# The modes (appendix)

Interactive version: [`modes.html`](modes.html). Part of [Theory and Practice](theory.md).
The interactive page has a **Build & hear** panel: pick a **root** and a **mode** from dropdowns above
the keyboard, press **Play mode**, and the notes, formula, quality, signature note and feel appear below.
It shares the pinned **metronome**, so every playback runs **one note per beat at that tempo** — set the
BPM to slow a scale down or speed it up.

A **mode** is what you get when you play the **same seven notes** of a major scale but
treat a **different note as home**. Same keys, new center of gravity — and a completely
different mood.

> Play only the white keys but start and end on **D** instead of C and it sounds minor-ish
> and jazzy — that's **D Dorian**. Start on E and it sounds Spanish — **E Phrygian**. The
> notes never changed; only *where home is* did.

Rotate the major scale through all seven starting notes and you get the seven **diatonic
modes**, from the brightest (Lydian) to the darkest (Locrian).

## All seven modes at a glance

Ordered brightest → darkest. The **formula** compares each mode to the major scale of the
same root (♭ lowers a degree, ♯ raises it); **From C** spells the notes when C is the root.

| Mode | From degree | Formula | From C | Feel |
|------|-------------|---------|--------|------|
| Lydian | 4th | 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 | C D E F♯ G A B | dreamy, floating, wonder |
| Ionian (major) | 1st | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | C D E F G A B | bright, happy, resolved |
| Mixolydian | 5th | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 | C D E F G A B♭ | bluesy, rocky, dominant |
| Dorian | 2nd | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 | C D E♭ F G A B♭ | minor but hopeful, jazzy |
| Aeolian (natural minor) | 6th | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ | sad, serious |
| Phrygian | 3rd | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ | dark, Spanish, tense |
| Locrian | 7th | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ | unstable, dissonant |

Brightest → darkest: **Lydian · Ionian · Mixolydian · Dorian · Aeolian · Phrygian · Locrian.**

## Two ways to see them

### 1. Relative (same notes, new home)

Take one parent major scale and start on each degree. From **C major** (C D E F G A B):

| Start on | Mode | Notes |
|----------|------|-------|
| C (1) | C Ionian | C D E F G A B |
| D (2) | D Dorian | D E F G A B C |
| E (3) | E Phrygian | E F G A B C D |
| F (4) | F Lydian | F G A B C D E |
| G (5) | G Mixolydian | G A B C D E F |
| A (6) | A Aeolian | A B C D E F G |
| B (7) | B Locrian | B C D E F G A |

### 2. Parallel (same home, changed notes)

Keep the *root* fixed and alter the major scale — this is how modes actually *feel*
different, because you compare them against the same tonic.

- **Ionian** = major (no changes)
- **Lydian** = major with a **♯4**
- **Mixolydian** = major with a **♭7**
- **Dorian** = minor with a **natural 6**
- **Aeolian** = natural minor (♭3 ♭6 ♭7)
- **Phrygian** = minor with a **♭2**
- **Locrian** = minor with **♭2 and ♭5**

## Characteristic notes

Each mode has one or two **signature notes** that give it its flavor. Lean on these when
you want the mode to sound like itself.

| Mode | Quality | Signature note | Where you hear it |
|------|---------|----------------|-------------------|
| Ionian | major | — | pop, hymns, most "happy" music |
| Dorian | minor | natural 6 | jazz, funk, folk, Santana |
| Phrygian | minor | ♭2 | flamenco, metal, "danger" cues |
| Lydian | major | ♯4 | film scores, dreamy prog |
| Mixolydian | major | ♭7 | blues, rock, Celtic, gospel |
| Aeolian | minor | ♭6 | sad ballads, the plain minor scale |
| Locrian | diminished | ♭2 & ♭5 | rare — jazz over m7♭5, some metal |

## Beyond the modes

The seven modes above all come from one parent — the major scale. Swap in a **different parent
scale** (harmonic & melodic minor, pentatonic, blues, whole-tone, diminished, and the jazz modes
of melodic and harmonic minor) and you unlock whole new colors. That lives on its own page now:
[**Beyond the major scale →**](beyond-scales.md).

See also: the [chord types appendix](chord-types.md) and the [Scales](theory.md) drills.