Church Modes Ear Training
The seven Church Modes (also known as Greek Modes) are variations of the major scale, each starting on a different degree. Recognizing them by ear unlocks a massive palette of musical colors.
The 7 Modes
In order from brightest to darkest:
- Lydian: Magical, floating (Major with #4)
- Ionian (Major): Happy, resolved
- Mixolydian: Bluesy, rocky (Major with b7)
- Dorian: Jazzy, sophisticated minor (Minor with natural 6)
- Aeolian (Natural Minor): Sad, pure minor
- Phrygian: Dark, Spanish, tense (Minor with b2)
- Locrian: Extremely unstable, terrifying (Minor with b2 and b5)
How to study them
Never try to learn all seven at once! Divide them into families:
The Major Family: Ionian, Lydian, Mixolydian. Focus on distinguishing their subtle differences.
The Minor Family: Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian. Practice hearing whether the minor scale sounds jazzy, plain, or dark/exotic.
Using BananaTone
Configure the Scale trainer to include the modes you want to practice. Start with just Ionian and Aeolian (Major and Minor), then add Dorian and Mixolydian as your skills improve.
Ready to practice?
BananaTone is a free, fast ear training app. No sign-up required — just open and start practicing.