F# Ionian (major)
A diatonic mode with a major 3rd and major 7th; a stable major sound.
Octaves
Musical context
How the mode relates to the scale, chord, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- F# Ionian (major)
- Family
- Diatonic modes
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- W – W – H – W – W – W – H
Notes & degrees
1F#root
2G#major 2nd
3A#major 3rd
4Bperfect 4th
5C#perfect 5th
6D#major 6th
7E#major 7th
Construction
- Overview
- A diatonic mode with a major 3rd and major 7th; a stable major sound.
- Application in music
- Identical to the natural major scale and forms the modal basis of a major key.
- Interval formula
- F#WG#WA#HBWC#WD#WE#
- Reference mode
- F# Ionian
F# Ionian (major) coincides with the F# Ionian mode — it is the reference itself.
How the mode is built
- Position in the system
- Degree 1 of the parent major scale
- Parent scale
- The Ionian mode is itself the major scale
Sibling modes
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IF#point of resttonic
IIIA#defines modal qualitythird
VC#supports the tonic sonorityfifth
Typical resolutions & tensions
VIIE#E#
IF#F#
In typical voice leading, the leading tone rises by semitone to tonic.
IIIA#A#
IVBB
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IF#F#
IIG#G#
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This mode on guitar 🎸
See how F# Ionian (major) looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.