In music theory, modes are scales derived from the major scale by starting and ending on a different degree (note) of that scale. Each mode has its own unique sound, emotional character, and interval structure, even though they use the same set of notes as the parent major scale.
There are 7 traditional modes, each corresponding to one of the 7 notes of the major scale. Here’s a breakdown:
The 7 Modes of the Major Scale
All modes are built from the same sequence of whole steps (W) and half steps (H) as the major scale:
W-W-H-W-W-W-H
But they start on a different note, changing the interval pattern and sound.
How to Remember the Modes
A useful mnemonic for the order of modes is:
"I Don’t Particularly Like Modes A Lot"
(Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian)
Here’s a table summarizing the 7 modes of C Major, including which notes are raised or lowered compared to the C Major (Ionian) scale.
Since all modes of C Major use the same notes (C D E F G A B), the differences come from the starting note and the intervals relative to the tonic. However, to compare them to the major scale structure, we can highlight which scale degrees are altered when treating each mode as its own tonal center.
Modes of C Major: Raised/Lowered Notes
| Mode | Starting Note | Notes | Scale Degrees Relative to Tonic | Raised Notes | Lowered Notes | Characteristic Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ionian | C | C D E F G A B | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | None | None | Bright, major |
| Dorian | D | D E F G A B C | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 | 6th | 3rd, 7th | Minor with a major 6th |
| Phrygian | E | E F G A B C D | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | None | 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th | Dark, exotic |
| Lydian | F | F G A B C D E | 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 | 4th | None | Dreamy, floating |
| Mixolydian | G | G A B C D E F | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 | None | 7th | Bluesy, dominant |
| Aeolian | A | A B C D E F G | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | None | 3rd, 6th, 7th | Natural minor |
| Locrian | B | B C D E F G A | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | None | 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th | Unstable, dissonant |
Key to Understanding the Table
Scale Degrees Relative to Tonic:
- Each mode is treated as its own tonal center (e.g., Dorian starts on D, so D is the "1" or tonic).
- The scale degrees are written relative to this new tonic.
- ♭ = flattened (lowered by a half step).
- # = sharpened (raised by a half step).
Raised/Lowered Notes:
- This column shows which scale degrees differ from the major scale structure (Ionian).
- Example: In D Dorian, the 3rd and 7th are lowered (compared to D Major), but the 6th is raised (compared to D Aeolian).
Why No Raised Notes in Some Modes?
- Modes like Phrygian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian only have lowered notes compared to their major scale counterparts.
- Lydian is the only mode with a raised note (the 4th).