The major scale is also called the Ionian mode.
This mode has eight degrees (notes).
| degree |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
| C Ionian |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
A |
B |
C |
Chords are built from some of these degrees
| Degrees | Example using C Ionian | Chord | ||||||||
|
1 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
= |
C | E | G | B |
= |
Maj7 |
|
1 |
b3 |
5 |
b7 |
= |
C | Eb | G | Bb |
= |
m7 |
|
1 |
3 |
5 |
b7 |
= |
C | E | G | Bb |
= |
7 |
|
1 |
b3 |
b5 |
b7 |
= |
C | Eb | Gb | Bb |
= |
m7b5
etc. |
| Modes are also built from these degrees. Some of these degrees are altered (sharpened ‘#’ or flattened ‘b’). | ||||||||
| Ionian |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
| Dorian |
1 |
2 |
b3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
b7 |
8 |
| Phrygian |
1 |
b2 |
b3 |
4 |
5 |
b6 |
b7 |
8 |
| Lydian |
1 |
2 |
3 |
#4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
| Mixolydian |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
b7 |
8 |
| Aeolian |
1 |
2 |
b3 |
4 |
5 |
b6 |
b7 |
8 |
| Locrian |
1 |
b2 |
b3 |
4 |
b5 |
b6 |
b7 |
8 |
A mode that contains the same degrees as a chord has the same quality as that chord and can be used to improvise over it.
| mode | Chord degrees | chord |
| Ionian | 1 3 5 7 | Maj7 |
| Dorian | 1 b3 5 b7 | m7 |
| Phrygian | 1 b3 5 b7 | m7 |
| Lydian | 1 3 5 7 | Maj7 |
| Mixolydian | 1 3 5 b7 | 7 |
| Aeolian | 1 b3 5 b7 | m7 |
| Locrian | 1 b3 b5 b7 | Ø |
© Carlos Thrale 2014
