(You may want to read the articles about Scales, the Major Scale, or Key Signatures first.)
There are 12 different Major Scales: One with no sharps or flats, 4 with sharps, 4 with flats, and 3 with either sharps or flats depending upon enharmonic spelling.
A Mode is a type of scale created by establishing a new tonic within a preexisting scale.
The Modes of the C Major scale:
Notice that the Ionian mode is the same as the Major scale. The Aeolian mode is also the same as the Natural minor scale. The Locrian mode is used less often because it has a diminished fifth instead of a perfect fifth for its fifth scale degree and therefore has a less stable sound.
Each mode has its own unique sound even though they all have the same notes as their "parent" scale, the Major scale.
A Major Scale is a scale that has the following pattern of whole-steps (W) and half-steps (H):
Learn about more Scales
All 12 Major Scales
Scales are collections of notes arranged in patterns of half-steps, whole-steps, or other intervals. Composers and improvisers use scales as pitch resources in their music. They choose specific scales and choose notes from those scales to form melodies and harmonies in their music.
An example of a scale is a Major Scale. A major scale has the following arrangement of half-steps (H) and whole-steps (W):
