In musical harmony, what are Ionian, Mixolydian, Dorian, and Aeolian modes?
Ionian is simply the major scale. Let’s say D major, or D Ionian. D E F# G A B C# (D) The Mixolydian mode, for instance, is the series of same notes but starting from the fifth. Here’s A Mixolydian: A B C# D E F# G (A) The mnemonic I learned to remember which modes start where was “I Don’t Punch Like Muhammad Ali” for 1-Ionian 2-Dorian 3-Phrygian 4-Lydian 5-Mixolydian 6-Aeolian 7-Locrian So the root of the Dorian scale is the second note of a given major scale with the same notes; eg, C major has all natural tones, so its second, D, gives you the root to D Dorian, all natural tones D to D. Starting from the third, the sequence of all natural tones from E to E gives you the E Phrygian mode, and so on.
