A guide to the use of modal techniques in improvisational music therapy

Abstract

This manual describes methods by which music therapists may incorporate modal techniques of improvisation into clinical work. Modal music is based upon structured sets of notes, known as modes, often identical to scales. Modal harmony differs from the harmonic system commonly used in the Euro-American musical canon, known as functional harmony, which uses chord progressions to develop the music. Modal harmony, on the other hand, is focused on melodic development posed in relation to a stable tonal center. These together imply a figure and ground relationship, a significant factor in the therapeutic process. Furthermore, a modal ground can act as a portal opening up to a wider arena of self-discovery and musical discovery. Modal features are common to a wide diversity of music traditions from around the world, and some of these are reviewed. Multicultural fluency and humility are emphasized as an important motivation to learn modal techniques. Improvising in this way may also be less daunting to a novice and may inspire greater creative expression. Flow and extended consciousness, represented by ideas of "modal ecstasy", are psychological states often associated with modal music that can a vital part of the therapeutic process. In light of such benefits, the reader is provided a guide to engage in modal improvisation, through familiarity with modes and their functions, the figure and ground dynamic, improvisational structure, and clinical vignettes describing practical uses.M.A., Music Therapy and Counseling -- Drexel University, 201