Modes are a powerful yet often misunderstood toolkit for songwriting. As you’ll soon discover, they can completely transform your music, adding depth, emotion, and character to your melodies and chords. Once you unlock their potential, you’ll never look at music the same way again.
Part 1 of 4, Mastering Modes Series
Have you ever been stuck for a song idea, or perhaps had a rough outline of a melody in your head but found arranging a song around the tune difficult? Maybe you play a little piano, but the thought of constructing a complete song is too daunting?
Let me tell you about quite literally the most game-changing and simple technique for creating the structure for most standard western music – modes. Trust me, this is dead easy and zero theory or technical skills are required (well, maybe just a tiny bit of theory, but nothing too hard).
You’re going to need an digital piano or keyboard for this, but don’t worry if you can’t play – we are focusing on simple patterns anyone can master easily.
If you’re set, let’s get rolling.
Terminology
Just to bring you up to speed on modes, and trust me, this is as deep into history as we will go today, but I think its important to at least explain the very foundations of the technique so you can take it further if you gel with it.
The sounds behind your favourite songs have roots in Ancient Greece. Back then, wise old philosophers like Pythagoras were already thinking about how different scales — called modes — could affect our emotions. The Greeks believed that each mode could shape your mood or even your character, like a musical personality test. They had names like Dorian, Phrygian, and Lydian — sounds fancy, right?
Fast forward to the Middle Ages, and these modes got a medieval makeover. Monks used them to chant their hearts out in churches, creating those haunting, otherworldly melodies. By the time we hit the Renaissance, composers were mixing and matching modes to make music more expressive. Then, along came the Baroque era (hello, Bach!) when we settled into the major and minor scales we know today — but the modes didn’t disappear!
So, what is a modes? A mode is a variation of a scale that starts on a different note, giving it a unique mood or character while using the same set of notes.
This is sounding complicated already
I know, modes can sound like scary jazz jargon. But once you get the hang of them, you’ll wonder how you ever made music without them!
Let’s start with the basics. Turn your piano on and lets try some practical examples.
Play all the white keys from middle C to the next C — that’s the C Major scale. Easy, right?
Now, with your left hand, play a single C bass note anywhere.
Now back to your right hand, improvise a melody using any white keys you like. It doesn’t matter what you play — as long as you stick to white notes, you’re jamming in C Major. Don’t worry about messing it up, you can’t – every white note is perfect.
See if you can make a nice little melody with your left hand while your right hand holds down the C bass note.
Want to spice it up? Try playing simple three-note triad chords with your right hand (like C-E-G). Move this shape up to other white keys — say E-G-B — and experiment with rhythms and patterns. Even two-note chords (like C-E) sound solid and work perfectly.
For more variety, add some arpeggios with your left hand (play C-E-G one note at a time) or invert your chords (E-G-C). As long as you’re sticking to white notes, you can’t go wrong.
Congratulations! You’re making music in C Major and dipping your toes into modes — no fear required.
Ok, got that so far
Now, here is the big mind-blowing part, and you don’t need to understand how it works, just that it does.
Each of the white notes on a piano have a name, right? Starting on C, then D, then E etc. Well, they actually have a second modal name too. There is a chart below with all the note names and associated mode names, but that’s not important to remember their modal name, only what each note “feels” like.
The 7 Modes of the C Major Scale
- Ionian Mode (The C Major Scale we’ve been working with)
- Key: C Major
- Sound: Happy, bright, and familiar (this is the regular major scale).
- Dorian Mode
- Key: D Dorian
- Sound: Jazzy, soulful, with a minor feel but a brighter twist.
- Phrygian Mode
- Key: E Phrygian
- Sound: Dark, mysterious, and slightly exotic, often used in Spanish music.
- Lydian Mode
- Key: F Lydian
- Sound: The cinematic mode. Bright and dreamy, almost magical (think film scores and fantasy).
- Mixolydian Mode
- Key: G Mixolydian
- Sound: Bluesy and rock-like, similar to a major scale but with a twist.
- Aeolian Mode (Natural Minor Scale)
- Key: A Minor
- Sound: Melancholy, moody, and familiar (this is the natural minor scale).
- Locrian Mode
- Key: B Locrian
- Sound: Unstable, tense, and rarely used because it sounds dissonant.
Huh?
Ok, don’t worry about the weird Greek names right now. Lets just talk about how they feel, in particular how C major feels. C major is a happy scale. Its a scale you would use to write something upbeat and fun. This is why most any happy fun song you can think of will play perfectly fine in the key of C major.
Think of the C scale is the happy fun scale.
Ok, kinda. Go on
Ready for a twist? The next white note after C is D, and this note unlocks the Dorian mode — perfect for dark, mysterious vibes.
Remember everything you just did with C Major? The bass note, the melody and chord patterns? Use all of this again, but move the entire operation up one place to the D notes.
Hold down the bass note D with your left hand and play quite litrally any white note with your left hand – thats Dorian, and it sounds a little strange, right?
Wait a minute you say, it’s the same damn notes as C major, right?
Yes. That’s the crazy thing. You are playing the exact same notes, it just sounds darker, scarier and more mysterious. Give it a try: play a D bass note with your left hand, and improvise a melody or chords (like D-F-A) with your right. Suddenly, everything sounds moodier and more haunting. Same notes, different feel!
How’s that even possible, it’s the same notes??
Modes!
Congrats — you now have two modes under your belt: the bright and happy C Major (Ionian) and the dark and mysterious D Dorian. These are go-to modes for songwriters, and you just unlocked both!
It can’t be this easy?
Well, yes it’s really this easy. The main focus should be on your left hand, the bass note. This is playing what I refer to as the mode anchor. What ever bass note you are playing dictates the feeling of your right hand scale.
Let’s keep climbing the white keys and unlock more moods!
- E Phrygian: The exotic mode. Play an E bass note and any white keys between E and the next E. Suddenly, you’re creating music with a Middle Eastern or Asian flair. Try simple three-note chords like E-G-B — instant exotic vibes!
- F Lydian: The cinematic mode. Play an F bass note and white notes up to the next F. Chords like F-A-C sound bright, but with a hint of unease (thanks to that quirky B). It’s like gearing up for an epic adventure with a touch of tension — think Lord of the Rings.
- G Mixolydian: The TV drama mode. Start with a G bass note and white notes up to the next G. It’s almost like C Major, but with a twist near the end, making it feel a bit unsettled. Perfect for those cheerful-but-not-quite moments.
- A Aeolian: The sad mode. Start with a A bass note and any white keys between A and the next A. It’s moody, melancholic, and one of the most used modes in song writing.
- B Locrian: The weird mode. Play a B bass note and white notes up to the next B. This one sounds dissonant and off-kilter — great for dystopian vibes, but not common in pop music.
And there you have it! Seven modes, each with its own flavour. From exotic to adventurous to downright sad, you’ve now got a full palette for your musical creations and it’s not even lunchtime yet.
So from now on I want you to look at the white notes on your piano not as pitch, but feel.
C is happy happy, D is dark. E is exotic and F is adventurous. G is dramatic and A is sad. And B is, well B is just wacky and for those days when you’re feeling in a very avant-garde, industrial, neo-jazz, apocalyptic circus-core kinda mood.
Here’s an audible demonstration.
The obvious elephant in the room – changing pitch
You’ve probably noticed we’ve been sticking to the white keys for these modes. Why? Because it’s simple — no complicated finger patterns or crazy note combos to memorize. But what if you want that C Major (Ionian) happiness feeling in a higher pitch, say a tricky key scale like F#?
Life hack: Just transpose your keyboard! Want to play in F# but love the ease of the C Major happy scale? Transpose up 6 semitones. Voilà — effortless F# Ionian! Is it cheating? Absolutely. But unless you’ve got 10 years to master every scale in every key, take the shortcut. Even Irving Berlin (one of the greatest composers ever) did it, so you’re in good company.
Songwriting: Speed Over Theory
When songwriting, don’t get bogged down by key signatures or theory. Focus on the idea first, broad brushstrokes. The details — pitch, tempo, arrangement — can come later. These white-key modes are your shortcut to getting ideas out of your head and into your DAW fast.
- Sad song? Use A Aeolian. 🎵
- Happy tune? Go with C Ionian. ☀️
- Mystical mood? Try D Dorian. 🌀
If a mode doesn’t vibe right, switch it up! Modes are your secret weapon, whether you’re writing, jamming, or improvising. Once you get the hang of them, you can slip into any scale and create effortlessly.
Now go forth and explore — the world of modes awaits!
Happy songwriting.
