Modes
Play the notes of C major but start and end on another note, and you get a mode. Each has its own colour.
| Degree | Mode | Compared with ... |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ionian | major scale |
| 2 | Dorian | natural minor with raised 6th |
| 3 | Phrygian | natural minor with lowered 2nd (Spanish, flamenco sound) |
| 4 | Lydian | major with raised 4th |
| 5 | Mixolydian | major with lowered 7th |
| 6 | Aeolian | natural minor |
| 7 | Locrian | unstable; lowered 2nd and 5th |
Example
D Dorian uses only white keys: D E F G A B C. G Mixolydian: G A B C D E F.
Tip
Learn a mode by its one characteristic note: Dorian's raised 6th, Lydian's raised 4th, Mixolydian's lowered 7th.