Originally Posted by: light487Are modes just a complex way of saying: It's this scale but you start on the nth note.

???

No.

"It's this scale but you start on the nth note" is an oversimplifying, confusing way of defining a mode. A mode is, like a scale, an order of steps begun from a root note. When someone says "start the scale on this note and you have 'x' mode," what he really means is "use 'x' note as your ROOT note in this mode and it will contain the same notes (with different positions in the octave) as this corresponding scale." For example, E phrygian, which has a root note of E, contains the notes E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E, an octave with no sharps and flats. The interval (pitch distance) between each note is as follows: 1-2-2-2-1-2-2 (1 represents a half step, or one fret, 2 a whole step, or two frets)

You will notice that E phrygian contains the same notes as A minor, but it is not simply "starting the scale on another note," rather the mode takes on a new tonal center (E).

Also, to Fretspider, it is inadvisable to play an A minor melody over a Cmajor backing, because of the different tonal center. You could play an A minor SCALE PATTERN, but doing so would actually be to play a C major scale pattern. Rather, over a Cmajor backing, it is more advisable (and clever) to play C mixolydian, which would not change the tonal center. If you have any questions, please PM me, do not post them in the thread.