Really Learn Guitar - Modes Tutorial

Tutorial - The Concept of Modes

There are seven modes. In consecutive order they are known as Major (sometimes referred to as Ionian), dorian, phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, minor (sometimes referred to as aeolian), and locrian. When we write the mode names we like to use the convention of the Major modes starting with a capital letter, and the minor modes starting with a lowercase letter. The guitar course gets into the aspects of Major and minor in great detail.

Modes are bewildering to most players when they are learning to play guitar. Nevertheless, they don't have to be. In a nutshell, in any particular key, each particular mode is nothing more than the key's major scale started on a different scale degree.

For example, in the key of C Major, the seven notes (or tones, which are also called scale degrees) plus the Octave are C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and C again (the Octave). If you play the scale starting from C and ending on C, you are playing what is known as the Major (or Ionian) mode.

If we stay in the key of C Major, and now play the scale starting from D and ending on D, we are playing what's known as the dorian mode. This scale consists of all the same notes of the C Major scale, but instead of starting on C and ending on C, we started on D and ended on D. This is really a different scale than the scale of C Major because it starts on a different scale degree and thus its whole-step/half-step pattern is different than that of C Major and other Major scales/modes.

As you might imagine, there is a lot more to modes than just this. The course delves into a more extensive coverage of modes. You will learn how they are used, and how they are not merely just a group of the same notes with a different name. It will take some work but the understanding of modes will greatly enhance your playing and your creative endeavors; learning them will definitely be beneficial to you.

Please refer to the Major Scales Tutorial for a further explanation.