Introduction to Modes

Description

Hello again. Today I'm going to talk about modes. Modes in the major scale that is.

Modes arent that hard of a concept to grasp. Basically, there just major scales played in a different order. There are modes for the minor scales, but I'll keep it simple here.

Modes are used in many different types of music, like jazz and classical. There are 7 major scale modes, one for each note, or degree, of the major scale. There names, in order from the first degree of the scale to the last; Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolidian, Aeolian and Locrian.


I said modes are really just the notes of the major scale played in a different order. Let me show you. If I start on C and play a major scale, I get the C major scale. This scale is also called the C Ionian scale. If I were to start on D, but play the notes in a C major scale up to the next octave of D (D E F G A B C D) I'd be playing the D Dorian scale. Starting to see how this works? Cool, not that hard is it?

In this chart are all the modes, the notes within them, and their names in the key of C, so you can study them.


Ionian(major)---------------C D E F G A B C----C Ionian (C major)
Dorian-----------------------D E F G A B C D----D Dorian
Phrygian---------------------E F G A B C D E----E phrygian
Lydian-----------------------F G A B C D E F----F Lydian
Mixolydian-------------------G A B C D E F G----G Mixolydian
Aeolian(natural minor)-----A B C D E F G A----A Aeolian (A minor)
Locrian----------------------B C D E F G A B----B Locrian

Okay, here's a little theory. You'll notice that beside ionian and aeolian there are major and minor. I said that the ionian mode is the same as the major scale. The aeolian mode is also the same as the natural minor scale. Now you'll also notice that C major and A minor are sharing the same number of sharps and flats, or key. They are relative to each other. In other words, the relative minor key of C major is A minor. So, if you look at a peice of music and see no sharps and flats in the key signature, how do you tell if its C major or A minor? If its C major, the first or last note or chord of the song will probably be C major. If its in A minor, the song will probably begin or end with A or an Am chord. If you dont read music and pick stuff out by ear a lot, you can usually tell if a song is minor if it sounds dark, sad or evil. If its major, it sounds happy and cheerful. Remember that songs can MODULATE to different keys within the song.

Thats all for now. Next time I'll talk about relative and parallel modes. By for now.