Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
musical mode

musical mode

7.4
A pattern of eight notes that gives a piece of Western music its typical sound
  • noun
  • /ˈmjuːzɪkəl moʊd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : modo musical
  • They both looked at different kinds of of musical modes as being imitations of different passions or emotions.

Examples

  • The song was composed using the Mixolydian musical mode, which gives it a bright and uplifting feel.

  • In Western classical music, the Dorian musical mode is often used to evoke a somber yet hopeful sound.

  • Many jazz musicians explore various musical modes to create unique improvisational pieces.

Synonyms

scale
vsmusical mode
  • Specialized
49 4.3

A series of musical notes ordered by pitch

is narrower and used specifically as a composition basis in Western music
mode
vsmusical mode
  • Specialized
10 7.0

A set of notes used to make a musical scale, like major or minor

is a type of those fixed sequences that composers use in Western music
musical scale
vsmusical mode
  • Specialized
1 3.2

A set of notes ordered from low to high that form a basic pattern for melodies

is a specific form of that pattern serving as a composition basis in Western music

Surface Forms

musical mode singular
musical modes plural

Morphology

musical + mode

The meaning is directly compositional: 'musical' restricts 'mode' to the musical sense, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes a type of scale or mode used in music. This adjective+noun pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically common (e.g., Spanish 'modo musical'), so the meaning should be immediately comprehensible.

Etymology

Musical mode may come from the old idea of mode meaning a 'way' or 'manner' of doing something. Think of it like a path with fixed steps: the mode is a set pattern of notes that gives music a certain mood, so a musical mode today means a group of notes that create a particular 'character' or sound.