Here is a real rough guide to the different sounds of the modes.
The bass is just playing the E note in all examples.
Ionian
This is the first mode. The Ionian mode is the major scale as we know it.
[mp3]/uploads/2a6bc66274d13c8f7174d6731843b22a.mp3[/mp3]
It sounds bright and happy.
Dorian
The second mode is Dorian. This has a much darker sound to it. The differences from this mode to the Ionian is that we have a flattened 3rd.
[mp3]/uploads/9359a338990d33c30253d622d2a60d54.mp3[/mp3]
Looking at it another way (which can make it even more difficult to understand), it contains all the notes of the D Major scale. The only difference is that we are not focussing the note on D but E. It does not sounds bright and cheerful like we would expect any major scale to, it sounds completely different from major.
Phrygian
Phrygian has an even darker sound to it. The difference between this and Ionian is that we are flattening the 2nd, 3rd and 6th note.
[mp3]/uploads/df0f12807ee0605c74674e7330c0f4dd.mp3[/mp3]
The E phygian scale contains all the same notes from the C Major scale. You can play these notes over the backing and as the focus is on E and not C it will not sound like C Major at all but E phygian.
Lydian
I like the fourth mode, Lydian, it has a great floaty feel to it. The difference between this and Ionian is that Lydian has a sharpened 4th.
[mp3]/uploads/47ad73eacb6f7ce97e3379b8c01cdc49.mp3[/mp3]
E Lydian contains the same notes as the B Major scale. With the focus on the E it sounds completely different from B Major
Mixolydian
The fifth mode of the major scale is Mixolydian. When comparing to the major scale (ionian) it has a flattened 7th.
[mp3]/uploads/65478ef0f0f944f8346d1ba2129b3088.mp3[/mp3]
This has the same notes as A major and like before, playing the notes from the A major scale but using E as the focus point it will not sound like A major at all.
Aeolian
This is the same as the minor scale. It is built off the 6th note of the major scale. It has a flattened 3rd, and 6th.
[mp3]/uploads/4fe4502cd799fd5f352d70d6deaed06b.mp3[/mp3]
The notes are the same as that of G major.
Locrian
The final mode is Locrian and it has a flattened 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th note. I find this one the toughest as it doesn't really sound too great in my opinion.
[mp3]/uploads/acce7da0581b3d03347600c04fd2268c.mp3[/mp3]
Even though we are using the same notes that appear in F major, it really doesn't sound major at all with the focus being n the E!
I tend to think of the modes as either major or minor. So Ionian, Lydian and Mixolydian are all major sounding modes and Dorian, Phyrgian and Aeolian are minor sounding. Looking at them in this way there is only one differnt note.
What I mean by this is, for example, take Dorian. The only difference between E Minor (aeolian) and E Dorian is the sharpened 6th. So I could play the Minor pentatonic scale and chuck in the sharpened 6th and I am playing Dorian.
I find with modes it is all about emphasis. If I am playing a minor mode I want to emphasise the flattened 3rd note and the note that is different (i.e with Dorian, the #6th note). Likewise if I am playing a major mode I want to emphasise the 3rd note and the different note (ie with Lydian the #4th). These different notes bring out the mode.
I find it easy to hear the modes myself but ONLY in a situation like this where the bass is clearly defined. You are never going to find a song with just a droning bass note like this so application of modes within more general music is where I get stuck though I always listen out for these characteristics of the modal sounds that I have (hopefully) illustrated above.
Give it a whirl yourselves - here is the droning E backing to try out each of the modes to get your ear used to their flavours:
[mp3]/uploads/e51093761f24e0fb258bad47ecd35582.mp3[/mp3]
Please feel free to add any questions about this or correct any mistakes I may have made.
