Modes Do They Really Exist?

Do modes really exist?

There’s Nessy, Bigfoot, & U.F.O’s and then there’s MODES. Seriously though, Modes is one of the greatest mysterious of the music world, epscially for guitarist. So lets take a closer look at the question, Do modes even exist? Then I’ll let you come to your own conclusion.

The 7 Modes of the MAJOR Scale always occur in this order.

  1. Ionian
  2. Dorian
  3. Phygrian
  4. Lydian
  5. Mixolydian
  6. Aeolian
  7. Locrian

Two of these modes are used all the time but are not usually referred to as a model at all.

They are mode 1 (Ionian) and mode 6 (Aeolian)

Ionian is just another name for the Major scale itself (C Major Scale.) The C Major scale contains these 7 notes.

CDEFGAB

As you can see the C Major scale (Ionian) and the A minor scale (Aeolian) both contain the exact same notes. This means both scales can be played with the exact same fingering. Are you starting to catch on? is Aeolian really a different scale than Ionian? (I smell a conspiracy theory!)

It’s not really a different “mode” at all because they contain the exact same notes! So why do they sound different? It’s because when you play the notes in the ionian scale order CDEFGAB you will hear the whole step-whole step sound.

Anytime you hear 2 whole steps in a row your ear hears that as a Major sound (On the guitar a wholestep is 2 frets. the intervals in the Major scale are WWH(W)WH.)

When you play the same 7 notes starting on the 6th note (Aeolian) you hear a wholestep-Halfstep sound. Anytime you hear wholestrep – Half step your ear hears this as a minor scale.

Things to remember so far:

Ionian in the key of C major contains these 7 notes CDEFGAB
Aeolian in the key of Cmajor is called a minor and contains these 7 notes ABCDEFG.

Both scales are played with the exact same fingering. Both modes can be thought of as just THE MAJOR SCALE. (Yes, mind blowing, I know). See the simplicity of thinking of both the Ionian and Aeolian scale as the simple C Major Scale! All of the other modes are derived by playing the Major Scale starting on different degrees like this.

What really makes one mode sound different from another? Let’s see…

C D E F G A B = C Ionian or Cmajor
D E F G A B C = D Dorian
E F G A B C D = E Phrygian
F G A B C D E = F lydian
G A B C D E F = G Mixolydian
A B C D E F G = A Aeolian or a minor
B C D E F G A= B Locrian

Its the chords you play them over that determines the mode, this is called model progressions. To me modes are just different colors of the plain old Major Scale and are not actually separate scales or fingerings. This is such a simple yet revolutionary concept, that most people miss it completely.

The simple fact is, modes do not really exist! (Don’t tell that to your guitar teacher though, he might think you’re crazy too!)