I will continue on exploring modes and then we’ll look at how to apply them to play the Native American Flute (NAF).
We know that the first mode is Ionian which is the Cmaj scale. It is important think of it as just the major scale. The interval pattern is the same regardless of what key you play in. This is also true of the Native American Flute. You would play the major scale the same on every NAF regardless of the key. Which major scale (key) you play in is dependent on the key of the flute. This is not to say that you can’t play a Cmaj scale on an Emin flute. If you consider that the NAF is chromatic instrument, then all 12 of the notes in Western Music are available so you could play any major scale, but due to octave limits of the NAF, you might have to go up the scale and when you reach the highest possible note on the flute you’re playing, you would have to find the next not at the low end of the flute’s range.
To illustrate this, let’s say you want to play an Amaj scale on an Emin flute. The A note is the note achieved by playing the bottom two holes open. You would then follow the interval pattern 2212221. You fill find that without going to the second register, the highest note is E so to continue you would play the next note on the low end. The Amaj scale is: A B C# D E F# G# A. So at the highest note on an Emin flute we are at the E in the scale. The next note is F#. To play that note you would close all holes with the bottom hole half holed. Then your next note is G#. You can refer to the chart for the chromatic scale on the NAF. G# would be played by covering all holes except hole 2 (counting from the bottom). This same thinking applies to any major scale played on any flute regardless of key. Find the starting note and then apply the interval pattern, reverting to the low end of the scale when you’ve reached your highest available note.
But, you say, if all this is true why would I need more than one flute? The answer is yes because if you are playing an established melody and it exceeds either the highest or lowest note available on your flute, then the only way to play the melody is to alter the melody or change to a flute with enough range to play the melody in your desired key. You could play the melody on your flute by changing the starting note, but that also would change the key and any musician’s accompanying you would have to change keys. It is easier and better to changes flutes to accommodate the key. This is indeed a very good excuse for acquiring a lot of flutes.
Let’s discuss mode in more depth. A mode is merely a portion of a scale. The named modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian are based on a major scale. Each mode (I listed in order) is based on a starting note from one of the scaled degrees. So Ionian starts on scale degree 1. Dorian on scaled degree 2, Phyrgian on scale degree 3 and so on.
I will list them below:
Ionian: C D EF G A BC
Dorian: D EF G A BC D
Phrygian: EF G A BC DE
Lydian: F G A BC D EF
Mixolydian: G A BC D EF G
Aeolian: A BC D EF G A
Locrian: BC D EF G A B
Look closely at the scale in these modes. They all use the SAME notes. Notice that I used a single space between the letters EXCEPT for BC and EF. The BC and the EF are in different positions in each mode. This difference is why we have major sounding modes and minor sounding modes. Locrian is the exception. It’s notes form a diminished chord as the root. Locrian is almost never used in writing music because the diminished chord doesn’t sound stable. There is a feeling of wanting to resolve tension musically, so when the music come back to the home or root chord, it still feels like it needs to change.
Now let’s look at the interval patterns for the modes. It is easier to see the shifting of the half-steps of BC and EF.
Ionian: 2212221
Dorian: 2122212
Phrygian: 1222122
Lydian: 2221221
Mixolydian: 2212212
Aeolian: 2122122
Locrian: 1221222
Notice where the half steps are. Again the location of those half steps are what give us the major and minor sounds. I will do some sound examples, but for now I just want to walk through how to apply this to the NAF.
Here is the Ionian written out using text x= closed, o = open and < = mouth end of flute and / = half hole. /4 = quarter hole.
xxx xxx C
xxx xx/ D
xxx xox E
xxx xoo F
xxx ooo G
xox oxo A
oox oxo B
oox ooo C
This fingering is on a 6 hole flute but done so it would be the same on a 5 hole flute. Alternatively, you could play Ionian on a 6 hole flute this way:
xxx xxx
xxx xx/
xxx xox
xxx xoo
xxx ooo
xxo ooo
xoo ooo
oox ooo
Also of note: The exact cross fingering can vary on some flutes. A tuner will verify what you would do on your flute.
So, now let’s look at how to play Dorian. Forget about note names. We will think in terms of intervals.