Major Scale and Modes
The major scale is basically the backbone of Western music, with every other scale literally being defined in relation to it in terms of intervals. The white keys on a piano actually played in succession form the scale C major, since the keys on a piano are centered on the C note. However, if you play those same white keys, but use a different note for the root, you form a mode of the major scale. While it does contain all of the same notes as the C major scale, the actual feeling can change quite drastically depending on what note is used for the root.
When the terms “scale” and “mode” get used, there is sometimes confusion from that. Functionally, they are pretty much the same thing most of the time you hear them mentioned. However, in some situations “mode” can refer to completely different concepts. You really don’t need to worry about this unless you get really deep in academic theory. You will use either in the same fashion, and the term really only shows that modes are derived from a scale.
Since all of the modes contain the same notes as the major scale, but change the root, they follow the same looping w-w-h-w-w-w-h pattern that the major scale has. The intervals only change because you start at a different point on the loop. This may seem odd, but even though the scale interval pattern is all the same, just changing the starting point in that loop has a dramatic effect on how the scale or mode sounds.
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Rather than introducing the scales and modes in a way to demonstrate they use the same keys, all of the examples are in A. Having the same root makes hearing the difference between the scales and modes much easier. Understanding how each mode sounds is generally more important than how they are derived.
Major (Ionian) Scale: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
This is the base line that defines all the other scales and modes. This is very commonly used and usually has a happy tone associated with it.
Dorian Mode: 1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7
The Dorian mode is the same as the minor scale, but the b6 is sharpened to the 6 interval. This change gives in a brighter feeling than the minor scale would typically have. It is pretty common to see this mode used like the minor pentatonic scale, but with the 6 note included to create a brighter feeling than the minor pentatonic is typically capable of.
Phrygian Mode: 1-b2-b3-4-5-b6-b7
The Phrygian mode flattens the 2 note in the minor scale to give a slightly darker feeling to the scale. There is a kind of “Spanish” quality when used correctly that is a little bit stronger than what is usually capable with just the minor scale.
Lydian Mode: 1-2-3-#4-5-6-7
The Lydian mode has a very sort of strange airy, dreamy quality to it that comes from sharpening the 4 note in the major scale. While a very neat sounding scale when used correctly, bear in mind that the #4 is inherently a very dissonant note, which only works well if it is phrased properly.
Mixolydian Mode: 1-2-3-4-5-6-b7
The Mixolydian mode isn’t quite as common as some of the other scales or modes. It takes the major scale and flattens the 7 note. It works just as well as anything else when used correctly, but if the phrasing isn’t quite right, it tends to sound more like the major scale or Dorian mode.
Minor (Aeolian) Scale: 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7
The minor scale is the only mode of the major scale that is also considered a scale. It seems to just be a matter of it being too commonly used to be considered a mode. It usually has a sad, melancholy tone. If you drop the 2 and b6, you get the minor pentatonic.
Locrian Mode: 1-b2-b3-4-b5-b6-b7
A very dark and diminished mode, that has the same very dissonant note the Lydian scale does (#4 is the same as b5), but to a very different effect. A pentatonic version of this called Iwato is pretty common in some more traditional styles of Japanese music.
