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The Dominant Scale (Mixolydian Mode): In the other lessons, we’ve learned two ways to play both major and minor scales. In order to play scales over all three basic chord types we also must learn how to construct Dominant scales. Like dominant chords, the dominant scale has a natural 3rd and a b7. We’ll modify pattern #1 below to become a dominant scale.

   
  Scale Pattern 1 & Scale Pattern 2

This dominant scale works over dom7 chords. Practice the scale over dominant chords until it is familiar and automatic. This dominant scale is identified with the mode name “Mixolydian.”

   
  Modes Summary

The Phrygian Mode: The phrygian mode is another scale. It’s construction is 1,b2,b3,4,5,b6,b7. Pulling out the chord tones, 1,b3,5,b7, leads us to assume that the phrygian mode is a minor scale which will work well over a minor 7 chord. As we have learned, modes relate to specific sounds over specific chords. Playing the phrygian scale over a minor 7 chord reveals to us a minor scale, but one with questionable utility. In this usage, all of the chord tones sound fine, but the other notes b2, 4 and b6 sound harsh against them. Dissonant notes and chord tones don’t combine to form much of an identity. For this reason, it’s useful to change our perspective when examining the phrygian mode.To hear the true sound of the phrygian mode, the scale must be played over the suspended 4th. chord. Pictured below is pattern #3 used as the Phrygian mode.

   
  A Phrygian Scale Pattern

Practice the phrygian scale over suspended 4th chords and dom7(sus4) chords. Listen closely to every note to familiarize yourself with sound of the entire scale. This is the phrygian sound. Even though, if we identify the 1,b3,5,b7 of the phrygian scale, the chord is min7, the phrygian sound is not minor. Think of phrygian as a suspended scale.

   
  Sus Chord Voicings

Summary of Modes using Pattern #3: Illustrated below, are the mixolydian and phrygian modes. The mixolydian scale, though dominant in function, has a major 3rd. so it may be helpful to remember it using the 4th finger on the root as with the major scales, ionian and lydian. The same idea may be used with the phrygian mode. Since the scale has a b3rd, it is played with the first finger on the root (though it is best used as a suspended scale).

     
  A Mixolydian A Mixolydian Scale Pattern
     
     
  A Phrygian A Phrygian Scale Pattern
     

The Locrian Mode: So far, we’ve used three scale patterns to play six different scales. The three scales with major thirds are played with the fourth finger on the root. The three scales with minor thirds are played with the first finger on the root. Also, as an aid in remembering the patterns, all three are based on the same pentatonic scale pattern (with two notes added). These are six of the seven modes which relate to the major scale. To avoid memorizing a new scale pattern, we’ll use pattern #1 that we already know to build the final mode.

     
The Locrian Mode - Minor7(b5) The locrian mode (scale) has the construction: 1,b2,b3,4,b5,b6,b7. In other words, every note which can be flatted has been. The root note of a scale cannot be flatted because it is the root and changing it would change the name of the scale. The fourth can’t be flatted because it would become a major third (remember, there’s only a half step from the third to the fourth of the major scale). There’s already a b3rd. in the scale. Scales and chords don’t have two 3rds.. Pulling out the chord tones (1,b3,b5,b7) gives us the chord min7(b5). Minor 7 (b5) Chord
     
     
  A Locrian A locrian Scale Pattern
     

The Modes: As we have discovered, each of the modes has a different sound and a different use. Understanding the modes in this way helps the player to think of the modes as sounds in much the same way as we see colors. To more completely understand the modes, we’ll once again look at the major scale to see how the modes are derived from it. When we broke down the major scale into it’s component chords, the result was two major chords, three minor chords, one dominant chord and a minor7(b5) chord for a total of seven.

A glance back through all of the mode scales yields the same result, with the exception of the phrygian mode, which is best thought of as a suspended scale. Like the component chords, the modes are taken from the major scale. When we constructed chords from each of the notes in the major scale (chapter 2), we used every other note from each scale tone, then analyzed each resulting chord stack to determine the type of chord. The modes derive from the major scale in exactly the same way. However, we build entire scales from each note in the major scale. Then, when compared to the major scale constructed from the same root, we can determine each scales construction.

These are the modes. We’ve already learned how to play them on the guitar and determined each scales use, so analyzing them should be no problem. Like chords, the individual mode construction is the same for all keys. For example, any scale with a b3 and b7 (only) is dorian. Again, it’s the intervals or distances between the notes that determine the sound.