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 build
all 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 very
naturally.

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 is
not a part of the scale of the piece as well.

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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 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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Here's an example of how you could improvise with the mode.

Esus4b9 is the suspension chord to the fifth degree of A minor harmonic.

The sus chord solves naturally to a dominant chord (E7(b9) would be perfect for that).
When we play the tonic we'll use the minor mode. However, since G# sharp is present in the
chord we'll be using the major mode to improvise on the second part of this chord progression.

Since these chords are common in Jazz music I wrote this example as if it was played in a jazz
combo. The bass could be played by a bass guitar or a contrabass. The chords should be played
with the left hand and the melodic line with the right hand.

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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 Step

How 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're
on
the
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 line 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 are
written 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.

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