What does Modal Jazz sound like?
Classic modal jazz often has a cerebral, cool and meditative feel to it. However, unlike West Coast cool jazz, the shifting tonal centre and lack of melodic resolution generates a tension and searching quality to the music. These two elements combine to give the music an ambiguous and mysterious feel.
Classic modal jazz often has a cerebral, cool and meditative feel to it. However, unlike West Coast cool jazz, the shifting tonal centre and lack of melodic resolution generates a tension and searching quality to the music. These two elements combine to give the music an ambiguous and mysterious feel.
To get a feel for classic modal jazz I recommend listening to “So What” by Miles Davis. There is no substitute for your own ears.
Types of Modal Jazz
Classic modal jazz
Classic modal jazz compositions contain very few chords, allowing each individual mode to be used for a long period of time. An example of this is “So What” by Miles Davis, from the album Kind of Blue (1959). This only uses two chords during its 32 measure duration – Dm and Ebm. Due to the repetition, these type of songs have a strong sense of key centre.
Classic modal jazz
Classic modal jazz compositions contain very few chords, allowing each individual mode to be used for a long period of time. An example of this is “So What” by Miles Davis, from the album Kind of Blue (1959). This only uses two chords during its 32 measure duration – Dm and Ebm. Due to the repetition, these type of songs have a strong sense of key centre.
Modal jazz variations
Some modal jazz compositions contain chords that change as rapidly as say in a bebop tune, every measure or so, but which do not relate to an overall key centre. Often, the harmonies are so complex it is difficult to follow them. This type of music is also called “non-tonal” or “pan-tonal”. An example is Wayne Shorter’s composition “Limbo” as played by Miles Davis on the album Sorcerer (1967).
Modal Jazz Theory
In traditional harmony, chords are selected based on their relationship to the key of a piece. A musician can base his improvisation primarily on the overall key of the piece. A modal chord progression, on the other hand, involves chords that are selected primarily for their individual sound, as opposed to how they relate to the key or each other. Musicians base their improvisations on the scales or modes associated with each chord, with little or no consideration given to the overall key of the piece. Each chord change suggests a new scale and even a new key, or perhaps the absence of a key.
For a more in-depth discussion on modal jazz theory, please visit this site's theory section.
In traditional harmony, chords are selected based on their relationship to the key of a piece. A musician can base his improvisation primarily on the overall key of the piece. A modal chord progression, on the other hand, involves chords that are selected primarily for their individual sound, as opposed to how they relate to the key or each other. Musicians base their improvisations on the scales or modes associated with each chord, with little or no consideration given to the overall key of the piece. Each chord change suggests a new scale and even a new key, or perhaps the absence of a key.
For a more in-depth discussion on modal jazz theory, please visit this site's theory section.
Jazz Modes
Gregorian or church modes are seven scales which were used extensively in music composition during medieval times. When improvising over modal jazz songs, jazz musicians use modes, shown below, which are variations of the original Gregorian scales:
Gregorian or church modes are seven scales which were used extensively in music composition during medieval times. When improvising over modal jazz songs, jazz musicians use modes, shown below, which are variations of the original Gregorian scales:
