Originally Posted by: jimmynitcherCan I just clarify something?

Absolutely. Always!

Consider this, if you play these notes:

a, b, c, d, e, f#, g

Then you are in the key of G major, as in you have a group of notes that form the G major scale starting on the 2nd scale degree. But which mode are you using?

The answer is: You don't know until and unless you identify which one of those notes you are currently labelling the root or 1st degree. It could be anyone of them, but is not necessarily one more than than the others until you pick a frame of reference.

So, until you pick a reference point, A Dorian is G Ionian for all practical purposes. It isn't until you pick a context to place those notes in that you can refer to what you are playing as a specific mode.

So I would say, does the backing track you are playing over emphasize the A as the primary bass note? If so then that part is suggesting A dorian. If the bass note emphasizes or resolves to another note (G for example), then it would be better to think of it as in G ionian.

Consider this group of notes:

c, d, e, f, g, a, b, c

If I played those notes while at the same time a bass player was playing a pattern of 1/8 note c's, then it would sound like I was playing ionian.

But if I played those notes while at the same time a bass player was playing a pattern of 1/8 note e's, then it would sound like I was playing phrygian.

Make sense? Everything depends upon context.

Each mode has a unique sound due to their unique system of intervals. But since they are all integrated with one another, they can also all be thought of as different fretboard patterns of each other, too.