Modes
Mode Comparison Chart
| Roman Numerals as Triads
|
| | | Alterations | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII
|
| Lydian | bright | raised 4 | I | II | IIImin | #IVdim | V | VImin | VIImin
|
| Ionian | neutral | no alterations | I | IImin | IIImin | IV | V | VImin | VIIdim
|
| Mixolydian | less bright | lowered 7 | I | IImin | IIIdim | IV | Vmin | VImin | bVII
|
| Dorian | dark | lowered 3, 7 | Imin | IImin | bIII | IV | Vmin | VIdim | bVII
|
| Aeolian | darker | lowered 3, 6, 7 | Imin | IIdim | bIII | IVmin | Vmin | bVI | bVII
|
| Phrygian | darkest | lowered 2, 3, 6, 7 | Imin | bII | bIII | bIVmin | Vdim | bVI | bVIImin
|
| Locrian | unusable | lowered 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 | Idim | bII | bIIImin | bIVmin | bV | bVI | bVII
|
| Roman Numerals with 7ths
|
| | | Alterations | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII
|
| Lydian | bright | raised 4 | IMAJ7 | II7 | IIImin7 | #IVmin7b5 | VMAJ7 | VImin7 | VIImin7
|
| Ionian | neutral | no alterations | IMAJ7 | IImin7 | IIImin7b5 | IVMAJ7 | V7 | VImin7 | VIImin7b5
|
| Mixolydian | less bright | lowered 7 | I7 | IImin7 | IImin7b5 | IVMAJ7 | Vmin7 | VImin7 | bVIIMAJ7
|
| Dorian | dark | lowered 3, 7 | Imin7 | IImin7 | bIIIMAJ7 | IV7 | Vmin7 | VImin7b5 | bVIIMAJ7
|
| Aeolian | darker | lowered 3, 6, 7 | Imin7 | IImin7b5 | bIII7 | IVmin7 | Vmin7 | bVIMAJ7 | bVII7
|
| Phrygian | darkest | lowered 2, 3, 6, 7 | Imin7 | bIIMAJ7 | bIII7 | bIVmin7 | Vmin7b5 | bVIMAJ7 | bVIImin7
|
| Locrian | unusable | lowered 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 | Imin7b5 | bIIMAJ7 | bIIImin7 | bIVmin7 | bVMAJ7 | bVI7 | bVIImin7
|
Notes
- The Ionian mode is more commonly called "the major scale" (and is the most commonly used major scale)
- The Aeolian mode is commonly called "the natural minor scale" (and is the most commonly used minor scale)
- Lydian, Ionian, & Mixolydian are considered major modes because their "I chord" is major.
- Dorian, Aeolian, & Phrygian are considered minor modes because their "I chord" is minor.
- The Locrian mode is so dissonant that it is usually unusable.
Pentatonic Scales & Blues Scales Comparison
| Major Pentatonic
|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6
|
| Ab | Bb | C | Eb | F
|
| A | B | C# | E | F#
|
| Bb | C | D | F | G
|
| B | C# | D# | F# | G#
|
| Cb | Db | Eb | Gb | Ab
|
| C | D | E | G | A
|
| C# | D# | E# | G# | A#
|
| D | E | F# | A | B
|
| Db | Eb | F | Ab | Bb
|
| Eb | F | G | Bb | C
|
| E | F# | G# | B | C#
|
| F | G | A | C | D
|
| F# | G# | A# | C# | D#
|
| Gb | Ab | Bb | Db | Eb
|
| G | A | B | D | E
|
| Major Blues Scale
|
| 1 | 2 | b3 | 5 | 6
|
| Ab | Bb | Cb | Eb | F
|
| A | B | C | E | F#
|
| Bb | C | Db | F | G
|
| B | C# | D | F# | G#
|
| Cb | Db | Ebb | Gb | Ab
|
| C | D | Eb | G | A
|
| C# | D# | E | G# | A#
|
| D | E | F | A | B
|
| Db | Eb | Fb | Ab | Bb
|
| Eb | F | Gb | Bb | C
|
| E | F# | G | B | C#
|
| F | G | Ab | C | D
|
| F# | G# | A | C# | D#
|
| Gb | Ab | Bbb | Db | Eb
|
| G | A | Bb | D | E
|
- This note changes the major pentatonic scale into a major blues scale
| Minor Pentatonic
|
| 1 | b3 | 4 | 5 | b7
|
| Ab | Cb | Db | Eb | Gb
|
| A | C | D | E | G
|
| Bb | Db | Eb | F | Ab
|
| B | D | E | F# | A
|
| Cb | Ebb | Fb | Gb | Bbb
|
| C | Eb | F | G | Bb
|
| C# | E | F# | G# | B
|
| Db | Fb | Gb | Ab | Cb
|
| D | F | G | A | C
|
| Eb | Gb | Ab | Bb | Db
|
| E | G | A | B | D
|
| F | Ab | Bb | C | Eb
|
| F# | A | B | C# | E
|
| Gb | Bbb | Cb | Db | Fb
|
| G | Bb | C | D | F
|
| Minor Blues Scale
|
| 1 | b3 | 4 | #4 | 5 | b7
|
| Ab | Cb | Db | D | Eb | Gb
|
| A | C | D | D# | E | G
|
| Bb | Db | Eb | E | F | Ab
|
| B | D | E | E# | F# | A
|
| Cb | Ebb | Fb | F | Gb | Bbb
|
| C | Eb | F | F# | G | Bb
|
| C# | E | F# | F## | G# | B
|
| Db | Fb | Gb | G | Ab | Cb
|
| D | F | G | G# | A | C
|
| Eb | Gb | Ab | A | Bb | Db
|
| E | G | A | A# | B | D
|
| F | Ab | Bb | B | C | Eb
|
| F# | A | B | B# | C# | E
|
| Gb | Bbb | Cb | C | Db | Fb
|
| G | Bb | C | C# | D | F
|
- This note changes the minor pentatonic scale into a minor blues scale
Mode Resources
