Ionian mode is a
musical mode or, in modern usage, a
diatonic scale
In music theory, a diatonic scale is any heptatonic scale that includes five whole steps (whole tones) and two half steps (semitones) in each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps, ...
also called the
major scale.
It is the name assigned by
Heinrich Glarean in 1547 to his new
authentic mode on C (mode 11 in his numbering scheme), which uses the
diatonic
Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterize Scale (music), scales, and are also applied to musical instruments, Interval (music), intervals, Chord (music), chords, Musical note, notes, musical sty ...
octave species from C to the C an octave higher, divided at G (as its dominant,
reciting tone/reciting note or ''tenor'') into a fourth species of
perfect fifth
In music theory, a perfect fifth is the Interval (music), musical interval corresponding to a pair of pitch (music), pitches with a frequency ratio of 3:2, or very nearly so.
In classical music from Western culture, a fifth is the interval fro ...
(tone–tone–semitone–tone) plus a third species of
perfect fourth (tone–tone–semitone): C D E F G + G A B C. This octave species is essentially the same as the
major mode of
tonal music.
Church music had been explained by theorists as being organised in eight
musical modes: the scales on D, E, F, and G in the "greater perfect system" of "musica recta," each with their
authentic and
plagal counterparts.
Glarean's twelfth mode was the plagal version of the Ionian mode, called
Hypoionian (under Ionian), based on the same relative scale, but with the
major third as its ''tenor'', and having a melodic range from a
perfect fourth below the tonic, to a
perfect fifth
In music theory, a perfect fifth is the Interval (music), musical interval corresponding to a pair of pitch (music), pitches with a frequency ratio of 3:2, or very nearly so.
In classical music from Western culture, a fifth is the interval fro ...
above it.
See also
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Bilawal
Bilaval or Bilawal () is a raga and the basis for the eponymous ''thaat'' (musical mode) in Hindustani classical music. Raga Bilaval is named after Veraval, Gujarat.
Bilaval has been the standard for North Indian music since the early 19th cen ...
, the equivalent scale (
thaat) in
Hindustani music
*
Shankarabharanam, the equivalent scale (
melakarta
Mēḷakartā is a collection of fundamental musical scales ( ragas) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). ''Mēḷakartā'' ragas are parent ragas (hence known as ''janaka'' ragas) from which other ragas may be generated. A ''melak ...
) in
Carnatic music
Notes
References
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External links
Ionian mode for guitarat GOSK.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ionian Mode
Modes (music)
Diatonic set theory
Major scales