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The first mode you will learn out of the Key of C Major will be the C Major Ionian mode. Each mode in the key of C has a different name. The names are from the ancient Greek language. The Ionian mode is a medieval church mode corresponding to the modern major diatonic scale. Or the first mode of the major key. The first mode in the major key is always the Ionian mode.
We will learn the C major Ionian mode position starting at the C note Low E string 8th Fret. This is the same position as the A minor pentatonic scale starting at the 2nd position or C note. The only difference is the two extra notes added. These two notes are the F and B. Listen to this scale.
Tablature below.
------------------------------------------------7-8-10-
----------------------------------------8-10-----------
-----------------------------7-9-10--------------------
-------------------7-9-10------------------------------
--------7-8-10-----------------------------------------
-8-10--------------------------------------------------
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Look at the image above and check out the notes and their placement. Compare the C major pentatonic scale below to the C Major scale above and notice the only difference is the two notes F and B. You would use the C Ionian scale above to play over the C chord. The major key has seven notes and the pentatonic scale has only 5. In the key of C, C is a major chord. You could also use the C major pentatonic scale to play over the C chord.
You can go about playing lead in a number ways, but I will only mention two for now. The notes in the key of C major are, C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C. The notes in C major pentatonic are C, D, E, G and A. If you wanted to play lead over the C chord, you could use the C major pentatonic scale above. Or, you could use the C major scale (Ionian mode). The illustration below shows the one popular position to use this scale.
Tablature below.
----------------------------------------5-7-8--
--------------------------------5-6-8----------
------------------------5-7--------------------
---------------5-7-9---------------------------
------5-7-8------------------------------------
-8----------------------------------------------
The image above shows the fingering for the C major Ionian mode in this position. Listen to the C major scale played from high C to low C.
The image below shows all the notes in the key of C major up to the 16th fret.
The image below shows the notes of the C major pentatonic scale. The pentatonic scale only has 5 notes as compared to the C major scale that has 7 notes. Compare each of these illustrations and notice the C major pentatonic scale doesn't have the B or F notes.
To play the C Major scale you would start on the C note. Look at the image above and notice that the C note is on the Low E string 8th fret. You would play from C to C going through all six strings. The image below shows the recommended fingering for this position. Notice the fingering pattern and how it starts on the Low E string 2 finger on the 8th fret. I hope you remember what each number equals, if not please review. In this lower image the C notes are highlighted in blue. Notice how there are 3 C notes from the Low E string to the High E string.
Notice you will be playing from the Low E string C note down through the notes to the High E string C note. Listen to this scale using an acoustic guitar.
Listen using the electric guitar.
Look at the image above and notice where all the C notes are at. Remember, when playing from C to C in the key of C major, you will be playing the Ionian mode. This mode is the first mode in the Key of C major.
Look at the image below. This is the same scale as above, but using a different fingering pattern at a different location. This is by far my favorite position. You are still playing from C to C. Look below and notice you are starting on the C note but with the 4 finger. The C notes have been highlighted in blue. Play from the Low E string 8th fret to the high E string 8th fret.
Tablature below.
----------------------------------------5-7-8--
--------------------------------5-6-8----------
-----------------------4-5-7-------------------
----------------5-7----------------------------
------5-7-8-----------------------------------
-8---------------------------------------------
Play the 4 finger 8th fret low E string now. The next note is played 1 finger A string 5th fret. Play that now. 3 and 4 finger A string is next. Move to the D string, 1, 3 finger. Continue through the rest of the strings using the recommended fingering. Once again, the notes are illustrated below.
The illustration below shows the Aeolian mode. The Aeolian mode is the sixth mode in the key of C major. The image
below is also a great position to play over the C as well as the A minor chord. Listen to this popular progression, C Am
F and G. I have played a simple acoustic lead over the chords.
C major progression C Am F and G.
Here is the same progression, C Am, F and G without the lead. Use this progression and play the key of C major over it. Play this position over the C and Am chord. When the F chord comes up, play the notes of that chord, F A C. The same goes for the G chord, play the notes of this chord, G B D.
To make practicing a little more enjoyable, lay down the C Am F and G chords on a tape recorder and play this mode over them. Eventually you will want to play this mode in as many different positions as possible. As you play lead over the C Am F and G chords, concentrate on playing the notes of each of those chords and the mode for each chord. For example, when playing over the C chord, play the notes of that chord or from C to C (C Ionian). Play the position above for the Am and the C chord.
When you play over the G chord, you can play over the notes of the G chord and use the Mixolydian mode. The same goes for the F chord use the F Lydian mode. The notes of each of these chords are in the mode above and in all modes of the key of C major. If you play from C to C, it is the Ionian mode. But if you played from G to G, it would be the Mixolydian mode. F to F would be the Lydian mode.
| Practice the type 1 and type 4 fingering patterns for the key of C major. |
| Practice the 4 types of fingering patterns to play the major scales. |
| You can find all these major pentatonic scales and tabs at the following link. Look up C F and G major pentatonic and learn the fingerings. Then play C major pentatonic over the C chord, Am pentatonic over the Am chord, F major pentatonic over the F chord and G major pentatonic over the G chord. |
| Now it's time to learn the next position of the key of C Major. This next position is the D minor mode and its Greek name is the Dorian mode. |
Good Luck,
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