The Ionian scale is most commonly played scale—you probably know it already if you are already playing an instrument.
The most common scale is properly known as the Ionian Major scale, and colloquially referred to as simply the major scale.
However, this is the most commonly used type of scale in music, or at the very least Western music. Ionian scales are part of the bigger category of diatonic scales, scales that go from tonic to tonic and have five whole tones and two semi tones, defined by the interval pattern W-W-S-W-W-W-S.
The easiest way to show this pattern is the C Major Scale (seen in the video)
As you can see, C-D is a whole step, as is D-E. E-F is a half step, F-G is a whole step. G-A is a whole step, A-B is a whole step, and B-C is a half step. Using this formula, you yourself can write any Ionian Major scale starting with any of the available tonic notes.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The name “Ionian” refers to one of the four major tribes that the ancient Greeks divided themselves into, the other four being the Dorians, Aeolians, and Achaeans (keep those names in mind!)
Fun fact: Ironically, the name Ionian Scale was never used by the actual Ionians, as the name was assigned in the 1500s by the Swiss musicologist Heinrich Glarean. The Ionians (most famously represented by Athens) were renowned for their love of philosophy and art and music, but what we today call the Ionian major scale was in fact called the Lydian mode by the ancients.
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