,​ ​there​ ​was​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​great​ ​ideas​ ​that​ ​came​ ​out,​ ​too,​ ​so
it's​ ​a​ ​topic​ ​of​ ​interest.

Now,​ ​I​ ​do​ ​want​ ​to​ ​preempt​ ​this​ ​whole​ ​episode​ ​with​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​I​ ​am​ ​not​ ​a​ ​musicologist​ ​or
specialist​ ​in​ ​modes,​ ​or​ ​scales,​ ​series,​ ​or​ ​patterns​ ​or​ ​anything​ ​to​ ​do​ ​with​ ​the​ ​technical​ ​side​ ​of
scales.​ ​I'm​ ​not​ ​a​ ​specialist​ ​in​ ​it,​ ​I'm​ ​just​ ​a​ ​piano​ ​teacher​ ​who​ ​has​ ​got​ ​some​ ​ideas​ ​about​ ​it​ ​and
will​ ​be​ ​sharing​ ​these​ ​in​ ​this​ ​episode.​ ​So​ ​if​ ​you​ ​have​ ​a​ ​different​ ​approach​ ​to​ ​the​ ​way​ ​you​ ​teach
modes,​ ​or​ ​you've​ ​studied​ ​it​ ​all​ ​your​ ​life​ ​and​ ​you​ ​realize​ ​that​ ​I've​ ​got​ ​some​ ​inconsistencies​ ​or
whatever​ ​it​ ​is,​ ​totally​ ​fine.​ ​I​ ​put​ ​my​ ​hand​ ​up​ ​and​ ​say​ ​right​ ​from​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​I'm​ ​not​ ​a
specialist​ ​in​ ​this,​ ​but​ ​hopefully​ ​what​ ​I​ ​give​ ​you​ ​today​ ​is​ ​practical,​ ​useful​ ​advice​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​use
in​ ​your​ ​studio,​ ​because​ ​that's​ ​what​ ​my​ ​whole​ ​website​ ​is​ ​about,​ ​right?​ ​Helping​ ​you​ ​with
practical​ ​advice​ ​you​ ​can​ ​use​ ​straightaway.​ ​So​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​try​ ​and​ ​cut​ ​through​ ​all​ ​the​ ​confusion
and​ ​just​ ​give​ ​you​ ​what​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​know.

©​ ​timtopham.com​ ​2017 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​timtopham.com 

  

   

We'll​ ​be​ ​talking​ ​through​ ​six​ ​different​ ​sections​ ​today.​ ​The​ ​first​ ​one​ ​is​ ​"what​ ​are​ ​modes?"​ ​A​ ​little
bit​ ​of​ ​an​ ​introduction​ ​that's​ ​not​ ​too​ ​long,​ ​and​ ​some​ ​confusing​ ​stuff​ ​to​ ​ignore,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​going​ ​to
be​ ​talked​ ​about​ ​in​ ​that​ ​section.​ ​In​ ​part​ ​two,​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​go​ ​through​ ​the​ ​modes,​ ​so​ ​some
characteristics​ ​and​ ​examples​ ​of​ ​them.​ ​Section​ ​three​ ​is​ ​all​ ​about​ ​how​ ​to​ ​work​ ​out​ ​if​ ​music​ ​you're
playing​ ​is​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mode,​ ​and​ ​what​ ​mode​ ​that​ ​is.​ ​Section​ ​four​ ​is​ ​how​ ​to​ ​use​ ​modes​ ​in​ ​your​ ​teaching.
Section​ ​5​ ​is​ ​most​ ​popular​ ​questions​ ​from​ ​readers​ ​and​ ​listeners,​ ​and​ ​I've​ ​actually​ ​distilled​ ​them
down​ ​to​ ​very​ ​few,​ ​because​ ​all​ ​the​ ​questions​ ​really​ ​were​ ​very​ ​similar.​ ​And​ ​finally,​ ​in​ ​section​ ​five
of​ ​this​ ​podcast,​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​talking​ ​about​ ​resources.​ ​So​ ​compositions​ ​that​ ​are​ ​written​ ​in
modes,​ ​music​ ​to​ ​explore,​ ​and​ ​some​ ​of​ ​those​ ​great​ ​links.​ ​And​ ​all​ ​those​ ​links​ ​to​ ​the​ ​music​ ​that​ ​I
suggest​ ​will​ ​all​ ​be​ ​on​ ​the​ ​show​ ​notes​ ​page​ ​of​ ​course​ ​at​ ​timtopham.com/episode​ ​102.

Alright,​ ​so​ ​let's​ ​get​ ​into​ ​section​ ​one,​ ​what​ ​are​ ​modes?​ ​Well,​ ​a​ ​mode​ ​is​ ​just​ ​a​ ​series​ ​of​ ​notes​ ​like
a​ ​scale.​ ​A​ ​mode​ ​is​ ​a​ ​specific​ ​sequence​ ​of​ ​whole​ ​steps​ ​and​ ​half​ ​steps,​ ​or​ ​tones​ ​and​ ​semi-tones​ ​if
you're​ ​here​ ​in​ ​Australia​ ​or​ ​the​ ​United​ ​Kingdom.​ ​Historically,​ ​the​ ​term​ ​"mode"​ ​and​ ​not​ ​"scale"
was​ ​used​ ​for​ ​all​ ​of​ ​these​ ​kinds​ ​of​ ​note​ ​sequences,​ ​going​ ​back​ ​to​ ​the​ ​ancient​ ​Greeks.​ ​Over​ ​time,
the​ ​term​ ​for​ ​two​ ​particular​ ​modes,​ ​Ionian​ ​and​ ​Aeolian,​ ​came​ ​to​ ​be​ ​called​ ​scales.​ ​And​ ​today​ ​we
call​ ​the​ ​Ionian​ ​mode​ ​the​ ​major​ ​scale,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Aeolian​ ​mode​ ​the​ ​minor​ ​scale,​ ​or​ ​more
specifically​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​scale.

The​ ​term​ ​"mode"​ ​is​ ​still​ ​used​ ​for​ ​the​ ​other​ ​note​ ​sequences,​ ​so​ ​both​ ​mode​ ​and​ ​scale​ ​are​ ​simply
a​ ​sequence​ ​of​ ​eight​ ​notes,​ ​with​ ​the​ ​intervals​ ​between​ ​two​ ​successive​ ​notes​ ​varying​ ​in​ ​distance
from​ ​one​ ​step​ ​...​ ​a​ ​whole​ ​step​ ​or​ ​a​ ​half​ ​step.​ ​Now​ ​there's​ ​lots​ ​of​ ​history​ ​around​ ​church​ ​modes
and​ ​how​ ​they​ ​relate​ ​to​ ​Gregorian​ ​chant​ ​and​ ​all​ ​that​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​stuff,​ ​but​ ​look,​ ​to​ ​be​ ​honest,​ ​I​ ​don't
really​ ​have​ ​all​ ​the​ ​detail​ ​about​ ​the​ ​history​ ​and​ ​to​ ​me​ ​it's​ ​not​ ​100%​ ​relevant​ ​to​ ​what​ ​I'm​ ​doing
with​ ​my​ ​students​ ​anyway.​ ​But​ ​if​ ​you're​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​that,​ ​I'm​ ​sure​ ​you'll​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​find​ ​lots​ ​of
information​ ​about​ ​it​ ​online​ ​and​ ​how​ ​these​ ​modes​ ​have​ ​developed​ ​out​ ​of​ ​church​ ​modes​ ​or
Gregorian​ ​chant​ ​and​ ​those​ ​sorts​ ​of​ ​things.

Today​ ​there​ ​are​ ​seven​ ​commonly​ ​recognized​ ​musical​ ​modes,​ ​each​ ​with​ ​a​ ​different​ ​sequence​ ​of
notes,​ ​whole​ ​and​ ​half​ ​steps​ ​as​ ​we've​ ​said,​ ​and​ ​each​ ​with​ ​a​ ​characteristic​ ​note​ ​and​ ​sound​ ​as
well.​ ​As​ ​my​ ​good​ ​friend​ ​Forrest​ ​Kinney​ ​says,​ ​Lydian​ ​is​ ​more​ ​springlike​ ​than​ ​major,​ ​while
Phrygian​ ​is​ ​more​ ​wintry​ ​than​ ​minor.​ ​Dorian​ ​has​ ​a​ ​sweet,​ ​hopeful,​ ​melancholic​ ​nature​ ​that
minor​ ​doesn't​ ​know,​ ​while​ ​Mixolydian​ ​has​ ​a​ ​sassiness​ ​that​ ​a​ ​major​ ​key​ ​wouldn't​ ​dare​ ​expose.
What​ ​a​ ​poet​ ​Forrest​ ​Kinney​ ​is.​ ​Many​ ​of​ ​you​ ​will​ ​be​ ​aware​ ​of​ ​Forrest's​ ​fantastic​ ​creative​ ​work,
and​ ​you​ ​can​ ​find​ ​him​ ​online,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​great​ ​news​ ​is​ ​that​ ​he's​ ​actually​ ​appearing​ ​on​ ​our​ ​podcast
here​ ​in​ ​two​ ​weeks​ ​time.​ ​So​ ​do​ ​stay​ ​tuned​ ​for​ ​that.​ ​That's​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​episode​ ​#104.

While​ ​modes​ ​may​ ​be​ ​demonstrated​ ​and​ ​explored​ ​by​ ​starting​ ​on​ ​specific​ ​white​ ​notes​ ​on​ ​the
keyboard​ ​and​ ​playing​ ​only​ ​white​ ​notes​ ​until​ ​you​ ​get​ ​to​ ​the​ ​same​ ​note​ ​an​ ​octave​ ​higher,​ ​in​ ​my
opinion​ ​it's​ ​actually​ ​better​ ​to​ ​consider​ ​how​ ​the​ ​notes​ ​of​ ​the​ ​scales​ ​are​ ​related​ ​to​ ​the​ ​major​ ​and
minor​ ​scales​ ​that​ ​they're​ ​built​ ​on.​ ​We'll​ ​get​ ​to​ ​more​ ​of​ ​that​ ​later.

Modes​ ​are​ ​not​ ​that​ ​typical​ ​in​ ​most​ ​Western​ ​music,​ ​although​ ​they're​ ​quite​ ​common​ ​in​ ​folk
tunes.​ ​Dorian​ ​and​ ​Mixolydian​ ​are​ ​definitely​ ​the​ ​most​ ​common,​ ​and​ ​we'll​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​what​ ​that
actually​ ​means​ ​in​ ​the​ ​next​ ​section.

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Now​ ​I​ ​just​ ​want​ ​to​ ​cover​ ​some​ ​confusing​ ​things​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​probably​ ​ignore.​ ​So​ ​just​ ​back​ ​to
this​ ​white​ ​note​ ​thing.​ ​I'm​ ​not​ ​such​ ​a​ ​fan​ ​of​ ​talking​ ​about​ ​Dorian​ ​is​ ​the​ ​white​ ​notes​ ​from​ ​D​ ​to​ ​D,
and​ ​Phrygian's​ ​from​ ​E​ ​to​ ​E​ ​and​ ​all​ ​that​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​stuff​ ​on​ ​the​ ​keyboard.​ ​I​ ​mean,​ ​that​ ​is​ ​true;
however,​ ​I​ ​tend​ ​to​ ​think​ ​of​ ​the​ ​various​ ​modes​ ​as​ ​being​ ​related​ ​to​ ​some​ ​changes,​ ​so​ ​they're
changed​ ​from​ ​the​ ​major​ ​scale​ ​or​ ​changed​ ​from​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​scale.​ ​So​ ​for​ ​example,​ ​Dorian
has​ ​a​ ​flattened​ ​3rd​ ​and​ ​a​ ​flattened​ ​7th​ ​note.​ ​So​ ​you​ ​could​ ​either​ ​consider​ ​playing​ ​any​ ​major
scale,​ ​so​ ​we​ ​could​ ​play​ ​a​ ​G​ ​major​ ​scale,​ ​and​ ​if​ ​you​ ​flatten​ ​the​ ​3rd​ ​and​ ​the​ ​7th​ ​note,​ ​you'll​ ​get​ ​G
Dorian.​ ​That's​ ​the​ ​easy​ ​way​ ​for​ ​me​ ​to​ ​think​ ​about​ ​it.

However​ ​Dorian,​ ​given​ ​that​ ​it's​ ​got​ ​that​ ​flat​ ​3rd,​ ​you​ ​might​ ​want​ ​to​ ​think​ ​of​ ​it​ ​as​ ​a​ ​natural
minor​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​raised​ ​6th​ ​note.​ ​So​ ​on​ ​the​ ​piano​ ​modes​ ​worksheet​ ​that​ ​I've​ ​given​ ​you​ ​to
print​ ​out,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​actually​ ​see​ ​on​ ​the​ ​front​ ​page​ ​I​ ​give​ ​the​ ​name​ ​of​ ​the​ ​modes,​ ​the​ ​notation​ ​as
it​ ​looks​ ​on​ ​white​ ​notes,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​notation​ ​in​ ​C.​ ​And​ ​also​ ​on​ ​that,​ ​I​ ​give​ ​the​ ​alterations​ ​of​ ​the
major​ ​scale.​ ​So​ ​Phrygian​ ​would​ ​be​ ​a​ ​major​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​flat​ ​2,​ ​3,​ ​6,​ ​and​ ​7.​ ​That's​ ​all​ ​you​ ​have​ ​to
remember.​ ​Lydian​ ​is​ ​a​ ​major​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​sharp​ ​4,​ ​and​ ​so​ ​forth.​ ​And​ ​we'll​ ​go​ ​into​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit
more​ ​detail​ ​of​ ​that​ ​later.

Now​ ​again,​ ​the​ ​purists​ ​and​ ​people​ ​who​ ​take​ ​a​ ​different​ ​approach​ ​to​ ​this,​ ​might​ ​well​ ​say​ ​that
the​ ​Phrygian​ ​scale,​ ​it's​ ​got​ ​a​ ​flat​ ​2,​ ​3,​ ​6,​ ​and​ ​7,​ ​is​ ​actually​ ​a​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​flat​ ​2,
because​ ​a​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​scale​ ​already​ ​has​ ​flat​ ​3,​ ​6,​ ​and​ ​7.​ ​Okay,​ ​so​ ​there's​ ​two​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​think
about​ ​it.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​it's​ ​up​ ​to​ ​you​ ​100%​ ​which​ ​way​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​go,​ ​and​ ​I've​ ​included​ ​both​ ​on​ ​the
worksheet​ ​for​ ​you​ ​to​ ​download.​ ​So​ ​you​ ​can​ ​decide​ ​which​ ​approach​ ​you​ ​would​ ​like.

Another​ ​confusing​ ​thing​ ​you​ ​might​ ​have​ ​seen​ ​around​ ​is​ ​talk​ ​of​ ​things​ ​like​ ​Hyperlydian​ ​or​ ​Lydian
Dominant​ ​and​ ​various​ ​other​ ​permutations​ ​and​ ​combinations​ ​of​ ​mode-speak.​ ​I'm​ ​not​ ​going​ ​to
cover​ ​any​ ​of​ ​that​ ​because​ ​I​ ​just​ ​don't​ ​understand​ ​it,​ ​and​ ​I​ ​haven't​ ​got​ ​time​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​it,​ ​and​ ​I
don't​ ​think​ ​it's​ ​all​ ​that​ ​relevant​ ​to​ ​most​ ​teachers​ ​today.​ ​So​ ​we're​ ​just​ ​going​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​it​ ​nice​ ​and
simple​ ​and​ ​practical.​ ​One​ ​other​ ​point​ ​of​ ​nomenclature​ ​is​ ​that​ ​sometimes​ ​jazz​ ​musicians​ ​might
refer​ ​to​ ​a​ ​mode​ ​as​ ​being​ ​part​ ​of​ ​a​ ​different​ ​scale​ ​set.​ ​So​ ​my​ ​good​ ​friend​ ​Bradley​ ​Sowash,​ ​when
we​ ​were​ ​talking​ ​about​ ​this,​ ​says​ ​that,​ ​for​ ​example,​ ​the​ ​jazz​ ​altered​ ​dominant​ ​scale,​ ​which
would​ ​be​ ​A,​ ​B-flat,​ ​C-sharp,​ ​D,​ ​E,​ ​F,​ ​G,​ ​A,​ ​can​ ​be​ ​described​ ​as​ ​the​ ​5th​ ​mode​ ​of​ ​the​ ​D​ ​harmonic
scale,​ ​right?​ ​Now​ ​again​ ​for​ ​me,​ ​too​ ​confusing.​ ​I'm​ ​not​ ​going​ ​to​ ​worry​ ​about​ ​it,​ ​but​ ​I​ ​do​ ​want​ ​to
mention​ ​and​ ​just​ ​reiterate​ ​again​ ​that​ ​there's​ ​far​ ​more​ ​depth​ ​to​ ​this​ ​topic​ ​that​ ​you​ ​could
research​ ​if​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to,​ ​but​ ​for​ ​me​ ​we're​ ​just​ ​going​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​it​ ​nice​ ​and​ ​simple​ ​today,​ ​and​ ​for
you​ ​hopefully​ ​to​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​it's​ ​usable​ ​in​ ​your​ ​studio.

Okay,​ ​so​ ​my​ ​next​ ​question​ ​is​ ​who​ ​cares​ ​about​ ​modes​ ​anyway?​ ​What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​point​ ​of​ ​worrying
about​ ​it?​ ​Well,​ ​I​ ​think​ ​first​ ​and​ ​foremost,​ ​students​ ​will​ ​come​ ​across​ ​music​ ​that​ ​is​ ​written​ ​in​ ​a
mode,​ ​and​ ​they​ ​should​ ​have​ ​a​ ​grasp​ ​of​ ​how​ ​it​ ​works​ ​and​ ​what​ ​that​ ​actually​ ​means.​ ​Also,
teachers​ ​will​ ​often​ ​need​ ​to​ ​help​ ​students​ ​with​ ​their​ ​...​ ​we​ ​call​ ​them​ ​general​ ​knowledge​ ​for
assessments​ ​and​ ​exams.​ ​That's​ ​where​ ​the​ ​examiner​ ​can​ ​ask​ ​them,​ ​what​ ​key's​ ​this​ ​in​ ​or​ ​what's
the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​this​ ​piece.​ ​And​ ​we​ ​need​ ​to​ ​know​ ​as​ ​teachers​ ​that​ ​just​ ​because​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​has
a​ ​key​ ​signature​ ​at​ ​the​ ​start,​ ​if​ ​it​ ​begins​ ​and​ ​ends​ ​on​ ​a​ ​different​ ​note​ ​that's​ ​not​ ​the​ ​major​ ​and
minor​ ​related​ ​to​ ​that​ ​key​ ​signature,​ ​and​ ​it​ ​just​ ​doesn't​ ​seem​ ​to​ ​fit​ ​the​ ​key,​ ​it​ ​may​ ​well​ ​be​ ​in​ ​a
mode​ ​and​ ​we​ ​need​ ​to​ ​know​ ​what​ ​that​ ​is​ ​and​ ​how​ ​to​ ​work​ ​it​ ​out.

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Modes​ ​are​ ​used​ ​for​ ​creativity​ ​and​ ​improvising.​ ​And​ ​if​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​get​ ​creative​ ​with​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of
music​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mode,​ ​you​ ​(1)​ ​need​ ​to​ ​know​ ​it's​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mode​ ​and​ ​(2)​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​know​ ​what​ ​notes​ ​are
available​ ​for​ ​improvising​ ​with.​ ​So​ ​for​ ​example,​ ​if​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​has​ ​A​ ​as​ ​the​ ​tonic​ ​and​ ​a
whole​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​A​ ​minor,​ ​D​ ​and​ ​G​ ​chords,​ ​with​ ​clearly​ ​no​ ​E7​ ​and​ ​a​ ​sharp​ ​G,​ ​then​ ​the​ ​music's
probably​ ​in​ ​A​ ​Dorian.​ ​And​ ​that​ ​gives​ ​you​ ​some​ ​knowledge​ ​about​ ​how​ ​you​ ​could​ ​get​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit
creative​ ​with​ ​it.​ ​Now​ ​I've​ ​been​ ​actually​ ​exploring​ ​this​ ​concept​ ​in​ ​the​ ​new​ ​AMEB​ ​Piano​ ​for
Leisure​ ​Series​ ​4​ ​books,​ ​which​ ​over​ ​here​ ​in​ ​Australia​ ​are​ ​some​ ​of​ ​our​ ​Exam​ ​Board​ ​books,​ ​with
regard​ ​to​ ​my​ ​performance​ ​notes.​ ​And​ ​these​ ​are​ ​notes​ ​that​ ​I've​ ​included​ ​on​ ​every​ ​piece,​ ​with
some​ ​teaching​ ​strategies​ ​and​ ​ways​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​get​ ​creative​ ​about​ ​that​ ​piece​ ​with​ ​your
student.

And​ ​so​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​reason​ ​for​ ​this​ ​podcast​ ​is​ ​because​ ​as​ ​part​ ​of​ ​that​ ​work,​ ​I​ ​needed​ ​to​ ​get​ ​my
own​ ​head​ ​around​ ​modes​ ​for​ ​the​ ​purposes​ ​of​ ​writing​ ​and​ ​editing​ ​those​ ​books.​ ​And​ ​so​ ​I​ ​had​ ​to
dig​ ​deeply​ ​and​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​that​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​what​ ​I​ ​was​ ​talking​ ​about​ ​when​ ​it​ ​came​ ​to​ ​saying,​ ​"Well
this​ ​piece​ ​is​ ​actually​ ​in​ ​E​ ​Phrygian,​ ​and​ ​here​ ​are​ ​the​ ​notes​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​use​ ​to​ ​improvise​ ​with
it."​ ​And​ ​look,​ ​modes​ ​are​ ​great​ ​to​ ​explore​ ​if​ ​you​ ​want​ ​new​ ​moods​ ​or​ ​sounds.​ ​And​ ​perhaps
you're​ ​working​ ​with​ ​your​ ​students​ ​on​ ​improvising​ ​and​ ​they've​ ​done​ ​a​ ​fair​ ​bit​ ​in​ ​major​ ​and
minor,​ ​and​ ​perhaps​ ​the​ ​pentatonic​ ​scale,​ ​and​ ​maybe​ ​they​ ​can​ ​improv​ ​in​ ​the​ ​blues​ ​scale.​ ​Maybe
the​ ​next​ ​thing​ ​you​ ​can​ ​do​ ​is​ ​to​ ​start​ ​getting​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​more​ ​creative​ ​with​ ​some​ ​modes,​ ​and​ ​as​ ​the
student's​ ​creativity​ ​develops​ ​they​ ​can​ ​learn​ ​more​ ​and​ ​more.​ ​So​ ​that's​ ​just​ ​another​ ​take​ ​on,
again,​ ​why​ ​I​ ​think​ ​understanding​ ​modes​ ​is​ ​relevant​ ​to​ ​teachers.

All​ ​right,​ ​so​ ​now​ ​let's​ ​go​ ​through​ ​each​ ​of​ ​the​ ​modes,​ ​and​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​referring​ ​to​ ​my
worksheet​ ​here,​ ​so​ ​if​ ​you​ ​have​ ​that​ ​handy​ ​and​ ​you're​ ​not​ ​cooking​ ​or​ ​walking​ ​the​ ​dog​ ​or
whatever​ ​it​ ​is,​ ​feel​ ​free​ ​to​ ​grab​ ​it​ ​out​ ​and​ ​you​ ​can​ ​explore​ ​it​ ​with​ ​me.​ ​Now​ ​the​ ​first​ ​mode​ ​is​ ​the
Ionian​ ​mode.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​simply​ ​the​ ​major​ ​scale.​ ​So​ ​I'm​ ​not​ ​actually​ ​going​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​that​ ​at​ ​all,
because​ ​I​ ​think​ ​we​ ​all​ ​know​ ​the​ ​major​ ​scale,​ ​how​ ​it​ ​sounds,​ ​and​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​music​ ​in​ ​that​ ​mode.

So​ ​let's​ ​move​ ​straight​ ​on​ ​to​ ​Dorian.​ ​As​ ​I​ ​said​ ​before,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​think​ ​of​ ​Dorian​ ​in​ ​two​ ​ways.​ ​You
could​ ​think​ ​of​ ​it​ ​as​ ​a​ ​major​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​flattened​ ​3rd​ ​and​ ​7th​ ​note,​ ​or​ ​you​ ​can​ ​think​ ​of​ ​it​ ​as​ ​a
natural​ ​minor​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​raised​ ​6th​ ​note.​ ​Either​ ​way,​ ​if​ ​I'm​ ​playing​ ​in​ ​C​ ​major,​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be
playing​ ​C,​ ​D,​ ​E-flat,​ ​F,​ ​G,​ ​A,​ ​B-flat,​ ​and​ ​C.​ ​Here's​ ​how​ ​a​ ​Dorian​ ​sounds​ ​in​ ​C.​ ​There's​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of
pieces​ ​that​ ​you'll​ ​recognize​ ​probably​ ​that​ ​are​ ​in​ ​this​ ​mode.​ ​"Scarborough​ ​Fair"​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the
more​ ​popular​ ​ones.​ ​"What​ ​Shall​ ​We​ ​Do​ ​with​ ​a​ ​Drunken​ ​Sailor"​ ​is​ ​another​ ​one​ ​of​ ​them.​ ​And​ ​it
tends​ ​to​ ​work​ ​really​ ​well​ ​over​ ​minor​ ​7th​ ​chords.​ ​So​ ​a​ ​little​ ​chord​ ​progression​ ​or​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​of
chords​ ​that​ ​you​ ​could​ ​use,​ ​let's​ ​work​ ​in​ ​D​ ​Dorian,​ ​that's​ ​all​ ​the​ ​white​ ​notes,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​my​ ​left​ ​hand
I'm​ ​just​ ​going​ ​to​ ​explore​ ​D​ ​minor​ ​and​ ​G​ ​chords​ ​while​ ​I​ ​improvise​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​on​ ​D​ ​Dorian.​ ​So​ ​I'm
using​ ​the​ ​white​ ​notes​ ​now​ ​from​ ​D​ ​to​ ​D.​ ​Have​ ​a​ ​listen.

So​ ​those​ ​chords​ ​in​ ​my​ ​left​ ​hand​ ​were​ ​just​ ​simply​ ​a​ ​D​ ​minor​ ​in​ ​root​ ​position​ ​and​ ​a​ ​G​ ​chord​ ​in
second​ ​inversion.​ ​Nice​ ​and​ ​easy​ ​for​ ​any​ ​student​ ​pretty​ ​much​ ​to​ ​play.​ ​And​ ​you​ ​can​ ​hear​ ​it's​ ​got
that​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​lift​ ​as​ ​per​ ​the​ ​Drunken​ ​Sailor.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​of​ ​it,​ ​and​ ​Daniel​ ​McFarlane​ ​podcast
episode​ ​1​ ​was​ ​talking​ ​about​ ​it​ ​having​ ​a​ ​nautical​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​feel​ ​to​ ​it.​ ​That​ ​characteristic​ ​note​ ​of
course​ ​is​ ​the​ ​raised​ ​6th.​ ​So​ ​if​ ​you're​ ​thinking​ ​about​ ​it​ ​from​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​scale,​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​natural

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minor​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​raised​ ​6th,​ ​and​ ​that's​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​the​ ​key,​ ​the​ ​characteristic​ ​note​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Dorian
mode.

All​ ​right,​ ​let's​ ​move​ ​on.​ ​Phrygian​ ​now.​ ​So​ ​Phrygian​ ​is​ ​a​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​flattened​ ​2nd
note.​ ​And​ ​so​ ​if​ ​you're​ ​just​ ​thinking​ ​from​ ​major​ ​scale,​ ​you're​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​flattening​ ​the​ ​2nd,​ ​3rd,
6th,​ ​and​ ​7th​ ​notes.​ ​So​ ​let​ ​me​ ​play​ ​Phrygian​ ​mode​ ​in​ ​the​ ​key​ ​of​ ​C.​ ​So​ ​I'm​ ​playing​ ​the​ ​notes​ ​C,
D-flat,​ ​E-flat,​ ​F,​ ​G,​ ​A-flat,​ ​B-flat,​ ​and​ ​C.​ ​And​ ​again,​ ​I've​ ​got​ ​the​ ​worksheet​ ​in​ ​front​ ​of​ ​me,​ ​so​ ​this
is​ ​nice​ ​and​ ​easy.​ ​So​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​grab​ ​that​ ​download.​ ​It's​ ​got​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​a​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​Spanish
sound,​ ​and​ ​I​ ​used​ ​this​ ​to​ ​effect​ ​in​ ​my​ ​"No​ ​Book​ ​Beginners"​ ​course,​ ​and​ ​you​ ​can​ ​find​ ​out​ ​more
about​ ​that​ ​at​ ​timtopham.com/beginners,​ ​if​ ​that's​ ​of​ ​interest​ ​to​ ​you.​ ​My​ ​No​ ​Book​ ​Beginners
course​ ​is​ ​a​ ​creative​ ​way​ ​of​ ​starting​ ​beginner​ ​students​ ​without​ ​any​ ​reading​ ​or​ ​method​ ​books​ ​for
up​ ​to​ ​about​ ​10​ ​weeks.​ ​And​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​improv​ ​activities​ ​that​ ​I​ ​do​ ​in​ ​there​ ​is​ ​an​ ​"Around​ ​the
World"​ ​improv.

And​ ​so​ ​I​ ​used​ ​this​ ​Phrygian​ ​mode​ ​for​ ​improvising​ ​in​ ​that​ ​course.​ ​So​ ​I​ ​used​ ​just​ ​the​ ​first​ ​five
notes.​ ​If​ ​I​ ​add​ ​some​ ​chords​ ​like​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​obviously​ ​hear​ ​that​ ​Spanish-y​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​influence
really,​ ​really​ ​clearly.​ ​Interestingly​ ​enough,​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Egyptian​ ​part​ ​of​ ​that​ ​Around​ ​the​ ​World
improv,​ ​I​ ​used​ ​a​ ​harmonic​ ​minor​ ​scale,​ ​and​ ​for​ ​an​ ​Asian​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​feel​ ​I​ ​used​ ​pentatonic,​ ​and
always​ ​fun,​ ​an​ ​alien​ ​sound.​ ​Do​ ​you​ ​know​ ​what​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​scale​ ​you'd​ ​use​ ​for​ ​an​ ​alien​ ​sound​ ​on​ ​the
piano?​ ​It's​ ​this​ ​one.​ ​Tell​ ​me​ ​what​ ​it​ ​is.​ ​Do​ ​you​ ​know​ ​what​ ​that​ ​scale​ ​is?​ ​Yes,​ ​that's​ ​the​ ​whole
tone​ ​scale,​ ​great​ ​fun.​ ​C,​ ​D,​ ​E,​ ​and​ ​then​ ​G-flat,​ ​A-flat,​ ​B-flat.​ ​Good​ ​fun​ ​to​ ​play.​ ​All​ ​right,​ ​so​ ​that's
the​ ​Phrygian​ ​mode.​ ​Flat​ ​2,​ ​3,​ ​6,​ ​and​ ​7​ ​from​ ​the​ ​major​ ​scale,​ ​that's​ ​how​ ​you​ ​might​ ​like​ ​to​ ​think
of​ ​it.

All​ ​right,​ ​now​ ​the​ ​next​ ​one​ ​is​ ​the​ ​Lydian,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​characteristic​ ​note​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Lydian​ ​scale​ ​is​ ​a
sharp​ ​4.​ ​So​ ​to​ ​play​ ​a​ ​Lydian​ ​scale,​ ​all​ ​we​ ​need​ ​to​ ​do​ ​is​ ​play​ ​a​ ​major​ ​scale​ ​and​ ​raise​ ​the​ ​4th​ ​note
by​ ​a​ ​semitone.​ ​Here's​ ​how​ ​it​ ​sounds​ ​again​ ​in​ ​C.​ ​So​ ​the​ ​notes​ ​I​ ​was​ ​playing​ ​there,​ ​C,​ ​D,​ ​E,
F-sharp,​ ​G,​ ​A,​ ​B,​ ​C.​ ​And​ ​explore​ ​these​ ​at​ ​home​ ​in​ ​your​ ​own​ ​time.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​you'll​ ​really​ ​enjoy
working​ ​with​ ​these.​ ​The​ ​Lydian​ ​scale​ ​has​ ​a​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​uplifting,​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​quirky​ ​sound.​ ​It's​ ​used​ ​in
"The​ ​Simpsons​ ​Theme".​ ​It's​ ​actually​ ​a​ ​Lydian​ ​dominant,​ ​so​ ​I'm​ ​told.​ ​And​ ​what​ ​that​ ​means​ ​or
how​ ​to​ ​work​ ​it​ ​out​ ​I'm​ ​again​ ​not​ ​sure.​ ​I'd​ ​have​ ​to​ ​research​ ​it.​ ​So​ ​don't​ ​worry​ ​about​ ​it.​ ​But​ ​just
know​ ​that​ ​that​ ​(sings)​ ​is​ ​very​ ​much​ ​a​ ​Lydian​ ​characteristic​ ​and​ ​adds​ ​to​ ​that​ ​quirkiness.​ ​Actually,
I​ ​think​ ​the​ ​Lydian​ ​dominant​ ​has​ ​a​ ​B-flat​ ​in​ ​it​ ​as​ ​well​ ​from​ ​memory.​ ​But​ ​again,​ ​go​ ​easy​ ​on​ ​me,
musicologists​ ​who​ ​are​ ​out​ ​there​ ​listening.

So​ ​it's​ ​got​ ​that​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​uplifting​ ​sound,​ ​and​ ​there's​ ​a​ ​great​ ​piece​ ​by​ ​my​ ​good​ ​friend​ ​here​ ​in
Australia,​ ​Elissa​ ​Milne​ ​called​ ​"Gold​ ​Rush".​ ​It's​ ​in​ ​our​ ​grade​ ​2​ ​Australian​ ​examination​ ​series​ ​over
here.​ ​It's​ ​in​ ​a​ ​Lydian​ ​mode.​ ​So​ ​C​ ​major​ ​with​ ​an​ ​F-sharp,​ ​that​ ​raised​ ​4th​ ​of​ ​course​ ​sounding​ ​very
cool.​ ​Let​ ​me​ ​just​ ​see​ ​if​ ​I've​ ​got​ ​it​ ​here​ ​on​ ​the​ ​piano.​ ​Yeah,​ ​here's​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​"Gold​ ​Rush"​ ​by
Elissa​ ​Milne.​ ​As​ ​always​ ​with​ ​Elissa,​ ​beautifully​ ​written,​ ​great​ ​pedagogical​ ​music.​ ​If​ ​you're
interested​ ​in​ ​her​ ​books,​ ​they​ ​are​ ​called​ ​"Little​ ​Peppers"​ ​and​ ​highly​ ​recommended​ ​for​ ​all​ ​kind​ ​of
students.​ ​Sorry,​ ​Elisa,​ ​is​ ​you're​ ​listening​ ​to​ ​my​ ​botched​ ​rhythm​ ​right​ ​at​ ​the​ ​start​ ​there.​ ​But​ ​you
get​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​that​ ​sound.​ ​It's​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​quirky,​ ​it's​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​fun​ ​and​ ​uplifting.​ ​So​ ​that's​ ​the​ ​Lydian
mode,​ ​just​ ​a​ ​major​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​sharpened​ ​4th​ ​note.

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The​ ​next​ ​scale​ ​is​ ​Mixolydian.​ ​So​ ​all​ ​you​ ​have​ ​to​ ​do​ ​to​ ​create​ ​a​ ​Mixolydian​ ​mode​ ​is​ ​lower​ ​the​ ​7th
note​ ​of​ ​a​ ​major​ ​scale.​ ​That's​ ​just​ ​one​ ​note​ ​different,​ ​nice​ ​and​ ​easy.​ ​And​ ​that​ ​flattened​ ​7th​ ​note
is​ ​really​ ​the​ ​characteristic​ ​note​ ​of​ ​this​ ​scale.​ ​And​ ​so​ ​it​ ​tends​ ​to​ ​work​ ​quite​ ​well​ ​over​ ​dominant
7th​ ​chords.​ ​It​ ​used​ ​to​ ​be​ ​one​ ​that​ ​certainly​ ​The​ ​Beatles​ ​tended​ ​to​ ​use​ ​a​ ​fair​ ​bit​ ​in​ ​their​ ​work.​ ​So
here's​ ​how​ ​it​ ​sounds,​ ​Mixolydian.​ ​I'll​ ​play​ ​it​ ​again​ ​in​ ​C.​ ​So​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​play​ ​a​ ​C​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a
B-flat.​ ​And​ ​you​ ​could​ ​improvise​ ​over​ ​a​ ​few​ ​simple​ ​chords.​ ​I'm​ ​just​ ​going​ ​to​ ​try​ ​playing​ ​this​ ​in​ ​G,
because​ ​that's​ ​just​ ​white​ ​notes,​ ​G​ ​to​ ​G​ ​on​ ​the​ ​piano.​ ​And​ ​I'll​ ​try​ ​G,​ ​F,​ ​E​ ​minor​ ​and​ ​F​ ​chords​ ​in
my​ ​left​ ​hand.​ ​Let's​ ​see​ ​if​ ​this​ ​works.

By​ ​the​ ​way,​ ​these​ ​little​ ​chord​ ​progressions​ ​that​ ​I'm​ ​exploring​ ​over​ ​these​ ​modes​ ​are​ ​all​ ​written
on​ ​the​ ​worksheet.​ ​So​ ​on​ ​the​ ​back​ ​side​ ​of​ ​the​ ​worksheet,​ ​the​ ​table​ ​is​ ​divided​ ​into​ ​five​ ​columns.
We've​ ​got​ ​six,​ ​sorry:​ ​the​ ​name​ ​of​ ​the​ ​mode,​ ​songs​ ​that​ ​use​ ​it,​ ​changes​ ​from​ ​the​ ​major​ ​scale,
changes​ ​from​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​scale,​ ​the​ ​sound​ ​or​ ​mood​ ​that​ ​it​ ​conveys,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​the​ ​final
column​ ​chord​ ​progressions​ ​to​ ​improvise​ ​over.​ ​So​ ​let​ ​me​ ​see​ ​if​ ​this​ ​works.​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​play
around​ ​with​ ​G​ ​Mixolydian.​ ​You​ ​get​ ​the​ ​idea.​ ​Very​ ​simple.​ ​All​ ​I​ ​was​ ​playing​ ​was​ ​G​ ​and​ ​F​ ​chords,
and​ ​an​ ​E​ ​minor​ ​thrown​ ​in​ ​there.​ ​It's​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​bright​ ​sound,​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​edgy,​ ​and​ ​it's​ ​kind​ ​of
pop-sounding​ ​too.​ ​A​ ​fair​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​pop​ ​music's​ ​written​ ​with​ ​this​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​lowered​ ​7th​ ​note​ ​these
days.​ ​So​ ​that's​ ​the​ ​Mixolydian​ ​mode.

Now​ ​the​ ​next​ ​mode​ ​in​ ​the​ ​set​ ​is​ ​Aeolian.​ ​Now​ ​Aeolian​ ​is​ ​simply​ ​your​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​scale.​ ​And
as​ ​I​ ​tell​ ​anyone​ ​who​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​workshops​ ​in​ ​the​ ​last​ ​year​ ​or​ ​so,​ ​I​ ​recommend​ ​highly​ ​teaching
natural​ ​minor​ ​scales​ ​before​ ​you​ ​teach​ ​harmonic​ ​minor​ ​scales.​ ​Why?​ ​Because​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​minor
of​ ​course​ ​is​ ​exactly​ ​the​ ​same​ ​set​ ​of​ ​notes​ ​as​ ​the​ ​relative​ ​major,​ ​so​ ​it​ ​makes​ ​the​ ​connection​ ​for
students​ ​between​ ​key​ ​signatures​ ​and​ ​sharps​ ​and​ ​flats​ ​in​ ​a​ ​key​ ​much​ ​more​ ​understandable,​ ​and
it​ ​allows​ ​you​ ​to​ ​do​ ​great​ ​improvising,​ ​because​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​really​ ​cool​ ​sounding​ ​scale.​ ​So​ ​here's​ ​the
Aeolian​ ​scale.​ ​I'm​ ​just​ ​going​ ​to​ ​play​ ​C​ ​Aeolian.​ ​So​ ​that​ ​would​ ​be​ ​the​ ​notes​ ​C,​ ​D,​ ​E-flat,​ ​F,​ ​G,
A-flat,​ ​B-flat,​ ​and​ ​C.​ ​Here's​ ​how​ ​it​ ​sounds,​ ​versus​ ​of​ ​course​ ​the​ ​harmonic​ ​minor​ ​with​ ​the​ ​raised
7th,​ ​which​ ​sounds​ ​like​ ​this.

So​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​minor,​ ​I'm​ ​not​ ​going​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​too​ ​much​ ​about​ ​that,​ ​because​ ​I​ ​think​ ​most​ ​people
are​ ​familiar​ ​with​ ​that​ ​sound.​ ​And​ ​again,​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​your​ ​students,​ ​if​ ​they're​ ​learning​ ​minor​ ​and
major​ ​scales,​ ​get​ ​them​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​first​ ​and​ ​be​ ​really​ ​confident​ ​with​ ​it.​ ​It​ ​should
be​ ​easier,​ ​because​ ​again,​ ​if​ ​they​ ​know​ ​the​ ​notes​ ​for​ ​G​ ​major,​ ​they​ ​already​ ​know​ ​the​ ​notes​ ​for​ ​E
natural​ ​minor,​ ​because​ ​they're​ ​the​ ​same.​ ​All​ ​right?​ ​So​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​good​ ​little​ ​trick​ ​for​ ​you.

Now​ ​finally​ ​we​ ​get​ ​on​ ​to​ ​everyone's​ ​favorite,​ ​Locrian,​ ​or​ ​Locrian,​ ​depending​ ​on​ ​how​ ​you​ ​want
to​ ​say​ ​it.​ ​The​ ​Locrian​ ​mode​ ​is​ ​the​ ​only​ ​modern​ ​diatonic​ ​mode​ ​in​ ​which​ ​the​ ​tonic​ ​chord​ ​is​ ​a
diminished​ ​chord,​ ​resulting​ ​in​ ​a​ ​tonic​ ​chord​ ​that​ ​is​ ​considered​ ​dissonant.​ ​So​ ​for​ ​example,​ ​the
tonic​ ​chord​ ​of​ ​B​ ​Locrian​ ​is​ ​B,​ ​D,​ ​and​ ​F,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​interval​ ​between​ ​the​ ​tonic​ ​B​ ​and​ ​the​ ​dominant​ ​F
is​ ​a​ ​diminished​ ​5th,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​why​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​controversial.​ ​Let​ ​me​ ​play​ ​you​ ​a​ ​Locrian​ ​scale​ ​in
the​ ​key​ ​of​ ​C.​ ​So​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​play​ ​this,​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​play​ ​C,​ ​D-flat,​ ​E-flat,​ ​F,​ ​G-flat,​ ​A-flat,​ ​B-flat,​ ​C.
So​ ​this​ ​is​ ​a​ ​major​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​a​ ​flattened​ ​2,​ ​3,​ ​5,​ ​6,​ ​and​ ​7.​ ​Here's​ ​how​ ​it​ ​sounds.

It's​ ​actually​ ​really​ ​quite​ ​fun​ ​to​ ​play,​ ​because​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​like​ ​B​ ​major​ ​to​ ​play,​ ​because​ ​you've
got​ ​the​ ​two​ ​flat​ ​notes​ ​and​ ​the​ ​three​ ​flat​ ​notes​ ​in​ ​patterns,​ ​but​ ​you're​ ​playing​ ​the​ ​C​ ​and​ ​the​ ​F

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instead​ ​of​ ​the​ ​B​ ​and​ ​the​ ​E.​ ​So​ ​explore​ ​it.​ ​It's​ ​quite​ ​fun​ ​...​ ​as​ ​I​ ​say,​ ​quite​ ​fun​ ​to​ ​play.​ ​Much​ ​harder
to​ ​explore​ ​improvising​ ​with.​ ​And​ ​it's​ ​also​ ​quite​ ​hard​ ​to​ ​find​ ​examples​ ​of​ ​music​ ​written​ ​in​ ​this,
because​ ​it's​ ​actually​ ​quite​ ​hard​ ​to​ ​write​ ​in​ ​this​ ​mode​ ​and​ ​stay​ ​in​ ​it.​ ​So​ ​much​ ​music​ ​will​ ​tend​ ​to
perhaps​ ​have​ ​elements​ ​of​ ​Locrian​ ​in​ ​it​ ​without​ ​staying​ ​in​ ​it​ ​too​ ​long,​ ​because​ ​it's​ ​not​ ​the​ ​most
pleasant​ ​way​ ​to​ ​write​ ​music.​ ​As​ ​my​ ​good​ ​friend​ ​Bradly​ ​Sowash​ ​said​ ​the​ ​other​ ​day,​ ​the​ ​Locrian's
just​ ​plain​ ​messed​ ​up​ ​and​ ​hardly​ ​ever​ ​used.​ ​And​ ​he's​ ​a​ ​jazz​ ​musician,​ ​so​ ​that​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​tells​ ​you
that​ ​you​ ​probably​ ​don't​ ​need​ ​to​ ​worry​ ​...​ ​Sorry,​ ​Bradley,​ ​if​ ​you​ ​didn't​ ​want​ ​me​ ​to​ ​say​ ​that,
because​ ​I​ ​know​ ​you're​ ​probably​ ​listening.​ ​Look,​ ​I​ ​don't​ ​really​ ​use​ ​the​ ​Locrian​ ​mode​ ​or​ ​explore​ ​it
with​ ​students.​ ​I​ ​haven't​ ​yet​ ​found​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​that​ ​I've​ ​needed​ ​to​ ​work​ ​out​ ​that​ ​it​ ​is​ ​in
Locrian​ ​mode,​ ​so,​ ​to​ ​be​ ​honest,​ ​I​ ​don't​ ​think​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​worry​ ​about​ ​it.

So​ ​really​ ​all​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​about​ ​that​ ​might​ ​be​ ​new,​ ​if​ ​we​ ​take​ ​out​ ​the​ ​Ionian​ ​and​ ​the
Aeolian,​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​minor​ ​and​ ​the​ ​major,​ ​and​ ​then​ ​really​ ​all​ ​you've​ ​got​ ​is​ ​Dorian,​ ​Phrygian,
Lydian,​ ​and​ ​Mixolydian.​ ​That's​ ​only​ ​four​ ​modes​ ​that​ ​you​ ​should​ ​probably​ ​get​ ​used​ ​to​ ​and​ ​get
comfortable​ ​playing​ ​and​ ​exploring.​ ​The​ ​other​ ​ones​ ​you​ ​don't​ ​need​ ​to​ ​worry​ ​about​ ​too​ ​much.

Okay,​ ​so​ ​part​ ​two​ ​is​ ​how​ ​to​ ​work​ ​out​ ​if​ ​music​ ​you're​ ​playing​ ​is​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mode,​ ​and​ ​I​ ​get​ ​asked​ ​this
by​ ​teachers​ ​a​ ​fair​ ​bit.​ ​The​ ​first​ ​thing​ ​to​ ​look​ ​at​ ​is​ ​the​ ​key,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​notes​ ​in​ ​the​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music.​ ​If
they​ ​don't​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​correlate​ ​too​ ​well,​ ​then​ ​chances​ ​are​ ​you​ ​might​ ​be​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mode.​ ​And​ ​this​ ​is
without​ ​even​ ​playing​ ​and​ ​listening​ ​to​ ​the​ ​music,​ ​of​ ​course.​ ​What​ ​you'll​ ​find​ ​is​ ​that​ ​if​ ​the​ ​key​ ​of
the​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​looks​ ​like​ ​a​ ​D​ ​major​ ​key​ ​signature,​ ​so​ ​F-sharp​ ​and​ ​C-sharp,​ ​and​ ​yet​ ​it​ ​doesn't
start​ ​and​ ​end​ ​on​ ​D​ ​or​ ​D​ ​chords,​ ​or​ ​its​ ​relative​ ​minor,​ ​B​ ​minor,​ ​then​ ​it​ ​starts​ ​on​ ​...​ ​maybe​ ​it​ ​starts
on​ ​an​ ​E​ ​or​ ​something​ ​like​ ​that,​ ​chances​ ​are​ ​you're​ ​using​ ​some​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​mode.​ ​And​ ​there's​ ​a
couple​ ​of​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​work​ ​out​ ​which​ ​mode​ ​that​ ​is.

Also,​ ​I​ ​think​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​great​ ​idea​ ​to​ ​use​ ​sound​ ​too.​ ​And​ ​if​ ​we​ ​go​ ​from​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​brightest​ ​sounding​ ​to
darkest,​ ​although​ ​this​ ​is​ ​subjective​ ​listening​ ​of​ ​course,​ ​we're​ ​probably​ ​thinking​ ​from​ ​brightest
Lydian,​ ​Ionian,​ ​Mixolydian​ ​...​ ​to​ ​getting​ ​darker,​ ​Dorian,​ ​Aeolian,​ ​Phrygian,​ ​and​ ​Locrian.​ ​Often
the​ ​sound​ ​of​ ​it​ ​would​ ​definitely​ ​tell​ ​you​ ​that​ ​something's​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​funny.​ ​It's​ ​like​ ​oh,​ ​I​ ​was
expecting​ ​an​ ​F-sharp​ ​there​ ​in​ ​that​ ​G​ ​major​ ​piece​ ​and​ ​there​ ​isn't​ ​one.​ ​That's​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​weird.​ ​I
wonder​ ​what​ ​that​ ​means.​ ​And​ ​then​ ​you​ ​can​ ​dig​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​deeper.

Interestingly​ ​enough,​ ​I​ ​worked​ ​out​ ​a​ ​trick​ ​only​ ​recently​ ​about​ ​you​ ​can​ ​actually​ ​work​ ​this​ ​out.
Now​ ​I​ ​don't​ ​particularly​ ​like​ ​tricks​ ​in​ ​music,​ ​so​ ​I'd​ ​use​ ​these​ ​as​ ​a​ ​test​ ​to​ ​see​ ​if​ ​you're​ ​right.​ ​So
here's​ ​how​ ​it​ ​works.​ ​What​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​know​ ​is​ ​the​ ​order​ ​of​ ​modes​ ​in​ ​order.​ ​So​ ​it's​ ​Ionian,
Dorian,​ ​Phrygian,​ ​Lydian,​ ​Mixolydian,​ ​Aeolian,​ ​and​ ​Locrian.​ ​I-D-P-L-M-A-L.​ ​And​ ​you​ ​know​ ​how
much​ ​I​ ​love​ ​mnemonics,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​researching​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​this​ ​and​ ​found​ ​some​ ​people​ ​talking
about​ ​mnemonics​ ​of​ ​these,​ ​so​ ​I​ ​thought​ ​these​ ​were​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​funny.​ ​"I​ ​don't​ ​particularly​ ​like
middle​ ​aged​ ​ladies"​ ​was​ ​one​ ​that​ ​somebody​ ​said.​ ​And​ ​that's​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​ageist,​ ​of​ ​course.​ ​And
another​ ​one​ ​was​ ​"I​ ​don't​ ​play​ ​loud​ ​music​ ​at​ ​lessons."​ ​Now​ ​again,​ ​I'm​ ​not​ ​too​ ​worried​ ​about​ ​...
There's​ ​no​ ​reason​ ​I​ ​can​ ​see​ ​why​ ​students​ ​would​ ​need​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​these,​ ​I​ ​just​ ​thought​ ​they​ ​were
funny.​ ​So​ ​don't​ ​go​ ​and​ ​suddenly​ ​start​ ​feeling​ ​you've​ ​got​ ​to​ ​teach​ ​all​ ​your​ ​students​ ​mnemonics
of​ ​the​ ​order​ ​of​ ​modes,​ ​please,​ ​whatever​ ​you​ ​do.​ ​Again,​ ​I'm​ ​using​ ​this​ ​as​ ​a​ ​test.

So​ ​we've​ ​got​ ​the​ ​order​ ​though.​ ​So​ ​then​ ​step​ ​two,​ ​work​ ​out​ ​the​ ​major​ ​key​ ​according​ ​to​ ​the​ ​key
signature.​ ​So​ ​if​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​G​ ​major​ ​key​ ​signature​ ​so​ ​it's​ ​got​ ​an​ ​F-sharp,​ ​we're​ ​talking​ ​about​ ​G.​ ​Step

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three,​ ​work​ ​out​ ​the​ ​tonic​ ​note​ ​of​ ​the​ ​piece.​ ​So​ ​if​ ​the​ ​key​ ​signature​ ​is​ ​G,​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​be​ ​G​ ​major
with​ ​an​ ​F-sharp,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​first​ ​note​ ​is​ ​A,​ ​then​ ​all​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​do​ ​is​ ​count​ ​the​ ​interval​ ​from​ ​the
major​ ​tonic​ ​key​ ​to​ ​the​ ​tonic​ ​note​ ​of​ ​the​ ​piece​ ​and​ ​move​ ​that​ ​many​ ​places​ ​along​ ​the​ ​order​ ​of
modes.​ ​So​ ​here's​ ​an​ ​example.​ ​We've​ ​got​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​written​ ​with​ ​a​ ​G​ ​major​ ​key​ ​signature,
but​ ​the​ ​first​ ​note​ ​is​ ​A.​ ​So​ ​between​ ​G​ ​and​ ​A​ ​I'm​ ​moving​ ​one​ ​place​ ​along.​ ​That​ ​means​ ​I​ ​start​ ​with
Ionian,​ ​I​ ​move​ ​one​ ​place​ ​along​ ​in​ ​my​ ​list​ ​of​ ​modes,​ ​and​ ​I​ ​end​ ​up​ ​on​ ​Dorian.​ ​This​ ​piece​ ​is​ ​in​ ​A
Dorian.

Here's​ ​another​ ​example.​ ​I​ ​see​ ​a​ ​D​ ​major​ ​key​ ​signature.​ ​D​ ​major,​ ​so​ ​C-sharp​ ​and​ ​F-sharp.​ ​But
the​ ​first​ ​note​ ​is​ ​G.​ ​So​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​count​ ​between​ ​D​ ​and​ ​G​ ​upwards.​ ​D,​ ​E,​ ​F,​ ​G,​ ​that's​ ​four.​ ​And
I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​move​ ​along​ ​my​ ​order​ ​of​ ​modes:​ ​Ionian,​ ​Dorian,​ ​Phrygian,​ ​Lydian.​ ​That's​ ​four​ ​along.
This​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​is​ ​in​ ​G​ ​Lydian.

So​ ​here's​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​of​ ​examples​ ​of​ ​actual​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​music​ ​written​ ​in​ ​modes,​ ​and​ ​interestingly
enough,​ ​these​ ​three​ ​all​ ​feature​ ​in​ ​the​ ​next​ ​Piano​ ​for​ ​Leisure​ ​series​ ​here​ ​in​ ​Australia.​ ​So​ ​my​ ​first
example​ ​is​ ​one​ ​called​ ​"Sea​ ​Bird"​ ​by​ ​my​ ​good​ ​friend​ ​Christopher​ ​Norton.​ ​Looks​ ​like​ ​it's​ ​in​ ​C
major,​ ​but​ ​it​ ​starts​ ​on​ ​D.​ ​So​ ​what​ ​key's​ ​this​ ​one​ ​in?​ ​Don't​ ​have​ ​time​ ​to​ ​play​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​piece,​ ​of
course.​ ​So​ ​there's​ ​no​ ​key​ ​signature,​ ​but​ ​clearly​ ​centered​ ​around​ ​D.​ ​What​ ​was​ ​the​ ​mode?​ ​Well,
we've​ ​moved​ ​one​ ​along​ ​the​ ​list.​ ​We're​ ​in​ ​D​ ​Dorian.

The​ ​other​ ​way​ ​to​ ​check​ ​this​ ​of​ ​course​ ​is​ ​to​ ​look​ ​through​ ​the​ ​music​ ​and​ ​go,​ ​"It​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​be
centered​ ​around​ ​D,​ ​but​ ​there's​ ​no​ ​F-sharp​ ​or​ ​C-sharp,​ ​and​ ​those​ ​two​ ​notes​ ​are​ ​the​ ​3rd​ ​and​ ​the
7th.​ ​It​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​flattened​ ​3rd​ ​and​ ​a​ ​flattened​ ​7th.​ ​What​ ​mode​ ​has​ ​a​ ​flattened​ ​3rd​ ​and
7th?​ ​Ah,​ ​Dorian.​ ​Let's​ ​do​ ​that​ ​check,​ ​and​ ​we​ ​can​ ​check​ ​the​ ​order."

Here's​ ​another​ ​one​ ​from​ ​the​ ​books.​ ​This​ ​one​ ​is​ ​called​ ​...​ ​in​ ​fact,​ ​you'll​ ​know​ ​this​ ​one.​ ​I'm​ ​not
even​ ​going​ ​to​ ​tell​ ​you​ ​the​ ​name​ ​of​ ​it.​ ​The​ ​key​ ​signature​ ​is​ ​D,​ ​but​ ​it​ ​starts​ ​on​ ​an​ ​E.​ ​Have​ ​a​ ​listen
to​ ​it,​ ​and​ ​I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​ask​ ​you​ ​what​ ​mode​ ​is​ ​this​ ​and​ ​what's​ ​the​ ​name​ ​of​ ​the​ ​piece.​ ​So​ ​did​ ​you
work​ ​out​ ​what​ ​mode​ ​this​ ​was​ ​in​ ​or​ ​what's​ ​the​ ​name​ ​of​ ​the​ ​piece?​ ​We​ ​should​ ​be​ ​doing​ ​like​ ​a
quiz​ ​show​ ​here.​ ​So​ ​this​ ​was​ ​"Mad​ ​World".​ ​Key​ ​signature​ ​of​ ​D​ ​but​ ​it​ ​starts​ ​on​ ​an​ ​E,​ ​so​ ​this​ ​is​ ​in​ ​E
Dorian.

One​ ​more​ ​example.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​called​ ​"Jazz​ ​Train"​ ​by​ ​Wynn-Anne​ ​Rossi,​ ​and​ ​this
has​ ​a​ ​key​ ​signature​ ​of​ ​C,​ ​but​ ​definitely​ ​starts​ ​in​ ​a​ ​G​ ​position.​ ​So​ ​have​ ​a​ ​listen​ ​to​ ​this​ ​and​ ​see
whether​ ​you​ ​can​ ​work​ ​out​ ​what​ ​mode​ ​this​ ​one's​ ​probably​ ​in.​ ​You​ ​get​ ​the​ ​idea.​ ​Great​ ​fun​ ​little
piece​ ​that​ ​one.​ ​Called​ ​"Jazz​ ​Train".​ ​It's​ ​in​ ​the​ ​key​ ​of​ ​C,​ ​starts​ ​in​ ​a​ ​G​ ​position,​ ​so​ ​that​ ​one​ ​is​ ​in​ ​G
Mixolydian.​ ​We've​ ​gone​ ​up​ ​C,​ ​D,​ ​E,​ ​F,​ ​G,​ ​we've​ ​gone​ ​up​ ​five​ ​positions​ ​in​ ​our​ ​order,​ ​so​ ​we're​ ​in
Ionian,​ ​Dorian,​ ​Phrygian,​ ​Lydian,​ ​Mixolydian.​ ​So​ ​that's​ ​written​ ​in​ ​a​ ​major​ ​scale​ ​position​ ​with​ ​no
sharp​ ​7th,​ ​a​ ​flattened​ ​7th​ ​in​ ​other​ ​words.​ ​And​ ​that​ ​one's​ ​in​ ​G,​ ​so​ ​I​ ​should​ ​be​ ​expecting​ ​mostly
white​ ​notes​ ​and​ ​no​ ​F-sharp.

So​ ​there​ ​you​ ​go.​ ​I​ ​hope​ ​that​ ​has​ ​helped​ ​you​ ​to​ ​work​ ​out​ ​if​ ​the​ ​music​ ​you're​ ​playing​ ​is​ ​in​ ​a
mode,​ ​the​ ​best​ ​way​ ​to​ ​do​ ​this​ ​is​ ​to​ ​explore​ ​music​ ​and​ ​find​ ​the​ ​answers​ ​yourself.​ ​See​ ​if​ ​you​ ​can
work​ ​out​ ​these​ ​modes​ ​without​ ​sort​ ​of​ ​jumping​ ​on​ ​Google,​ ​either​ ​using​ ​your​ ​ears​ ​or​ ​the
changed​ ​notes​ ​in​ ​the​ ​actual​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music.​ ​Like​ ​I​ ​said,​ ​it​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​be​ ​in​ ​D​ ​major​ ​but​ ​there's​ ​no

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F-sharp​ ​or​ ​C-sharp,​ ​what​ ​does​ ​that​ ​mean?​ ​And​ ​then​ ​finally,​ ​you​ ​could​ ​use​ ​this​ ​trick​ ​that​ ​I've
taught​ ​you​ ​about​ ​the​ ​order.​ ​Don't​ ​worry​ ​about​ ​those​ ​mnemonics​ ​please​ ​though.

So,​ ​let's​ ​get​ ​to​ ​the​ ​juice​ ​of​ ​now​ ​using​ ​this​ ​in​ ​your​ ​teaching.​ ​You've​ ​got​ ​a​ ​few​ ​options​ ​here,
depending​ ​on​ ​how​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​approach​ ​this.​ ​You​ ​could​ ​add​ ​modes​ ​to​ ​students'​ ​scale​ ​practice.
So​ ​you​ ​could​ ​start​ ​on​ ​the​ ​white​ ​notes,​ ​and​ ​just​ ​like​ ​adding​ ​pentatonic​ ​and​ ​blues​ ​scales​ ​as
they're​ ​exploring​ ​those​ ​creative​ ​activities​ ​around​ ​blues​ ​or​ ​some​ ​chordal​ ​composing​ ​with​ ​some
simple​ ​pentatonic​ ​melodies​ ​over​ ​the​ ​top,​ ​these​ ​give​ ​them​ ​more​ ​options​ ​to​ ​explore.
Interestingly​ ​enough,​ ​some​ ​exam​ ​boards​ ​are​ ​starting​ ​to​ ​use​ ​these​ ​too​ ​now​ ​and​ ​introduce​ ​them.
Rockschool​ ​and​ ​ANZCA,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​our​ ​Australia​ ​New​ ​Zealand​ ​exam​ ​board​ ​here,​ ​both​ ​are
exploring​ ​modes​ ​with​ ​students,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​great.

Now​ ​the​ ​other​ ​thing​ ​you​ ​could​ ​do​ ​is​ ​play​ ​scales​ ​in​ ​the​ ​right​ ​hand,​ ​so​ ​modal​ ​scales​ ​with​ ​the
students​ ​and​ ​just​ ​some​ ​left​ ​hand​ ​chords.​ ​And​ ​that's​ ​why​ ​I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​include​ ​the​ ​chord
progressions​ ​that​ ​work​ ​with​ ​these​ ​modes​ ​in​ ​the​ ​freebie​ ​download.​ ​Again,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​get​ ​that​ ​at
timtopham.com/episode102.​ ​So​ ​if​ ​a​ ​student​ ​is​ ​exploring​ ​A​ ​Aeolian,​ ​they​ ​could​ ​use​ ​A​ ​minor​ ​and
G​ ​chords​ ​in​ ​the​ ​left​ ​hand.​ ​Or​ ​they​ ​could​ ​just​ ​use​ ​fifths.​ ​Let​ ​me​ ​play​ ​around​ ​with​ ​A​ ​Aeolian,​ ​so
that's​ ​white​ ​notes​ ​on​ ​A,​ ​and​ ​I'll​ ​just​ ​use​ ​fifths​ ​in​ ​my​ ​left​ ​hand,​ ​moving​ ​around​ ​between​ ​A​ ​and​ ​G
positions.​ ​Okay,​ ​again,​ ​very​ ​simple​ ​and​ ​just​ ​doing​ ​this​ ​off​ ​the​ ​top​ ​of​ ​my​ ​head.​ ​Your​ ​students
and​ ​you,​ ​I'm​ ​sure,​ ​could​ ​make​ ​things​ ​much​ ​more​ ​interesting.​ ​But​ ​you​ ​get​ ​the​ ​idea.

Another​ ​way,​ ​an​ ​important​ ​part​ ​of​ ​using​ ​this​ ​in​ ​your​ ​teaching​ ​is​ ​to​ ​get​ ​used​ ​to​ ​them​ ​yourself.
So​ ​you​ ​could​ ​potentially​ ​learn​ ​a​ ​new​ ​pattern​ ​each​ ​week​ ​in​ ​all​ ​forms,​ ​just​ ​like​ ​for​ ​an​ ​exam.​ ​I've
been​ ​working​ ​on​ ​my​ ​mode​ ​playing​ ​two​ ​hands​ ​together.​ ​Interestingly​ ​you've​ ​got​ ​to​ ​change
fingering,​ ​particularly​ ​for​ ​things​ ​like​ ​C​ ​Lydian​ ​with​ ​that​ ​F-sharp.​ ​So​ ​you'll​ ​have​ ​some​ ​new
fingerings​ ​to​ ​learn.​ ​You​ ​could​ ​play​ ​these​ ​hands​ ​together,​ ​hands​ ​separately,​ ​contra​ ​motion,​ ​all
those​ ​kinds​ ​of​ ​things.​ ​Just​ ​get​ ​used​ ​to​ ​them.​ ​If​ ​you've​ ​been​ ​playing​ ​piano​ ​for​ ​a​ ​long​ ​time,​ ​then
why​ ​don't​ ​you​ ​just​ ​forget​ ​playing​ ​scales​ ​for​ ​a​ ​while​ ​...​ ​if​ ​you​ ​were​ ​playing​ ​them​ ​at​ ​all,​ ​I​ ​struggled
through​ ​myself,​ ​and​ ​just​ ​explore​ ​modes​ ​for​ ​a​ ​month.​ ​A​ ​new​ ​one​ ​every​ ​few​ ​days​ ​and​ ​you'll​ ​soon
have​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​them.

Another​ ​way​ ​you​ ​can​ ​use​ ​this​ ​in​ ​your​ ​teaching​ ​is​ ​getting​ ​students​ ​to​ ​create​ ​with​ ​them.​ ​As​ ​I
mentioned​ ​before,​ ​my​ ​No​ ​Book​ ​Beginners​ ​have​ ​this​ ​Around​ ​the​ ​World​ ​improv​ ​idea,​ ​giving​ ​the
student​ ​a​ ​little​ ​motif​ ​and​ ​then​ ​asking​ ​them​ ​to​ ​create​ ​something,​ ​often​ ​using​ ​pedal,​ ​simple​ ​fifths
in​ ​the​ ​left​ ​hand​ ​and​ ​notes​ ​from​ ​the​ ​modes.​ ​And​ ​again​ ​you​ ​could​ ​start​ ​on​ ​the​ ​white​ ​notes​ ​if
that's​ ​easier​ ​for​ ​your​ ​student​ ​and​ ​then​ ​move​ ​to​ ​helping​ ​them​ ​understand​ ​how​ ​to​ ​create​ ​the
modes​ ​in​ ​any​ ​key.

I've​ ​got​ ​a​ ​comment​ ​from​ ​Elizabeth​ ​Davis​ ​on​ ​Facebook.​ ​She​ ​says,​ ​"I​ ​love​ ​teaching​ ​modes.​ ​I​ ​use
common​ ​folk​ ​tunes​ ​like​ ​those​ ​mentioned​ ​in​ ​some​ ​earlier​ ​posts,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​have​ ​students​ ​do​ ​social
media​ ​profiles​ ​for​ ​the​ ​modes,​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​their​ ​names​ ​and​ ​differences.​ ​Some​ ​even​ ​come​ ​up​ ​with
unique​ ​names​ ​for​ ​the​ ​modes​ ​and​ ​even​ ​a​ ​profile​ ​picture.​ ​So​ ​Lydian​ ​becomes​ ​a​ ​picture​ ​of​ ​a
person​ ​called​ ​Lydia."​ ​She​ ​has​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​fun​ ​with​ ​it.​ ​I​ ​thought​ ​that​ ​was​ ​a​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​cool​ ​little​ ​trick.
Look,​ ​it's​ ​only​ ​limited,​ ​of​ ​course,​ ​by​ ​your​ ​creativity​ ​what​ ​you​ ​do​ ​with​ ​these.

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I​ ​think​ ​the​ ​last​ ​thing​ ​I​ ​would​ ​say​ ​is​ ​anytime​ ​you​ ​find​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mode​ ​that​ ​you're
teaching​ ​a​ ​student​ ​or​ ​they're​ ​learning​ ​somehow,​ ​then​ ​see​ ​if​ ​you​ ​can​ ​get​ ​creative​ ​with​ ​it.​ ​Pull​ ​it
apart​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​simplest​ ​way​ ​to​ ​do​ ​that,​ ​as​ ​I've​ ​said​ ​before​ ​...​ ​in​ ​either​ ​training​ ​or
podcasts,​ ​I​ ​can't​ ​remember​ ​...​ ​is​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​the​ ​left​ ​hand​ ​the​ ​same​ ​and​ ​noodle​ ​around​ ​in​ ​the​ ​mode
with​ ​the​ ​right​ ​hand.​ ​So​ ​if​ ​I​ ​go​ ​back​ ​to​ ​that​ ​Christopher​ ​Norton​ ​example,​ ​if​ ​I​ ​just​ ​play​ ​the​ ​left
hand​ ​as​ ​he​ ​wrote​ ​it​ ​originally​ ​and​ ​just​ ​muck​ ​around​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​with​ ​the​ ​right​ ​hand,​ ​you'll​ ​get​ ​the
idea.

It's​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​things​ ​that​ ​I​ ​have​ ​really​ ​put​ ​some​ ​time​ ​and​ ​effort​ ​into​ ​in​ ​the​ ​series​ ​of​ ​books​ ​that
I've​ ​been​ ​producing​ ​for​ ​the​ ​AMEB,​ ​and​ ​that's​ ​to​ ​come​ ​up​ ​with​ ​little​ ​creative​ ​ideas​ ​like​ ​that​ ​for
pieces​ ​of​ ​music​ ​like​ ​that​ ​for​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​music.​ ​But​ ​you​ ​can​ ​do​ ​this​ ​yourself.​ ​So​ ​I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​challenge
you,​ ​any​ ​time​ ​you're​ ​teaching​ ​a​ ​student​ ​now​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​in​ ​a​ ​mode,​ ​try​ ​out​ ​that​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​(1)
getting​ ​them​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​the​ ​mode​ ​as​ ​a​ ​scale​ ​and​ ​(2)​ ​getting​ ​them​ ​to​ ​noodle​ ​around​ ​in​ ​the​ ​key​ ​of
the​ ​mode​ ​while​ ​they​ ​keep​ ​the​ ​left​ ​hand​ ​for​ ​the​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​the​ ​same.

We're​ ​coming​ ​up​ ​to​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​episode​ ​today,​ ​so​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​biggest​ ​questions​ ​that​ ​I​ ​got
asked​ ​from​ ​Facebook​ ​when​ ​I​ ​popped​ ​out​ ​the​ ​question,​ ​"I'm​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​doing​ ​a​ ​podcast​ ​on
modes,​ ​what​ ​do​ ​you​ ​need​ ​help​ ​with?"​ ​The​ ​kinds​ ​of​ ​questions​ ​that​ ​I​ ​got​ ​the​ ​most​ ​were​ ​like​ ​this
one​ ​from​ ​Christina​ ​who​ ​said,​ ​"At​ ​what​ ​level​ ​do​ ​you​ ​begin​ ​introducing​ ​modes?"​ ​And​ ​Felicity,​ ​a
similar​ ​question,​ ​"How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​introduce​ ​the​ ​concept​ ​and​ ​at​ ​what​ ​level?​ ​When​ ​do​ ​you​ ​discuss​ ​it
and​ ​in​ ​relation​ ​to​ ​what?​ ​Is​ ​it​ ​in​ ​the​ ​context​ ​of​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​the​ ​student's​ ​learning​ ​or​ ​a​ ​crash​ ​course​ ​in
all​ ​of​ ​them​ ​at​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​point?"​ ​If​ ​you've​ ​been​ ​listening​ ​to​ ​me​ ​for​ ​a​ ​little​ ​while,​ ​you'll​ ​probably
guess​ ​my​ ​thinking​ ​on​ ​the​ ​crash​ ​course​ ​in​ ​all​ ​of​ ​them​ ​at​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​point.​ ​I​ ​wouldn't​ ​be
approaching​ ​it​ ​in​ ​that​ ​way,​ ​because​ ​again,​ ​I'm​ ​always​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​find​ ​a​ ​relevance​ ​for​ ​the​ ​student.
A​ ​student​ ​isn't​ ​going​ ​to,​ ​unless​ ​they're​ ​quite​ ​advanced​ ​and​ ​really​ ​enjoying​ ​music​ ​theory​ ​and
scales​ ​and​ ​technical​ ​work,​ ​they're​ ​probably​ ​not​ ​really​ ​going​ ​to​ ​enjoy​ ​suddenly​ ​having​ ​to​ ​learn
another​ ​five​ ​different​ ​scale​ ​patterns.

So​ ​I​ ​think​ ​it's​ ​much​ ​more​ ​relevant​ ​to​ ​discuss​ ​it​ ​and​ ​explore​ ​it​ ​in​ ​relation​ ​to​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​music​ ​that
they're​ ​learning,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​this​ ​last​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​podcast​ ​I'm​ ​about​ ​to​ ​tell​ ​you​ ​where​ ​you​ ​can​ ​find​ ​a
lot​ ​of​ ​music​ ​in​ ​modes​ ​if​ ​you'd​ ​like​ ​to​ ​explore​ ​this​ ​with​ ​students.​ ​As​ ​to​ ​Christina's​ ​question,​ ​at
what​ ​level​ ​do​ ​you​ ​begin​ ​introducing​ ​modes,​ ​again​ ​it's​ ​up​ ​to​ ​you​ ​and​ ​the​ ​level​ ​of​ ​competence​ ​of
your​ ​student​ ​and​ ​their​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​it.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​most​ ​times​ ​...​ ​I​ ​mean​ ​there​ ​are​ ​certainly​ ​beginner
pieces​ ​of​ ​music​ ​that​ ​include​ ​an​ ​exploration​ ​of​ ​modes,​ ​and​ ​I'm​ ​thinking​ ​in​ ​particularly​ ​there's​ ​a
series​ ​over​ ​here​ ​called​ ​"P​ ​Plate​ ​Piano"​ ​again​ ​by​ ​the​ ​fantastic​ ​Elissa​ ​Milne,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​music​ ​in
that​ ​has​ ​modal​ ​context.​ ​And​ ​so​ ​if​ ​your​ ​student​ ​is​ ​old​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​understand​ ​and​ ​explore​ ​it,​ ​then
that's​ ​the​ ​time​ ​I​ ​would​ ​do​ ​it.

Again,​ ​in​ ​answer​ ​to​ ​this​ ​question,​ ​I​ ​would​ ​say​ ​at​ ​what​ ​level?​ ​Well,​ ​at​ ​a​ ​level​ ​appropriate​ ​to​ ​your
student​ ​but​ ​in​ ​relation​ ​to​ ​something​ ​that​ ​they're​ ​learning.​ ​So​ ​if​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​composing​ ​that
you'd​ ​like​ ​to​ ​do​ ​and​ ​you'd​ ​like​ ​to​ ​explore​ ​a​ ​mode​ ​with​ ​them,​ ​then​ ​great.​ ​You​ ​could​ ​perhaps​ ​use
the​ ​first​ ​five​ ​notes​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Phrygian​ ​mode​ ​and​ ​do​ ​some​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​little​ ​Spanish​ ​improv.​ ​So​ ​that​ ​was
these​ ​notes.​ ​Could​ ​a​ ​student​ ​relatively​ ​early​ ​on,​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​or​ ​alongside​ ​doing​ ​some​ ​blues
improvisation,​ ​maybe​ ​they​ ​could​ ​do​ ​a​ ​little​ ​"Spanish"​ ​improvisation​ ​using​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​modes,​ ​or
a​ ​different​ ​mode,​ ​whatever​ ​it​ ​is.​ ​So​ ​again,​ ​up​ ​to​ ​your​ ​student.​ ​Just​ ​try​ ​and​ ​find​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​relate​ ​it

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to​ ​the​ ​other​ ​work​ ​that​ ​you're​ ​doing.​ ​So​ ​music​ ​that​ ​they're​ ​learning,​ ​a​ ​pop​ ​piece​ ​that​ ​they've
heard​ ​on​ ​the​ ​radio,​ ​music​ ​that​ ​they​ ​think​ ​sounds​ ​cool.​ ​Why​ ​does​ ​it​ ​sound​ ​cool?​ ​Actually,​ ​it's​ ​in
a​ ​Mixolydian​ ​mode.​ ​Let's​ ​explore​ ​that.​ ​Those​ ​are​ ​the​ ​kinds​ ​of​ ​connections​ ​that​ ​I​ ​love​ ​making
with​ ​students.

Now​ ​there​ ​obviously​ ​were​ ​other​ ​questions,​ ​but​ ​I'm​ ​conscious​ ​of​ ​keeping​ ​these​ ​podcasts​ ​around
45​ ​minutes​ ​if​ ​I​ ​possibly​ ​can,​ ​so​ ​if​ ​you​ ​do​ ​have​ ​other​ ​questions​ ​then​ ​of​ ​course​ ​ask​ ​away.​ ​I'll​ ​do
my​ ​best​ ​to​ ​answer​ ​them.​ ​I'm​ ​sure​ ​there's​ ​other​ ​people​ ​who​ ​are​ ​probably​ ​eminently​ ​more
qualified​ ​to​ ​answer​ ​them​ ​than​ ​me,​ ​but​ ​I​ ​will​ ​certainly​ ​do​ ​my​ ​best​ ​to​ ​make​ ​it​ ​a​ ​practical​ ​answer
as​ ​much​ ​as​ ​I​ ​can​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​a​ ​theoretical​ ​answer.

So​ ​let's​ ​move​ ​on​ ​to​ ​the​ ​last​ ​section​ ​of​ ​today's​ ​podcast,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​talking​ ​about​ ​resources,​ ​books
and​ ​music​ ​that​ ​you​ ​might​ ​like​ ​to​ ​explore​ ​with​ ​your​ ​students.​ ​Here​ ​is​ ​a​ ​list​ ​of​ ​people​ ​who​ ​have
written​ ​books​ ​about​ ​modes​ ​and​ ​including​ ​pieces​ ​in​ ​all​ ​the​ ​different​ ​modes.​ ​The​ ​first​ ​one​ ​that
comes​ ​to​ ​mind​ ​is​ ​Daniel​ ​McFarlane​ ​at​ ​supersonicspiano.com.​ ​I​ ​can't​ ​remember​ ​the​ ​title​ ​of​ ​his
series,​ ​but​ ​he​ ​definitely​ ​has​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​music​ ​written​ ​in​ ​every​ ​single​ ​mode,​ ​including,​ ​I​ ​believe,
Locrian.​ ​He​ ​did​ ​try​ ​to​ ​do​ ​that.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​he's​ ​joked​ ​about​ ​how​ ​hard​ ​it​ ​was​ ​at​ ​times.​ ​But​ ​if​ ​you'd​ ​like
to​ ​explore​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music​ ​written​ ​solely​ ​in​ ​Locrian​ ​mode​ ​as​ ​much​ ​as​ ​he​ ​could,​ ​then​ ​you​ ​could
check​ ​out​ ​his​ ​work​ ​at​ ​supersonicspiano.com.​ ​By​ ​the​ ​way,​ ​we'll​ ​put​ ​links​ ​to​ ​all​ ​these​ ​resources
that​ ​I'm​ ​about​ ​to​ ​tell​ ​you​ ​about​ ​in​ ​the​ ​show​ ​notes​ ​alongside​ ​your​ ​piano​ ​worksheet​ ​download.

Robert​ ​Vandall​ ​has​ ​created​ ​two​ ​great​ ​books​ ​about​ ​modes.​ ​There​ ​is​ ​an​ ​easier​ ​one,​ ​which​ ​is
called​ ​"Modal​ ​Expressions",​ ​and​ ​there's​ ​a​ ​slightly​ ​harder​ ​one​ ​called​ ​"Modes​ ​and​ ​Moods",​ ​both
worth​ ​checking​ ​out​ ​on​ ​Amazon​ ​or​ ​Sheet​ ​Music​ ​Plus.​ ​There's​ ​a​ ​funny​ ​little​ ​download,​ ​quirky
little​ ​download​ ​called​ ​"Emoji​ ​Modes"​ ​from​ ​Anne​ ​Crosby​ ​Gaudet,​ ​I​ ​think​ ​her​ ​name​ ​is​ ​probably
pronounced.​ ​G-A-U-D-E-T.​ ​And​ ​you​ ​can​ ​find​ ​out​ ​her​ ​...​ ​and​ ​download​ ​her​ ​resource​ ​at
musicdiscoveries.ca​ ​and​ ​you'll​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​find​ ​it​ ​on​ ​there.​ ​As​ ​I​ ​say,​ ​a​ ​fun​ ​little​ ​download
connecting​ ​modes​ ​to​ ​emojis.​ ​I​ ​thought​ ​that​ ​was​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​cool.​ ​And​ ​some​ ​things​ ​there​ ​for​ ​both
teachers​ ​and​ ​students​ ​to​ ​explore.

"Music​ ​Moves​ ​for​ ​Piano"​ ​by​ ​Marilyn​ ​Lowe​ ​features​ ​a​ ​pattern​ ​vocabulary​ ​for​ ​tonal​ ​patterns,
rhythmic​ ​patterns​ ​based​ ​on​ ​the​ ​language​ ​of​ ​music​ ​learning​ ​theory,​ ​and​ ​so​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​the
songs​ ​that​ ​students​ ​sing,​ ​the​ ​patterns​ ​they​ ​learn​ ​in​ ​that,​ ​are​ ​based​ ​on​ ​modes.​ ​So​ ​if​ ​you're
interested​ ​in​ ​that​ ​approach,​ ​then​ ​you​ ​could​ ​certainly​ ​do​ ​some​ ​more​ ​research​ ​about​ ​music
learning​ ​theory.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​Google​ ​that​ ​you'll​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​find​ ​both​ ​some​ ​of​ ​by​ ​podcasts.​ ​when​ ​I've
interviewed​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​people​ ​we​ ​had​ ​a​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​that​ ​last​ ​year​ ​on​ ​the​ ​blog​ ​and​ ​podcast.​ ​We
had​ ​a​ ​focus​ ​month​ ​on​ ​music​ ​learning​ ​theory,​ ​so​ ​check​ ​that​ ​out.​ ​Or​ ​you​ ​could​ ​Google​ ​"Music
Moves​ ​for​ ​Piano"​ ​and​ ​I'm​ ​sure​ ​you'll​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​find​ ​out​ ​where​ ​to​ ​grab​ ​Marilyn's​ ​books.

Willard​ ​A.​ ​Palmer​ ​has​ ​a​ ​book​ ​called​ ​"Fun​ ​with​ ​Modes",​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​an​ ​older​ ​book,​ ​but​ ​again​ ​a
whole​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​different​ ​pieces​ ​written​ ​in​ ​modes.​ ​Forrest​ ​Kinney,​ ​who​ ​I​ ​mentioned​ ​earlier,​ ​his
"Pattern​ ​Play"​ ​series​ ​of​ ​books,​ ​which​ ​are​ ​all​ ​about​ ​improvising​ ​with​ ​little​ ​pattern​ ​ideas​ ​at​ ​the
piano,​ ​definitely​ ​features​ ​some​ ​modal​ ​ideas,​ ​pentatonic​ ​ideas,​ ​all​ ​sorts​ ​of​ ​things​ ​like​ ​that.​ ​You
can​ ​Google​ ​"Pattern​ ​Play"​ ​or​ ​go​ ​to​ ​the​ ​show​ ​notes​ ​and​ ​grab​ ​the​ ​link​ ​for​ ​that.​ ​Lisa​ ​Donovan
Lukas,​ ​who​ ​is​ ​published​ ​over​ ​at​ ​Piano​ ​Pronto,​ ​has​ ​some​ ​duets​ ​in​ ​modes,​ ​which​ ​I​ ​thought​ ​would

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be​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​fun​ ​to​ ​explore.​ ​Her​ ​book​ ​is​ ​called​ ​"Duets​ ​a​ ​la​ ​Mode",​ ​and​ ​you​ ​can​ ​find​ ​that​ ​over​ ​at
pianopronto.com.

Margaret​ ​Brandman,​ ​an​ ​Australian​ ​composer​ ​over​ ​here,​ ​has​ ​a​ ​book​ ​called​ ​"Contemporary
Modal​ ​Pieces",​ ​another​ ​one​ ​worth​ ​trying.​ ​And​ ​[Rami​ ​Bahniv​ ​00:46:22]​ ​has​ ​his​ ​"Toccata​ ​in
Phrygian​ ​Mode",​ ​and​ ​I'll​ ​put​ ​a​ ​YouTube​ ​link​ ​to​ ​that.​ ​It's​ ​pretty​ ​exciting.​ ​Another​ ​person​ ​I'll​ ​just
finish​ ​with​ ​is​ ​Debra​ ​Wanless,​ ​who​ ​has​ ​written​ ​several​ ​books​ ​of​ ​music​ ​that​ ​are​ ​purely​ ​in​ ​modes
and​ ​explains​ ​what​ ​they​ ​are​ ​and​ ​how​ ​to​ ​improvise​ ​with​ ​them.​ ​It's​ ​really​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​step​ ​by​ ​step.​ ​I
really​ ​like​ ​the​ ​approach​ ​that​ ​she's​ ​used​ ​here,​ ​and​ ​they're​ ​perfect​ ​for​ ​little​ ​kids​ ​improvising​ ​at
sort​ ​of​ ​that​ ​elementary​ ​level.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​find​ ​out​ ​about​ ​her​ ​series​ ​"In​ ​the​ ​Mood​ ​for​ ​Modes,​ ​Book
One".​ ​There's​ ​definitely​ ​a​ ​Book​ ​Two.​ ​I'm​ ​not​ ​sure​ ​how​ ​many​ ​more​ ​there​ ​are.​ ​"In​ ​the​ ​Mood​ ​for
Modes".​ ​You​ ​can​ ​find​ ​that​ ​at​ ​debrawanless.com​ ​and​ ​you'll​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​find​ ​out​ ​more​ ​about​ ​her
resource​ ​for​ ​teaching​ ​and​ ​exploring​ ​modes.

So​ ​I​ ​really​ ​hope​ ​you've​ ​enjoyed​ ​today's​ ​episode​ ​and​ ​it's​ ​been​ ​helpful​ ​to​ ​you​ ​in​ ​your​ ​studio.
Make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​do​ ​leave​ ​a​ ​comment​ ​on​ ​the​ ​show​ ​notes​ ​page​ ​if​ ​you've​ ​got​ ​any​ ​questions​ ​or​ ​you
need​ ​more​ ​information​ ​or​ ​anything​ ​like​ ​that,​ ​or​ ​just​ ​to​ ​tell​ ​me​ ​whether​ ​you​ ​liked​ ​it​ ​or​ ​not.
Make​ ​sure​ ​of​ ​course​ ​you​ ​get​ ​your​ ​freebie​ ​download.​ ​It's​ ​my​ ​two​ ​page​ ​piano​ ​modes​ ​worksheet.
It's​ ​the​ ​thing​ ​I've​ ​been​ ​using​ ​through​ ​this​ ​podcast​ ​and​ ​use​ ​each​ ​day.​ ​It's​ ​up​ ​on​ ​my​ ​piano​ ​with
the​ ​circle​ ​of​ ​fifths.​ ​Really,​ ​really​ ​handy​ ​reference.​ ​And​ ​you​ ​can​ ​grab​ ​that​ ​of​ ​course​ ​at
timtopham.com/episode102.​ ​That's​ ​also​ ​where​ ​you'll​ ​find​ ​the​ ​show​ ​notes​ ​and​ ​links​ ​to​ ​all​ ​those
books​ ​and​ ​resources​ ​that​ ​I​ ​mentioned.​ ​So​ ​you​ ​can​ ​go​ ​there​ ​and​ ​just​ ​with​ ​one​ ​click​ ​go​ ​and​ ​buy
whatever​ ​you'd​ ​like.

A​ ​quick​ ​reminder​ ​too​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​now​ ​subscribe​ ​to​ ​updates​ ​from​ ​me​ ​about​ ​my​ ​podcast​ ​and
blog​ ​on​ ​Facebook​ ​Messenger.​ ​If​ ​that's​ ​of​ ​interest,​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​pretty​ ​handy​ ​way​ ​to​ ​get​ ​notified​ ​when
I've​ ​released​ ​a​ ​new​ ​article​ ​or​ ​podcast.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​head​ ​to​ ​timtopham.com/facebook​ ​and​ ​there
I've​ ​got​ ​the​ ​link.​ ​It's​ ​a​ ​one-click​ ​link​ ​and​ ​you'll​ ​literally​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​access​ ​all​ ​my​ ​podcasts​ ​and
download​ ​straight​ ​into​ ​your​ ​Facebook​ ​Messenger.

Next​ ​week​ ​we're​ ​getting​ ​started​ ​with​ ​our​ ​group​ ​teaching​ ​work,​ ​and​ ​it's​ ​all​ ​about​ ​group
teaching​ ​with​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​pioneers​ ​of​ ​group​ ​teaching,​ ​Mayron​ ​Cole.​ ​Many​ ​of​ ​you​ ​if​ ​you've
taught​ ​group​ ​piano​ ​will​ ​have​ ​heard​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Mayron​ ​Cole​ ​Method.​ ​She​ ​has​ ​a​ ​substantial​ ​website.
She's​ ​been​ ​teaching​ ​groups​ ​for​ ​about​ ​40​ ​years,​ ​back​ ​when​ ​nobody​ ​was​ ​teaching​ ​groups,​ ​and​ ​I
was​ ​very​ ​lucky​ ​to​ ​have​ ​this​ ​conversation​ ​with​ ​her​ ​that​ ​I​ ​will​ ​enjoy​ ​sharing​ ​with​ ​you,​ ​same​ ​time
next​ ​week.

Thank​ ​you​ ​very​ ​much​ ​for​ ​joining​ ​me​ ​today.​ ​Again,​ ​if​ ​you​ ​do​ ​have​ ​time​ ​to​ ​leave​ ​a​ ​review,​ ​you
can​ ​find​ ​out​ ​about​ ​how​ ​to​ ​do​ ​that​ ​at​ ​timtopham.com/review.​ ​Until​ ​then,​ ​enjoy​ ​your​ ​teaching.

Announcer: Ladies​ ​and​ ​gentlemen,​ ​we'll​ ​conclude​ ​this​ ​evening's​ ​entertainment.​ ​Oh​ ​thank​ ​you.​ ​Thanks​ ​for
listening​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Creative​ ​Piano​ ​Teaching​ ​Podcast.​ ​We'd​ ​love​ ​to​ ​help​ ​take​ ​your​ ​teaching​ ​to​ ​the
next​ ​level​ ​as​ ​a​ ​member​ ​of​ ​our​ ​supportive​ ​community.​ ​Use​ ​the​ ​coupon​ ​"piano​ ​podcast"​ ​for​ ​$100
off​ ​an​ ​annual​ ​membership​ ​of​ ​Tim's​ ​Inner​ ​Circle​ ​today.​ ​To​ ​find​ ​out​ ​more,​ ​head​ ​to
timtopham.com/community.

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Did​ ​you​ ​enjoy​ ​this​ ​episode? 

If​ ​you’re​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​more​​ ​resources​ ​and​ ​training​ ​like​ ​this​,​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​check​ ​out​ ​my​ ​Inner
Circle​ ​Professional​ ​Development​ ​Community​​ ​for​ ​teachers​ ​just​ ​like​ ​you.​ ​As​ ​an​ ​Inner​ ​Circle​ ​Member​,
you​ ​can:

● Access​ ​hundreds​ ​of​ ​resources,​ ​training​ ​courses,​ ​videos​ ​and​ ​downloads,​ ​lesson​ ​plans​ ​and​ ​PDFs
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can​ ​feel​ ​confident​ ​about​ ​trying​ ​out​ ​the​ ​same​ ​things​.
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