In this article
A mode combines a collection of notes with a tonal centre. The seven diatonic modes are Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. They can share a parent major scale, but changing the note that feels like home changes their interval relationships.
Hear the examples.
Choose an example, then press Play. Compare the notes as well as the sound.
Ionian on C
Major scale. All examples use the same starting note so you can compare their intervals.
These are not Captain Plugins audio.Ready to play
Start with a tonal centre
D Dorian and C major use the same white-key notes. D Dorian makes D feel like home; C major makes C feel like home. Starting a C-major melody on D does not, by itself, turn the music into Dorian. Bass, repeated notes, harmony and phrase endings all help establish the centre.
Use a sustained D underneath D–E–F–G–A–B–C–D. Then try the same collection over C. Listen for where the phrase settles. This is more useful than memorising seven starting positions without hearing a centre.
Compare modes from one root
Parallel modes share a root. C major has E, A and B; C Dorian has E♭, A and B♭. Its natural sixth, A, separates it from C natural minor, which has A♭. C Phrygian lowers the second to D♭ as well.
For the major-sounding modes, compare C Ionian with C Lydian and C Mixolydian. Lydian raises F to F♯. Mixolydian lowers B to B♭. These small changes become easier to recognise when the root, rhythm and sound stay constant.
Use the table as a note map
Ionian is the major scale and Aeolian is natural minor. Dorian, Phrygian and Aeolian have minor tonic triads. Ionian, Lydian and Mixolydian have major tonic triads. Locrian has a diminished tonic triad because its fifth is lowered.
These are the seven modes of the major-scale collection, not the only scales in music. Pentatonic and whole-tone scales have different numbers of notes. Harmonic and melodic minor also have their own modes.
Make a short modal phrase
Choose C Dorian and write a small phrase containing E♭ and A over a C-minor chord. Return to C at the end. Keep the accompaniment simple so the natural sixth remains audible. Next replace A with A♭ and compare the natural-minor version.
A mode does not assign one fixed emotion or genre. Rhythm, register and sound still matter. Use the distinctive interval as a musical choice, then develop a phrase that works rather than running up and down the scale.
Keep the notes in view.
| Mode on C | Notes | Useful comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Ionian | C · D · E · F · G · A · B | Major scale |
| Dorian | C · D · E♭ · F · G · A · B♭ | Minor with a natural sixth |
| Phrygian | C · D♭ · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B♭ | Minor with a flat second |
| Lydian | C · D · E · F♯ · G · A · B | Major with a raised fourth |
| Mixolydian | C · D · E · F · G · A · B♭ | Major with a flat seventh |
| Aeolian | C · D · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B♭ | Natural minor |
| Locrian | C · D♭ · E♭ · F · G♭ · A♭ · B♭ | Minor with flat second and fifth |
Try it in Captain Chords.
Build a simple tonic chord in Captain Chords and write the comparison phrases in your DAW. Enter any needed notes manually and check them against the table rather than assuming a preset name proves the mode.
See the current editing workflow.
The Captain Plugins 8 update video shows the canvas and selection-based editing.
Common questions
Is Dorian just a major scale starting on its second note?
That describes the shared note collection. To hear Dorian in music, its own tonic must act as the centre. Merely starting a melody on the second degree is not enough.
Which note distinguishes Dorian from natural minor?
The sixth. C Dorian has A natural; C natural minor has A♭. Both have E♭ and B♭.
Are all minor-key songs Aeolian?
No. Minor-key music frequently uses raised sixths or sevenths, chromatic notes and borrowed chords. Aeolian specifically names the natural-minor collection.