These Chords Will Give You True Modal Sound
If you ever tried playing any mode you might have asked yourself something along the lines of "how is this different from regular Major scale?" or "what is the best chord sequence for this particular mode?", etc. These are all valid questions! I've created charts which address these questions and help you practice playing modes modally, so that you don't sound like you're playing in a regular Major/Minor scale or in a Tonal Harmony style. We'll be focusing on the concept of lateral chords (a.k.a. modal cadential chords) which is explained thoroughly on the page I linked to below.
Download here
When you follow the link you'll also see a variation of the same reference with individual notes which constitute these chords and the mode's characteristic note is conveniently highlighted so that you know where exactly it is in the chord—on the root, the third, the fifth or is not present at all!
The link above is for triad chords. I will soon be adding a variation for 7ths chords as well as generic roman numerals. So check back!
CHART FEATURES.
Visually lateral. To make it easier to see the lateral nature of these chords I've positioned them conveniently to the left and right of the root chord. All other diatonic chords are removed for clarity and focus.
Parallel root. All chords have the same root note which helps hear the difference more distinctly when you try out different modes.
Characteristic tone. This reference comes in 2 variations: chords-only and chords plus notes which constitute them. - The chords-only variation shows which of the chords contain characteristic tone. This helps you create a chord sequence which not only sounds modal but also highlights the character of the mode. - The chords-plus-notes variation shows where exactly this characteristic tone is in the chord as explained above. In addition, the characteristic tones are also listed separately for convenience.
No bias. Given chart lists all lateral options without bias for you to do your own experiments.
Quick guide. The charts also have a small guide with all the essentials to help you navigate the reference, avoid distractions by not looking elsewhere, have a focus and spend quality time with the topic you're studying.
If you find this content helpful, I'd appreciate any kind of support—a Like, a share, or a comment—everything helps! Have fun learning! Oleg













