Help with understanding and hearing the modes
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 857
    Someone on our forum (francis?) posted a wonderful demonstration of the different modal scales, played on the piano. I have searched our site several times and cannot find it. Can someone find and post the link?

    While you're at it, can you pray for my seminarians as I begin to teach them the elements of sight-reading and vocal production, and the principles of liturgical music and of selecting music for liturgy?

    Gratefully,
    Paul
  • Rebecca Bridget C-
    Posts: 79
    Is this the discussion you were thinking of, "Gregorian Modes Demystified"? Unfortunately, I don't think the flash module is up any more.
    ~Rebecca
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 857
    Rebecca,

    It is. And you're right, the flash module isn't up any more. francis, please!

    Gratefully,
    Paul
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Paul:

    Put back original home page... didn't notice I had deleted link to modes. Here is the direct link in case it gets deleted again.

    http://romancatholicsacredmusic.com/modes.html
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 857
    You are a SAINT!
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Paul:

    Do you have any suggestions for what would be good examples of GC in each mode? I would like to include them in that study too. Brian Kiernan suggested these:


    On this forum's host website (http://www.musicasacra.com/) if you scroll down on the right side, you will see a section of resources called "Teaching Aides." About 4/5 of the way down the list of resources, you will see, "'Textbook of Gregorian Chant' by Dom Sunol (1930)." If you open that PDF file and go to pages 40-45 of that book, you will find a series of solfege exercises and typical melodies for each of the eight modes.


    What do you think?

    Also, after looking at that study today, I thought it would be more useful to be able to play each mode on command, so I put PLAY buttons in for each mode so you can AB any pair back and forth. I also put buttons at the top allowing you to go directly to the first or second part of the study. It's a bit quirky in places, but works somewhat OK.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Jeez!!!

    I also realized that the thing will drive you stark raving mad so I included a STOP button too.
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 857
    Francis,

    Justine Ward's adult method book has a set of magnificent examples of the characteristics of each mode. I have the book in another office but I'll try to get it out and scan the pages for you. These are THE source when I am trying to teach the sounds of the modes to my chants students.

    Gratefully,
    Paul
  • Chris AllenChris Allen
    Posts: 150
    Personally, I've found I can get a "quick and dirty" feel for a mode by singing up the bottom part of the appropriate scale (pentachord for authentic modes, tetrachord for plagal) then down the top part. For example, using Mode I: re-mi-fa-sol-la, re-do-ti-la.
  • Flambeaux
    Posts: 45
    What's the title of Justine Ward's adult method book, and is it on the Musica Sacra site?
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