Modes of the Major Scale

A Mode is a type of scale created by establishing a new tonic within a preexisting scale.

Example:

• The C Major scale has these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B ,C.
• The Tonic in the C Major scale is C.
• If we establish a new tonic on one of the notes other than C, for instance D, we now have a Mode.
• The new mode on D has these notes: D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D.
• This is the Dorian mode.
• New modes may be created the same way on the other notes of the Major scale.

The Modes of the C Major scale:

• Ionian/Major Scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
• Dorian: D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D
• Phrygian: E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E
• Lydian: F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F
• Mixolydian: G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G
• Aeolian/Natural minor scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
• Locrian: B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B

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.

Minor Scales

(You may want to read an introduction to scales first.)

There are three types of Minor Scales: Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor.

Natural Minor

The Natural Minor scale has the following pattern of half-steps (H) and whole-steps (W):

W-H-W-W-H-W-W

Here is a Natural Minor scale starting on F:

Harmonic Minor

The Harmonic Minor scale has the following pattern of half-steps, whole-steps and one augmented second (A2):

W-H-W-W-H-A2-H

Here is a Harmonic Minor scale starting on F:

Melodic Minor

The Melodic Minor scale is different because when we go up the scale we use one pattern and when we go down the scale we use another.

The ascending pattern is: W-H-W-W-W-W-H

The descending pattern is the Natural Minor Scale: W-H-W-W-H-W-W

Here are the ascending and descending patterns for the Melodic Minor scale starting on F:

Learn about more Scales

Sharps, Flats, Naturals, and Enharmonic notes

When a Sharp or Flat is added to a note it raises or lowers the note by a Half-step. For example, if we have the note C and we add a sharp to it the note now becomes C-sharp. If we have the note E and we add a flat to it the note now becomes E-flat.

Here are some examples of sharps and flats on the staff:

Naturals are notes without sharps or flats: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. For example the note D can be called D-natural because it has no sharp or flat.

Here are the natural notes:

Natural notes sometimes have their own symbol attached to them:

Enharmonic notes:

Enharmonic notes are notes that have the same pitch but have different note spellings. For example, F-sharp and G-flat are enharmonic notes, as are C-flat and B-natural.

See how sharps and flats are arranged on a keyboard

Review the staff and the note names