BazzLow
ENIT
Module 13 · Lesson 5

Modal harmony

Recognise music written in a mode and the chords that define it.

Before this lesson: 13.4 Modes and chords · 8.2 Roman numerals

A piece is modal when its home and its chords come from a mode instead of plain major or minor. Each mode has its own chords and its own favourite chord move.

Chord families of the modes

A piece is modal when its home note and harmony come from a mode other than plain major or minor. Each mode has its own family of diatonic chords. Built from the C tonic:

The diatonic chords of each mode on the tonic C.
ModeNumeralsChords on C
IonianI ii iii IV V vi vii°C Dm Em F G Am B°
Doriani ii ♭III IV v vi° ♭VIICm Dm E♭ F Gm A° B♭
Phrygiani ♭II ♭III iv v° ♭VI ♭viiCm D♭ E♭ Fm G° A♭ B♭m
LydianI II iii ♯iv° V vi viiC D Em F♯° G Am Bm
MixolydianI ii iii° IV v vi ♭VIIC Dm E° F Gm Am B♭
Aeoliani ii° ♭III iv v ♭VI ♭VIICm D° E♭ Fm Gm A♭ B♭
Locriani° ♭II ♭iii iv ♭V ♭VI ♭viiC° D♭ E♭m Fm G♭ A♭ B♭m

The defining move

The defining move uses the chord that contains the mode’s characteristic note. Dorian’s IV (in D Dorian, G major) contains the major 6th (B). Mixolydian’s ♭VII (in G Mixolydian, F major) contains the ♭7.

The chord move that defines each mode (Ionian: V → I; Locrian is rarely used as a key).
ModeDefining move
Doriani → IV (major IV)
Phrygiani → ♭II
LydianI → II (major II)
MixolydianI → ♭VII
Aeoliani → ♭VI → ♭VII

Modal pieces often avoid the strong V7 → I cadence of major and minor keys, which would pull them back to ordinary tonality. Instead they repeat one or two chords, a modal vamp, or sit on a drone.

Bass clef staffA D Dorian vamp, Dm – G (i–IV), with a bass line of root, 5th, 6th, 5th on each chord. The B (the 6th over Dm) is the Dorian note.44DmG
A D Dorian vamp, Dm – G (i–IV), with a bass line of root, 5th, 6th, 5th on each chord. The B (the 6th over Dm) is the Dorian note.
Bass clef staffA G Mixolydian vamp, G – F (I–♭VII), with a line of root, 5th, ♭7, 5th over G. The F (the ♭7) is the Mixolydian note.44GF
A G Mixolydian vamp, G – F (I–♭VII), with a line of root, 5th, ♭7, 5th over G. The F (the ♭7) is the Mixolydian note.

For the bass

  • Keep the modal tonic clearly in the bass, because it defines the mode (lesson 13.1);
  • use the characteristic note in lines.

Modes came back into popular music through folk song collections, modal jazz from the late 1950s, and rock.

Try it

Play the roots of Dm – G for 8 bars, adding B (the 6) in your line. Then G – F for 8 bars, adding F (the ♭7). Name the mode of each.

New terms

Tools

  • Bass Map: Arpeggios, circle of fifths, natural harmonics, modes and scales on the bass neck, in any key.