Between the Licks

Modes aren't complicated at all. In fact, they are simple.

Pop-up instructional video to the left.

A mode is basically a major scale that starts on an interval other than the root. They are commonly used by jazz players to improvise over a chord progression. Commonly, when the chord changes, the mode changes. While this isn't the only approach for jazz improvisation, it is a common one.

I highly recommend read out my Three Vital Musical Concepts lessons first if you don't know your major scale pattern and the use of intervals.

Simply put

There are seven modes. The Ionian mode is the major scale.

1. Ionian (major)
   
2. Dorian
3. Phrygian
4. Lydian
5. Mixolydian
6. Aeolian
7. Locrian

To illustrate the simplicity of modes, here are the seven modes that only use the notes in a C major scale: C D E F G A B.

• C ionian is the C major scale starting on C. The notes are C D E F G A B.
• D dorian is the C major scale starting on D. The notes are D E F G A B C.
• E phrygian is the C major scale starting on E. The notes are E F G A B C D.
• F lydian is the C major scale starting on F. The notes are F G A B C D E.
• G mixolydian is the C major scale starting on G. The notes are G A B C D E F.
• A aeolian is the C major scale starting on A. The notes are A B C D E F G.
• B locian is the C major scale starting on B. The notes are B C D E F G A.

 Simplifying modes that much is cheating a little bit, but you should be able to understand the concept.

Why modes are great

These seven modes enable musicians to use the major scale pattern over pretty much any chord shape. Because guitar is a transposing instrument, that means one generic pattern for any situation by simply moving up and down the fretboard.

The best part is, you already know the only pattern you need. Treat the tab below as a representation of the fretboard and a full C major scale:

You can take this entire pattern and slide it anywhere and it would the transposed pattern.

Digging a bit deeper

So lets discuss what modes really do when you get down to the dirt. It's a little more complicated but fear not, I'll be brief.

Below are the intervals for each of the modes. This will tell you what notes make up each mode relative to the major scale.

1. Ionian (major): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
   
2. Dorian: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7
3. Phrygian: 1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7
4. Lydian: 1, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6, 7
5. Mixolydian: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7
6. Aeolian: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7
7. Locrian: 1, b2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7

That's just some of the basic theory behind it. If you don't understand the above, don't worry. At least you've been exposed to modes.

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