A musical mode is a scale built on a specific starting point of a parent scale, giving it a distinct sound character. The seven modes of the major scale — Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian — each have a unique emotional colour.
In Western music theory, a mode is a type of scale derived from a parent scale (most commonly the major scale) by starting on a different degree. The seven modes of the major scale each have a distinct pattern of tones and semitones, and consequently a distinct emotional character: Ionian (the standard major scale — bright, resolved), Dorian (minor with a raised 6th — used in jazz and rock, associated with a 'cool' minor sound: Doria Gracie 'Oye Como Va', 'Scarborough Fair'), Phrygian (minor with a flat 2nd — Spanish, flamenco, dark), Lydian (major with a raised 4th — dreamy, floating, used in film scores), Mixolydian (major with a flat 7th — bluesy, rock dominant, used in 'Sweet Home Chicago', 'Norwegian Wood'), Aeolian (the natural minor scale — sad, melancholic), and Locrian (diminished feel, rarely used as a tonal centre). Modes are widely taught in jazz education as a framework for improvisation (modal jazz, pioneered by Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, uses Dorian and Mixolydian modes as the basis for extended improvisation over static harmonies). Modes also appear in folk music worldwide — Irish traditional music uses Dorian and Mixolydian modes extensively; flamenco is built around Phrygian.
Virgoul jazz, guitar, and theory teachers teach modes in musical context — connecting them to real songs, real chord progressions, and your improvisational vocabulary from day one.
Join VirgoulA scale is any organized sequence of pitches within an octave. A mode is specifically a scale derived from a parent scale by starting on a different degree — the seven modes are all derived from the major scale. All modes are scales, but not all scales are modes. Pentatonic scales, harmonic minor, and melodic minor are scales that are not modes of the major scale (though they have their own modal derivatives).
Each mode produces a characteristic set of diatonic chords (chords built from the notes of that mode). Dorian mode produces a characteristic minor tonic chord with a major IV chord (which is why Dm-G or Dm-G7 sounds 'Dorian'). Mixolydian produces a major tonic with a flat-VII chord (C-Bb is Mixolydian). Recognizing which mode a chord progression suggests helps improvisers choose the right scale and colour.
No — not all at once, and not all equally. The practically most useful modes for most musicians are: Dorian (jazz, rock minor), Mixolydian (blues, rock, dominant chords), Phrygian (flamenco, metal), and Lydian (film music, dreamy major). Aeolian you already know as the natural minor scale. Locrian is theoretically interesting but rarely a practical tonal centre. Your teacher will introduce modes in order of practical relevance to your style.