Musical mode – the scale pattern that defines the song's melodic character
88% of Beatles songs sit in a major key; the remaining 12% in minor (or modal). The split barely moves year to year.
| # | Value | Songs | % of total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ionian Standard major scale – the default 'happy' mode | 186 | 62.6% |
| 2 | Mixolydian Major with flat 7th – bluesy, rock feel (Norwegian Wood, A Hard Day's Night) | 48 | 16.2% |
| 3 | Aeolian Natural minor – dark, melancholic (While My Guitar Gently Weeps) | 30 | 10.1% |
| 4 | Lydian Major with raised 4th – dreamy, floating, otherworldly | 16 | 5.4% |
| 5 | Dorian Minor with raised 6th – jazzy, bittersweet quality (Eleanor Rigby) | 14 | 4.7% |
| 6 | Phrygian Minor with flat 2nd – dark, Spanish/flamenco flavor | 2 | 0.7% |
| 7 | Locrian Diminished – extremely rare, unstable and dissonant | 1 | 0.3% |
Book
The Beatles: Complete Scores
Hal Leonard
Sheet music
Musicnotes – Beatles Piano/Vocal/Guitar
Musicnotes
Book
All the Songs
Margotin & Guesdon
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