Originally Posted by: light487May be I explained that badly in my excitement..

C Ionian, D Dorian, E Phyrigian, F Lydian, G Mixolidian, A Aeolian, B Locrian (forgive spelling mistakes).. all share the same notes of the C Major Scale. To play F Lydian, I take all the same notes and order of the C Major scale and play it with the F as the start.. so.. F G A B C D E and back to F again. There are no sharps or flats in the C Major scale.

Now let's look at it like this: E Ionian, E Dorian, E Phrygian, E Lydian, E Mixolidian, E Aeolian, E Locrian. Each mode here is based on a different major scale. E Ionian is the E Major scale starting on the E. E Dorian is all the notes of the D Major scale starting from the 2nd note or E.

E Ionian Mode (E Major Scale)
E F# G# A B C# D#

E Dorian (D Major Scale)
E F# G A B C# D

E Phrygian (C Major Scale)
E F G A B C D

and so on..

(EDIT: Just to clarify a little further.. the E Dorian in relation to the key of E is I-II-iii-IV-V-VI-VII.. so it's an E Major scale with a minor 3rd)

now.. play all these through while you have a E bass note sounding as a guide, so that the relative major scale doesn't confuse you.

Did that make more sense that time?

Sorry light, maybe it was my fault in not explaining the theory clearly.
Maybe I can help better if you could explain how you arrived with the relation between E Dorian and the Key of E, to start from.
Let me know if I can help.