Major Scale Modes on Guitar

In this post I will go over the 7 modes of the major scale!

I will also teach what the term Natural Minor (aka Relative Minor) means…

7 Modes of the Major Scale

To begin, you can basically think of a mode as a position in the major scale. These are the major scale patterns!

The first mode will start on the 1st note in the scale (the root note), the second mode will begin on the 2nd note in the scale, the third mode will begin on the 3rd note in the scale, and so on for all seven notes in the scale.

There are seven notes in the major scale, so there are seven modes of the major scale; known as Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian.

Ionian mode
Dorian mode
Phrygian mode
Lydian mode
Mixolydian mode
Aeolian mode
Locrian mode

7 Modes of the G Major Scale

Here are the seven modes of the G Major Scale:

1st mode – G Ionian

This is the 1st mode, the G Ionian mode (or G Ionian scale), which you can also simply refer to as the G Major Scale.

Notice that it starts on the 1st note in the scale, the root note of G.

2nd mode – A Dorian

This is the 2nd mode of the G Major scale, known as the A Dorian mode (or A Dorian scale). It starts on the second note of the G Major Scale, which is A, and then proceeds up the same seven notes you see above in the G Ionian Mode.

So, yes, we are still in the scale of G Major, this is just the second position of it; or the second mode.

3rd mode – B Phrygian

This is 3rd mode of the G Major scale, known as the B Phrygian Mode (or B Phrygian scale). It starts on the third note of the G Major scale, which is B.

4th mode – C Lydian

This is the 4th mode of the G Major Scale, known as the C Lydian mode (or C Lydian Scale). It begins on the fourth note of the G Major scale, which is C.

5th mode – D Mixolydian

This is the 5th mode of the G Major scale, known as the D Mixolydian mode (or D Mixolydian scale). It begins on the fifth note of the G Major scale, which is D.

6th mode – E Aeolian – Natural Minor

This is the 6th mode of the G Major scale, known as the E Aeolian mode (or E Aeolian scale). It begins on the sixth note of the G Major scale, which is E.

Notice this one is also labeled as the Natural Minor. I detail what that means below…

7th mode – F# Locrian

And this is the 7th mode of the G Major Scale, known as the F# Locrian mode (or F# Locrian scale). It begins on the 7th note of the G Major Scale, which is F#.

Major Scale Modes Guitar

These are the seven modes of the major scale! Above they are presented in G Major. Again, this is the G Major Scale! Being able to play all seven modes listed above will give you the ability to play the G Major scale all over the entire fretboard!

Next, I will show you how to play the seven major scale modes in any key!!!