C major gives us the notes C D E F G A B

If you take that same note collection and make it sound like some kind of D scale, you get the D Dorian mode.

If you take that same note collection and make it sound like some kind of E scale, you get the E Phrygian mode.

If you do the same thing from the remaining notes in the collection you get the remaining modes – F Lydian, G Mixolydian, A Aeolian, B Locrian, C Ionian.

The important point is that in order to get the mode, you have to make the notes sound like a different scale.

How modes correlate to fingerboard patterns is that many people make the mistake of thinking that the modes are just the different finger patterns you learn for playing the major scale. It’s not the finger pattern that makes the mode. Any finger pattern for the major scale can be made to sound like every mode. It’s the sound that makes the mode.

There are a few commonly used ways of getting familiar with the sound of each mode.

The first way is to learn the interval structure of each mode so you can play each mode from the same starting note. For example, starting each mode from C would give you:

C D E F G A B = C Ionian

C D Eb F G A Bb = C Dorian

C Db Eb F G Ab Bb = C Phrygian

C D E F# G A B = C Lydian

C D E F G A Bb = C Mixolydian

C D Eb F G Ab Bb = C Aeolian

C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb = C Locrian

Playing each mode like this allows you to compare the sound quality of each.

Another method is to play each mode over a static pedal tone to establish the root for the mode.

You can also play each mode over a chord built from the root of the mode.

Another good way to help get the sound of each mode is to split them into major modes and minor modes. For the major modes start with major pentatonic and then add the remaining notes to get each mode. Do the same thing with the minor modes and the minor pentatonic scale. The pentatonic scales give you the basic major and minor sound. Each mode colors that basic sound in a unique way.

The same thing is true of the chords built from the scale:

Cmaj, Dmin, Emin, Fmaj, Gmaj, Amin, Bdim

If you arrange some of these chords to sound like Cmaj is the home chord (where the progression comes to rest), you will be playing in the key of C major. An example would be C F G C.

If you arrange some of these chords to sound like Dmin is the home chord, you will be playing in the key of D minor and using the Dorian mode. An Example would be Dmin C G Dmin or Dmin C Emin Dmin.

Another way of looking at it is You can make a D minor chord progression – Dmin Amin Gmin Dmin – and by utilizing the major 6th interval instead of minor 6th interval (B instead of Bb) you can make a D minor progression based on Dorian – Dmin Amin Gmaj Dmin.

Lydian – raise the 4th

Ionian – return the 4th to natural

Mixolydian – lower the 7th

Dorian – lower the 3rd and 7th

Aeolian – lower the 3rd, 6th and 7th

Phrygian – loser the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th

Locrian – lower the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th

Do this for every major scale position you know.

Start with pentatonic scales and add the missing notes to get the modes:

Major pentatonic = 1 2 3 4 5 6

Ionian – add 4 and 7

Lydian – add #4 and 7

Mixolydian – add 4 and b7

Minor pentatonic = 1 b3 4 5 b7

Dorian – add 2 and 6

Aeolian – add 2 and b6

Phrygian – add b2 and b6

Locrain – lower the 5 and add b2 and b6

Do this in every pentatonic position you know.

Play each mode over a pedal tone. Use your low E string as a pedal and practice switching between various E modes. Use the order I listed above:

E Lydian – E Ionian – E Mixolydian – E Dorian – E Aeolian – E Phrygian – E Locrian

You can tune the low E to different pitches to practice in different keys.

All of the above exercises are working with the modes in parallel – they all start from the same pitch. This is the most important way to work with modes in order to get the sound and interval formulas in your ears and under your fingers.

Once you’re comfortable with each mode, you can go on youtube and find backing tracks for each mode in a variety of keys. Noodle over the backing track with whichever mode is appropriate. Work the mode up and down the entire fingerboard. Spend a lot of time working up and down the strings rather than across the strings in a pattern.

For derivative mode practice, you can practice scale harmony and modes at the same time. You have to know scale harmony, though.

In C, you would play:

Cmaj chord – Cmaj7 arpeggio – C Ionian

Dmin chord – Dmin7 arpeggio – D Dorian

Emin chord – Emin7 arpeggio – E Phrygian

Fmaj chord – Fmaj7 arpeggio – F Lydian

Gmaj chord – G7 arpeggio – G Mixolydian

Amin chord – Amin7 arpeggio – A Aeolian

Bdim chord – Bmin7b5 arpeggio – B Locrian

Cmaj again

Do this ascending and descending and in every key.

Change the order of the chords/arps/modes to Cmaj – Fmaj – Bdim – Emin – Amin – Dmin – Gmaj – Cmaj.

Do this in every key.