THE 5 SHAPES & 7 MODES

OF THE MA JOR SCALE

11 Easy to Understand Color
Coded Charts to Help You
Learn the Shapes Once and For All

Ionian, Dor ian, Phr ygian, Lydian,

Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian

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A note on modes.
• The modes Ionian (major scale), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian
(minor scale), and Locrian, are all derivative of the major scale – you DO NOT
have to learn anything other than these 5 shapes, to know all of the 7 modes of
the major scale. There’s to much ado about Modes on the internet. If you know
the major scale, you know the modes.
• To create a mode, you simply call a different note in the scale #1 or the Root.
This of course changes the distance between each note relative to the root, so
the sound becomes very different. Read below to see how each mode differs.
• To use this document to learn and play around with different modes, call:
• 1st scale degree the Root for the Major scale AKA Ionian mode
• 2nd scale degree the Root for the Dorian mode. (contains a b3 and b7, relative to Ionian)
• 3rd scale degree the Root for the Phrygian mode. (contains a b2, b3, b6, and b7 relative to
Ionian)
• 4th scale degree the Root for the Lydian mode. (contains a #4 relative to Ionian)
• 5th scale degree the Root for the Mixolydian mode. (contains a b7 relative to Ionian)
• 6th scale degree the Root of the Minor Scale or Aeolian mode. (contains a b3, b6, and b7 relative
to Ionian)
• 7th scale degree the Root of the Locrian mode. (contains a b2, b3, b5, b6, b7 relative to Ionian)

NOTE: Ionian (the major scale), Aeolian (the minor scale), Dorian and Mixolydian are
used quite often. The others, not so much unless it’s fusion, metal, etc.
How to practice scales.
• Go from the lowest note to the highest, then from highest to lowest without
stopping, at a tempo where you can play perfectly, with no mistakes.
• Use a metronome, and gradually track your progress by making note of your
tempo.
• Apply basic patterns to the scale, going up and down again – especially these
two:
• Ex. 123,234,345,456,567,671, 176,765,654,543,432,321
• Ex. 13,24,35,46,57,61,16,75,64,53,42,31
• Try to transcribe melodies, and play them in different shapes of the scale.
• Try to play different riffs in all the different shapes.
• Map out in your mind where the riffs you know exist in the shapes.
• Play both up and down the neck, and left to right.
• Go up one shape, and down the next, connecting them.
 The 5 Shapes of the
Major or Ionian Scale
G Major as an Example
Also know as A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D Mixolydian,
E Natural Minor or Aeolian, and F# Locrian

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Shape 1
Note: If you start and end on scale degree 7, and play 7 as if it were the “root” or home
note, this would be Locrian mode (the 7th mode). If you play scale degree 1 as the root,
it is the regular Major scale or Ionian. Polar opposites in sound!!! All depends on what
the chords are, and how you use it! All 7 modes are here in this shape!!

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Shape 2
Note: If you start and end on scale degree 2, and play 2 as if it were the “root” or home
note, this would sound like Dorian mode (the 2nd mode). Dorian is used a lot in Funk,
Blues, and Fusion. Try this very scale over a standard blues with the chords A7, D7, and
E7. It’s like minor pentatonic with 2 extra tasty notes.

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Shape 3
Note: If you play as if scale degree 3, were the “root” or home note, this would be
Phrygian mode (the 3rd mode), and if scale degree 4, Lydian mode. However, it is
ALL 7 of the modes…all depends on what the chords and harmony are, and how you
use it. Don’t think in modes unless you have to. I hardly ever do.

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Shape 4
Note: If you play as if scale degree 5 were the “root” or home note, this would be
Mixolydian mode (the 5rd mode). This mode is great to mix in on blues and funk.
For instance, on a D blues (D7, G7, A7), play this scale over the D7.

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Shape 5
Note: If you play as if scale degree 6 were the “root” or home note, this would be
THE MINOR SCALE (AKA Aeolian mode, or natural minor). This is the six mode. I like
to think of everything as ONE scale. G major is E minor – same thing!! The note on
the 4th fret of the D string is only part of Shape 5 in the open position. As you’ll see
in the upper octave Shape 5, that note is played on the 11th fret instead.

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Across String Groups (B and E)

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Across String Groups (G and B)

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Across String Groups (D and G)

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Across String Groups (A and D)

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music
 Across String Groups (E and A)

6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2

Shape 5 Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4 Shape 5 Shape 1

* The numbers in the dots are the scale degrees. There are 7 notes in the scale
* This entire shape can be shifted up or down to change key, but patterns stay the same!
Copyright © 2019 Pow Music