PrepGo

AP Music Theory Flashcards: Modes

Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026

Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.

What are the two primary ways one can identify modes in music?
Modes can be identified by listening to performed music or by analyzing notated music.
Card 1 of 10

All Flashcards (10)

What are the two primary ways one can identify modes in music?
Modes can be identified by listening to performed music or by analyzing notated music.
List the seven modes.
The seven modes are Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian.
Term: Aeolian
Aeolian is one of the seven categories of scales known as modes.
Term: Mixolydian
Mixolydian is one of the seven categories of scales known as modes.
What are modes in the context of music theory?
Modes are categories of scales, such as Ionian and Dorian, that are identified in music theory.
How are modes used within musical compositions?
Modes are employed as scales within melodic passages of music.
What is the relationship between scales and modes based on the provided text?
Modes are a specific category of scales used in music.
If a music theorist listens to a recording to identify the specific scale used in a melody, what are they doing?
They are identifying modes in performed music.
Which term describes the group that includes Dorian, Phrygian, and Lydian?
The term is 'modes', which are categories of scales.
Term: Ionian
Ionian is one of the seven categories of scales known as modes.