As we know, there are 7 musical modes. Here we’ll look at how they translate as guitar modes, starting with the three major modes.
Each of these modes, major or minor, have certain notes that provide the notable difference between each, setting them apart from the major scale. If we stick with the major modes for example, the fourth mode’s fourth degree is raised a semi-tone above the first mode’s fourth degree. In the fifth mode’s case, we lower the seventh degree of the scale by a semi-tone.
Break down the guitar modes
The easiest way to think of modes as ‘scales within a scale’. Think of it as the same group of notes, with a different tonic each time. If we work with C Major, the three modes in major would follow this pattern;
| Mode | Tonic | Notes | Intervals |
| Ionian | C | C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C | T – T – ST – T – T – T – ST |
| Lydian | F | F – G – A – B – C – D – E – F | T – T – T – ST – T – T – ST |
| Mixolydian | G | G – A – B – C – D – E – F – G | T – T – ST – T – T – ST – T |
You’ll notice that although the notes are the same, the intervals shift around depending on where you start. If you change G Mixolydian to G Ionian, then the notes become a different variation of what you see above.
Ionian
The formula here is – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. No sharps, no flats. To apply this scale in your playing or songwriting, look to use it over other major chords in a progression. You’ve more than likely learned this scale already as it’s more commonly known as the major scale. The vibe this mode gives off is that of happy and complete.
Lydian
The only difference between this mode and the major scale, is the sharpened 4th note. A mode that conveys an aloof or dreamy feel. If you were to play the notes of the C major scale but start on it’s fourth degree, F, you get this mode in F. This establishes this scale as the fourth mode or second major mode. It can be found all across popular music and you’ve not doubt heard it before! The Simpsons Theme in fact uses that augmented fourth as it opens.
Mixolydian
Now we’re on to the fifth mode and third major mode. It can be heard in a variety of genres from pop, to jazz, blues to rock. It has quite a distinctive bluesy and funky vibe. Defined by flattening the seventh degree of the major scale, it has a strong relationship with dominant seventh chords, what with it being the fifth mode. Great as an applied scale over dominant chords. In the key of C major, your dominant scale would be G.
Applying the modes in your playing
Start by learning the individual shapes for each (want to know the other ones? Get in touch and I’ll show you how!), thinking of them as shapes as oppose to scales to begin with.
Wanna solo with them? Find backing tracks that use the first, fourth and fifth chords in any diatonic scale chords in any order and start by running the corresponding scales over each chord.
So if you were playing in A major for example, you’d have;
A Ionian
D Lydian
E Mixolydian
Listen out for the distinctive difference between each scale and how they colour the progression.
Wanna write a chord progression? So that you can really hear the modal differences between chords, try to make sure you start with either the fourth or fifth modes, embedding one of these as your root chords.
Sticking with A, you could set your I chord as E7 or E, clearly setting that start of the progression.
Moving on from major
In the following weeks, we’ll dive into the minor modes and then how you can string these all together. The idea is eventually be able to effectively deploy choice modal runs, and possibly mix them up with other types of scale such as pentatonics, melodic minor and so on.
For a quick breakdown of the individual modes, you can check one of my older posts here!