Quote:
Originally Posted by Yeah
It would be cool if someone could do a chart of common chord progressions for different modes. I find it reeeaaaally hard to write something using modes. Mostly, I end up using a mode just by accident or "unconscuiously".
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The trick with all modes is to restrict the number of chords used, and prioritise the main one. You want to aim for a static mood, a vamp, groove or drone, rather than a lot of chord changes.
Here's some typical classics in common keys. Treat each one as a repeating loop, ending finally on first chord.
E Mixolydian
|E - - - |E - D A |
or
|E - D - |A - E - |
or just one E7 chord;
or (for a jazzier feel) an E7sus4 chord (using A major scale for melodies or solos)
(NB: important not to let A sound like the key chord. Always make sure E lasts longer.)
A dorian
|Am7 - D7 - |Am7 - D7 - |
or
|Am7 - - - |D7 - - - |
or
|Am7 - Bm7 - |Am7 - Bm7 - |
E phrygian
|Em7 - - - |Em7 - F - |
or - for jazz phrygian - just one E7sus4b9 chord (Dm6/E)
C lydian
|C - - - |C - D/C - |
or just one Cmaj7#11 chord (Em9/C), or Bm7/C or D/C.
E locrian
Locrian is tonally unstable, but it you want to try it, use an Em7b5 chord (Gm/E) only. No other chord works as a secondary contrasting chord, because they'll all be more consonant, and so will sound like the main modal chord.
A aeolian
|Am - - G|F - - G |
A ionian
|A - - - |D/A - - - |
Of course, A ionian is pretty indistinguishable from the A major key, but you can get that "modal" feel by retaining a pedal bass note, or just restricting the use of any other chords than the tonic.
The above vamp could also fit A mixolydian, so add a maj7 to the A to help nail it.
Lydian and Phrygian are the weakest modes (aside from Locrian), meaning it's hard to use more than one chord without disturbing the modal centre.
Mixolydian and dorian are pretty strong (mainly because they are common and familiar, in rock, folk and jazz), but you still need to be careful to restrain the relative major key tonic chord, if not avoid it altogether.
Eg, you can be playing your Am7-D7 dorian vamp happily for several minutes, but as soon as you throw in a G chord the whole thing will become G major, and the Am7-D7 will appear to have been a ii-V all along, just waiting for that G.
With A Aeolian, the only real difference from the A minor key is that the latter uses E or E7 as V, while A aeolian will stick with Em (or G). So you can use as many chords from the mode as you like, it will still have an "Aeolian vibe" if you just avoid that harmonic minor alteration (G# note). Still, restricting the use of the C chord is important, because C ionian is a stronger mode of those notes.