MELODY- A succession or arrangement of notes forming a distinctive sequence or theme, often repeated or revisited through out the piece. This is the horizontal aspect of music.

SCALE- A pattern of notes, arranged in whole steps and half steps, that span an octave.

MODE- An iteration of a scale where all the notes maintain the same pattern of whole steps and half steps but the starting note is shifted, based on what scale degree you decide to consider the root. The major scale has 7 diatonic scale degrees. Therefore, there are 7 seven diatonic modes that are based on the major scale pattern.

TONIC- The root or foundation of a key or scale. This is scale degree 1. The ultimate directional goal of harmony

FINAL- The root or foundation of a mode. We discern this from a TONIC because it is not always TONICIZED by a LEADING TONE or PERFECT 5th resolution.

PHRYGIAN MODE- This mode consists of scale degrees: 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

1. KEY (MODE)- F PHRYGIAN (5 flats)
2. TIME SIGNATURE- 4/4
3. STARTING NOTE AND DURATION- F natural, 1/4 note

F Phrygian shares the same key signature as Db major but we will still be considering the F note to the first scale degree. This is referred to as the "final" in a mode. So let's notate our meter and key signature, as shown below.

On this first listen, we will focus on the rhythms and the note values. Try and count to your self as you listen. As we do this, we are still taking in the contour and overall impressions. It's a good idea to pencil in the note values above the staff, as seen below, to leave room for your notation on the staff. In this case, we have:

Measure 1= 3 quarter notes, 1 dotted eighth note, 1 sixteenth note.
Measure 2= 2 sixteenth notes, 1 eighth note

On the second listen, let's focus on the contour, the overall movement and shape of the melody. We know it starts on the root (or the final). It leaps up and then walks down in the 1st measure. It moves briely up and immediately back down in the 2nd measure. It might look like this.

Now we want to add notes to these beats. Our given starting note is on the 1st scale degree (F, in F Pyrgian). From our rhythms, we've guessed this to be a 1/4 note. Following the arc, we could leap up from F (final) to C (5th), down to Bb (4th), then to Ab (3rd) and briefly hitting the Gb (2nd) in first measure. Measure 2 begins with 2 sixteenth notes, F and Gb respectively, and finally landing on the final (F).

Use this forth listen to review your work and make sure you didn't miss anything. If you can't immediately identify a note, some educated guesses might get you there. Engage your theory brain as you double check the rhythms, the contour and the cadence. When we overlay the contour from our original impressions on top of the final melody, it appears to be pretty much spot on!

-You don't need to have perfect pitch to learn good aural skills. Rather, you need to sharpen your skills of RELATIVE PITCH.

-Always try to sing DO (scale degree 1) and SOL (scale degree 5) and keep them in your head as you do these exercises.

-We've talked about identifying what note you are on by singing down, or up to the tonic. This works for all notes but it comes a little easier when singing from the 3rd and the 5th. As we get into more complex modes, this may not be as easy.

-Consider addressing the first and last measures first. Then use the following listens to fill in the middle sections.

-Get a kick start on identifying melodies by singing (or humming or whistling) the PHRYGIAN mode and some patterns based on it.