So you’re at the point where you feel pretty comfortable writing songs in the major and minor keys. What about all the other modes from the major scale, how would you compose using them without sounding like your being pulled back to the major key tonality.

Each of the modes has one note that is unique and sets it apart from all the other major or minor modes. When writing chord progressions that revolve around one specific mode you will need to choose diatonic chords that include this unique note.

Below are graphics showing each mode’s characteristic note. They also give you each mode’s tonic chord and two diatonic chords which contain the characteristic note. Use these three chords as you write your modal progression. Modal chord progressions are typically more simple then regular diatonic progressions, made up of only two or three chords.

These examples use the modes of C major.

Notice that the Locrian mode has been excluded from this example. Only the very brave and the very crazy compose using Locrian.

Modal Writing Guides