That is the interval distance between notes, I wouldn't advise this method. This is what I used to learn scales and it was not nearly as helpful was actually learning the intervals.
So, instead of viewing Ionian as W-W-H-W-W-W-H, you would view it as Root-major2-major3-perfect4-perfect5-major6-major7-octave. I found this to be a much smarter way to think of the scales, it is also far more practical in the field. Otherwise you have to remember how many whole's and half's you moved.
If you go to school to learn music, your professor will tell you that the major scale is w-w-h-w-w-w-h. There is also no such thing as a "major second." The minor scale is w-h-w-w-h-w-w. Ergo, the "major second" you refer to is the exact same thing as a "minor second." What about a "diminshed second?" There's no such thing, harmonically speaking it's a ninth.
I'm not talking about modes. I don't call a major scale ionian on a routine basis. A minor scale is generally not called locrian in my book, unless I specifically say or write the word "mode" (even though, yes, modes are scales).
I used the
major scale (emphasis on major, not ionian) as a good starting example, and this is real basic stuff that I'm talking about. If I were to say w-h-w-w-h-w-w, I'd be refering to minor, not locrian. That's the starting point for knowing your theory, fingerboard, note names (you'd not be surprised by how many times I see A# and E# as note names on the board). What I'm talking about are harmonic scales that teach the different keys, what we use as a basis to learn Western harmony. Major, minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. Start with those, and then learn how to structure a chord (based on scale tones, the most basic of which is 1-3-5), which let's you learn your diatonics, which let's you have much clearer picture of how music works. Until you have a real firm grasp of that, don't start confusing yourself with modes.
Modern modes are different, and I view them as extensions of scales. Mixolydian is just a major scale that starts on the fifth. Lydian is a major scale that starts on the fourth. That's the way to look at the mode type of scale. Ionian, I'm not sure if you know this or not, is a major scale that starts on the one. Tonic. And a major scale is w-w-h-w-w-w-h.
There's a real gap in the understanding what people mean when they write "scales" in a talkbass forum. When I read the word "scales," I'm thinking the stuff that Western harmony is built on. I've seen a lot of comments about how scales are stupid and you don't need to know an ionian scale to know what notes are in a major chord. I see a lot of putting the cart in front of the ass.
If you feel like you're smarter than me because you know that the ionian scale has a major second in it, good for you. Great, continue to educate me.
