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Ionian scale
How to play the ionian scale
Ionian is the major scale started on its 1st note. Play every white key from C up to the next C and you have C ionian.
To play it from any other note, keep the formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Compared with the major scale, each ♭ is one key lower and each ♯ one key higher.
Practice it slowly with each hand, then hold the bottom note in the left hand while the right hand plays the scale: that drone is the quickest way to hear the character of a mode.
Ionian scale in all 12 keys
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| C ionian | C D E F G A B C |
| D♭ ionian | D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ |
| D ionian | D E F♯ G A B C♯ D |
| E♭ ionian | E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭ |
| E ionian | E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E |
| F ionian | F G A B♭ C D E F |
| F♯ ionian | F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ |
| G ionian | G A B C D E F♯ G |
| A♭ ionian | A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ |
| A ionian | A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A |
| B♭ ionian | B♭ C D E♭ F G A B♭ |
| B ionian | B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B |