hey hey.. so I was really confused about modes this morning. I thought may be I had completely misunderstood modes for about 15 minutes. It's because I watched some thing on YouTube by Satch showing all the modes. and then something clicked and I realised there is two ways to think about modes.

#1: The modes of the Major scale.
#2: The modes of a Key.

May be there is a better way to say the 2nd form, I'll explain what I mean. In the first method, which is the usual method of looking at modes.. you have 7 unique starting notes of the same scale of notes. In the second method, you have 7 scales of notes starting with the same root note.

If I played through all the modes of the C Major scale, the first method, then the Dorian mode would actually be called D Dorian.. it's a D Minor scale with a raised 6th (or something).. but it is still just the C Major scale starting on the second note, the D. The next mode, E Phrygian is really like an E minor with a raised something but still just the C Major scale starting on the third note, the E.. so that got me thinking..

If I grab all the same starting notes.. eg. E Ionian, E Dorian, E Phrygian etc.. then I am no longer playing the E Major scale when I play E Phrygian.. I am now playing the C Major scale, starting on the E/third/phrygian note. So if I play an open bottom-E string, then play through each of the modes for E, using the second method of thinking.. I get 7 modes of the Key of E... which are the ones I actually want.. because they are the usable ones.. It makes complete sense now.