What Is Modal Interchange? A Guitarist’s Guide to Borrowed Chords

Ever hear a chord in a song that makes you go, “Whoa — where did that come from?” Chances are, you’ve just heard modal interchange in action.

In this post, I’m going to break down what modal interchange is, why it sounds so cool, and how you can start using it to spice up your own playing — whether you're writing, improvising, or arranging. No jargon, no gatekeeping. Just real-world musical tools.

What Is Modal Interchange (a.k.a. Borrowed Chords)?

Modal interchange is when you temporarily “borrow” chords from a parallel mode — that is, a mode with the same root note, but a different quality.

So if you’re in C major, you might borrow a chord from C minor, C Dorian, or C Phrygian — just for a moment — to add color and contrast.

These borrowed chords create unexpected emotional twists. They sound dramatic, rich, or mysterious — because they don’t belong in your key, yet they resolve beautifully when used well.

A Quick Example (With Your Guitar in Hand)

Let’s say you’re playing a chord progression in C major:

C – G – Am – F

Now let’s borrow a chord from C minor, like Ab major or Eb major. Try this:

C – G – Ab – F

or

C – G – Eb – F

Hear that cinematic, slightly “off” tension? That’s modal interchange!

Why This Works: A Bit of Theory (But Not Too Much)

Every major key has modes that share the same root. For C major:

You’re pulling colours from these alternate sound worlds — and blending them into your progression.

Where You’ve Heard Modal Interchange Before

Even if you didn’t know the term, you’ve heard it in action:

• The Beatles – “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
  The song starts in A minor, but that iconic C# major chord comes out of nowhere — borrowed from A major.

• Radiohead – “Creep”
  G – B – C – Cm. That Cm at the end is a classic borrowed chord from G minor.

• Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Under the Bridge”
  The verse progression features chords from different modes blended smoothly.

How to Start Using Modal Interchange

Here are three easy ways to add it to your playing:

1. Swap Out One Chord in a Familiar Progression

Take a progression you know, and change one chord to a parallel minor chord.

Example:
C – G – Am – F
becomes
C – G – Ab – F

2. Try Borrowing a IV or bVI Chord

These two are modal interchange favorites:

• IVm in a major key (e.g., Fm in C major)

• bVI in a major key (e.g., Ab in C major)

3. Use Borrowed Chords in Your Solos

This is an advanced move — but once you understand modal interchange harmonically, you can start improvising over it melodically. Target notes that define the borrowed chord and experiment with chromatic approach tones.

Want to Go Deeper?

If you're into this kind of theory-meets-real-playing stuff, I’ve put together a free mini ebook that breaks down my favorite fretboard concepts and harmonic tools. You can grab it here — totally free, no fluff.

Or better yet, check out my full course, where we explore everything guitar related from harmony, fretboard fluency, and pro-level phrasing. All broken down in an easy to follow, step by step guide.

Final Thoughts

Modal interchange might sound like a mouthful, but it’s one of the most intuitive, beautiful tricks in the toolbox. Once you start using it, you’ll hear it everywhere — and your playing will instantly sound more expressive and intentional.

Start small. Experiment. And most importantly — have fun with it.

Got questions about how to apply this? Drop me a comment or hit me up on Instagram. I love hearing how other players are using this stuff.