Modes Explained: From Dorian to Locrian

Modes are one of the most misunderstood topics in music theory, yet the core idea is beautifully simple. If you already know the major scale, you already know all seven modes — you just need to hear each one from a different starting point. This guide breaks down every mode, its unique character, and how you can start using modes in your own playing and writing.

What Exactly Are Modes?

A mode is what you get when you take the notes of a major scale and treat a different note as the tonal centre. The pitches stay the same, but the pattern of whole steps and half steps shifts, creating a new scale with its own distinct flavour.

Take C major: C – D – E – F – G – A – B. If you play those same seven notes but start and resolve on D instead of C, you get D Dorian. Start on E and you get E Phrygian. Each starting point produces a different mode with a different interval pattern and emotional quality.

There are seven modes, one for each degree of the major scale.

The Seven Modes at a Glance

(W = whole step, H = half step)

Ionian Mode (The Major Scale)

Pattern: W–W–H–W–W–W–H Example — C Ionian: C – D – E – F – G – A – B

The Ionian mode is simply the major scale by another name. It is the reference point from which all other modes are measured. Its sound is bright, resolved, and optimistic — the foundation of countless pop, classical, and folk melodies.

Characteristic note: The major 7th degree, which creates that uplifting pull back to the root.

Famous examples: “Let It Be” by The Beatles, “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven.

Dorian Mode

Pattern: W–H–W–W–W–H–W Example — D Dorian: D – E – F – G – A – B – C

Dorian is a minor mode, but it has a brighter twist: a natural 6th instead of the flat 6th found in the natural minor (Aeolian) scale. That single note difference gives Dorian a soulful, smooth quality that avoids the heaviness of pure minor.

Characteristic note: The natural 6th (B in D Dorian, compared to B♭ in D natural minor).

Famous examples: “So What” by Miles Davis, “Oye Como Va” by Santana, “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk. Dorian dominates funk, soul, and jazz.

Tip: If you are using an Interactive Chord Finder, build a minor seventh chord on the root and notice how the natural 6th appears as the 13th in extended voicings — this is why Dorian works so well with m7 and m13 chords.

Phrygian Mode

Pattern: H–W–W–W–H–W–W Example — E Phrygian: E – F – G – A – B – C – D

Phrygian is instantly recognisable thanks to its flat 2nd — the half step between the root and the second degree. This creates an exotic, Spanish-influenced, or Middle Eastern flavour that sounds dark and dramatic.

Characteristic note: The ♭2 (F in E Phrygian).

Famous examples: “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane, much of flamenco guitar music, and metal riffs by bands like Metallica and Megadeth.

Phrygian is a favourite in metal because that ♭2-to-root resolution sounds heavy and ominous. It is equally powerful in cinematic scoring when you want tension and mystery.

Lydian Mode

Pattern: W–W–W–H–W–W–H Example — F Lydian: F – G – A – B – C – D – E

Lydian is the brightest of all the modes. Its defining feature is the sharp 4th (technically an augmented 4th or ♯4), which lifts the scale upward and gives it a floating, ethereal, almost magical quality.

Characteristic note: The ♯4 (B natural in F Lydian, compared to B♭ in F major/Ionian).

Famous examples: “Flying in a Blue Dream” by Joe Satriani, The Simpsons theme by Danny Elfman, and much of the film music of John Williams.

Lydian is a go-to mode for composers who want to evoke wonder, fantasy, or weightlessness. In jazz, Lydian is commonly used over maj7♯11 chords.

Mixolydian Mode

Pattern: W–W–H–W–W–H–W Example — G Mixolydian: G – A – B – C – D – E – F

Mixolydian is a major scale with a flat 7th. This small alteration removes the leading-tone pull of the major scale and gives the mode a laid-back, bluesy, rock-and-roll feel.

Characteristic note: The ♭7 (F natural in G Mixolydian, compared to F♯ in G major).

Famous examples: “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Norwegian Wood” by The Beatles, and much of the Grateful Dead catalogue.

Mixolydian pairs perfectly with dominant seventh chords. When you see a non-resolving dominant chord — one that just sits and grooves rather than pulling to a I chord — Mixolydian is likely the underlying mode.

Aeolian Mode (Natural Minor)

Pattern: W–H–W–W–H–W–W Example — A Aeolian: A – B – C – D – E – F – G

The Aeolian mode is the natural minor scale. It is the default “sad” or “dark” sound in Western music, with a ♭3, ♭6, and ♭7 relative to the major scale.

Characteristic note: The ♭6 (F in A Aeolian), which distinguishes it from Dorian.

Famous examples: “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M., and “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele.

Aeolian is the starting point for most minor-key music, though composers often borrow notes from harmonic or melodic minor to create stronger resolutions.

Locrian Mode

Pattern: H–W–W–H–W–W–W Example — B Locrian: B – C – D – E – F – G – A

Locrian is the darkest and most unstable of the seven modes. Its defining feature is the flat 5th, which means even its tonic triad is diminished — making it extremely difficult to establish a stable tonal centre.

Characteristic note: The ♭5 (F in B Locrian), creating a diminished tonic chord.

Famous examples: Locrian is rarely used as a primary key because of its instability, but it appears in progressive metal and experimental music. Björk and certain djent-style metal bands have explored Locrian passages.

In practice, Locrian is most useful as a colour over half-diminished (m7♭5) chords rather than as a key centre for an entire piece.

The Bright-to-Dark Spectrum

One of the most practical ways to understand modes is to arrange them from brightest to darkest:

1. Lydian — ♯4 makes it the brightest
2. Ionian — The standard major scale
3. Mixolydian — Major with a ♭7
4. Dorian — Minor with a natural 6
5. Aeolian — The standard natural minor
6. Phrygian — Minor with a ♭2
7. Locrian — ♭2 and ♭5, the darkest

Each step down the spectrum lowers one note by a half step. Lydian has the most raised notes relative to the root; Locrian has the most lowered.

How to Think About Modes Practically

There are two common approaches:

Relative approach: Think of modes as starting on different degrees of a parent major scale. D Dorian uses the notes of C major. This is useful for understanding the theory.

Parallel approach: Compare each mode to the major scale built on the same root. D Dorian is like D major but with a ♭3 and ♭7. This is more practical for improvisation and composition because it tells you exactly which notes differ.

For real-time playing, the parallel approach is usually faster. You think “major scale, but flatten these notes” rather than trying to figure out which parent key you are in.

Putting Modes to Work

Start by picking a drone note or a single chord and playing each mode over it. Use a tool like the Interactive Chord Finder to build the chord, then improvise using the corresponding mode. Listen to how each mode changes the emotional feel over the exact same harmony.

Then try writing short progressions that emphasise each mode’s characteristic note. For Dorian, make sure the natural 6th is prominent. For Lydian, let that ♯4 ring out. The characteristic note is what makes each mode sound like itself rather than just a reshuffled major scale.

Modes open up a vast palette of emotional colours beyond simple major and minor. Once you can hear the difference between Dorian and Aeolian, or between Lydian and Ionian, you will never think of scales the same way again.