Here's a 'Mode-Study" to prove the point...
I took 6 common melodies, 5 in the key of G, one in the related key of em...
All 1 chords in all major tunes are labeled as "Ionian", all 4 chords are labeled "Lydian", all 5 chords are labeled "Mixolydian"... All 6m chords are labeled "Aeolian"...
There are 3 songs that have 'out-of-key' chords, Sailor's Hornpipe, Happy Birthday and Jingle Bells... Each includes the 1 chord from the Key of A...
Old Joe Clark is always referred to as a 'modal' tune, but it doesn't use any more 'modes', than Jingle Bells, Happy Birthday or Sailor's Hornpipe... And the 3 others songs... Sailor's Hornpipe, Happy Birthday and Jingle Bells are NEVER referred to as 'modal' tunes... interesting, huh?
Lastly, I wanted to include one tune in a related minor key...
The 1 chord in "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is actually the 6 chord in the key of G, so it is labeled "Aeolian"...
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" also has an 'out-of-key' chord, borrowed from it's Major keyed cousin, the key of E major.
Have fun looking at this...
It made me think differently about 'modes'...
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Mode Study on Common Melodies - Tabledit
Mode Study on Common Melodies - MIDI
Mode Study on Common Melodies - PDF
Tom
www.banjotom2.com