Modes (Wikipedia)

For the complete article, see Modes

Analysis[edit]

Each mode has characteristic intervals and chords that give it its distinctive sound. The following is an analysis of each of the seven modern modes. The examples are provided in a key signature with no sharps or flats (scales composed of natural notes).

Ionian (I)[edit]

Ionian mode on C  Play (help·info)

Ionian may arbitrarily be designated the first mode. It is the modern major scale. The example composed of natural notes begins on C, and is also known as the C-major scale:

Natural notes	C	D	E	F	G	A	B	C
Interval from C	P1	M2	M3	P4	P5	M6	M7	P8

• Tonic triad: C
• Tonic seventh chord: CM7
• Dominant triad: G (in modern tonal thinking, the fifth or dominant scale degree, which in this case is G, is the next-most important chord root after the tonic)
• Seventh chord on the dominant: G7 (a "dominant 7th" chord type, so-called because of its position in this—and only this—modal scale)
• The major-minor 7th chord ("dominant 7th" type chord) occurs on V, the one mode where the major-minor 7th is actually a dominant 7th chord.

Dorian (II)[edit]

Dorian mode on D  Play (help·info)

Dorian is the second mode. The example composed of natural notes begins on D:

Natural notes	D	E	F	G	A	B	C	D
Interval from D	P1	M2	m3	P4	P5	M6	m7	P8

The Dorian mode is very similar to the modern natural minor scale (see Aeolian mode below). The only difference with respect to the natural minor scale is in the sixth scale degree, which is a major sixth (M6) above the tonic, rather than a minor sixth (m6).

• Tonic triad: Dm
• Tonic seventh chord: Dm7
• Dominant triad: Am
• Seventh chord on the dominant: Am7 (a "minor seventh" chord type).
• The major-minor 7th chord ("dominant 7th" type chord) occurs on IV.

Phrygian (III)[edit]

Phrygian mode on E  Play (help·info)

Phrygian is the third mode. The example composed of natural notes starts on E:

Natural notes	E	F	G	A	B	C	D	E
Interval from E	P1	m2	m3	P4	P5	m6	m7	P8

The Phrygian mode is very similar to the modern natural minor scale (see Aeolian mode below). The only difference with respect to the natural minor scale is in the second scale degree, which is a minor second (m2) above the tonic, rather than a major second (M2).

• Tonic triad: Em
• Tonic seventh chord: Em7
• Dominant triad: Bdim
• Seventh chord on the dominant: Bø, a "half-diminished seventh" chord type.
• The major-minor 7th chord ("dominant 7th" type chord) occurs on III.

Lydian (IV)[edit]

Lydian mode on F  Play (help·info)

Lydian is the fourth mode. The example composed of natural notes starts on F:

Natural notes	F	G	A	B	C	D	E	F
Interval from F	P1	M2	M3	A4	P5	M6	M7	P8

The single tone that differentiates this scale from the major scale (Ionian mode), is its fourth degree, which is an augmented fourth (A4) above the tonic (F), rather than a perfect fourth (P4).

• Tonic triad: F
• Tonic seventh chord: FM7
• Dominant triad: C
• Seventh chord on the dominant: CM7, a "major-seventh" chord type.
• The major-minor 7th chord ("dominant 7th" type chord) occurs on II.

Mixolydian (V)[edit]

Mixolydian mode on G  Play (help·info)

Mixolydian is the fifth mode. The example composed of natural notes begins on G:

Natural notes	G	A	B	C	D	E	F	G
Interval from G	P1	M2	M3	P4	P5	M6	m7	P8

The single tone that differentiates this scale from the major scale (Ionian mode), is its seventh degree, which is a minor seventh (m7) above the tonic (G), rather than a major seventh (M7).

• Tonic triad: G
• Tonic seventh chord: G7 (the "dominant-seventh" chord type in this mode is the seventh chord built on the tonic degree)
• Dominant triad: Dm
• Seventh chord on the dominant: Dm7, a "minor-seventh" chord type.
• The major-minor 7th chord ("dominant 7th" type chord) occurs on I.

Aeolian (VI)[edit]

Aeolian mode on A  Play (help·info)

Aeolian is the sixth mode. It is also called the natural minor scale. The example composed of natural notes begins on A, and is also known as the A-minor scale:

Natural notes	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	A
Interval from A	P1	M2	m3	P4	P5	m6	m7	P8

• Tonic triad: Am
• Tonic seventh chord: Am7
• Dominant triad: Em
• Seventh chord on the dominant: Em7, a "minor-seventh" chord type.
• The major-minor 7th chord ("dominant 7th" type chord) occurs on VII.

Locrian (VII)[edit]

Locrian mode on B  Play (help·info)

Locrian is the seventh and final mode. The example composed of natural notes begins on B:

Natural notes	B	C	D	E	F	G	A	B
Interval from B	P1	m2	m3	P4	d5	m6	m7	P8

The distinctive scale degree here is the diminished fifth (d5). This makes the tonic triad diminished, so this mode is the only one in which the chords built on the tonic and dominant scale degrees have their roots separated by a diminished, rather than perfect, fifth. Similarly the tonic seventh chord is half-diminished.

• Tonic triad: Bdim or B°
• Tonic seventh chord: Bm7♭5 or Bø
• Dominant triad: FM
• Seventh chord on the dominant: FM7, a major-seventh chord type.
• The major-minor 7th chord ("dominant 7th" type chord) occurs on VI.

Summary[edit]

The modes can be arranged in the following sequence, which follows the circle of fifths. In this sequence, each mode has one more lowered interval relative to the tonic than the mode preceding it. Thus taking Lydian as reference, Ionian (major) has a lowered fourth; Mixolydian, a lowered fourth and seventh; Dorian, a lowered fourth, seventh, and third; Aeolian (Natural Minor), a lowered fourth, seventh, third, and sixth; Phrygian, a lowered fourth, seventh, third, sixth, and second; and Locrian, a lowered fourth, seventh, third, sixth, second, and fifth. Put another way, the augmented fourth of the Lydian scale has been reduced to a perfect fourth in Ionian, the major seventh in Ionian, to a minor seventh in Mixolydian, etc.