Scale theory version 1.10 - compiled from info on Alt.Guitar newsgroup.     August 23, 1997

By David Magnuson
from The Independent Music Site

***** Splitting up the modes from the major scale:

There are seven modes based on the major scale.  Each mode is
comprised of the same notes as the major scale, but it begins and
ends on a different root.  The foolowing shows the all seven modes 
that can be made from the C major scale.
 
      1. C-Ionian  c-d-e-f-g-a-b-c (C-Major)
      2. D-Dorian    d-e-f-g-a-b-c-d 
      3. E-Phrygian    e-f-g-a-b-c-d-e 
      4. F-Lydian        f-g-a-b-c-d-e-f   
      5. G-Mixolydian      g-a-b-c-d-e-f-g 
      6. A-Aeolian           a-b-c-d-e-f-g-a 
      7. B-Locrian             b-c-d-e-f-g-a-b 

***** The Melodic Minor Scale:
 
The melodic minor scale is very similar to the major scale, and it's also
made of seven modes:

      1. C-Melodic Minor          C-D-Eb-F-G-A-B
      2. D-Dorian  Flatted 2nd     D-Eb-F-G-A-B-C
      3. Eb-Lydian Augmented       Eb-F-G-A-B-C-D
      4. F-Lydian Dominant                  F-G-A-B-C-D-Eb
      5. G-Hindu                                       G-A-B-C-D-Eb-F
      6. A-Locrian Natural 2nd                     A-B-C-D-Eb-F-G
      7. B-Super Locrian                                  B-C-D-Eb-F-G-A      

***** Concept of Tetrachords:

There is a way to help remember scales, that I find more useful than 
memorizing boxes or shapes.  This method focuses on the number of
half steps between notes in the scale, and can be used to find the
scale anywhere on the fretboard.

First, the major scale is made up of a certain number of half steps
      between notes:

      C Major Scale:
      Position:     1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 1st 
      Note:          C    D    E    F   G   A   B   C
      Half Steps:    2   2   1   2   2   2   1

The 4 types of tetrachords, counted out in numbers of half-steps.  
      The example is shown in in the C Major Scale

      Major tetrachord:    2-2-1  ex: C-D-E-F. or  G-A-B-C
      Minor tetrachord:    2-1-2  ex: A-B-C-D  or  D-E-F-G
      Phrygian tetrachord: 1-2-2  ex: E-F-G-A  or  B-C-D-E
      Lydian tetrachord:   2-2-2  ex: F-G-A-B

      Each mode of the major scale is a combiantion of 2 tetrachords. 
      If both the top and bottom tetrachords are the same type, it's called
      a symmetrical mode.   Ionian, for example, is symmetrical with 2 major
      tetrachords.  You can see how this would work, as there are several
      positions most of the tetrachords will fit.

***** 5 Note Scales - The Pentatonic:

Minor Pentatonic: (notice penta = 5 tone scale)  Shown in key of A.
      1 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b7 
      A   C   D    E   G
      Notice that this is part of the A Aeolian scale. (A-B-C-D-E-F-G) You 
      just remove the 2nd and 6th.

Major Pentatonic:
      1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 6 
      C   D   E   G   A 
      This is a portion of the C Ionian (C Major)... omitting the 4th and 
      7th.  C Major Pentatonic and A Minor Pentatonic are modes of each
      other -- the notes are the same, only shifted to a different root.
      This scale is based on a series of 5ths.  (C->G->D->A->E)  
      See Guitar Oct93, p164 for the 5 positions of the pentatonic major

      Since the Pentatonic Major is taken from the 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6th notes
       in the major scale, and if you're playing in a particular mode (scale),
       there are three pentatonic scales you can play over the root mode.
      They correspond to the 1st, 4th, and 5th of the Ionian mode.

      For example, to play Pentatonic scales over a D Dorian mode, find the
      equivalent Ionian mode (in this case C).  The 1st, 4th, and 5th of C
      are C, F, and G, so you can play C, F, and G Pentatonic scales over  
      your D Dorian and still sound good.

      There is a direct relation between the Major and Minor Pentatonic scales.  
      the pentatonic major is the same fingering as the minor 3 frets lower. 
      Ex:  E pentatonic major = C# pentatonic minor.   Changing from the
      E pentatonic major over the I in an E blues progression, to the E minor 
      pentatonic over the IV grabs attention with the b3rd.  Over the  the V (B)
      you could play the F# pentatonic minor.
     
      Using the typical I-IV-V blues progression in E, it's possible to use  the
      E major and minor pentatonics over the entire progression.  You can also 
      add the 7th to the E chord, and play in the E Mixolydian scale. (This has a D,
      which is the 7th of E.)  When the progression changes to the IV or A, you
      can again play in A Mixolydian, suggesting the A7,  or play in E Dorian
      which shares the same notes.  When you reach the V (B) you can play B
      mixolydian  (same as F# Dorian) or the F# pentatonic, both of which contain
      a b7th (A)
         
      The Pentatonic Major works very well over the common I-IV and I-V 
       progressions.  In each case, only one note must be changed to
       transistion between the chords.  An example is the I-IV change from
       Bmaj to Emaj.  If you raise the D# in the B Pentatonic Major to an E,
       you get the E Pentatonic Major.   Likewise, with the I-V change from Fmaj
       to Cmaj, dropping the F's in the F Pentatonic Major to E's will give you
       the C Pentatonic Major.

Kumoi:
      1 - 2 - b3 - 5 - 6

In Japanese Scale:
      Shown in D.
       1 - b2 - 4 - 5 - b6  
        D  Eb  G   A   Bb

Modern Japanese Scale:
       Shown in C
        1 - b2 - 4 - b5 - b6
         C  Db  F   Eb   Ab

***** 6 Note Scales:

Blues scale: same as minor pentatonic, only add the b5th.  The b5th is
      called a "blue" note.
      1 - b3 - 4 - b5 - 5 - b7
      A   C    D   Eb   E   G

DomSus:
      1 - 2 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7

Persian:
      1 - b2 - 3 - 4 - b5 - 7 

Whole tone scale:
     Comprised entirely of whole steps.  Works well over augmented chords
     Shown beginning on F:
     F G A B C# D# 

***** 7 Note Scales: (Alphabetical Order.)



Aeolian:
      the 6th mode of the major scale.  Works best over a minor 
      (because of flatted 3rd).  A is the 6th of C, so A aeolian 
      is C major scale, played A to A.  Constructed of a minor and
      a phrygian tetrachord.
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

Chinese Scale of the Chow Dynasty:
      circa 1122 BC.  Shown in F.
      1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - #7
       F  G   A    B   C   D    E

Chinese Scale of the Yuan Dynasty:
      Shown in F.
      1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 -#7
       F  G   A Bb  C  D   E

Dorian:
      The 2nd mode of the major scale.  Works best over a minor chord.  
      Formed from 2 minor tetrachords.  D dorian is the same as a C major 
      played from D to D.  Bluesy sounding due to the b3rd and b7th
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7 

Dorian-b2:
      Same as a Dorian, although the 2nd is flatted.  I beleive this would
      be formed by  phrygian and minor tetrachords.  This is the second
      mode of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7
 
Enigmatic:
      1 - b2 - 3 - b5 - #5 - b7 - 7

Harmonic Minor:
      It's a two minor tetrachords joined together.  It's the same as the
      Melodic Minor, with a flatted 6th.
      Shown in G:
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - 7
      G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F#
      
Hindu:
      5th mode of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7 

Ionian:  
      The first mode of the major scale.  C Ionian is the C major scale.
      Ionian is constructed from 2 major tetrachords. Works best over a
      major scale.  This scale, also called the Heptatonic (means 7-tones)
      is comprised of a series of fifths.  C->G->D->A->E->B->F.
      1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 
      C - D - E - F - G - A - B

Locrian:
      The 7th mode.  B locrian is a C major played from B to B.  It's built 
      from  phrygian and lydian tetrachords, and plays best over a minor
      chord.  
      1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7

Locrian Natural 2:
      Locrian with the 2nd left natural rather than flatted.  The 6th mode
      of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7
      
Lydian:
      4th mode of the major scale.  F Lydian is the same as a C major 
      scale played F to F.  This is because C is the 4th of G.  Works 
      best over a Major chord, and is formed from lydian and major
      tetrachords.
      1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - 7 

Lydian Augmented:
      lydian with a #5.  The 3rd mode of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - #5 - 6 - 7 

Lydian Dominant:
      lydian with a b7.  It's a combination of a lydian and mixolydian.
      This is the 4th mode of the melodic minor scale.  Considered a
      "dominant" scale because of the formula for a dominant chord is
      1,3,5,b7.
      1 - 2 - 3 -#4 - 5 - 6 - b7 

Major: (See Ionian)

Melodic minor:
      First mode of the melodic minor scale.  Works well over augmented
      chords if scale is played a minor 3rd below the chord.   So for F+, play 
       D Melodic Minor.  Using the root D in this example suggests the F+ 
       chord would sound like a D minor with a major 7th....Dm(maj7).  Note 
       also that the D melodic minor is the same as an F lydian with a raised
       5th.
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7

Minor:  (See Melodic Minor)

Mixolydian:
      5th mode of the major scale.  G Mixolydian is a C major played from
      G to G.  It is built from a major and minor tetrachord, and works best 
      over a major scale.  the b7th adds a bluesy feel.
      1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7 

Nohkan Flute Scale:
      A Japanese scale, shown in D:
      1 - 2 - 4 - b5 - b6 - 6 - 7
       D  E  G   Ab   Bb   B  C#

Phrygian:
      The 3rd mode of the Major scale.  Works best over a minor chord.
      E is the 3rd of C, so E phrygian is the same as a C major scale 
      played from E to E.  Phrygian is built from 2 phrygian tetrachords.
      1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

Phrygian Dominant:
      Has an Egyptian or Arabic sound.  Used in bridge of Megadeth's
      "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due".  Shown in E:  
      1 - b2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7
      E   F    G#  A   B   C    D
      Since E Phrygian is the 3rd mode of C Major, It would normally have
      no sharps or flats, but the Phrygian Dominant has a G#.  Notice the 
      notes for the E dominant 7th chord are in the scale... 1,3,5,b7
      
Spanish:
      1 - b2 - b3 - 3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7

Super Locrian:
      7th mode of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - b2 - b3 - b4 - b5 - b6 - b7