HI
I think in terms of sound and outlining a particular harmony when I am 'thinking' modally. Knowing which mode outlines a given harmony or harmonic movement allows you to hit the chord tones as Kirk describes, but also allows you to highlight chord extensions and alerations. For example, playing over a 7b5 chord would have me using the Lydian Dominant mode to play around the given harmony. Modal application allows you to select the appropriate chordal tensions - ie does the chord have a major 6th or flat 6th in its extended harmony, or a major or minor 9th?
Some examples you might like to look at are
The song on Santana's 'Abraxis' album where the harmony is Cmaj7 to Fmaj7. That is the Ionian mode in use there. Sorry cannot remember the name. The first track on Steve Vai's 'Passion and Warfare' is also an Ionian tune.
'So What' by Miles Davis - classic Dorian modal tune.
'Flying in a Blue Dream' Satch - Lydian
'Bubble Shuffle' Larry Carlton - Mixolydian
'The Loner' Gary Moore - Aeolian
The only time I consider using the Locrian is playing a Minor 2-5-1 progression, where I would use the Locrian over the 2 chord in that progression, being a minor 7b5 chord.
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