Home The Circle of 4ths The 7 Scale Modes C Major C Minor F Major F Minor B♭ Major B♭ Minor E♭ Major E♭ Minor A♭ Major


A♭ Minor D♭ Major D♭ Minor G♭/F♯ Major G♭/F♯ Minor B Major B Minor E Major E Minor A Major A Minor D Major


D Minor G Major G Minor Ear Training Test The Places of Music The ii-V7-I

Modal Solo (all 7 modes of C major scale) Lesson

A look at the seven scale modes of C major, with formulas for how to find the notes one needs in any key on the left.

Did you know that C major and A minor use the same scale? Well, now you do!

Each and every major and minor scale derives from the same scale, but it just starts on a different note. Using our example above, A minor starts on the 6th note of C major. In more appropriate terms, A minor is a C major scale with A as the root.

The Ionian (major) and Aeolian (minor) modes are common in classical settings, with the Mixolydian and Dorian modes commonly used in jazz. Other modes, like Lydian, are typically reserved for isolated passages or to add "color" to a song. They are not common!

LOCRIAN IS NEVER USED!!!

Unlike the other scale modes, the root triad is a diminished chord, making it extremely dissonant and considered unusable. 11 of the 12 least used keys in music are in Locrian, with one Locrian key, G♯ Locrian, being so uncommon that not a single published song is in it!