What is a Mode Mixture?

Mode mixture (also called modal mixture or borrowed harmony) is a harmonic technique in which chords are borrowed from a parallel mode, usually from the parallel major or minor key. This allows composers to introduce new chord colors while still keeping the same tonal center.

For example, in the key of C major, the normal chords come from the C major scale. With mode mixture, a composer might borrow chords from C minor, such as A♭ major, E♭ major, or F minor. These chords contain notes that do not normally appear in the major scale, creating a darker or more expressive harmonic color.

Mode mixture is widely used in classical, jazz, rock, and film music to add emotional contrast and variety. Borrowing chords from the parallel minor can create a more dramatic or melancholic sound, while borrowing from the parallel major can brighten the harmony in a minor key.