Volume III · Chapter 20
Modal Mixture
MUSIC 21A · C-ID MUS 140Chapter quiz →
In the musicianship bookChapter 25: Mode Mixture and Seventh Chords
Introduction: Borrowing from the Parallel Minor
C major and C minor share the same tonic, the same dominant, and the same leading tone. Composers have always felt free to borrow from one to color the other. A chord taken from the parallel minor key and used in a major key is called a borrowed chord, and the technique is modal mixture (or simply mixture).
Mixture doesn't change the key; it changes the light. A single minor iv in a major-key ballad sounds wistful. The ♭VI–♭VII–I progression sounds heroic (it's the sound of countless film and video-game victories). Schubert, Brahms, and the Beatles all lean on it.
Click any example to hear it. Borrowed chords are shown in red.
Which Chords Can Be Borrowed?
Any chord from the parallel minor that contains ♭3̂, ♭6̂, or ♭7̂ can be borrowed. (The leading tone stays: V and vii° in major already match harmonic minor.) In C major:
| Borrowed chord | Notes in C major | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| i | C – E♭ – G | tonic, often at a cadence or for a dark turn |
| ii° | D – F – A♭ | predominant (usually ii°6) |
| iiø7 | D – F – A♭ – C | predominant (usually iiø65) |
| ♭III | E♭ – G – B♭ | color chord, often in pop and Romantic music |
| iv | F – A♭ – C | predominant; the most common borrowed chord |
| v | G – B♭ – D | rare (no leading tone) |
| ♭VI | A♭ – C – E♭ | predominant; also in the deceptive V–♭VI |
| ♭VII | B♭ – D – F | subtonic; in rock and film, ♭VII–I |
| vii°7 | B – D – F – A♭ | dominant; the fully diminished seventh in major |
The Roman numerals follow the chord quality (iv is minor, ii° diminished). When the root itself is lowered, add a flat to the numeral: ♭III, ♭VI, ♭VII.
Borrowed Predominants
The most common use of mixture is in the predominant area, where ♭6̂ sinks expressively to 5̂ over the dominant. iv, iv6, ii°6, iiø65, and ♭VI all do this.
The Deceptive Cadence to ♭VI and the Picardy Third
In a major key, V can move deceptively to ♭VI instead of vi: a darker, more dramatic surprise. As in V–vi, double the third of ♭VI so the leading tone can rise to tonic without parallels.
The reverse kind of mixture also exists: a piece in minor that ends on a major tonic. This raised third is called a Picardy third, and it's a fixture of Baroque minor-key music.
Mixture in Film and Popular Music
- ♭VI–♭VII–I: the "heroic" or "victory" cadence (C–A♭–B♭–C), common in film, games, and rock.
- I–♭VII–IV–I: the "Mixolydian" rock progression.
- I–IV–iv–I: the tender "minor iv" turn heard in countless ballads.
- I–♭III–IV, I–♭VI–IV: the bright-to-dark color shifts of many film cues.
In this style the usual voice-leading rules relax: parallel chords ("planing") are common, and ♭VII–I is a perfectly good cadence even though it has no leading tone.
Voice Leading with Borrowed Chords
- Keep each chromatic change in one voice (A–A♭ in the same voice) to avoid cross relations.
- Let ♭6̂ fall to 5̂ and ♭3̂ fall to 2̂ (or return to 3̂ when the major chord comes back).
- Don't double the borrowed tone in ♭VI after V; double the third.
- Avoid the augmented 2nd ♭6̂–7̂ in any single voice.
Try It: The Mixture Palette
Mixture Palette
Click chords to hear them and build a progression (up to 8). The top row is the major key; the bottom row is borrowed from the parallel minor. Try I–IV–iv–I, or I–♭VI–♭VII–I.
Summary
- Modal mixture borrows chords from the parallel minor; the key doesn't change.
- Borrowed chords contain ♭3̂, ♭6̂, or ♭7̂: i, ii°, iiø7, ♭III, iv, v, ♭VI, ♭VII, vii°7.
- Borrowed predominants (iv, ii°6, iiø65, ♭VI) are the most common; ♭6̂ falls to 5̂.
- V–♭VI is a dramatic deceptive cadence; a Picardy third ends a minor piece on a major tonic.
- Keep chromatic changes in one voice; avoid cross relations and augmented 2nds.
Check Your Understanding
Part B: 16-Bar Cue (piano)