Characteristics, harmonic analyses and examples
Updated 2025
Modal harmony uses groups of notes called modes over a fixed tonal center for long periods of time.
Scale and mode are equivalent terms, though mode is used in a modal context, and scale is used in a tonal context.
In a modal context, the notes of the melody are related to a unique tonal center meanwhile in a tonal context the notes will relate to different centers depending on the chord of the moment.
Different modes suggest different colors and emotions, being the major mode, with its clarity and happiness, and the minor mode, with its darkness and sadness, the most used modes.
The modal jazz style appears in the fifties as a reaction to the bebop functional harmony with fast chord changes.
Modal jazz has more static harmonies based on modes with 4 or 8 bars per mode.
Jazz Standards with a Modal Harmonic Form
“So What” (Miles Davis)
“Impressions” (John Coltrane) (A contrafact of “So What”)
“Canteloupe Island” (Herbie Hancock)
“Little Sunflower” (Freddie Hubbard)
“Maiden Voyage” (Herbie Hancock)
“Passion Dance” (McCoy Tyner)
“Flamenco Sketches” (Miles Davis)
“Milestones” (Miles Davis)
“Contemplation” (McCoy Tyner)
Cantaloupe Island (Herbie Hancock)
Cantaloupe Island has a 16 bar form with a vamp as an intro.
Little Sunflower (Freddie Hubbard)
Little Sunflower has an A8-A8-B8-B8-A8-A8 (C8-C8) form.
The A section is played with a D minor dorian mode, the B section modulates to major with a ionian or lydian mode.
Jazz Scales: A Roadmap for Beginners
Maiden Voyage (Herbie Hancock)
Maiden Voyage has an A8-A8-B8-A8 form.
Added sections are the intro and coda, both with a vamp.
Passion Dance (McCoy Tyner)
Passion Dance has an A8-A8-B16 form.
The A section is played with an F mixolydian mode over an F7 sus4 chord. The B section, based on the melody, Eb minor pentatonic scale or Eb dorian over a Bb pedal. Solos over F7 mixolydian.
Major and Minor (Blues) Pentatonic Scales
Flamenco Sketches (Miles Davis)
Flamenco Sketches was composed with 5 modes: C ionian, Ab mixolydian, Bb ionian, D phrygian and Gm dorian. The soloist asks for the change of mode.
Milestones (Miles Davis)
Milestones has an A8-A8-B8-B8-A8 form.
The A section is played with a G dorian mode. The B section is played with an A dorian mode over a pedal.
Contemplation (McCoy Tyner)
Contemplation has a 16 bar form.
Modal Jazz: Play-A-Longs
Jamey Aebersold. Maiden Voyage, vol. 54. Modal Jazz, vol. 116.
Hal Leonard. Modal Jazz, vol. 179.
Jazz Language: Play-A-Longs
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