pink -> RE: Flamenco and 'The Modes'? (Oct. 19 2014 22:39:37)
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ORIGINAL: Ricardo quote:
ORIGINAL: britguy Some years back I recall reading somewhere that Soleares is always played in the "Phrygian Mode". Not having had any formal musical education I am only casually acquainted with modal music as it relates to the British folk tradition. Viz: Aeolian;Dorian; Phrygian; Myxolidian, etc. Assuming that most flamenco is 'modal' music (is it?) - can anyone advise what popular flamenco palos are played in what 'mode'? Won't help my lousy playing, but interested to know. . . Bare with me for a short mode lesson. Simply put, modes don't "go anywhere" harmonically. Keys on the other hand, derive from the modes but require a tonic to dominant relation, specifically V chord to I chord. First, mode examples: Ionian mode...happy major sounding. at a loss for a proper song now as it is easy to confuse with songs in a MAJOR KEY which is different. Simply put, an ionian song in C can use chords like C, F, Dminor, E minor, but must AVOID ever going G7-C. Dorian: old church modes of gregorian chant are a favorite. Modern music vamps would be songs like "So What" by miles davis, or "oye como va" by santana. Lydian: also happy, but sort of nostalgic sounding or exotic. Simpson's theme song. Mixolydian: happy but sort of blues and infact used in jazz and blues a lot. The song "tequilla". In flamenco we have "caballo negro" by sanlucar. Aeolian: the minor key cousin of Ionian. In the sense some songs use this mode are confused with songs in a minor KEY, again, no V-i allowed. In E minor that means, no B7 chord. So "beat it" by michael jackson is a good example of aeolian. In flamenco we have the ending of "entre dos aguas". phrygian: This mode is so popular in middle eastern music but function much better in it's phrygian dominant form. That being with a raised 3rd. Not to be confused with being in a Minor key, it has to not "resolve". I only hear the proper minor phrygian used in some mediterranean songs, for example in turkey or greece. None would be good examples for laymen I think. Phrygian dominant versions on the other hand are super common. Nagila Hava is a good example. Locrian: no good exmple of it's application as it is typcially avoided due to it's root and 5th relation being strange. For sure it is effective as a dark scary mood in pieces that might go in several different directions. So you also have interesting modes of other types of scales and have different names but I won't go into examples. What is important is to now understand keys. Listening to Bach for example, if it bright and happy, it's a major key piece. If it is dark and sad it is a minor key piece. Within that scope, unlike modal examples as above, the music is free to venture into other territorys by changing the TONIC. THis is done thanks the V-I relation I described earlier. Flamenco music is the same as Bach with an interesting difference. it makes use of a Phyrigain KEY, I call it spanish phrygian. That being the music allows a tonic just as the modal examples above, but can actually GO places harmonically away from that. Examples: Alegrias: Major key Farruca: minor key Siguiriya/Solea: spanish phrygian key, sometimes Major key Fandango/malagueña/taranta/granaina/etc: spanish phyrigian with modulation to relative major. Ephyrigian->C major->E phrygian for example. Some flamenco makes use of modal ideas too, but it is not as common as the above generalizations. The spanish phrygian used in flamenco music as a key makes clever use of the flat second scale degree as a functional tonal harmony (II-I), in place of the V-I of major of V-i of minor keys in order to establish a key tonic instead of a modal vibe that goes nowhere (as in all the modal examples above). Just as Ionian can be confused for Major keys or Aeolian with minor keys, the phrygian dominant often gets wrongly used as a description of music that is actually having a harmonic function, such as flamenco forms mentioned. Hope that helps some. Ricardo You really know how to be most generous with your knowledge. Not an ounce of the ''know it all tosser '' syndrome.... just good ,honest info and advice. F ekkin nice one!
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