We’re continuing our series of powerful music workshops at Jam Factory Art Center by Vedel School. This time, we invite you to an авторський workshop, “Modal Thinking: How to Go Beyond Major and Minor.” During the session, we’ll explore how modality expands the toolkit of composers and improvisers.
For most listeners—and even many musicians—the world of music is divided into two basic colors: the “happy” major and the “sad” minor.
Why is that? Historically, Western musical tradition, starting from the Baroque era, firmly established the tonal system. Its foundation is functional harmony, with a clear tonal center and a constant play of tension and resolution (for example, the pull of the dominant toward the tonic). This system dominates pop music, classical music, and basic music education, so our ears automatically expect major/minor patterns.
But the musical universe is much richer. Modal thinking offers a different, broader approach, where the main role is played not by harmonic resolution, but by the unique “color” and emotional atmosphere of each mode (Dorian, Lydian, Phrygian, etc.).
In the program:
- Major/Minor vs. Modality: why functional harmony can be limiting and how to shift toward spatial, mode-based thinking
- The DNA of modes: exploring the structure of diatonic modes and their practical application beyond standard rules
- A compositional approach: how to use modal structures to create atmospheric tracks, modern jazz lines, funk grooves, or electronic music (with examples in Ableton Live or Logic Pro)
Who is it for?
Instrumentalists, vocalists, sound producers, and anyone who wants to understand the logic of masters like Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, or Steve Coleman—and discover fundamentally new sounds in their own work.
Speaker: Michael Balog — curator of the music program at Jam Factory Art Center, Ukrainian jazz saxophonist, musician, and founder of Vedel School
Event details
When? April 26, 14:00
Where? Jam Factory Art Center, 124 B. Khmelnytskoho St., Auditorium Hall
Admission by donation
All contributions will go toward purchasing musical instruments for children from “City of Goodness” who need support.
Donations of any amount truly matter. Together, we can create opportunities for their growth.
Donation link:
https://send.monobank.ua/jar/7fLdGjwyQz
Card number:
4874 1000 2726 4038
Learn more about other events at the art center: jamfactory.ua