Learn Guitar Scales: Unlocking The Ionian Mode to Advance Your Guitar Solos

By Nick Dillon


It is important as you learn guitar scales to learn the modes of the major scale. A good starting point is the Ionian mode or simply called the major scale. This scale is very popular in all different types of music from classical to rock to jazz and many others. This scale is in a sense a reference point for much of the terminology in music and is the one scale that is essential for musicians to understand.

As you learn guitar scales you will realise that scales are simply a series of notes separated by distinct intervals or steps. The intervals of the Ionian mode are root tone -T-T -ST -T-T-T-ST, where T = a tone or two frets and ST = a semitone or 1 fret. A major scale can be formed by simply arranging any set of notes with these intervals. This set of intervals gives the well known - do, re, me, fa, so la, ti sound.

The intervals of the Ionian mode generally produce a bright, happy feel. This is mainly due to the major 3rd but also how the other notes or intervals sound in relation to the root note. This scale is often chosen to give a piece of music a happy and positive vibe. As you learn guitar scales, listen to how the intervals or steps in the scale affect the feel and mood, this is an important skill as a musician.

The natural, easy sounding intervals of the major scale make it a good reference point in music. Once you can easily identify how it sounds, you can train your ear to listen out for differences in these familiar intervals. You can then identify other scales by using the major scale as a reference point. As you learn guitar scales, you will find this an invaluable skill.

A typical major scale progression will use chords built from the root, fourth and fifth intervals of the scale. These chords will be major chords and tend to be the easiest to solo with.

The major scale is used extensively in jazz, classical and rock music, but also nursery rhymes and even church songs or hymns. Despite this scale scale being associated with these genres of music it also works very well with lead guitar. Did you know that the longest guitar solo ever in the top forty charts - Slash's "November Rain" used the Ionian mode or major scale ? This demonstrates just how good it can sound on guitar. As you learn guitar scales and progress beyond the pentatonics, ensure to learn the modes of the major scale. The Ionian mode is a good starting point to upscale your lead guitar technique.




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