Modal Chord Extensions:
I learnt this technique/idea during my recent school assignment to compose a jazz piece. It's a way of incorporating modal theory into chord extensions to make life easier for the jazz-inexperienced soloist (that's me unfortunately
)
Take the modes of the Natural Minor scale:
A Aeolian - A B C D E F G A
B Locrian - B C D E F G A B
C Ionian - C D E F G A B C
D Dorian - D E F G A B C D
E Phrygian - E F G A B C D E
F Lydian - F G A B C D E F
G Mixolydian - G A B C D E F G
Chords are built using thirds. They are theoretically arranged in the following pattern:
1 3 5 7 9 11 13
Now, re-ordering the modes to fit this pattern:
A Aeolian - A C E G B D F
B Locrian - B D F A C E G
C Ionian - C E G B D F A
D Dorian - D F A C E G B
E Phrygian - E G B D F A C
F Lydian - F A C E G B D
G Mixolydian - G B D F A C E
Those notes spell the following chords, and their extensions:
Am7 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> b13
Bm7b5 ---> b9 ---> 11 ---> b13
Cmaj7 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> 13
Dm7 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> 13
Em7 ---> b9 ---> 11 ---> 13
Fmaj7 ---> 9 ---> #11 ---> 13
G7 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> 13
When building chords out of the notes/intervals displayed above, select the notes that make the chord most distinct as belonging to a mode. For example, with Dm7, include the natural 13, as it identifies it with the Dorian tonality.
Also, try using the modes of the Harmonic Minor scale:
A Harmonic Minor - A B C D E F G# A
B Locrian Natural Sixth - B C D E F G# A B
C Harmonic Major - C D E F G# A B C
D Romanian - D E F G# A B C D
E Ahava Raba - E F G# A B C D E
F Lydian Sharp Second - F G# A B C D E F
G# Ultra-Locrian - G# A B C D E F G#
Re-ordered into chordal order:
A Harmonic Minor - A C E G# B D F
B Locrian Natural Sixth - B D F A C E G#
C Harmonic Major - C E G# B D F A
D Romanian - D F A C E G# B
E Ahava Raba - E G# B D F A C
F Lydian Sharp Second - F A C E G# B D
G# Ultra-Locrian - G# B D F A C E
They spell the following chords:
Am/maj7 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> b13
Bm7b5 ---> b9 ---> 11 ---> 13
Cmaj7+5 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> 13
Dm7 ---> 9 ---> #11 ---> 13
E7 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> b13
Fmaj7 ---> #9 ---> 11 ---> 13
G#dim7 ---> b9 ---> b11 ---> b13
Or the modes of the Melodic Minor scale:
A Melodic Minor - A B C D E F# G# A
B Phrygian Sharp Sixth - B C D E F# G# A B
C Lydian Augmented - C D E F# G# A B C
D Lydian Dominant - D E F# G# A B C D
E Hindu - E F# G# A B C D E
F# Locrian Minor - F# G# A B C D E F#
G# Altered - G# A B C D E F# G#
Re-ordered as per before:
A Melodic Minor - A C E G# B D F#
B Phrygian Sharp Sixth - B D F# A C E G#
C Lydian Augmented - C E G# B D F# A
D Lydian Dominant - D F# A C E G# B
E Hindu - E G# B D F# A C
F# Locrian Minor - F# A C E G# B D
G# Altered - G# B D F# A C E
And we have chords:
Am/maj7 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> 13
Bm7 ---> b9 ---> 11 ---> 13
Cmaj7+5 ---> 9 ---> #11 ---> 13
D7 ---> 9 ---> #11 ---> 13
E7 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> b13
F#m7b5 ---> 9 ---> 11 ---> 13
G#m7b5 ---> b9 ---> b11 ---> b13
The advantage of building chords from these modes and then soloing over them is that you'll always know what modes are good to use over the chords. After all, you built the chords directly from those modes
. This isn't new information (certainly not to an adequate jazz theorist), but hopefully it'll give some of you a new perspective on how chords relate to scales, and how harmony relates to melody.
