ExploreModes is a practical guide to the seven musical modes, designed especially for guitarists who want to understand not only how modes are constructed, but how they actually sound.
The app combines ear training, harmony, fretboard examples, modal vamps and listening suggestions to help connect music theory with real-world playing.
Getting Started
The seven modes are:
- Ionian
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Aeolian
- Locrian
Select any available mode from the main screen to open its lesson.
ExploreModes uses familiar scales as reference points wherever possible, making it easier to hear the note or interval that gives each mode its distinctive character.
The Scale
Each mode lesson begins with the notes and interval structure of the scale.
The most characteristic note of the mode is highlighted. This is often the note that provides the clearest clue to the mode’s particular sound.
For example, Lydian contains a raised 4th compared with the major scale, while Dorian contains a natural 6th compared with the natural minor scale.
Hear the Difference
Knowing the interval formula is useful, but modes make much more sense when you can hear them.
The Hear the Difference section compares the mode with a closely related familiar scale.
Use the playback buttons to listen to both examples several times and concentrate on the note that changes between them.
Headphones can be useful when working on subtle differences between modes.
Hear It in Harmony
Modes aren’t just scale patterns. Their distinctive notes also affect the chords available within them.
The harmony section lets you hear chord progressions chosen to emphasise the character of the selected mode.
Listen to how the characteristic chord changes the mood of the progression and how it relates back to the tonic chord.
Try It on Guitar
The fretboard section shows the notes of the mode in a practical area of the guitar neck.
The root and important modal notes are highlighted to make them easier to locate.
Try playing the notes on your guitar while referring to the fretboard diagram. Pay particular attention to the characteristic note of the mode and how it sounds when resolving to or moving around the root.
Play the Mode
Selected lessons include a repeating modal vamp that provides a simple harmonic background for improvisation.
Start the vamp and experiment with the suggested notes on your guitar.
You don’t need to play the entire scale continuously. Try beginning with just a few notes and gradually introduce the characteristic interval of the mode.
This is often one of the quickest ways to start recognising a modal sound by ear.
Hear Modes in Music
Each lesson includes examples of music that demonstrates the mode or important aspects of its sound.
The notes provided with each example explain what to listen for.
Modal music isn’t always harmonically pure throughout an entire song. Some examples strongly establish a particular mode, while others use characteristic modal sounds within a broader piece of music.
The aim is to help you recognise these sounds when you encounter them in real music.
Mode Reference
The Mode Reference provides a quick way to explore any mode in different keys.
Choose a root note and mode to see:
- Scale notes
- Interval formula
- Characteristic note
- Tonic chord
- Diatonic triads
- Parent major scale
Tap Play Scale to hear the selected mode.
The Reference section is useful when you already understand a mode and simply want to find its notes or harmony in another key.
ExploreModes Pro
Ionian, Dorian and Mixolydian lessons are available free of charge, along with the Mode Reference.
ExploreModes Pro is an optional one-time purchase that unlocks the remaining mode lessons:
Lydian, Phrygian, Aeolian and Locrian.
There is no subscription.
Restoring a Purchase
If you have previously purchased ExploreModes Pro using the same Apple Account, your purchase should normally be recognised automatically.
If necessary, open the Pro purchase screen and tap Restore Purchases.
You will not be charged again for restoring an existing purchase.
Getting the Most From ExploreModes
Don’t feel that you need to memorise all seven modes at once.
A good approach is to concentrate on one mode and work through the scale, listening comparison, harmony and guitar sections together. Play the examples repeatedly and then spend some time improvising with the mode yourself.
The goal isn’t simply to remember seven interval formulas. It’s to reach the point where Dorian sounds like Dorian, Lydian sounds like Lydian, and you can recognise why.
Support
If you experience a problem with ExploreModes or have a question about using the app, please use the contact details provided on this website.
When reporting a problem, it can be helpful to include your device model, iOS version and a brief description of what happened.