what EXACTLY is a scale and mode?

i am trying to learn for on theory and all, and all i know about scales are tht its a series of notes, nothing more. but what exactly is a scale? what makes a particular set of notes a scale? i need the basics here, please help? and whats with modes too?

all i know about scales and modes is that the scales sound different, not only because they are on different notes, but because they have different patterns.
for instance...let's say you wanted the phrygian mode, this mode has a different pattern than the mixolydian.
they're called intervals. and the intervals for the phrygian mode are
HWWWHWW (W is whole step, meaning two frets) (H is for half step, meaning one fret)
ok. so the intervals for mixolydian are
WWHWWHW
the patterns are much different.
I hope I helped and didn't confuse you any more than you already were.

so modes are just scales?

Originally Posted by: Hambergso modes are just scales?

Yep- scales with different intervals- so it doesn't spell out the traditional western do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti- (leaving it unresolved like a dick) :D

modes are scales are derived from either different musical traditions (i.e., Asian, etc- but were given Greek names because um... well I think it has to do with Jedi, but that's classified).

Music's evolution from the (correct me here if I'm wrong) melismatic chants of church music shifted from the modal system and toward the tonal do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti- thang we all know and love occurs around the end of the middle ages... but um.. modes can still add a neat texture to any song.

So the tonic stays the same?