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Ionian Mode (Major Music Scale)

The major music scale is a very common scale and is often interpreted in music as an optimistic

or a happy scale.

Let's take for example the C major scale which is built of these notes : C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C.

This music scale is made out of eight notes which happen to be all white.

C is its root tone.

The distance between C and D is one step/tone(C-C#-D).

The distance between D and E is one step/tone too.

If we keep measuring this is what we get...

As a matter of fact we can now say that the major scale is built out of this formula.

W W h, W W W h

W's represent a whole step and H's represent a half step.

All major scales have the same order of steps and half steps so we can use this formula to buildall twelve major scales. All we have to do is start on the first note and follow the formula.

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Mixolydian Mode

The mode is created by playing the notes of a

major scale starting from the fifth note. Here's an

example of the mode starting from G, based on a

C major scale. Here's the formula of the Mode:

Whole Step - Whole Step - Half Step - Whole Step -

Whole Step - Half Step - Whole Step

How do you improvise with this mode?

Well, the most significant characteristic of the

mode is the lowered seventh. That makes this

mode perfect when played over a dominant chord.

If we take a II-V-I chord progression for example

the mode would be played over the V degree verynaturally.

An important tip: The seventh note of the mode is a lowered.

Since F is a very active note in C major scale attracting us toward E we will solve our melodic

phrase from F to E as we proceed in the chord progression to the tonic. Notice that the fourth

note in the mode could clash with the third note of the dominant chord when it is played over the

beat. I recommend playing it only as a passing note (between the beats).

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Dorian Mode

The mode is created when you take a major chord and you start playing the scale from its

second note.

The result is a minor scale with a major six.

Here's the formula of the Mode:

Whole Step - Half Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Half Step - Whole Step

It's interesting to realize that this scale is symmetric.

How to use the

Dorian Mode?

Let's say we're playing a song in C major. In that song we have a II-V-I chord progression leading

to C major chord.

The second degree of C major is Dm. In this case it would be clever to use the Dorian mode

when improvising on the C major chord rather the a plain D minor scale since we could keep the

same notes of the Mode through the G seventh

chord all the way down to the tonic.

It wouldn't be wise to use a plain Dm chord in

this example since the Bb found in Dm scale isnot a part of the scale of the piece as well.

When you play the mode over the II-V chord

progression it's better to play the B note as a

passing note and not on the Beat.

We'd like to avoid the B note on the beat

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because the next chord is a G major chord. B is the third note of G major and by playing it on the

beat of a D minor chord (or as a matter of fact playing it at all on D minor) would be a shame

since we would release the tension to this note a bar earlier then expected.

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Phrygian Mode

The mode is created by playing the notes of a major scale starting from the third note. Here's an

example of the mode starting from E, based on a C major scale.

Here's the formula of the Mode:Half Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Half Step - Whole Step - Whole Step

How to use the Phrygian Mode?

The mode is very Spanish oriented, or could also called the gypsy scale. You'll here it often in

Flamenco music.

Two versions are combined in this music.

The first version is the minor Phrygian mode. The one shown above.

The second one is the major mode. All you have to do is raise the third note from minor to major.

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In this case the major mode could be a minor harmonic scale played from its fifth degree.

The sus4(b9) is a terrific a typical chord deriving from the Phrygian mode.

In the next picture I demonstrate how I created Esus7(b9) from the mode and formed it on the

piano.

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Lydian Mode

The mode is created by playing the notes of a major scale starting from the fourth note. Here's

an example of the mode starting from F, based on a C major scale.

Here's the formula of the Mode:

Whole Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Half Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Half StepHow to use the Lydian mode?

The mode could help us solving the tension created by the clash between the fourth note and the

third note of the scale.

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Let's play C major scale over a C chord for

example. If we'll play the scale starting from C

we'r

e onthe

safe

side

since F is a passing note and therefore does not

clash with the third note of C major (E).

However if we play a melodic line which involves the F on one of the beats of the bar the F note

will sound dissonant since the it will create of a b9 with the E note of the chord.

The way to avoid this and in the same time to give our l ine a jazzy feel is to replace F with F#making it the raised 4th of the scale.

The result would be creating the mode

(Starting from C). The Mode derives

from G major starting from the 4th

note.

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If you desire to play the mode over a

seventh chord (C7 chord for example)

you can simply lower the seventh note

of the mode and create the Lydian

dominant scale.

Here's An example of how the mode is being used when improvising:

Many jazz players and singers like to end up their pieces on the raised 4th.

In the next case I show how Sarah Vaughn ends on F# in the song "Lover Man Where Can You

Be".

She does it so brightly. suggesting the mode instead of a major scale on the last chord.

Compositions in the Mode

The theme for "The Simpsons" is sometimes cited as being in the Lydian mode, and this is

certainly true for the first few bars.

However, later passages in the theme include a minor 7th, along with other notes characteristic

of the Lydian mode, and that thus places those passages in the Lydian Dominant Scale, which is

sometimes thought wrongly to be another mode, or related to the modal system.

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Aeolian Mode (Natural Minor Scales)

The scale is often interpreted as more

melancholic scale in relationship with the major

scale. However some up-tempo pieces arewritten in this sort of scale.

While there is only one sort of major scales

three different variations of the minor ones

exist.

If we start to play a major scale from its sixth

note we get its parallel natural minor one.

(Natural? yeah, I'll explain later...)

So If we take C major for, starting from A (the sixth note)we get the A minor which looks like this.

Let's see what is the order of whole steps and half steps in the scale.

Bottom line, here's what you have to doing order the get the minor mood going. Start on the

first note and follow the formula.

W h, W W h, W W

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Here's a list that will help you to get to know these minor scales better.

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Locrian Mode

The mode is created by playing the notes of a major scale starting from the seventh note.

Here's an example of the mode starting from B, based on a C major scale.

The result is a minor scale with a lowered second and fifth. Here's the formula of the Mode:

Half Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Half Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Whole Step

How to use the Locrian mode When Improvising?

First of all you should remember that

the mode is no a very steady one.

It starts with a half note and contains a

flat fifth.

We'll use the mode when we want to

have lots of color in our improvisation.

From a harmonic point of view we're

going to play the Locrian mode over a

half diminished scale since the chord

hides inside the scale.

We could use the mode when we play

a II-V-I chord progression ending in a

minor chord just like this example

below.