Modes Lesson

Identify Modes - Staff

Difficulty: intermediate

By: Nate Dean

Take Quiz

Identifying modes as they are written on the staff will solidify your understanding of them. Let's first examine some examples with the root note of C.

https://lesson-item-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/blob_0.182080583706975

This is C Ionian (the C major scale).

Ionian contains the scale tones 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Since the key of C Major has no sharps or flats, no accidentals are present.

https://lesson-item-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/blob_0.014417592950751734

This is C Dorian.

Dorian contains the scale tones 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7. We can see on the staff that our 3rd and 7th notes are lowered with a flat sign.

It's important to understand that the Dorian mode is the same as the natural minor scale except for it has a natural (not lowered) 6th note.

C Dorian is the second mode in the key of Bb Major.

https://lesson-item-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/blob_0.6957720973640134

This is C Phrygian.

Phrygian contains the scale tones 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7. We can see on the staff that the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes are lowered with a flat sign.

The Phrygian mode is the same as the natural minor scale except for it adds a lowered 2nd note.

C Phrygian is the third mode in the key of Ab Major.

https://lesson-item-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/blob_0.4259920192121045

This is C Lydian.

Lydian contains the scale tones 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7. We can see on the staff that the 4th note is raised with a sharp sign.

It is important to understand that the Lydian mode is the same as the major scale except for it has a raised (sharp) 4th note. C major has an F while C Lydian has an F#.

C Lydian is the second mode in the key of G Major.

https://lesson-item-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/blob_0.3973712598267285

This is C Mixolydian.

Mixolydian contains the scale tones 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7. We can see on the staff that the 7th note is lowered with a flat sign.

The Mixolydian mode is the same as the major scale except for it has a lowered (flat) 7th note. C major has a B while C Mixolydian has a Bb.

C Mixolydian is the fifth mode in the key of F Major.

https://lesson-item-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/blob_0.29655853070387406

This is C Aeolian. (The C natural minor scale)

Aeolian contains the scale tones 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7. We can see on the staff that the 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes are lowered with a flat sign.

C Aeolian is the sixth mode in the key of Eb Major.

https://lesson-item-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/blob_0.6205048191044231

This is C Locrian.

Locrian contains the scale tones 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7. We can see on the staff that the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th notes are lowered with a flat sign.

The Locrian mode is the same as the Phrygian mode except for it adds a lowered 5th note.

C Locrian is the seventh mode in the key of Db Major.