[bonzini]

One small correction: changing just the mode (i.e. keeping the same notes while changing the tonic) is usually called a modal interchange.

Modulation typically changes the notes, which is achieved by changing either the tonic or the mode or both. For example C major to D major is a modulation, but C Ionian (major) to D Dorian is usually called a modal interchange.

Also, to be honest, the last paragraph is very simplistic and makes me wonder if the whole comment didn't come out of ChatGPT.

[rdlw]

Wow, ok. I think I'll take that as a compliment, at least my input looks good at surface level! :)

I'm not super knowledgeable about modal jazz but when I think 'mode', I think 'modal jazz', so I thought that would be good to throw in there as an example of music you can listen to if you want to hear these concepts in action rather than just reading about them.

Thanks for the correction, that's my bad.

edit: I removed the last paragraph, "This process is called modulation, and it is the defining feature of modal jazz.", since your correction explains it better than I could

[bonzini]

What fooled me was going from an entirely correct paragraph to one that... had words that were consistent with the topic but a lot of inaccuracies. I think we can treat it as a reverse Turing test. :) I knew I was probably wrong but it seemed like an interesting observation.

Modes other than major or minor are very common in modern non-jazz music. A lot of minor songs are actually Dorian (not all! a couple examples are Boulevard of Broken Dreams or Wicked Game) or in the case of metal Phrygian. A lot of major pop songs are Mixolydian (all those that sound like Hey Jude, for example Sweet Child O'Mine).

Also Lydian is quite common in soundtracks because it has a very "suspended" feeling (due to the lack of a dominant seventh chord that can resolve to the tonic), for example Yoda's theme and the Back to the Future theme are both Lydian. In the case of Yoda it then goes to major (I don't remember if it's a mode change or a modulation), while BTTF remains Lydian.

David Bennett has videos on YouTube with many examples of songs for each mode.