🎵 Sponsored by Hooktheory
✨ magic searc
☾
☼
7 Modes of the Major Scale: Notes
& Formulas for Modal Scales
👋 I need your help (I really do)
🤹♂️ An easy reference for the scales in the 7 modes of
the major scale: Ionian (major), Dorian, Phrygian,
Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (minor) and Locrian. You'll
notice that they are organized by fifths, as with the
circle of fifths, to help visualize the relationship
between keys.
You might like this chart that illustrates the mode
relationships to the major scale.
↑
Ionian Mode
1-2-3-4-5-6-7
The ionian mode is the same as the major scale. In other
words, it's the major scale, unmodified.
I ii iii IV V vi vii° I
C D E F G A B C
G A B C D E F♯ G
D E F♯ G A B C♯ D
A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A
E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E
B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯
D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭
I ii iii IV V vi vii° I
A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A♭
E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭
B♭ C D E♭ F G A B♭
F G A B♭ C D E F
→ FULL IONIAN MODE REFERENCE
Dorian Mode
1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7
minor sounding; Smooth/Jazzy
From the major scale, the dorian mode is created by
flattening the 3rd and flattening the 7th. Or, just like the
natural minor scale, but with a raised 6th scale degree.
i ii III IV v vi° VII i
C D E♭ F G A B♭ C
G A B♭ C D E F G
D E F G A B C D
i ii III IV v vi° VII i
A B C D E F♯ G A
E F♯ G A B C♯ D E
B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A B
F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E F♯
D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭
A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭
E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭
B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭
F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭ F
→ FULL DORIAN MODE REFERENCE
Phrygian Mode
1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7
minor sounding; Eastern/Spanish/Latin
From the major scale, the phrygian mode is created by
flattening the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th. Or, just like the natural
minor scale, but with a flattening 2nd scale degree.
i II III iv v° VI vii i
C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C
G A♭ B♭ C D E♭ F G
D E♭ F G A B♭ C D
A B♭ C D E F G A
E F G A B C D E
B C D E F♯ G A B
F♯ G A B C♯ D E F♯
D♭ E♭♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭♭ C♭ D♭
A♭ B♭♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭
E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭
B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭
F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F
→ FULL PHRYGIAN MODE REFERENCE
Lydian Mode
1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - 7
major sounding; Dreamy/Ethereal
From the major scale, the lydian mode is created by
raising the 4th scale degree.
I II iii iv° V vi vii I
C D E F♯ G A B C
G A B C♯ D E F♯ G
D E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D
A B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A
E F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E
B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B
F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯ C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯
D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D♭
A♭ B♭ C D E♭ F G A♭
E♭ F G A B♭ C D E♭
B♭ C D E F G A B♭
I II iii iv° V vi vii I
F G A B C D E F
→ FULL LYDIAN MODE REFERENCE
Mixolydian Mode
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7
major sounding; Smooth/Bluesy
From the major scale, the mixolydian mode is created
by flattening the 7th scale degree.
I ii iii° IV v vi VII I
C D E F G A B♭ C
G A B C D E F G
D E F♯ G A B C D
A B C♯ D E F♯ G A
E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D E
B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B
I ii iii° IV v vi VII I
F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E F♯
D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭
A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭
E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭
B♭ C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭
F G A B♭ C D E♭ F
→ FULL MIXOLYDIAN MODE REFERENCE
Aeolian Mode
1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7 minor sounding; Sad
The aeolian mode is the same as the natural minor
scale. It's obtained from the major scale by flattening
the 3rd, 6th and 7th scale degrees.
i ii° III iv v VI VII i
C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C
G A B♭ C D E♭ F G
i ii° III iv v VI VII i
D E F G A B♭ C D
A B C D E F G A
E F♯ G A B C D E
B C♯ D E F♯ G A B
F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D E F♯
C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B C♯
G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯
D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯
B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭
F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F
→ FULL AEOLIAN MODE REFERENCE
Locrian Mode
1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7
diminished sounding; Unresolved/Strange
From the major scale, the locrian mode is created by
flattening the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th scale degrees.
Or, starting from the minor scale, the locrian is obtained
by flattening the 2nd and 5th scale degrees.
i° II iii iv V VI vii i°
C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C
G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G
D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D
A B♭ C D E♭ F G A
E F G A B♭ C D E
B C D E F G A B
F♯ G A B C D E F♯
D♭ E♭♭ F♭ G♭ A♭♭ B♭♭ C♭ D♭
A♭ B♭♭ C♭ D♭ E♭♭ F♭ G♭ A♭
E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭♭ C♭ D♭ E♭
B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭
F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F
→ FULL LOCRIAN MODE REFERENCE
