A♯ Ionian

Happy, bright, resolved — built from A♯ major

PARENT FAMILY · A♯ MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (A♯ major). A♯ Ionian is the I mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	A♯ Ionian	A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	C Dorian	Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	D Phrygian	Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	D♯ Lydian	D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	F Mixolydian	F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – B♭maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – E♭maj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	G Aeolian	Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	A Locrian	Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

A♯ C D D♯ F G A

Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The Ionian scale on A♯ contains the notes A♯, C, D, D♯, F, G, A. The pentatonic subset is A♯, C, D, F, G.

Characteristic note: the major 7th gives it a bright, resolved sound.

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

A♯maj7

II

Cm7

III

Dm7

IV

D♯maj7

V

F7

VI

Gm7

VII

Am7♭5

▸ Play A♯ Ionian over A♯maj7 and F7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · HAPPY, BRIGHT, RESOLVED

HAPPY, BRIGHT, RESOLVED

A♯ Ionian is a major mode with a happy, bright, resolved character. It is the I mode of A♯ major — it uses the same 7 notes as A♯ Ionian but is rooted on A♯, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is A♯maj7.

Where to use A♯ Ionian

Major key melodies, pop, folk, classical.

Famous examples

Happy Birthday
Let It Be
most pop songs

What makes it distinctive: the major 7th gives it a bright, resolved sound.

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