Tip: Practicing Modes (Part 5)

We’ve been exploring modes, the C Ionian mode in particular. So far, we’ve communicated the C Ionian sound through chords, arpeggios and scales. We’ve done all this in one position. Let’s take a look now at moving from one position to another, as we stick to making the C Ionian sound.

We’ll start with C Ionian chords, with melody notes on strings 1 and 2 at least. We might dig a bit deeper and also do up to (down to) strings 3, and maybe 4, too.

Plus, we can break this exploration into two categories: (1) straight diatonic C Ionian chords and (2) chords with melody notes that are chromatic to the C major scale “” but that relate to the C major scale, and C Ionian sound.

Let’s dig in. Here are C Ionian chords with the melody note on string 1:

C Ionian chords with melody

Thanks for reading.

Copyright © 2010 Darrin Koltow

This first appeared in the Guitar Noise News – April 1, 2009 newsletter. Reprinted with permission.