Minor & Modal Harmony

This lesson is part of the Harmony category.

Objectives

• Students will be familiar with harmonic characteristics of each diatonic mode.
• Students will understand the harmonic changes which arise from the use of harmonic and melodic minor.
• Optional: Students will become familiar with the modes of the harmonic minor scale for jazz improvisation

Class Activities

• Determination of the diatonic chords for each heptatonic mode, and for harmonic and melodic minor
• Analysis of modal harmony in composition from various styles
• Improvisation and composition of harmonic accompaniment for various modal melodies

Assignments

• Harmonization of minor and modal melodies
• Roman numeral analysis of minor and modal music (written and recorded)
• Properly inflecting ˆ6 and ˆ7 in a classical minor harmony