Modes and scales are classified as
major
and
minor
depending on the tonal dis-
tance between the first and third notes. When a scale or mode has a major
interval between these notes, it is called
major
. When this interval is a minor, it is
called
minor
.
Interval Name
½
Minor Second
1
Major Second
1½
Minor Third
2
Major Third or Diminished Fourth
2½
Perfect Fourth
3
Augmented Fourth or Diminished Fifth
3½
Perfect Fifth
4
Augmented Fifth or Minor Sixth
4½
Major Sixth
5
Minor Seventh
5½
Major Seventh
6
Octave
Steps
D
D
F
A
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
C
E
G
D
E
F
G
A
B
Ionian
Dorian
R
2nd
3rd 4th
5th
6th
7th R
9th
11th
13th
minor 3rd
major 7th
<
7th
maj
7
m
7
major 3rd
Major
C
Major and Natural Minor Scales
13
The Diatonic Yardstick
The diatonic scale is what all other scales and modes are measured against to determine
how we write the interval between the root and other notes. In the diagram below we see
the diatonic scale in C major compared to the Aeolian mode derived from C major. As
compared to the major scale, the 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes of the mode are flatted. You can
see that it is the relative positioning of the notes that are flatted, not the actual notes
themselves. The whole-step and half-step spacing between the notes remains unaltered.
w
h
C
w
w
h
w
w
D
E
F
G
A
B C
R
2
3
4
5
6
7 R
R
2 <3
4
5 <6
<7
R
C Major Scale
A
w
w
h
w
w
w
h
A
B C
D
E
F
G
Aeolian Mode
(6th mode of C major)
Names
of
Common
Intervals
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