Mode reference
Ionian mode
The major scale under its modal name · C Ionian = C – D – E – F – G – A – B
Ionian is the first mode of the major scale. It is the major scale under its modal name.
The reference point. Everything else is described as a departure from it.
C Ionian
- C1tone
- D2tone
- E3semi
- F4tone
- G5tone
- A6tone
- B7semi
- C8
Every degree
| Degree | Note | Interval from the tonic | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Unison | 0 |
| 2 | D | Major second | 2 |
| 3 | E | Major third | 4 |
| 4 | F | Perfect fourth | 5 |
| 5 | G | Perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | A | Major sixth | 9 |
| 7 | B | Major seventh | 11 |
Ionian on every root
Each row is the same step pattern started somewhere new. The last column is the major scale that contains the same notes — useful when you want to find the mode by thinking in a key you already know.
| Tonic | Notes | Same notes as |
|---|---|---|
| C | C – D – E – F – G – A – B | C major |
| D♭ | D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C | D♭ major |
| D | D – E – F♯ – G – A – B – C♯ | D major |
| E♭ | E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D | E♭ major |
| E | E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D♯ | E major |
| F | F – G – A – B♭ – C – D – E | F major |
| F♯ | F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯ – E♯ | F♯ major |
| G | G – A – B – C – D – E – F♯ | G major |
| A♭ | A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G | A♭ major |
| A | A – B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G♯ | A major |
| B♭ | B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F – G – A | B♭ major |
| B | B – C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ | B major |
Hearing it rather than spelling it
A mode is only a mode while the music keeps treating its tonic as home. Played over a C bass, C Ionian is just C major. Played over a C drone, the alterations become unmistakable. That is why modal writing tends to stay on one chord for a long time.