Understanding How Modes Are Used

David Glabais 2020

Introduction
This lesson module focuses on the usage of modes rather than providing an elaborate or lengthy paper on their origin
and history. Much has been written on the historical use of modes and is widely available on the web for those
wishing to research on their own. Rather I would like to provide a brief description of the characteristics of each mode
and how they can be implemented into popular music styles. Some basic knowledge of the major scale and the
musical alphabet will be necessary to understand the explanations of the theoretical structure of modes.

What are Modes?

Modes are 7-note scale structures all derived from the Major scale or 'Ionian Mode'. There are seven modes with each
mode beginning on each note of the scale. We will examine the scale structures and characteristic notes of each mode
as well as their usage in Western music.

What is Important About Modes?

The important thing to learn about modes is that each mode can form a 'key center' with the Ionian mode – or Major
Scale, being the most popular in Western music. In other words, most songs are based on the harmony from the major
scale mode, for which from here we will refer to as the Ionian mode. There are seven modes as the Ionian has seven
notes. Each one of these modes will produce the exact same chords as the Ionian scale’s harmony, just in a different
order. This means we will have a different Tonic chord for each mode, with each mode getting its name from the note
of the Ionian mode it starts on.

What is important here to understand is that each mode forms a key-center that is characteristic of the order of notes.
Though the notes are the same in each mode, the tonality of the modes differ greatly. For instance, some are
major modes, and some are minor, depending on whether the 3rd scale degree is major or minor. It is the 3rd and
only the 3rd interval that dictates whether any scale is major or minor.

Once your ear is familiar with the sound of the structure of each mode, you will be able to identify each mode
when you hear them. If you were listening to a composition based on one of the Ionian scale’s minor modes, the
melody notes from that scale would be heard by your ear as a minor tonality and not a major scale because the scale is
minor in structure. Your ear will not perceive an Ionian mode as the Key-Center in this situation though the
notes are the same in both scales. In other words, you now have a different tonic note from the Ionian mode.

Using modality then, a different Tonic or key center can be created using the same notes. This is referred to as Modal
Tonicization and is extremely common in Rock, Blues, Popular and Classical music, even Country and Folk music and of
course Jazz. We will look at various songs that make use each 'Modal Tonicization'.

We will now look at the characteristics of each mode and the music style or genre they represent. The key of G Ionian
will be used to explore the characteristics of each mode but students will need to be able to apply these concepts and
formulas to every key.

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 Overview of Modes - Key G Major
David Glabais 2020

Ionian Mode
'Ionian' is the mode name for the Major Scale. All mode names are of Greek origin given from the names of
various tribes in the region. There is no musical connection per se to the name of the mode, though we need to look at
the characteristics of each mode's sequence of notes and be able to identify that mode by it's sound. Simply, the
two semitones are shifted from their positions in the Ionian mode. Where these semitones occur, determines the
basic tonality of the scale in whether it's major or minor. Observe that the semitones occur between the B and C
notes and the F# and G notes. Notice where the semitones occur in the minor modes. The minor modes of course have
the minor 3rd interval indicating a semitone in between the root and 3rd.
The Major Scale is the foundational theoretical scale in Western music. The harmony constructed from this scale is
the most widely used in every Western music genre. The Ionian mode is the most important key center in terms
of it's popularity of usage. The position of each chord in the Ionian scale lends itself easily to a variety of musical
progressions that easily resolve to the Tonic chord. The Relative minor scale known as the Aeolian mode, provides the
most flexibility for Popular song writing in minor keys. This is due to the strength of the tonic minor chord in which the
other chords in the scale easily resolve to it. Other modes can be used as key-centers but generally will have a weaker
sense of the tonic-chord.

G Ionian -Mode I
G A B C D E F# G

Tonic Ma2 Ma3 P4 P5 Ma6 Ma7 P8

Dorian Mode - Mode ii

The Dorian mode starts on the 2nd degree of the Ionian mode. This mode is a minor scale as it has a mi3 interval
between the root and the 3rd note of the scale. The other characteristic note of the Dorian mode is the mi7. The
major 6th interval of this scale is a very tense interval against the Amin7 chord. The typical chord sequence where this
scale is recognized as the Tonic scale would be the ii - V progression. In this key then the chords would be Ami7 to D, D7
or D9. This progression can repeat as an entire song form. In that case the A Dorian would be the Tonic key. In other
musical situations, a minor chord may be played as a vamp which is to stay on that one chord for some duration, typically
a lengthy number of bars. Then the Dorian minor scale may be improvised over the top of the chord. You may see the
minor chord move up one semitone for instance with the Dorian mode based on that chord's root improvised
that minor chord. Miles Davis "So What" follows this chord pattern having two unrelated minor 7 chords a semi-
tone apart.

A Dorian

A B C D E F# G A

Tonic ma2 mi3 P4 P5 ma6 mi7 P8

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Phrygian Mode - Mode iii
The Phyrgian Mode is used extensively in Flamenco music. No ce the minor 2nd interval from the Tonic B note, and then
the minor 3rd interval. Scales with a minor 2nd interval are indica ve of Spanish and Arabic music for instance, but
are also indica ve of "Heavy Metal" music. In Metal music though, the Locrian mode with the mi2nd is more
common than the Phyrgian mode. This is due to the b5 in the Locrian mode which is substan ally darker than the
Phrygian mode

B Phrygian

B C D E F# G A B

Tonic mi2 mi3 P4 P5 mi6 mi7 P8

Lydian Mode - Mode IV

Arguably the Lydian mode is the weakest mode as a Tonic or 'key' scale. It's the posi on of the chords constructed on this
scale that make it difficult to make the progressions sound like they really want to resolve on the Lydian Tonic chord.
Much has been wri en on this topic in great detail about this issue of the "impossible tonal center" quoted by David
Temperley, The Cogni on of Basic Musical Structures. The scale itself is a beau ful - and favorite scale choice, to improvise
over major seventh chords but lags behind the other modes as a solid tonic-key center.

C Lydian

C D E F# G A B C

Tonic ma2 ma3 P#4 P5 ma6 ma7 P8

Mixolydian Mode - Mode V

Mode V is the mighty Mixolydian mode. As the Tonic of the key, the Mixolydian mode is an excellent scale
choice in bluesier contexts. That's because the "blues-chords" are Dominant 7th type chords and are derived
from the Mixolydian mode. D7 would be the Tonic chord of the D Mixolydian scale. In a 12 bar blues form, the IV
and V chords are also Dominant seventh chords. Here, one may play a D blues scale or play Mixolydian scales
based on the IV and V chord's roots. Over dominant 7th chords, bass players structure bass lines using the mixolydian
scale rather than the Blues scale which is minor in tonality. Of course many chromatic passing tones are used to create
tension by providing semi-tone lead-ins to the next chord.

D Mixolydian
D E F# G A B C D

Tonic ma2 ma3 P4 P5 ma6 mi7 P8

 Aeolian Mode - Mode vi
The Aeolian mode is the 'Rela ve Minor' scale to the Ionian mode. This mode is easily the most common minor
scale used to compose with in popular music. The posi on of the scale's chords to the tonic chord Ami, lends
itself well to solid chord progressions that will easily resolve back to the tonic chord.

A Aeolian

E F# G A B C D E

Tonic ma2 mi3 P4 P5 mi6 mi7 P8

Locrian Mode - Mode vii

The darkest of all the modes, only the Perfect 4th interval remains as all other notes from their posi ons to the Tonic are
minor intervals. Recall that the Lydian and Ionian modes do not have any minor intervals. They are conversely the
brightest sounding modes respec vely. Next the Mixolydian would be the next brightest having only one minor
interval. Then the Dorian with two minor intervals followed by the Aeolian with three minor intervals then
Phrygian with four. The darkness of the tonality of this mode would sensibly then be a good choice for Metal music.

F# Locrian

F# G A B C D E F#

Tonic mi2 mi3 P4 b5 mi6 mi7 P8

Assignments
The following exercises will challenge you to learn the notes on the fingerboard, as you to learn the modes in all keys. You
will also gain a great sense of the sound of each mode by playing them slowly along each string. Soon you will be able to
identify them all by ear. This drill is not part of a technique exercise per se but rather about learning the notes on your
instrument at a deeper level while internalizing the alphabet spelling of each mode in every key.
Single String Practice:
Using the one-finger-per-fret method, means playing the notes in frets 1, 2, 3, 4 with fingers 1, 2, 3, 4 and the notes in
frets 5, 6, 7, 8 with fingers 1, 2, 3, 4. Notes in frets 9, 10, 11, 12 with fingers 1, 2, 3, 4. Of course this will be consistent on
every string. This way, you will have to focus on the note's name, it's fret and finger number to play it with. This technique
helps to organize the neck in a more practical way with 3 sections of 4 frets to the 12th fret. Maintaining this fingering
method for this type of exercise, helps you to learn all the scales in every key.
Question 1:
Which modes from the key of G are represented on each individual open-string, up one complete octave to the 12th fret?
As an example, playing the notes beginning on the open G string , would give you the G Ionian mode G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G
to the 12th fret. Which other modes in the key of G begin on the remaining open strings on your instrument?
Practice playing these modes ascending and descending.

Notice that if we played this exercise in the key of Bb major which has Bb, and Eb you would not have available the open E-
string to use as part of the exercise. In this case, you would begin on the F - note on the first fret on the E-string.
Which mode of F major would this be? Which modes would be represented on the remaining strings in the key of F?