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Modal HarmonyCharacteristic Pitches/Harmonic Cadences

Today:

• Characteristic pitches • Tonic systems• Modal Chord Progression• Major Modes chord progressions• Minor Modes chord progressions• Discussion of Project

Modal Harmony

• Up until this point, we have used the ionian and aeolian modes as tonic systems. • However, any mode can be used as a tonic

system.• The most common modes used as tonics systems

are derived from displacing ionian.

IonianDorianPhrygianLydianMixolydianAeolianLocrian

… can all function as TONIC SYSTEMS

Ionian Primary Tonic Function Major Quality

Dorian Substitute Subdominant Function

Minor Quality

Phrygian Substitute Tonic Function Minor Quality

Lydian Primary Subdominant Function

Major Quality

Mixolydian Primary Dominant Function

Major Quality

Aeolian Substitute Tonic Function Minor Quality

Locrian Ambiguous Function Diminished Quality

Each mode has a specific function and quality:

• Examine page 68 in your H4 text• What are some common characteristics you

notice?

• Each mode has it’s own unique placement of the ½ steps relative to the first scale degree• The triad built on each mode’s first degree has a

perfect fifth above it’s root (except locrian)• Each mode has an overall quality that is either

major or minor (except locrian)

Therefore each mode is able to stand alone as a primary tonic scale away from ionian (except locrian).

Characteristic Pitch

1. What is the characteristic pitch of an ionian scale? (major)

2. What is the characteristic pitch of an aeolian scale? (minor)

Each mode has a characteristic pitch that sets it apart from other modesWe can discover each characteristic pitch by comparing major or minor modes to ionian and aeolian respectively

Major Modes:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 1

C Ionian

C Lydian

C Mixolydian

Minor Modes

1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 1

1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 1

1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 1

C Dorian

C Aeolian

C Phrygian

Each mode’s character note is on one of the two ½ steps. Because of the strong tonal

gravity of the ½ step, the character note will have a direct connection to the

modes cadential functions.

Activity

Complete the first column of the activity on Worksheet 4

• The dominant cadence in major/minor key systems is defined by the tritone located between the 4th and 7th scale degrees.• Examine pg 70 of your H4 text• The diatonic tritone is controlled

differently in modal harmony

Modal Cadences

• Avoid using the tritone from the relative ionian harmonically• Still rely on the instability of the half-step

instability for cadences• The goal is to avoid accidentally cadencing to the

relative ionian• This is achieved by splitting the tritone so that

only one of the two ½ steps are available

Activity

1. Find the relative ionian for the following modes:• C Lydian• C Mixolydian• C Aeolian• C dorian• C phrygian2. Now compare the location of the tritone from the

relative ionian to that of its related tonic mode3. Isolate the ½ step interval attached to the character

note of the tonic mode4. This is the ½ step available for creating modal cadences

Modal Chord Functions• There are three basic chord functions in modal harmony:• Tonic Function – In modal harmony, only the I chord can be

regarded as a tonic chord – there are no substitutes

Tonic Function

• In modal harmony, only the I chord can be regarded as a tonic chord – there are no substitutes• The I chord is often used as a triad

Cadence Chords

• Any chord that uses the characteristic pitch as root, 3rd, 5th, or 7th and is not diminished or m7(b5) has a cadential function• Cadence: The dominant 7 chord• Conditional Cadence: any other chord with the

characteristic pitch – treated on a case by case basis• All other chord types

• Generally, the closer the characteristic pitch is to the root, the stronger the cadence• Stepwise root motion is a primary characteristic of modal

music