The Basic Theory Of Modes In A Few Hundred Words

I’m hoping to give you the most crystal clear explanation of modes you’ve ever read. However none of this matters if you only see this information in terms of scales….

What I’ll be doing after this section is showing how chords are made from these scales and then put together into chord progressions. 

So…..

A mode can be made from any scale by starting on a note other than the root, the first note of the scale.  

That’s all that a mode is, basically.

Most commonly, we’re referring to the modes of the major scale like dorian (the 2nd mode), phrygian (the 3rd mode), lydian (the 4th mode, seeing the pattern?), mixolydian (5), aeolian (6th or minor), and locrian (7). 

This is what is most often discussed first with modes, using the key of C: 

C major scale = C – D – E – F – G – A – B

D Dorian (starting on D) = D – E – F – G – A – B – C 

E Phrygian (starting on E) = E – F – G – A – B – C – D 

F Lydian (starting on F) = F – G – A – B – C – D – E 

G Mixolydian (start on G) = G – A – B – C – D – E – F 

A Minor/Aeolian (start on A) = A – B – C – D – E – F – G 

B Locrian (start on B) = B – C – D – E – F – G – A 

 

It’s also important that you start seeing the chords made from C major, by stacking thirds: 

C (I) = C – E – G

Dm (ii) = D – F – A 

Em (iii) = E – G – B 

F (IV) = F – A – C 

G (V) = G – B – D 

Am (vi) = A – C – E 

Bm7b5 (vii) = B – D – F – A 

 

Basically, all of this is saying that these 7 scales are the exact same thing and they all can create the exact same 7 chords seen above. 

Every mode of C major will create the same chords as C major, and you’ll be playing C major when playing B Locrian, basically. 

B Locrian = A Minor = G Mixolydian = F Lydian = E Phrygian = D Dorian = C Major

 

Now many people will start naming off the interval differences between the Dorian and Minor scales, for example. There’s an easy way to remember this if you read the next few sentences carefully. 

The Dorian, Phrygian, and Locrian scales are closely related to their parallel minor scales. 

This means D Dorian is almost the same as D minor, except for one note. D to Bb is an interval of a minor 6th, and turns into D-B, a major 6th interval. 

D Minor = D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C 

D Phrygian = D – E – F – G – A – B (major 6th!) – C 

 

E phrygian is almost the same as E minor, except for one note. E-F# is a major 2nd, while E-F is a minor 2nd interval. 

E minor = E – F# – G – A – B – C – D 

E phrygian = E – F (minor 2nd!) – G – A – B – C – D 

 

B Locrian is weird and has two notes of difference from B Minor. B-C is a minor 2nd, while B-F is a diminished 5th. 

B Minor = B – C# (major 2nd) – D – E – F# (B-F# perfect 5th) – G – A 

B Locrian = B – C (minor 2nd) – D – E – F (diminished 5th) – G – A

 

The Lydian and Mixolydian scales are very similar to their parallel major scales, which are F major and G major respectively. F-Bb is changed in F major, while G-F# is changed in G major. 

F Major = F – G – A – Bb (perfect 4th) – C – D – E 

F Lydian = F – G – A – B (raised 4th!) – C – D – E

 

G Major = G – A – B – C – D – E – F# (major 7th!)

G Mixolydian = G – A – B – C – D – E – F (minor 7th!) 

 

Changing any major or minor scale into a mode is about knowing which notes to adjust and where.

You can remember these modes by remembering what scale degrees to adjust by a half or whole step, which is how many remember how to use them as scale licks and patterns. 

For instance, to turn D minor into Dorian, I would take that minor 6th interval I put in parentheses up above, and raise it a half step (Bb => B).

This system repeats in every single harmonic system. For instance, to play the 5th mode of D major, you play the D major scale starting on the A note (the 5th scale degree of D major). 

To play the 7th mode of G Major, you would start on F# instead of G. 

It’s that simple, I hope. 

Modes can be made from any exotic scale, the melodic minor and harmonic minor scales, and literally any other scale. 

The theory is one thing. Making music with these concepts is another issue, and what’s often lost in these discussions. 

To create music with a mode, you must use the notes of the mode’s scale to create chords. This is how a key signature works. 

If you don’t pay attention to the F in G Mixolydian, for example, and start playing chords that belong to G major instead….you won’t be playing in G mixolydian. 

That’s the biggest mistake you all make! 

On another note, when you go “outside” a key, you’re using notes that don’t belong to the key. This is chromaticism. Using an F# in C major for instance is an example of that because F# is not a note in the C major scale you saw up above. 

What many people get mixed up on is when you start talking about remembering the scale patterns, and then using them in a song. 

This is because many of you may not understand intervals, scale construction, or chord construction yet. 

And it’s hard talking about modes without talking about intervals. You saw all the mentions of minor 2nds, major 6ths, raised 4ths, and so on just now. 

But it also helps if you know the notes of every scale and every chord from memory, which is not what I’m going to ask you to do here. 

The only bit of theory I want you to remember throughout this guide…..is the construction of a major scale, and how half steps and whole steps work. 

You can see it right here: 

 

C Major Scale = C (Whole) D (Whole)  E (Half)  F (Whole)  G (Whole) A (Whole) B (Half) C 

Whole Whole Half, Whole Whole Whole Half or…..WWH WWWH. 

 

Use a mnemonic device for this if you want, like World War Ham, World War Woke Ham. I don’t know I’m not good at those…..

If you go back and reread this section a few times, I think you’ll understand more about modes than many ever will.