Guitar Mode Charts
C major scale
Mode Notes
Ionian mode: C D E F G A B
Dorian mode: D E F G A B C
Phrygian mode: E F G A B C D
Lydian mode: F G A B C D E
Mixolydian mode: G A B C D E F
Aeolian (minor) mode: A B C D E F G
Locrian mode: B C D E F G A
What this means above is that if you are in the key of C and
you play a chord derivative of the C major scale, then based
on the feel you want, you would choose the appropriate mode
for the chord being played. We'll talk about all of this
and go through some examples in later lessons. For now let's
chart out all of the notes in every key just to prime us for
that step. We already did C, the only key with no sharps or
flats.
| Tonic is A or A major
scale |
| Mode |
Notes |
| Ionian Mode |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
G# |
| Dorian |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
| Phrygian |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
| Lydian |
D |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
| Mixolydian |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
| Aeolian (minor) |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
| Locrian |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
| Tonic is B or B major
scale |
| Mode |
Notes |
| Ionian Mode |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
A# |
| Dorian |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
A# |
B |
| Phrygian |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
A# |
B |
C# |
| Lydian |
E |
F# |
G# |
A# |
B |
C# |
D# |
| Mixolydian |
F# |
G# |
A# |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
| Aeolian (minor) |
G# |
A# |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
| Locrian |
A# |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
| Tonic is D or D major
scale |
| Mode |
Notes |
| Ionian Mode |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
C# |
| Dorian |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
| Phrygian |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
| Lydian |
G |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
| Mixolydian |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
| Aeolian (minor) |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
| Locrian |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
| Tonic is E or E major
scale |
| Mode |
Notes |
| Ionian Mode |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
D# |
| Dorian |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
| Phrygian |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
| Lydian |
A |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
| Mixolydian |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
| Aeolian (minor) |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
| Locrian |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
| Tonic is F or F major
scale |
| Mode |
Notes |
| Ionian Mode |
F |
G |
A |
Bb |
C |
D |
E |
| Dorian |
G |
A |
Bb |
C |
D |
E |
F |
| Phrygian |
A |
Bb |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
| Lydian |
Bb |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
A |
| Mixolydian |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
A |
Bb |
| Aeolian (minor) |
D |
E |
F |
G |
A |
Bb |
C |
| Locrian |
E |
F |
G |
A |
Bb |
C |
D |
| Tonic is G or G major
scale |
| Mode |
Notes |
| Ionian Mode |
G |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F# |
| Dorian |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
| Phrygian |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
| Lydian |
C |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
| Mixolydian |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
C |
| Aeolian (minor) |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
C |
D |
| Locrian |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
Now to put those on the fretboard. Once you
memorize these fingerings you will ha
