Major Sounding Modes on the Guitar
5 (100%) 1 vote

Following on from last weeks lesson on building modal chord progressions to bring new life to your playing, here is the second instalment of using modal knowledge in your guitar playing.

Now that you understand the sequence of chord types built from the major scale and how this corresponds across the major scale modes, it is time to apply the notes of each mode built from the tonic of the note A. Once you understand how to play each major scale mode from a tonic note for example A, then you can combine playing the mode with a modal chord progression that will fit. In this lesson we will focus on the major sounding modes Ionian, Lydian and Mixolydian and next time we will learn the remaining modes.

Here is a table that shows the modes, each with a tonic note of A.

Mode

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

Ionian

A

B

C 

D

E

F 

G 

Dorian

A

B

C

D

E

F 

G

Phrygian

A

Bb

C

D

E

F

G

Lydian

A

B

C 

D

E

F 

G 

Mixolydian

A

B

C 

D

E

F

G

Aeolian

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Locrian

A

Bb

C

D

Eb

F

G

Below is an excerpt from my ebook- ˜Be The Guitarist explaining the construction of the major modes. The major modes are the modes Ionian, Lydian and Mixolydian and can be viewed as having an overall more ˜uplifting sound. We view the major modes in relation to their simple form- the major pentatonic. You can view the major pentatonic as a stripped down form of the major modes, as they have just five notes in them, hence the pent in pentatonic. The major scale modes have seven notes in them, and it is these two extra notes that give them a unique quality that guitarists want command over. Please see my Master Guitar ebook package for all information on the major pentatonic in all five positions.

Explaining the Major modes (from Be the Guitarist™ ebook)

The major modes are created by adding the 4th and or 7th to the major pentatonic. The 4th and 7th interval can also be flattened or sharpened to create major modes. The three major modes are the Ionian, Lydian and Mixolydian.

Ionian Mode

The Ionian mode is the major pentatonic with an added 4th and 7th interval. An Ionian is commonly known as the major scale and is characteristically happy™ sounding and deeply engrained in our ears. The 7th interval will pull you towards the root and the 4th interval is not a great interval to stick around on as it doesn™t carry much flavour. You should use the 4th as a passing tone™ when improvising or writing melodies and rely more on the root, 3rd, 5th and 7th instead.

I want you to play the Ionian from the root (red note), through to the red note on the high E string in this one position. Once you have learnt all the modes from the table above in the first position shown below, you can learn them in the remaining four positions across the neck. Knowing how to play the modes across the whole neck will mean you can solo freely rather than being tied to one small area of the fretboard.

Ionian Mode

Here is the chord structure underpinning the Ionian mode, along with the notes that form the Ionian with a tonic of A. With this knowledge you can build the chord type from the notes shown below and create a progression by making a sequence such as I IV“ V (A Major 7, D Major 7 to E Dominant 7). Then you can play the notes of the Ionian mode against the progression, and create music.

Ionian Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7 Major 7 Dominant 7 Minor 7 Diminished 7

Ionian

A

B

C

D

E

F♯ 

G♯

Lydian Mode

The Lydian mode is the Major pentatonic with an added #4 and 7th interval. The #4 interval is a risky move if you dont use it over the right chord but if used over the IV chord you can achieve the affect of the melody wanting to go somewhere else. In the key of C major we have the following chords to use:

In the key of C we would use the Lydian mode over the F chord (F maj7) (IV). In the key of A we would use the Lydian mode over the D chord (maj7).

When you are writing your own music and feel the song is in a rut and needs to go somewhere, the IV chord and the use of the Lydian Mode in the melody will take the song to a new place. Try this as a bridge section before you go into a chorus as it will link the two sections nicely.

Take the chord sequence for the Lydian from the previous lesson and build each chord off the mode€™s tonic- A from the table above. This will mean you take the sequence of chord types below and then use the notes from table shown below that for the A Lydian.

Lydian Major 7 Dominant 7 Minor 7 Diminished 7 Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7

Lydian

A

B

C 

D 

E

F 

G 

Lydian Mode

As with the Ionian you learnt earlier, this can be learnt in four more positions so you can play across the whole neck and not be restricted to this one area of the fretboard.

Mixolydian Mode

We create a Mixolydian Mode by adding a 4th and b7th to our major pentatonic scale. You could also view the Mixolydian as an Ionian with a b7 instead of a natural 7. Either way the important thing to know is that the b7 interval is the interval that makes a normal major chord a dominant 7.

If you have an interest in Blues guitar then this mode will prove very valuable to you, although any music that uses a Dom7 chord can have a Mixolydian Mode used over it.

Mixolydian Mode

I want you to take the same process you did with the Lydian and apply it to the theory of the Mixolydian. Pay careful attention to the different sound you are producing when you play a Mixolydian mode over the Mixolydian chord progression. If possible, record yourself playing a set of chords from the Mixolydian and then play the mode shape below over it. Even better, get yourself a friend who can play guitar, and then experiment with making music with this knowledge. Once you have memorized this shape of the Mixolydian, you can use my ebook to learn the remaining four positions across the fretboard.

Mixolydian Dominant 7 Minor 7 Diminished 7 Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7 Major 7

Mixolydian

A

B

C 

D

E

F 

G

Next time you will learn about the minor sounding modes Aeolian, Dorian and Locrian.

Please let me know how you are progressing in the comments below.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This