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Glite Dictionary
🧠 In manner or logic 🎵 By musical mode 📊 By most common value
modally

modally

8.1
In a way that uses musical modes like those in folk music
  • adverb
  • /ˈmoʊdəli/
  • Specialized
: modalmente
  • Many folk songs are performed modally rather than following traditional major or minor keys.

Examples

  • You can hear how the melody shifts modally throughout the song.

  • The composer structured the piece modally, giving it a unique and ancient sound.

  • The band experimented modally to create a different atmosphere in their latest album.

  • The piece was composed modally rather than tonally.

  • Many folk songs are performed modally rather than following traditional major or minor keys.

  • The composer structured the piece modally, giving it a unique and ancient sound.

  • You can hear how the melody shifts modally throughout the song.

Surface Forms

modally positive

Morphology

modally = modal (transparent) = mode + al + ly

Adverb formed regularly from 'modal' (relating to musical mode) with the productive '-ly' suffix.

Etymology

Modally comes from the Latin root modus meaning 'manner' and from the familiar word mode. In music, to play modally is to use a particular 'mode' or scale instead of the usual major or minor system, which is why modal music sounds different or more ancient.