Modes for the Diatonic Bandura with Ditals
DIATONIC BANDURA MODES
In the tables linked below you will find a list of 332 unique modal scales suited for diatonic banduras with 1/2 step sharping levers (ditals) on each string. Most of these modes can also be used on concert banduras with whole-instrument tuning mechanisms and on chromatic strung banduras. These modes were collected from a variety of sources including the internet;
(www.xs4all.nl/~huygensf/doc/modename.html,
www.freeyellow.com/members2/tyala/4scales.htm,
www.unm.edu/~tojabr/scale.htm),
Zenovii Shtokalko's "Kobza", Jurij Fedynskyj, and others. If you have any comments, suggestions, or additional modes, please let me know ([email protected]) and I will try to include them in the next update. Above all, if you find any errors, please let me know. I worked most of this out in my head as I was typing, there was no draft. So the chances for an error are pretty good, in fact I'd be surprised if there aren't any.
Explanation of the table:
Intervals: In the interval column, I have shown the numerical number of half-steps between each note of the scale. The total for the scale should add up to 12 (or 24 in the case of scales spanning 2 octaves) in every case.
Name: In the name column, I have given the tonic (the note upon which the scale starts) of the scale and the name of the mode. Readers are cautioned against taking the names I have given as gospel. In my research, I have found that there is little agreement on the names of the modes, even among so-called experts. Where several names are given, I have chosen the one I like best for the name column (in some cases, I might have even made them up) and runners up have gone in the "remarks" column. Even at that, all names have not been included (nor did I intend to). Some of the mode names have a parenthetical name following them, this usually denotes that the name can be attributed to a certain individual.
Ditals: I have assumed that the bandura is tuned to E flat major (Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D) with all the ditals off (not touching the string). You can certainly tune your bandura to a different major key if you like but doing so will change the tonic of the scales, thus eliminating some of the ones shown here and making others available instead. The letters simply designate a string. The ^ symbol indicate that the dital is applied to that string (the string is raised 1/2 step). The - mark indicates that the dital is not applied (the string is open). Thus, a- means that the string will sound as A flat (since that is the pitch of the open string), a^ means that the string will sound as A natural (A flat sharp), likewise, c- means C natural, and c^ means C sharp. The ditals settings are shown for only one octave, normally (but not always) the entire bandura would be tuned to the same key by repeating the pattern in successive octaves. An exception is made for the multi-octave kobzar modes
Scale: I have written out the scale for you, though that could easily be worked out from the information already given. The"_" is simply a placeholder which signifies the interval between two notes - this was an aid and a check for me to insure that I was interpreting the intervals of the mode correctly, as I was typing these on the fly.
Chord: Here I have attempted to interpret the mode as a chord - in certain jazz circles chords are more easily understood than modes. These are seven note chords that encompass all 7 tones of the mode. Modes are often referred to as "horizontal" or "melodic" structure, while chords are referred to as "vertical" or "harmonic" structure. For all that fanciness, they both mean the same thing. If anyone knows of a better, clearer way to write out chords, LET ME KNOW! I intensely dislike this method, and I'm not even sure I'm doing it right.
Triads: Here I have written out the triads for each degree of the mode. There are only 4 types of triads: Major, Minor, Augmented, and Diminished. If none of the above fit the mode at that degree, it got "----" instead, to indicate that there is no triad at that degree. Again, all worked out on the fly, so mistakes are not only possible, but likely.
Mode Family: Here I have grouped the modes into families. I have defined a family as a group of modes that use a particular pattern of intervals and all the variants which are built from that pattern by starting the scale on different degrees. The names (and even the concept AFAIK) are completely arbitrary and products of my imagination. Examination of the modes in their families will reveal to the sharp observer that many, many modes are not described in this table. Plenty left for you to explore.
Other Names: Here you will find some of the alternative names of the modes. You can see the source of some of the confusion regarding mode names, especially when you get into the classical greek names and the medieval ecclesiastical (church) names. The Raga modes are from Indian Classical (Vedic) music, Mela modes are South Indian, Maqam is Arabic. A large portion of these modes have an Indian or Arabic equivalent, but I have only given the Indian or Arabic name where there is no western equivalent.
So what is the point of all this? Well that's for you to decide. For me it is useful just to show the broad range and scope of possibilities of the modern bandura. This could also be used as a departure point for those of you looking for compositional inspiration. You can also use it as a reference. If you have a mode and you want to find the name, just work out the intervals and look it up on the chart. Have fun with it. Pick a mode, tune up the bandura and see what comes out when you improvise. (hint, sometimes the tonic seems to occur in an unnatural place, and our ear wants to put it elsewhere in the scale - to prevent that from happening, and to get a true ear for the mode, I would suggest that while you play the scale, you drone the tonic on your bass strings. This will reinforce the tonal center of the mode. Alternatively you could play the scale with "picotage" e.g. C D C E C F C G C A C B C c C B C A C G C F C E C D C on the treble strings.) Right now, the table is sorted by mode family. Within families, the modes are grouped with similar modes together, from the lowest tonic to the highest (Ab-G#). If you have a need or a desire to have the modes sorted in some other way, let me know and I'll try to oblige.
Click here for Bandura Modes database This is an HTML file, if you need some other format (like text, MS word, MS Access or whatever) let me know and I'll try to help you out.
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