Modal RunsGuides
The questions the mode pages can’t answer alone: which mode, why, and what’s the difference. Short, opinionated, and written for guitarists — every one of them ends at a drone you can practice over.
| Guitar modes, explained like you’re a guitarist What a mode actually is, why the same notes sound different, and the bright-to-dark ranking. |
| Which mode should you learn first? Dorian for most players, Mixolydian for blues hands — and the order for the rest. |
| How to actually hear the modes The drone method, step by step — and the one note to aim for in each mode. |
| Dorian vs Aeolian: one note apart Both minor. One note different. Completely different mood. |
| Lydian vs Major: one sharp note apart Raise the 4th a semitone and major stops resolving and starts floating. |
| What mode is best for blues? Mixolydian for major blues, Dorian for minor blues, and why blues breaks the rules anyway. |
| Why does Spanish music sound Spanish? One note, one fret above home: the Phrygian flat 2nd, and the cadence built on it. |
| What modes do famous guitarists actually use? Santana = Dorian, Satriani = Lydian, the Dead = Mixolydian, metal = Phrygian. With receipts. |