Hi
I am trying to learn chord tones in the modes. I have the dots for each of the arpeggios for the G Major scale (G Maj, A min, B min etc) but what I’m wondering is if i am trying to learn the arpeggios in A Dorian (A, B, C, D, E, F#, G) and B Phrygian (B, C, D, E, F#, G, A) etc. are the arpeggios for each scale degree the same? and are the chord tones the same? I can’t seem to find much info on this
thanks
To be honest, I’m not sure I’m following you. Chord tones and arpeggios are basically the same thing as far as the notes are concerned. The chord tones are the notes belonging to a chord – and arpeggio just means play those notes one at a time instead of all at once.
All of the modes relative to a major scale share the same key signature and all contain the same set of notes – therefore they all share the same chords. It’s only the application or context of them which makes them any different, i.e., wherever the tonal centre lies.
Chord tones and arpeggios never change no matter what mode you are relating them to. An Am7 for example has the notes A C E G. The scale degrees are always named relative to the major scale of the chord’s root, in this case it would be A major and the scale degrees will be 1(A) b3(C) 5(E) b7(G).
This chord formula is fixed. 1, b3, 5, b7 is always the minor 7 chord or arpeggio.
If you compare the chord notes to a different scale or mode then you’ll get different scale degrees. Example, the notes A C E G in G major will be the scale degrees 2, 4, 6, 1. It’s irrelevant, we name the chords based on the notes, not the scale degrees. The bottom line is chord tones never change.
This can get pretty lengthy to explain so it might be best to let me first know if I’m completely off track with what you are asking. If so, break down an example for me so I can try to make sure I understand the question better.
