4469 / 18210 · Workshop 27 — “Nardis”: Modal Minor, Phrygian Color, Non-Functional Harmony, and Improvising When the Chords Don’t Behave Like ii–V–I← prev⊞ allnext →
27.51Level 22 — melody as modal anchor
When harmony is ambiguous, melody can establish the mode strongly.
If melody emphasizes:
D♭ over C minor
you hear Phrygian.
A natural:
Dorian.
A♭:
Aeolian.
Therefore melody itself may tell you which mode to hear.