There are two mental models commonly used for thinking about the major scale modes. The first concept is treating a different note inside a major scale as the root. Much like you can create a minor pentatonic scale by starting a major pentatonic scale from its fifth note, you can create an Aeolian mode by starting a major scale from its sixth note. The second method is to think of modes in terms of how each scale degree relates to the corresponding scale degree in the major scale (e.g., the Mixolydian mode is the major scale with a flat 7th). The second mental model is more useful in practice, since it corresponds to how our ear hears the notes.
If we create a new scale by starting on each of the seven notes of the major scale, we get the following major scale modes, each commonly known by a Greek name. In this diagram, the notes of each scale are labeled with the original scale degrees from the major scale:
The Ionian mode (built from the first scale degree) is exactly the same as the major scale, and the Aeolian mode (built from the sixth scale degree) is exactly the same as the natural minor scale.
A more practical way to arrange (and think about) the modes is brightness order. Here, the brightest, most major-sounding mode is at the top, and the darkest, most minor-sounding mode is at the bottom. In this diagram, the notes have been relabeled to reflect the intervals relative to the root of the scale:
In this order, each mode differs from its neighbors by only one note.
The six most commonly used modes each contain a complete pentatonic scale. Since a pentatonic scale contains five notes and a mode contains seven, we can add two notes to a pentatonic scale to create a major scale mode.
The three major modes, Lydian, Ionian, and Mixolydian, all contain a major pentatonic scale. The two additional notes (the 4th and 7th scale degrees) fit inside the minor third intervals of the pentatonic scale:
The three minor modes, Dorian, Aeolian, and Phrygian, all contain a minor pentatonic scale. The two additional notes (the 2nd and 6th scale degrees) fit inside the minor third intervals of the pentatonic scale:
It is worth noting that each of the added notes is always one semitone away from a pentatonic scale note. Whenever you have two notes in a scale that are separated by one semitone, there’s a good chance that over any given chord, one of those notes will sound quite a bit more dissonant than the other.
We can easily play all seven notes of a major scale mode by positioning two additional notes in or around the pentatonic rectangle and stack shapes. Since each rectangle or stack can represent either a major or a minor pentatonic scale, each configuration of added notes can be used to play a pair of modes, one minor and one major. These pairs are arranged in order of brightness.
I call this the hidden in plain sight method.
Memorize this: The added notes fall inside the pentatonic rectangle. They are both shifted toward the bridge to play Dorian and Lydian (the brightest minor and major modes). They are shifted toward the nut to play Phrygian and Mixolydian (the darkest minor and major modes). They fall in a staggered pattern to play the Aeolian and Ionian modes (the natural minor and major scales). To remember this, notice that the brighter the mode, the more the added notes are shifted toward the bridge.
Memorize this: The added notes fall just outside the pentatonic stack. They are shifted up and toward the nut to play the Dorian and Lydian modes. They are shifted down and toward the bridge to play the Phrygian and Mixolydian modes. Finally, they are staggered to play the Aeolian and Ionian modes. To remember this, notice that the brighter the mode, the more the added notes are shifted toward the higher strings.
If we alternate rectangles and stacks vertically, and add the notes in accordance with these patterns, we recreate the in-position fingering patterns that are printed in countless guitar method books. For example, here are the Ionian (or major scale) patterns:
There are multiple benefits to thinking of these scales as notes layered on top of pentatonic rectangles and stacks. For one, there’s no need to memorize the full six-string patterns. Second, the patterns you create using this method can be used on any fretted instrument that is tuned in fourths. Third, and most important, this approach provides a useful hierarchy of notes: we always know where to find the root, the core triad target notes, the pentatonic scale notes, and the two additional notes that determine the sound of the mode.
In this module, your goal is to learn the positions of all of the C notes on the fretboard.
Reuse the exercises from previous modules to memorize the positions of all the C notes on the fretboard. Don’t forget to mix things up to constantly challenge your memory. In the video, I call your attention to another octave move that complements the +2 strings, +2 frets move we covered in Module 1. Here, the two roots inside the C major cowboy chord are connected by moving down three strings and up two frets. Because this move crosses the warp, the unwarped move is to go down three strings and up three frets. These octave moves are already visualized in the diagrams included for every “Memorize the fretboard” section.
The goal of these exercises is to become comfortable playing the major scale modes anywhere on the fretboard where you can find a root note.
Optional Exercise: Use a “freeze” pedal to create a C major triad drone. Find a C note on the fretboard and visualize a major pentatonic stack there. Play the root, then play the notes of the pentatonic scale. Visualizing the added notes in the “bright” configuration (on the upper strings toward the nut), play from the root up to the top of the stack, then down to the bottom of the stack and back to the root to hear the sound of the Lydian mode. Visualize the added notes in the “staggered” configuration and repeat to hear the sound of the Ionian mode. Finally, repeat with the added notes in the “dark” configuration to hear the sound of the Mixolydian mode.
Change the drone to a C minor triad and repeat with a minor rectangle, creating the sounds of the Dorian, Aeolian, and Phrygian modes.
Repeat the entire exercise with the root under your ring finger and using the major pentatonic rectangle and minor stack shapes.
The C major triad drone the exercise asks for, no pedal needed. Switch the chord to Cm for the minor-mode half.
C3 · E3 3 · G3 5
Exercise 1: Find a C note anywhere on the fretboard. For all eight scales (major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and each of the six pentatonic-based major scale modes), play the scale in position up from the root to the highest note in the pattern, then play back down to the root. Then play down the scale to the lowest note in that position, and finally play back up to the root. Whenever you play any root note, emphasize it.
This module includes backing tracks for the six pentatonic-based modes of G major: G Ionian, A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D Mixolydian, and E Aeolian.
When improvising over these backing tracks, don’t worry about what chords are in the chord progressions or about targeting chord tones. This type of musical setting provides an excellent opportunity to use your ears. If you accidentally emphasize a note you don’t like, the next note higher or lower in the scale is likely to sound better.
Throughout all of these exercises, focus on phrasing, dynamics, and expression. If you find yourself focusing too much on which notes are in the scale, spend some more time with the exercises from 6-5.
Exercise 1: Improvise freely over the modal backing tracks. Use the corresponding major pentatonic scale for the G Ionian, C Lydian, and D Mixolydian modes, and use the corresponding minor pentatonic scale for the others.
Exercise 2: Improvise over each of the modal backing tracks using a single pentatonic rectangle or stack and filling in the “hidden in plain sight” notes for the appropriate mode.
Exercise 3: Improvise over each of the modal backing tracks using a complete 6-string pentatonic pattern, filling in the “hidden in plain sight” notes for the appropriate mode. Try focusing on the pentatonic scale and use the extra notes selectively as additional color.
Exercise 4: Repeat Exercise 3, but move freely around the fretboard using all of the pentatonic techniques you’ve learned.
G Ionian
G · 94 BPM · 4 chords · 10.2s loop
The first of the six modal loops. For these, you can ignore the chord changes and just focus on playing the notes of the mode.
The other five modal tracks are in the Jam Track Player alongside this one: A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D Mixolydian, and E Aeolian.