SophiaD - Posted - 12/27/2025:  11:20:21

Last summer I took a beginner level banjo course, taught by an able instructor. She tried to explain modal tuning in the context of the song ‘the Cuckoo’. Something about the F chord I think. She went to a musical galaxy far, far away; I haven’t felt that intellectually disoriented since Professor von Schoenborn lectured my class on Heidegger’s existentialism. Some mysteries just have to be accepted, maybe.

banjoak - Posted - 12/28/2025:  13:05:26

quote:

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Originally posted by pinenut

So, at a bluegrass jam; I call Shady Grove, from the tune list, in G/A modal. 

The term 'modal' appears to be foreign to the whole group.  

 

How do I explain this?  Is my best response to just say, "Yup, G/A minor."?

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There are different versions of Shady Grove; in different modes.

For many folks "modal" refers to something not major. (Not just G/A minor).

Quick explanation from a melodic perspective. 

The major scale is Ionian mode... do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do. Using that starting mode:

To that Ionian scale, flatten the seventh degree of the scale (ti). That's  Mixolydian.

To that Mixolyidian scale, also flatten the third degree of the scale (mi). That's Dorian (flat 3 and 7)

To that Dorian scale, also flatten the sixth degree of the scale (la). That's Aeolian, what many folks recognize as the natural "minor". (flat 3/6/7)

Those are the most common melodic scales/mode you might run across.

As far as chords... no matter mode; listening works well, IMO better than rules/formula.

jojo25 - Posted - 01/17/2026:  15:36:31

great question...I used to think it just meant slap my capo on at the 2nd fret...get to AEADE tuning...and play Cold Frosty Morning and such....and to many in the OT world that is still what it means...but then someone told me about modes in the more general sense...and I watched/listened as Molly Mason explained modes on the white keys of a piano...and I learned that every tune is modal...and that there are many different modes...and I suspect that those in the BG world have less exposure to the term modal than those of us in the OT world...but they might get it if you say it has that "high lonesome sound"...like the old timer said...when asked if he knew music theory..."not enough to hurt my playing"
some tunes play with the modes...switching modes for different parts of the tune...or sometimes even within one part of the tune...New Rigged Ship is such a tune...a 3 part tune...each part is in a different mode of A...the first part is Mixolydian, the second Ionian and the 3rd Dorian...
but if you go into that at most sessions you are probably going to see eyes roll real quick
here is the link to New Rigged Ship
youtube.com/watch?v=QghhFlt7vj...t_radio=1
how to explain?...might be best to just say it sounds like this...and then play them whatever "modal" tune you are trying to get started