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Into The Ionian Major Mode

The Ionian Major Mode

Music that uses the traditional major scale can be said to be in the first mode of the major scale, also known as Ionian. Its bright sounding is well-liked in pop, rock, classical, jazz, punk and country. The Ionian Mode is exactly the same as the Major scale. It is used in the same way but can be called the Ionian Mode if you are playing over a static (not changing) chord. It makes no difference if you think of it as the Major Scale or the Ionian mode.

dorian-scale

The Ionian Major Mode Theory

The perfect fourth interval of this scale (in this case F) can sound somewhat unstable as it often pulls to the third of the chord (in this case E). Some jazz school have people practice using the Ionian mode without playing the 4th degree at all (They call it an 'avoid note'). Personally, I quite like the sound of passing through the note, it's just stopping on it that sounds a bit horrible. Like with all theory stuff, you MUST try it and hear it for yourself or it will really make sense.

A great way to work on playing in the Ionian mode is to play G major scale over a 1 4 5 chord progression in the key of G. Since we are in the key of G major, the 1 4 5 progression would be G major, C major and D major. This 1 4 5 progression really hints at the Ionian mode and lends itself to experimenting with expressing the Ionian Mode sound. Recording these chords over and over again and then play them back. Try to improvise with the Ionian scale. Listen to what each scale degree sounds like over each chord. Play the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th scale degrees and just listen to how they sound. Now play the 4th and see how it sounds over each chord. If you start to memorize what each note sounds like you will start to be able to know exactly when to use specific notes. Have fun and get the Ionian sound in your head.