...Gw XVIII. Learning Scales...	Welcome to Guitarweek! Kids can't see this stuff!... ----------------
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   Modes are often confused with scales, the 'Minor Keys' are really just modes of the 'Major Keys' - Minor Scale is a term that refers to the "Aeolian" mode, in the Key of C this would be the A tone to the next A tone. The "Key of C" and the "Key of A minor" are referring to the same scale, the C major scale. The names of the seven modes in order are: (These are referring to one Key)  

Ionian - Dorian - Phyrigian - Lydian - Mixolydian - Aeolian - Locrian

   We will use the modes to show how to split the major scale into small patterns that you will learn to move around, We as usual will study the modes in the Key of C. Modes are so simple that they are confusing, the first mode Ionian is always the Keynote - so in the Key of C you have the "C Ionian mode" - The C Ionian mode would simply be C D E F G A B C... The "D Dorian" mode would be D E F G A B C D...

You always start out with the Keynote when ordering the tones so the key of G would start out with the G, it would look like this:

     When you change keys then you are using different tones, you use the same pattern of dots though - the "E Phrygian" and "C Phrygian" look the same when you look at them as a pattern of dots...

These are all 'straight down' modes - "Building Modes" shows how to build the same mode going out...

   Above is the pattern for the Phrygian mode that you can drag, The X is the root of the mode. As you can see the 'pattern' does not change, when you put the pattern on a different fret then you are changing keys - The first part of the pattern is all six strings, If  you drag it all the way to the left side - then it is the "E Phrygian" mode which is in the Key of C. The modes by general theory are just a way of identifying a position of the major scale and thats it...

OOPS - We have been saying 'Lonian' for years when its 'Ionian' which uses an i, We have updated all the lonians on our site and even made some references to the 'i' since the capital i kinda looks like an L...