How to play the mode of major scale

On the in the key of

Modes of a scale are constructed by moving the root note (tonic) on the different degrees of this scale. There are seven modes in the major scale, these are the most important modes. Modes are also names as ecclesiastical modes or church modes.

ModeNotesIntervalScale degree
D♯ ionian (also known as Major scale)D♯, F, G, G♯, A♯, C, Dw-w-h-w-w-w-h
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
F dorianF, G, G♯, A♯, C, D, D♯w-h-w-w-w-h-w
1, 2, â™­3, 4, 5, 6, â™­7
G phrygianG, G♯, A♯, C, D, D♯, Fh-w-w-w-h-w-w
1, â™­2, â™­3, 4, 5, â™­6, â™­7
G♯ lydianG♯, A♯, C, D, D♯, F, Gw-w-w-h-w-w-h
1, 2, 3, ♯4, 5, 6, 7
A♯ mixolydianA♯, C, D, D♯, F, G, G♯w-w-h-w-w-h-w
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, â™­7
C aeolian (also known as Minor scale)C, D, D♯, F, G, G♯, A♯w-h-w-w-h-w-w
1, 2, â™­3, 4, 5, â™­6, â™­7
D locrianD, D♯, F, G, G♯, A♯, Ch-w-w-h-w-w-w
1, â™­2, â™­3, 4, â™­5, â™­6, â™­7

G♯ lydian

012345678910111213141516171819
G♯A♯CDD♯FG
G♯ lydian scale notes

Relative chords of

To understand a mode better, it is recommended to play the patterns starting with the root note. The root is a very important note which gives its name to a scale.

In the following table you can see which chord belongs to which mode, starting from the major scale.
As you see, for G♯ lydian the D♯ is the chord that belong to the major scale.
So you can say that Another fun fact is that the sixth chord is Cm, which relates to the minor scale.

ModeTriadSeventh chord
D♯ ionian (Major scale)D♯ (D♯, G, A♯)D♯maj7 (D♯, G, A♯, D)
F dorianFm (F, G♯, C)Fm7 (F, G♯, C, D♯)
G phrygianGm (G, A♯, D)Gm7 (G, A♯, D, F)
lydianG♯ (G♯, C, D♯)G♯maj7 (G♯, C, D♯, G)
A♯ mixolydianA♯ (A♯, D, F)A♯7 (A♯, D, F, G♯)
C aeolian (Minor scale)Cm (C, D♯, G)Cm7 (C, D♯, G, A♯)
D locrianDdim (D, F, G♯)Dhalf dim7 (D, F, G♯, C)