Uploaded March 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Understanding modal harmony is important to understand that there’s a difference in composing in a major or minor key (tonal harmony) and composing in a mode of the major scale.
Although the modes are diatonic scales like the major and minor scale, they ask for a different approach in order to result in a true modal sound and amazing chord progressions.
In this video you’ll discover what the essence of modal harmony comprehends. This is in contrast to most music of today that relies on functional harmony within the tonal harmony system.
We’ll learn about the modes themselves like Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Locrian and in particular about the way we compose modal music using the profound characteristics of the modal scales.
This video will guide you through this process step by step and will give you understanding of making music that truly sounds modal and breaks away from the traditional functional harmony that is based on major and minor keys and that we find in Rock and in particular in Pop music.
preliminary study:
- Diatonic scale and major and minor keys
- Modes of the major scale
(qjamtracks.myshopify.com/products/e-book-modes-of-the-major-scale-crystal-clear)
0:00 Introduction
0:30 The diatonic major scale
1:28 Functional harmony
4:02 Modes of the major scale
4:26 Modal harmony
5:36 Characteristic note for each mode
6:58 Harmonize the modes
8:38 Ways to sound modal
9:46 Choosing the right chords
11:54 Using 7th chords
14:13 Recap
15:42 Using the pedal tone
16:53 Using ambiguous chords
--------------------------------------------------------------
*E-book:*
qjamtracks.myshopify.com/products/how-to-write-music-with-modes-modal-harmony
--------------------------------------------------------------
Support me on my patreon page (also for tabs and audio):
patreon.com/qjamtracks
Social Media/contact:
facebook.com/QJamTracks
instagram.com/QJamTracks
youtube.com/QJamTracks
Copyright attribution:
All common creative photos from Pexels.com and Picabay.com
All audio composed and recorded by me (Rob van Hal)
I use:
Ibanez JEM 7v (www.Ibanez.com)
Ibanez SD GR Bass (www.Ibanez.com)
Takamine GD930 (www.takamine.com)
Castilla Classical Guitars
Rode Microphone
Axe FX II (www.fractalaudio.com)
(c)2018 Rob van Hal, Netherlands
Understanding modal harmony is important to understand that there’s a difference in composing in a major or minor key (tonal harmony) and composing in a mode of the major scale.
Although the modes are diatonic scales like the major and minor scale, they ask for a different approach in order to result in a true modal sound and amazing chord progressions.
In this video you’ll discover what the essence of modal harmony comprehends. This is in contrast to most music of today that relies on functional harmony within the tonal harmony system.
We’ll learn about the modes themselves like Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Locrian and in particular about the way we compose modal music using the profound characteristics of the modal scales.
This video will guide you through this process step by step and will give you understanding of making music that truly sounds modal and breaks away from the traditional functional harmony that is based on major and minor keys and that we find in Rock and in particular in Pop music.
preliminary study:
- Diatonic scale and major and minor keys
- Modes of the major scale
(qjamtracks.myshopify.com/products/e-book-modes-of-the-major-scale-crystal-clear)
0:00 Introduction
0:30 The diatonic major scale
1:28 Functional harmony
4:02 Modes of the major scale
4:26 Modal harmony
5:36 Characteristic note for each mode
6:58 Harmonize the modes
8:38 Ways to sound modal
9:46 Choosing the right chords
11:54 Using 7th chords
14:13 Recap
15:42 Using the pedal tone
16:53 Using ambiguous chords
--------------------------------------------------------------
*E-book:*
qjamtracks.myshopify.com/products/how-to-write-music-with-modes-modal-harmony
--------------------------------------------------------------
Support me on my patreon page (also for tabs and audio):
patreon.com/qjamtracks
Social Media/contact:
facebook.com/QJamTracks
instagram.com/QJamTracks
youtube.com/QJamTracks
Copyright attribution:
All common creative photos from Pexels.com and Picabay.com
All audio composed and recorded by me (Rob van Hal)
I use:
Ibanez JEM 7v (www.Ibanez.com)
Ibanez SD GR Bass (www.Ibanez.com)
Takamine GD930 (www.takamine.com)
Castilla Classical Guitars
Rode Microphone
Axe FX II (www.fractalaudio.com)
(c)2018 Rob van Hal, Netherlands
