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Learning Resources/Applying Modal Color to Your Music

Applying Modal Color to Your Music

This course is a practical guide designed for media composers looking to infuse their music with rich, cinematic textures. By diving deep into six essential musical modes, you will discover how to instantly evoke specific emotions and vivid musical atmospheres. Through detailed score analysis and orchestral examples, you will master the distinct colors and mood of each mode. Elevate your storytelling and unlock a whole new palette of melodic and harmonic possibilities for your next score.

TM

Tim Maurice

Instructor

10 modules · 12 video lessons

Beginner & Intermediate

What you will learn

In this course, we will take a close look at six* of the seven modes and study their applications in music. We will begin by understanding what modes are and learn how to find them in a major scale. By exploring individual modes – each with dedicated examples – a student should be able to quickly create musical emotions** using modes by the end of the course.

  • What is Mode
  • Finding and Creating Modes
  • Overview of the 7 Modes of the Major Scale
  • Major Modes (Lydian / Mixolydian)
  • Minor Modes (Dorian / Phrygian / Aeolian / Locrian)

*One of the modes, Ionian, is identical to the major scale pattern; it is built off the first note of the major scale. Since we assume that you are already quite familiar with it, we decided to omit a close study of Ionian.

**The major modes (Ionian, Lydian, and Mixolydian) generally have a bright and positive quality, while the minor/diminished modes (Dorian, Phrygian, Aeolian, and Locrian) seem to have a darker and perhaps more somber quality. Of course, the interpretation of a mode/scale as bright or dark is fairly subjective, especially in a piece of music. Different people might perceive certain modes to feel darker or brighter than indicated in this chart. For instance, some may feel that Ionian sounds brighter than Lydian. In this course, we have taken the liberty of associating each mode with a few adjectives that describe its typical usage. We hope you find these descriptions more helpful than limiting as we explore.

Course Content

Previews Available
10 Modules12 Video Lessons53-Page Reading11 Audio Tracks

  • Course Overview
  • Course Materials [Score PDFs, Audio]
  • General Course Information

Requirements

While musicians without any educational background may benefit from our courses, we recommend having at least a basic knowledge of music theory concepts such as intervals, chords, and scales to ensure a smooth learning experience.

General course information

  • This course includes video lectures, audio examples, graphical analysis, and video playback of the scores. All course materials (music score pdfs, HD orchestral mock-up mp3's) can be downloaded upon purchase of the course.
  • When possible, we include chord symbols in the scores to help summarize the harmony.
  • For the sake of brevity and clarity, we use "condensed scores" for any large ensemble/orchestral writing.
  • Some specific musical notations (such as breath markings for winds and brass, harp tuning, piano pedaling, etc.) are not strictly conveyed in the scores.
  • In our course, we write all roman numerals uppercase and simply add the word "min" to indicate a minor harmony.

Instructor

Tim Maurice

Tim Maurice

Composer, Arranger, and Pianist

Tim produced music for a variety of independent film & media projects across New England, including “Searchdog,” a feature-length documentary about shelter dogs that are rehabilitated into certified search & rescue dogs. (Audience-voted “Best of Fest Selection” in the 2016 Palm Springs International Film Festival).

In addition to composing, Tim also served as music director, arranger, and pianist for the cabaret show “Never Far From Home” at Central Square Theater, which earned critical acclaim from The Boston Globe. He has worked with the North Cambridge Family Opera for the past several years, as an arranger and midi mockup artist.

He orchestrated for their production of “Flying High,” an opera with music by multi-instrumentalist/composer Graham Preskett and lyrics by writer John Kane. Tim also had the great fortune of working with Grammy-nominated jazz pianist/composer Taylor Eigsti, assisting with orchestration and score preparation for symphonic pieces for the concert performed by the Oakland Symphony Orchestra.

Tim Maurice's website

Reviews

  • “Over the years, I've experienced numerous resources on musical modes, yet none of them have directly guided me on incorporating them into my compositions. This course is particularly beneficial for those eager to understand the implementation of modes and their distinctive tones in music. It provides ample musical examples utilizing modes, complemented by thorough analysis. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone truly desiring to incorporate modal colors into their compositions!”

    Marquita C. Niles

  • “I have to say this is a wonderful course and I've thoroughly enjoyed learning. The course does an excellent job of explaining how the different modes of the seven-note scale system can be used to create a range of emotions and moods in music.”

    Ishag Shafeeg

  • “This course has definitely inspired me to experiment more with my own compositions and try out some new ideas. I loved learning about how each mode can create its own unique mood and emotion in music. Highly recommend it to any film music composers out there!”

    Eliana Lawson

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