Originally Posted by: axemaster911Come on guy's, were getting into apples verses oranges here. Scales are only different from modes because they do not have a primary root note untill the musician has selected a certain pitch for a focal point.

What? That's simply not true. Scales and modes are simply orders of steps. That's it. The only difference between them is the order of steps, definitely has NOTHING to do with the root note. What do you mean by "primary root note" anyhow? A root note is a root note. A minor and A phrygian have the same root note, A minor and F# Phrygian do not.

in my opinion some of the above comments can cause more confusion, than help further an interest in theroy. There is a vast ocean of aspects to music theroy, but you have to learn to dog paddle before you can do the back stroke.

You do have to learn to dog paddle before you can backstroke, but the dog paddle you're teaching about modes is wrong.