The **Ionian mode** is the first of the [[modes of the major scale]]: the scale that begins on the first note of a major scale, like the white keys from C to C. Its pattern of [[half steps and whole steps]] is W–W–H–W–W–W–H. The Ionian mode is identical to the [[major scale]]; Ionian is simply the major scale’s name among the modes. **Example 1** below shows C Ionian, with scale-degree numbers above and [[solfège]] syllables below (*do*, *re*, *mi*, *fa*, *sol*, *la*, *ti*). ![[example modes of the major scale ionian.png]] **Example 1.** C Ionian mode. ![[example modes of the major scale ionian.mp3]]