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C L A S S I C C O L U M N

Modal Improvisation
BY JERRY HAHN
MODAL IMPROVISATION is tion of Eb Dorian, and then a final section of D Below are some triads and chords derived
characterized by the absence Dorian. This compositional form is known as from the C major scale that can be used when
of frequent chord changes. AABA. Each section is eight measures long, and comping or soloing over modal tunes in D mi-
One of the most popular each AABA is one chorus. Other great examples nor, C major, or F major. These shapes also
modes used in modal impro- of modal improv can be heard on John Coltrane’s sound good over songs based on G7. (Notice
visation is the Dorian mode, Live at Birdland and My Favorite Things albums. that many of these chords are voiced with a
which starts and ends on the “Prime Time,” from my album Moses, is an ex- fourth on top in order to achieve an open
second degree of a major scale. D Dorian, for ample of jazz-rock modal improv. sound.) Any combination of notes from the
example, is the one-octave scale from D to D Also used in improvisation are three other C major scale may be played in any of these
of the C major scale (or, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, and modes—Ionian (the major scale), Lydian (start- keys. You can also use any of the modes de-
D). Though it is a minor scale, D Dorian—like ing and ending on the fourth degree of the ma- scribed above, though they are all really just
C major—has no sharps or flats. jor scale), and Mixolydian (starting and ending the C major scale starting on different degrees.
One of the earliest and best examples of on the fifth degree of the major scale). Lydian
modal jazz is “So What,” from Miles Davis’ land- and Ionian work nicely over major chords, Jerry Hahn was one of GP’s most active con-
mark album Kind of Blue [1959]. The song has Mixolydian over dominant-7th voicings, and tributors throughout the ’70s. This column was
two sections of D Dorian, followed by one sec- Dorian over minor keys. originally published in the September 1974 issue.g

4
2 1 3 3
1 3 1 3 1 3 1 2
1 1 2 1 1
3 1 4
2 2 1 1 3

1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13 15 1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13 15 1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13 15
T 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 14 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 14 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 14
A 2 3 5 7 9 10 12 14 15 0 2 3 5 7 9 10 12 14 3 5 7 9 10 12 14 15 17
B

(Dm9)ı
Dm9/11 Fmaj7 Cmaj7 G13
Dm9/13 Dmadd9 Fmaj7 Cmaj7
2 1
2 1 3 3 1 2 2 4
2 1 1 2 4 1 3 3 3 3
4 2 1
2 1 1 4 4 4 3 4 4 ( ) 2 4 1 1
1 4 1 4 4
1 1 3 2
1 1 1
3 2 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 6 12 8 13 10 8 6 12 15 13 12 10 8 6 5 3 1 0 8 10 13 10 0 0 8
T 2 5 10 7 12 9 7 5 10 14 12 10 9 7 5 4 2 0 5 10 10 14 10 5 12 7
A 2 9 10 7 12 9 10 5 14 17 15 14 12 10 9 7 5 3 3 10 12 15 10 5 10 9
B 14 12 10 8 7 5 3 2 0 5 (17) 3 8
10

9 8 GUITAR PLAYER JULY 2002 “I’m very critical of my own playing; I never did think I could play great.” — Les Paul, Jan. ’89, GP