A mode is when we play a scale, but we focus on a note besides the Root Note. An example would be playing the Major Scale, but starting and ending on the 2nd degree of the scale rather than the 1st. It's like we're going to take the Major Scale, but then "treat the 2 like it's the 1". This Mode, based on the second degree in the major scale, is called the Dorian Mode

The Dorian Mode contains the same notes as the regular major scale, we're just starting and ending on the 2 instead of the 1.

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Major Scale
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Dorian Mode of the Major Scale

Play through the Dorian Mode from 1 - 1 and notice how different it sounds. Try to think of the first and last pitches as the "Home" or "Center" of the sound.

Let's stack them so we can compare the differences in the patterns between the Major Scale and the Dorian Mode.

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The Dorian Mode Pattern

You might have guessed this, but there is a mode for each of the 7 unique degrees of the Major Scale. In fact, there's even a name for the mode we've been using all along, when you start on the 1. It's called the Ionian Mode (for some reason they all have Greek names). Here's a list of all the modes:

  1. Ionian (1)
  2. Dorian (2)
  3. Phrygian (3)
  4. Lydian (4)
  5. Mixolydian (5)
  6. Aeolian (6)
  7. Locrian (7)
Let's go ahead and look at the remaining modes. And we'll compare each one to the regular Major Scale (Ionian Mode) starting from the 1 of each mode respectively.

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The Major Scale
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Phrygian Mode of the Major Scale
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Phrygian Mode Pattern

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The Major Scale
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The Lydian Mode
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The Lydian Mode Interval Pattern Compared to the Major Scale Pattern

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The Major Scale
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The Mixolydian Mode
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The Mixolydian Mode Interval Pattern Compared to the Major Scale Pattern

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The Major Scale
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The Aeolian Mode
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The Aeolian Mode Interval Pattern Compared to the Major Scale Pattern

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The Major Scale
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The Locrian Mode
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The Locrian Mode Interval Pattern Compared to the Major Scale Pattern

So that was a pretty quick tour through all the modes. If it seems overwhelming now, it's no big deal. You may, on the other hand, be underwhelmed. We actually just played the major scale over and over starting in different places. If this is seeming like This may be because, playing the modes back to back, sometimes you don't really get the sense of being in the mode. It can kind of just feel like it's all the Major Scale. There are some ways to get the distinct sound of each mode into your ears so you can really get more of a feel for them, and we'll look at some in the next chapters. Either way, modes will be with you for a while, and pretty soon I think you'll see that there's a lot you can do with them. In the theory of music harmony, some of these very simple concepts can unlock infinite possibilities.

Don't worry about trying to memorize them all right now. As long as you understand what the modes are, and how we created each mode based off of the major scale, you are in a good spot to move on to Triads