Guitar Modes - Introduction - The Ionian mode

Introduction To Modes And Modal Theory

Modal theory is something that helps us understand how scales work. It helps us understand the relationship between scales and how they work together as one to achieve the goal. The reason they are called "modes" is they are not actually completely different scales, but rather different "modes" of the same scale. If this is confusing, do not be concerned, just read on and it will be explained.

To start, the names of the modes must be learned and memorized. I know, memorizing things is not everyone's favorite thing to do and I do try to keep those things to a minimum, but this is essential and must be memorized.

We will start with the major scale, which is also called "IONIAN". This will be the first mode we learn. The ionian mode (or major scale) is a seven note scale, and therefore has seven modes. The names of these seven modes MUST be memorized and they must be memorized IN ORDER.

They are (in order):

•  Ionian (i-o-nee-in)

•  Dorian (door-e-in)

•  Phrygian (fridge-e-in)

•  Lydian (lid-e-in)

•  Mixolydian (mix-o-lid-e-in)

•  Aeolian (a-o-lee-in)

•  Locrian (lo-cree-in)

It helps to just say them over and over to yourself until you remember them. Don't forget that they have to be remembered in the proper order. Once you have these seven mode names memorized in the proper order then you can move on to the "key construction" lesson.

Learning The Ionian Mode (major scale)

In this music theory guitar lesson we will start to learn about the standard modes, including the ionian modal scale which is commonly called the major scale. These are the seven note scales that we learned and memorized the names of in a previous lesson. If you have not already completed the lessons preceding this one, you should do so before going into this lesson.

First, we will learn the mode called "ionian" in music theory. This scale is very widely known as the "major scale". Most people already know a mode and they don't even know it, but if you have ever been taught or have heard the "do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do" scale that they teach in most grade schools, then you have a head start.

The "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do" thing that you have probably heard in the past is actually the ionian mode. Notice it is a seven note scale, and if you are familiar with it, that it has a certain sound. This is a "major" scale and has the "major" sound. Very bright, happy, upbeat, sweet sounding, just the kind of scale you would want to use to write a pretty love song or a children's song. If that's not what you want to write, keep reading because this must be learned just the same.

Now, lets find out where this ionian mode comes from. You do remember your twelve steps of key construction right ? We can find the major scale (ionian mode) simply by using all of the "major intervals". This means that for whatever key we are in, if we use the root, major 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th, major 7th and then root again, we will get the ionian mode (the major scale). I will show a diagram here to show you.

Finding The Ionian Mode Using Key Construction:

Key Construction

1. Root

2. Minor 2nd

3. Major 2nd

4. Minor 3rd

5. Major 3rd

6. Perfect 4th

7. Diminished 5th

8. Perfect 5th

9. Minor 6th

10. Major 6th

11. Minor 7th

12. Major 7th

1. Root (octave)

Major Intervals

Root

Major 2nd

Major 3rd

Perfect 4th

Perfect 5th

Major 6th

Major 7th

Root

Ionian Mode

DO

RE

MI

FA

SO

LA

TI

DO

Notice that this shows us a pattern of intervals to arrive at the major scale or ionian mode. From the root to the major second was a "whole-step". Then we made another whole step to get to the major 3rd. But, from the major 3rd to the perfect 4th there was only a "half-step". If you follow this pattern you will see that to get the ionian scale or mode in any key, you would just apply the proper order of whole and half steps.

The order of intervals (steps) go like this:

Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half

*note : this is very important and must be learned

If you start on ANY note and move forward following this pattern of intervals, you will find the "ionian mode" (or the major scale) in your chosen key (the note you started on).

Finding The Ionian Mode (major scale part 2)

Now we are going to learn how to find the ionian mode in any key we choose. If you did not complete the previous lesson then turn around and go there. This one will not do you any good unless you have already learned and memorized the previous lesson.

The first thing we will need to do is to choose a key for our scale. For simplicity in the first example we will use the key of A. So we are going to go ahead and write down all of the chromatics in the key of A. This means we will write out all 12 notes starting with A all the way to the next A.

A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A

Now that we have our chromatics in the key of A, we will extract all of the major intervals from "key construction".

Finding The Ionian Mode Using Key Construction:

Chromatics

1. A

2. A#

3. B

4. C

5. C#

6. D

7. D#

8. E

9. F

10. F#

11. G

12. G#

1. A (octave)

Major Intervals

Root

Major 2nd

Major 3rd

Perfect 4th

Perfect 5th

Major 6th

Major 7th

Root

Ionian (key of A)

A

B

C#

D

E

F#

G#

A

What we did here was to use all of the major intervals from key construction and applied them to an actual set of chromatics (key of A in this case). We could have used the chromatics in any key and this would still work the same. If our chromatics started with F and went to the next F at octave, the same intervals would have given us all the right notes for F ionian (major).

Again, since these are the steps key construction tells us we have to use to arrive at all the major intervals, we found this scale using this interval formula:

Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half

So by simply taking the chromatics in any key you choose and applying the W,W,H,W,W,W,H intervals you can find the major scale in any key. I would like you to try some on your own now and see how you do. I will give you the answers to a couple of them so that you can check your work. If you get both of these two correct on your own then your are doing it correctly and should be able to find all 12 without trouble.

F# Ionian: F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, F, F#

C Ionian: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Once you have figured all this out we can go on to learning about the other modes. Make sure that you understand this and can find the scale successfully in any key. Check yourself by comparing your answers to the two I have posted above. Since there are only twelve different notes in all, there are only 12 possible ionian scales you could find. You should have no problem finding all of them using this technique.

If finding the mode is still a problem I will put up a scale diagram in the next lesson.

Hope I didn’t bore you guys to death with the guitar theory. It will be useful. Trust me. Btw sorry for taking so long to post another lesson.

Visal.