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Guitar Scales and Modes help you to play consistently, fiercely, precise, and with knowledge, but not without practice!

 Once you've looked this section over go HERE for an even more in-depth and comprehensive look at Guitar scales and modes (among other things)

New Modal Chart available HERE - check it out, gives a more graphic view of modes and how they lay within the major scale

Modes:

Note that any mode can be in it's own key or an extension of another scale or mode. This may make more since later.                                                      

I will use the key of C for  examples:

*Remember, there are 7 notes in the scale before it goes back to root. 7 notes, 7 modes. You'll need to remember this because it is important. If you don't understand, don't worry. You Will.

Relative Modes- meaning all of these modes will contain the same notes.

The Numbers underneath the notes represents the order of the notes in the particular Major scale. They are labeled from 1-7, 1 being root, 2 being the second note, 3rd being the third note in the scale..etc. In other words, they show you which note to start on for that particular mode. Each mode simply moves up one  'degree' or   note, from the major scale. Notice how you start out with the first note of the Ionian as the root or C, or 1, and end up on the 7th note as the starting note in the Locrian mode.

How the heck do I play this so I can experience the different feels these so-called 'modes' are supposed to convey?

Easy. The examples are in c so to get the effect have another guitar or instrument play the 1st note of the 'mode' (I recommend using a recording program and do it yourself if you got no one else to play a note). Then once you've got the note going, solo over it with the c major scale. You can play the notes of the c major scale in order, it'll still give you the effect.

Example: to hear the mood of D Dorian mode, have the backing track (or other person) play a D note (chord not needed) and solo over it with any notes in the c major scale. Then to hear how the mood changes remember the notes you played over the backing note (D) and play them again except this time instead of playing D  switch to G (Mixolydian) to hear the difference. This way is a good way to experience the moods for songwriting purposes. ;)

If you haven't already noticed the Ionian scale is simply the major scale. So C Ionian is C maj. scale.

Aeolian mode is the Minor Scale, in this case A Aeolian is just the A minor scale.

Parallel Modes, or Modes with a different name with the same root. In this case the root is going to be C.

The numbers underneath these notes show how they compare to the C maj. scale.

It's very important to remember this is very different than the Relative Modes section above. The only thing any of the mode formulas below have in common is the root, in this case C. Parallel simply lets you figure the modes with the same root note, or 1st note. You wouldn't play the examples below while being in the key of C, with the exception of C Ionian mode which IS the C major scale.

You will probably notice the #'s and b's symbols next to some of these numbers. That simply states whether the note is a half step lower (b) or if the note is a half step higher (#) to the same note if it were in the Major scale. Also the Note above these numbers show the note as sharp, flat, or natural. So if you see a b3 then the corresponding note above it will show as being flat by a half step also.

Go HERE for an even more in-depth and comprehensive look at scales and modes (among other things)

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