Approaching functional tunes modally

[pamosmusic]

The most common moves would probably be using that A Dorian mode over the whole thing or using a dominant pedal all the way through till the resolution. In that case maybe a B pedal all the way through to the E min (or if I may be so bold .... A D pedal all the way through to the G minor ... I mean come on guys).

truthfully - and I may get some pushback on this - playing modally over a function tune is more of an orientation than an actual objective difference. Like thinking more about harmonic possibilities and colors available than about guide tones and outlining each chord. More about simplifying the harmonic structure of the tune than about adding more complexity. That your bass player said "more" modally is instructive even if he didn't intend it to be. There's a lot of middle ground between charlie Parker on Donna lee and coltrane on So What.

[wolflen]

My take...

(the vid on modal pentatonic voicing in fourths)

I think to many..the term "modal" is still a mystery..in a tune such as ATTYA or AL or almost any standard..the functional chords work like station stops on a train line..one follows the other and ends and then the route repeats..to approach this type of structure in a group setting and apply modal concepts..you are going to have to have a meeting with the band or you could be out of work..

In working out an arrangement by yourself is a very different story..now this type of playing is NOT a chord melody version of the tune..where your still adhering to the melodic structure foremost and placing harmonic functions below it..yes they can be substitutes of almost any kind..but the melody is king and gives the most dissonant chord structures a reprieve..

in a modal setting the melody is paused..now harmonic experiments are going to "color" a series of chord or scale fragments...melodic fragments can be used at any point to highlight the harmonic movement or to re-instate the tunes intention..

example:

G7 is the functional chord...you can of course sub it with Dmi and all its extensions..say the Dmi6/9 pentatonic scale...D E F A B now there are quite a few chord fragments that you can construct from these notes and/or use them to connect to other scales and chord fragments..but your thinking in basic D minor..your going to resolve to something..or to several things in a row..as in symmetric harmony..like G13 Bb13 Db13 E13 (note: you can use 7b9/diminished thinking using the same notes chords) etc..then have that cycle end on a CMaj form..or another chord that may lead you back into the tunes functional progression at any given point..

now when you start doing stuff like this.."you have left the farm" so to speak...your hovering over functional harmony going in just about any direction only to land on a familiar chord or melody fragment that will let you back into the functional chord progression of the tune..this is far more than "chord substitution" of a functional chord..your basically creating a stand alone harmonic/melodic improve over an existing tune and your basing it on a "mode" Dmi..remember you can use all the inversions and chord connections you can come up with to enhance the exploration..rules are pretty much an afterthought in this type of thinking..

listen to Bill Evans work on "Blue in Green" or Ben Monder working on "Wichita lineman" .. Evans sounds line he is moving chords in ascending scale steps at one point and descending at another..but is that what he is doing..(thinking?) it sounds like a different tune but he has kept the flavor of it in his exploration..Monder takes breaks from the structure altogether and visits it.. takes several more breaks then comes back home...far more than playing over the chords..or the key of the tune for that matter..

now..is this "modal" playing..??

[Eastman]

Which thread are you talking about?

Sorry, forgot to link. This recent one, starting with Jamie H posting his video lesson on Wes scale harmonizations:

https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/compi...onisation.html