Diatonic Modal Chords

26 Diatonic Modal Chords

W

hat? Major and minor scales have diatonic chords. So do modes.

Furthermore, each mode has characteristic chords that sum up its unique sound.

W

hy? The advantages of learning characteristic modal chord progressions are similar

to the advantages of being able to recognize keys, scales, modes, and other components of music. They exist whether you’re aware of them or not, and if you are aware of what to look for, then you’re one step ahead.

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Here’s a reminder about notating chords built on chromatically altered (non diatonic) notes. An A chord in the key of C, for example, would be VI—a major chord built on the lowered sixth degree. You’ll also see it written VI , by the way, depending on who is doing the

In the chart below, the chords that particularly characterize each mode are in bold. These seven chords per mode. Here’s the gist: In addition to the tonic chord, any chords (with the exception of the diminished chord) which contain the “newest altered note”1 the mode. Got it? Let’s go: (By the way, notice that the tonic chord is always important in MODE

TONIC SUPERTONIC MEDIANT SUBDOM. DOMINANT SUBMEDIANT LEADING TONE

Lydian Ionian

I I

II iim

iiim iiim

Íiv°

Mixolydian

I

iim

Dorian

im

Aeolian

IV

V V

vim vim

viim vii°

iii°

IV

vm

vim

VII

iim

III

IV

vm

vi°

VII

im

ii°

III

ivm

vm

VI

VII

Phrygian

im

II

III

ivm

v°

VI

viim

Locrian

i°

II

iiim

ivm

V

VI

viim

1

Diatonic Modal Chords

Remember the modes “from brightest to darkest”? Reminder: Moving one mode at a time from Lydian to Locrian, one note is altered (lowered) each time, and every alteration remains for the rest of the modes. The “newest altered notes” are Ionian’s ˜4, Mixolydian’s 7, Dorian’s 3, Aeolian’s 6, Phrygian’s 2, and Locrian’s 5.

Chapter 26Ω Diatonic Modal Chords

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