- What is a musical mode?
- A mode is a type of scale built by starting on a different degree of the major scale. For example, Dorian starts on the 2nd degree, Phrygian on the 3rd, giving each a unique emotional color.
- How do I tell major from minor by ear?
- Major scales have a raised 3rd degree (4 semitones above root), which gives a bright, happy sound. Minor scales lower the 3rd by a semitone, creating a darker, more melancholic feel.
- What makes Harmonic Minor different from Natural Minor?
- Harmonic minor raises the 7th scale degree by a semitone, creating an augmented 2nd interval between degrees 6 and 7. This gives it an exotic, classical-sounding tension not present in natural minor.
