Songwriting Tip: Don't think of scales as just a collection of notes.

Each scale has its own melodic personality. Dorian can feel minor but surprisingly energetic. Mixolydian has a major sound with a bluesier edge. Harmonic minor has a dramatic, exotic quality because of its raised seventh.

Learning these sounds by ear can help you choose a scale faster when you're writing melodies, creating vocal runs, improvising, or trying to figure out why a song has a particular mood.