Let's take a look at some guitar fretboard fingerings for the modes. All fingerings are based on the first, Ionian mode (major scale). For example, if a mode has a b6, the sixth note of the mode is one fret below the sixth note of the major scale. If a mode has a #4, the fourth note of the mode is one fret above the fourth note of the major scale.
All diagrams below are all based on the root of C.
C Ionian
Notice on our staff that we have no sharps or flats. This reflects the key of C Major. This first mode in C Major is C Ionian.
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