The Many Moods of Musical Modes
Enter the exciting, nuanced world of the seven musical modes with our guide to understanding, building, and using these expressive scales.
Scales
A scale is a series of notes in ascending or descending order of pitch. Scales are closely related to key and provide the framework which melodies and chord progressions are built from. Learning to recognise types of scale and the individual notes of a scale by ear can help you throughout your musical life.
Free articles about Scales
Q&A: How (and why) should you do ear training for scales?
Musical U founder, Christopher Sutton teaches why you should learn scales and the two types of scale ear training that will improve your musicality.
Finding the Tonic in Minor Keys
Finding the tonic of a melody is the first step to transcribing, solfa and understanding musical form. Minor keys add a few twists and turns to the process.
About Improvising with Scales and Chords
Break free of scale-based improvisation with our harmony and chord tone-based approach to creating unforgettable licks on the fly!
The Ultimate Guide to the Dorian Mode
The Dorian Mode ranges from rock to jazz, and funk to folk. Learn what Dorian is, the theory behind it, how to play it, and how to hear it.
Five Notes Will Change Your Life: Pentatonic Scales
Pentatonic scales have found their home in the hearts of jazz, blues, and rock musicians everywhere. Learn to play this easy and incredibly versatile scale!
The Ultimate Guide to Minor Keys
What makes a minor key? Learn all about how minor scales and chords are built, and how they differ from their major counterparts.
The Aural Illusions of the Locrian Mode
Discover the rare and enigmatic Locrian mode, what gives it its unique, chilling sound, where to hear it in music, and why you should use it.
About Why the Pentatonic Scale is So Great
Learn about the power of the pentatonic scale, why it makes for such beautiful melodies, and how to use it as an improvisational framework.
About Keeping it Simple
The Musical U team discusses the benefits of keeping it simple when it comes to music, and how simplicity can be used as a foundation to build on.
Unlocking Your Musicality: Part One
We asked eleven experts to share the one thing they’ve learned that can help musicians to tap into their inner musicality – here are their answers!
About the Moods of Modes
How can we understand, hear, and improvise with the seven musical modes? In this episode, we discuss an easy ear-based approach to working with modes.
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