Re: Modal playing - was psychedelic harp 101

[PL500@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 7/31/03 3:06:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time, IcemanLE@xxxxxxx 
writes:


> Not necessarily. 
> 
> When Miles Davis ushered in the modal jazz revolution (with Kind of Blue), 
> it proved very challenging for musicians to be creative and craft long lines 
> or extended solos over what was basically one chord for long periods of time. 
> (This is according to the musician's biographies, autobiographies, the <
> making of the Kind of Blue recording> books I've read and my own experiences as a 
> musician).
> 
> It is also much easier to get lost within the form of a modal tune, as you 
> don't have those ii-V-I cadences and turnarounds to point out where you are.
> 
> The Iceman 

Also,

Modal playing forces you to think in terms of the big picture of the song. 
Changes now do not matter, even in Modal settings you can imply changes within 
the music (think John Coltrane's Love Supreme). That is not easy,but is kind of 
fun when you get the hang of it. Modal forms are difficult if you are not 
used to improvising and creating on the spot; it can be rough particularly for 
blues players because of that tendency to fall in to the IV or V at certain 
sections. Modal experiementation is great though, once you get the hang of it. Its 
like recess and you get to work ideas and hooks into sections you typically 
wouldn't. Also as the Iceman says "listen to Miles."

Andrew