Modes

[Tim Plains]

Anybody here not understand modes and would like to? Here it is simplified.

 

The major scale is made up of this pattern. W W H W W W H...memorize it.

W - whole step. Move up or down 2 frets.

H - half step Move up or down 1 fret.

 

The C major scale is the best to use as an example because there are no sharps or flats in the scale.

Play the W W H W W W H pattern starting on the note C. You will play the following notes: C D E F G A B C.

The major scale is also known as Ionian. Now, if you start on the second note of this pattern and play a complete octave, you play Dorion: D E F G A B C D.

 

Here's a visual aid I made up a while ago and helped me out tremendously.

The black circles are whole steps, the gray circles are half steps.

 

Looking at Locrian for example, I know that it starts on B...right?

So, play the note B, then it's H W W H W W W.

 

 

Was this helpful?

[davidblair]

This is a great discussion. Thanks for sharing your chart of the intervals. Interesting how the diagonal line of half steps is formed vertically. If your chart showed more octaves the diagonal lines would continue?

While I understand the concept of starting on the note, or "mode", and also how to make a chord from that note/root, studying the scales still leaves me wondering how to apply them to music. Especially playing in a minor key, even more confusing to me is deciphering harmonic, melodic, or natural minor.

So I started thinking...

L I M D A P L. Now the modes are arranged according to the number of flats.

Lydian is first, with no flats, it uses a sharped 4th.

Ionian, no sharps or flats.

Mixolydian, flat 7

Dorian, flat 7, 3

Aeolian, flatted 7, 3, 6.

Phrygian, flatted 7, 3, 6, 2.

Locrian, flatted 7, 3, 6, 2, 5.

 

Note the pattern of how the flatted notes progress from only 7, then 7 and 3, etc. Each new number alternating from the middle and fitting in in front of the last one.

7 3, then six in front of seven, 2 in front of 3, and finally 5 in front of 6.

So knowing then which chord number of the chosen song scale and how many flats correspond I have discovered my own short cut. If playing for instance a Dorian chord (2 flats) one can then simply play the Ionian mode of the key 2 hours counterclockwise on the circle of fifths-using either the major or relative minor. Choosing to start on the appropriate harmony note helps.

I think then that when playing minor chords the system can move clockwise around the circle. More later.