Jazz question!!?!
Question: What are the three most common modes used in jazz. I realize there are numerous scales (jazz scale, harmonic minor modes, blues scale etc) but I once heard that Dorian, Mixolydian and one other scale were the most common-- I believe it's Aeolian, but can't remember. Thanks for your help!
Answers: What are the three most common modes used in jazz. I realize there are numerous scales (jazz scale, harmonic minor modes, blues scale etc) but I once heard that Dorian, Mixolydian and one other scale were the most common-- I believe it's Aeolian, but can't remember. Thanks for your help!
By a wide margin I think the most common modes are Ionian (a major scale) dorian (starting on the ii of the major scale) and mixolydian (starting on the V).
For commonness I'd put them in this order, personally:
Ionian (over Major Chords)
Mixolydian (over Dominant Chords)
Dorian (over Minor Chords, natural 6)
Aeolian (Minor Chords, flat 6)
Lydian (Major Chords, sharp 11)
Locrian (Minor 7, flat 5 Chords)*
Phrygian (Dominant/Altered "arabic" sound)
* on m7(b5) chords I would usually raise the second step of the Locrian mode, which is called the SuperLocrian mode.