Application of Scales reference chart

- E Dorian = D Major patterns
I would disagree on two points.
1. It locks people in to using patterns, rather than learning the scale for it's root and it's content, i.e. Dorian is a minor scale with a raised 6th.
2. If you really must push patterns, I think they're the wrong ones to use. By trying to recycle the patterns for the major scale, you're detracting from the tonal difference of the individual modes. You're telling people that modes are only the major scale, starting at a different place, which, whilst correct in it's way, loses sight of the fact that a mode has a completely different tonal centre to it's "Ionian root". To my mind, this way, the modes lose their raison d'etre (what little of it that I understand).
Ionian is Root, W, W, H, W, W, W, H
Dorian is Root, W, H, W, W, W, H, W
In my opinion, that's the way they should be perceived. I try to look at scales from the offset to the root - major scale is 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, whilst Dorian is 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12. All I need is the root on the fretboard and I can build the scale - it's also unbelievably handy for open tunings in slide playing!

I get what you're saying. I should have made it clear that the charts are meant to be a quick reference for people that already know what modes are and how to use them. These charts are not for leaning modes. Here's where I'm coming from on this: a few years ago I saw an article in a book that laid out the 5 minor pentatonic patterns across the neck. Before that I knew 1 major, 1 minor, and 1 minor pentatonic pattern. Over the last 3 years, I completely learned all the pentatonic, major, and minor scale patterns in every key across the whole fretboard. So no I can go from nut to bridge and play every note in any key (major or minor that is). Then I hooked up with a really good teacher who started showing me things that few people (other than jazzers) work on (ie modal playing). I previously knew that all the G major scale patterns I had committed to memory were also E Dorian, etc. And I also know how to take a "Dorian" pattern and start it on any root to produce that Dorian scale - just like you can do with any major, minor, or pentatonic scale. My teacher suggests that it is far easier to relate everything to the major scale. So instead of learning the entire neck by revolving Dorian patterns, Lydian patterns, etc. all you have to do is learn the major scale patterns and be able to interpolate them into the target modes (but you have to think "modaly" and focus on the target root) - meaning you can't use your favorite G major licks to get work up a good E Dorian melody. I suppose it would techincally be better to concentrate on major patterns when you play in major keys and Dorian patterns when you are playing in that mode, but that would only be practical if you constrained yourself to playing in only one position or maybe two. I'm talking about the whole neck here. And for someone like me (a non professional that only plays/practices about 20 hours a week), I just don't think I care to memorize the major patterns I already know in different orders so I'm playing proper modal patterns, when I can simply play the patterns in the order I know them but interpolate the starting point. Sorry, I know this doesn't make any sense.

It does make sense, but I still think it's the wrong way of going about it.
Because you're thinking E Dorian = D Major pattern, I would think that your mind is, actually, in D major, even when you think you're playing E Dorian, because you're using the pattern burnt into your mind as D Major. I really can't see how you suddenly think "minor with #6th", when you're playing a major scale pattern.
If it works for you, fine, but I'm not sure that I agree that it's a good way to perceive modes, certainly not for a newcomer to them.

It's not that I "think minor with #6" while playing the major pattern. Example: A few lessons ago my teacher played a blues rhythm in E and told me to play a melody. I naturally went to Em Pentatonic at the 12th fret because I wanted to play "safe" and easy. He suggested I play D major but focus on the E note and play it with a bad case of the blues. A Viola - E Dorian! I was able to produce a pretty cool melody that wasn't so safe and stock sounding. So the point of the chart is not to imbed the "theory" or the scale construction into the playing mind, but to give the player a tool to use. But then again - to do that you have to have some sense of musical intuitition and feel. Another example: I practice playing major and minor scales and modes using only one string. That is an ideal exercise to learn the neck inside and out up and down and it forces the player to "feel" the music and not simply noodle in patterns. You have to feel the music. If you spend enough time playing diatonic scales against key rhythms you will develop it.

I agree telling people that the modes contain the same notes as the other major scales at first will only confuse people, its a bad thing to do. You should see all scales as alterations to the major scale (or minor scale for familiarity) and then you dont have to re learn each scale, they kinda are all the same thing anyways. If you know the major scale and all its intervals up and down the fret board then all you need to do is change up a few parts and you also know every other scale, you just gotta know the intervals. I wish noone would have told me that they were the same notes, cause that was actually the first thing i heard and it threw me off for awhile trying to figure out modes.