Modal chord progressions

[rockstarzusa]

Hi Guys, typically when I run through modes with students, I use the Frank Gambale modal chord progressions, but would like to know and hear of other progressions you may use that cover the ground as well, to keep things fresh. Cheers.

[jhumber]

In general you mostly see progressions that feature the chords used in a given key, but with a root note from the mode you're trying to imply.

So, say we took the mode of Locrian, but from the key of A major - which will give us Ab Locrian. You could play chords like E/Ab, D/Ab, C#m/Ab, and of course Abm7b5, perhaps like this:

E/Ab = 4-7-9-x-x-x
D/Ab = 4-5-7-x-x-x
C#m/Ab = 4-4-6-6-5-4
Abm7b5 = 4-x-4-4-3-x

I can remember setting up a progression similar to that once when I was trying to get the Locrian sound in my head.

Cheers
Jordan

[rockstarzusa]

Thanks Jordan, appreciated, I have walked through the various chords keeping the root common to the Modal root. Anyone else have any ideas, or neat chordal arrangements?

[BOZ67]

One way to do it is to not necessarily keep a common root but make sure that each of the chords in the progression contain the characteristic modal note. (e.g., b2 for a Phrygian progression, #4 for a Lydian progression, M6 for a Dorian progression, b7 for a Mixolydian progression)

[landru64]

can you describe the frank gambale chord progressions? are they preset ones from a book?

[dsimon665]

fg uses the IV and V of the parent major scale and then puts the root of the mode under them...slash chord style.

[landru64]

yeah i was wondering if that was what rockstar was referring to...

[dsimon665]

bVII i (dorian)
make sure the bVII is a maj7 chord. The 7th degree on the bVII is what gives it a dorian color.

now here is and ODD one...it moves between two sounds...aeolian and some sort of minor #11 sound. Minor #11 can be got from a mode in melodic minor...and I think also "double harmonic". The difference I think is one has a b6 and the other doesn't.

i bVI i II7

Normally, a II7 is a secondary dominant (leading to V)...but used in this way its providing a #11 to the minor sound.

[JonR]

Originally Posted by dsimon665

bVII i (dorian)
make sure the bVII is a maj7 chord. The 7th degree on the bVII is what gives it a dorian color.

now here is and ODD one...it moves between two sounds...aeolian and some sort of minor #11 sound. Minor #11 can be got from a mode in melodic minor

4th mode of harmonic minor: 1-2-b3-#4-5-6-b7
That would fit the i and II7, but not the bVI - that needs either natural minor or harmonic minor (mode 1).
There's no scale that will cover all three chords here - because you would need #4, 5, b6 and 6.
Doesn't mean the sequence doesn't work. The relationship of bVI and II7 is they are tritone subs for each other - both would tend to resolve to V (which is not present). If you did put a V somewhere in this sequence, I think it would assume the role of tonic, because of the power of the bVI and II7 in that direction.

Eg Am-F-Am-B7-..E - Sounds like E is home! (Am is then iv, and F bII - a kind of E phrygian dominant vibe, contradicted only by the B7. Alternatively, Am, B7 and E could be E harmonic major).

Originally Posted by dsimon665

...and I think also "double harmonic". The difference I think is one has a b6 and the other doesn't.

Double harmonic = 1-2-b3-#4-5-b6-7.
This would fit i and bVI (and bVI7), but not II7.

In fact, 4th mode of harmonic major = 1-2-b3-#4-5-6-7. Fits i and II7, but not bVI.

[cameron]

Originally Posted by dsimon665

bVII i (dorian)
make sure the bVII is a maj7 chord. The 7th degree on the bVII is what gives it a dorian color.

That might be interesting, but really to practice dorian, all you need is a ii V . . .

[BOZ67]

Originally Posted by cameron

That might be interesting, but really to practice dorian, all you need is a ii V . . .

The ii chord would work but the V might start making it sound like a key based progression I would think.

[JonR]

Originally Posted by BOZ67

The ii chord would work but the V might start making it sound like a key based progression I would think.

Well, ideally it will sound like i-IV, not ii-V.
If you repeat ii-V often enough it loses its "ii-V" sound (ie the expectation a "I" will follow). ii will establish itself as i.
(Check "Oye Como Va")

[diego]

Check out Vincent Perischetti's Twentieth Century Harmony for a concise summary of how modal chord progressions work.

[gennation]

I think of "Modal progressions" differently than just a vamp or a couple of Diatonically mated chords, which are really kind of nothing but static vamps with some inter-harmonic relationships.

After vamps try finding Modal things that actually "progress" to make a progression.

Like

||: Gm7 | Gm7 | Gm7 | Gm7 | Bbm7 | Bbm7 | Bbm7 | Bbm7 :||

or

||: Cmaj7#11 | Cmaj7#11 | Cmaj7#11 | Cmaj7#11 | B7 | B7 | B7 | B7 :||

In both these cases you need to change the mode to fit the chord, but the mode leads you, or progress, back to the first chord...confirming the term "progression".

The first one is G Dorian->Bb Dorian->G Dorian->etc...

The second one is C Lydian->B Phrygian Dominant->C Lydian->etc...

These are Modal Progressions, not Modal Vamps. There's a difference because in a vamp you stay in one Mode usually or like Frank shows a lot, you play one Mode over two or three chord that are all from the same Mode. These progression I posted actually progress, and over night can change you from play over one scale into learning how you play from one scale into the other and then back again.

Other progression of this type are some of the greatest Modal tunes....So What, Maiden Voyage, Flamenco Sketches...they are not a set of chord matching one scale but progressions that leave scales moving into the other scale on their way back to the beginning again.

[BOZ67]

Originally Posted by JonR

Well, ideally it will sound like i-IV, not ii-V.
If you repeat ii-V often enough it loses its "ii-V" sound (ie the expectation a "I" will follow). ii will establish itself as i.
(Check "Oye Como Va")

Right, I was assuming he was going to go back to the i, as in ii V i.