Ionian Mode

The Name for What You Already Play

The major scale you have been playing since your very first lesson has another name: Ionian.

Ionian is the first of the seven church modes — a family of scales built by starting on each degree of a major scale. When musicians talk about modes, they call the plain major scale 'Ionian' so it sits inside a common vocabulary with Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian.

The pattern is the same one you already know: W-W-H-W-W-W-H.

Starting from C: C-D-E-F-G-A-B.

Everything you have learned about major scales applies — Ionian is simply the modal name for what you already own.

C Ionian Scale

Play the C Ionian scale ascending. Notice the distance between each pair of notes and how the leading tone B pulls back to C.

Play C Ionian

• Play the C Ionian scale ascending and descending
• Listen for the leading tone B resolving back to C
• Remember: this is the same major scale you have always played — now in its modal name