We talked last week about considering the use of modes from the context of their intervallic relationship to their tonal center, or root note rather than the traditional habit of considering modes as beginning on the different degrees of the major scale. This helps to underscore how the relationship of the scale intervals to the root changes with each different mode.

The exercises I recommended for illuminating this point of view can be found in the previous article; Modes And Their Practical Applications For Improvisation And Composition.

I’ve gone ahead and created some short improvisations/compositions for two of these modes in the spirit of last week's exercise; Dorian and Mixolydian, this time with a tonal center of D. These were done using a drone accompaniment—most commonly used in East Indian music but certainly a popular strategy for improvisation in multiple styles:

Listen to audio of Dorian Improv Example

The Dorian mode has a darker sound, mainly because of the minor 3rd, but retains an added melodic strength from the major 6th.

Listen to audio of Mixolydian Improv Example

The Mixolydian mode has a strength and brightness to it, largely because of the major third (bright) and dominant 7th (strong).

Hybrid Modes

By the way, there’s no law that I know of that says you can’t combine the elements of two or more modes.

Fig. 01

Listen to audio of Mixolydian/Lydian Scale

Essentially a major scale with an augmented 4th and a dominant 7th:

And here’s an example of that hybrid mode in action:

Listen to audio of Mixolydian/Lydian Improv Example

While we’re at it, how about combining Ionian (Major) and Phrygian:

Fig. 02

Listen to audio of Ionian/Phrygian Scale

This scale really has a Middle East/Turkish/Klezmer sound to it.

Don’t you think it would be pretty interesting to hear what sort of chords you can concoct with a scale like that? I do:

Fig. 03

Listen to audio of Ionian/Phrygian 7th Chords

Ouch! Actually, I think it sounds cool, but maybe this is one reason why highly altered scales like these are most often used over pedal tones or drones rather than conventional Western chordal style writing. But it does give a composer some interesting ideas about how to create an unusual harmonic climate, even if the chords tend to defy the conventions of European theory. Also, a triadic analysis would mercifully result in simpler chord results:

Fig. 04

Listen to audio of Ionian/Phrygian Triads

Ahh, that’s just a little bit better. This is where the use of enharmonic spelling for chords really becomes most welcome; my software doesn’t even understand the chords I enter when basing them strictly on the correct intervals of the scale. Western harmonic theory does indeed have its limitations, which is probably why so many composers of the 20th century and beyond have begun abandoning it in favor of the pure intervallic relationship, using all twelve tones freely.

Ok, and now for geek corner. The guitar I used for the improvisations was my loyal and trustworthy GC1 using a 20 foot Evidence Audio Lyric cable, plugged into my 65 Amps Lil' Elvis with these settings:

No EQ or compression was needed or used on the guitar track.

The microphone was a Royer 121 ribbon routed to a Grace 101 mic pre. The digital audio interface was a Black Lion Audio modified ProTools Digi 002 Signature Series rack and the session was running at 24 bit, 96K. The eight outputs of the 002 went to a Dangerous D Box and was subbed to a Black Lion Audio Sparrow A/D converter, which sent the mix to a Tascam DV-RA1000 stereo DVD disc recorder (this product has been discontinued- the link is to Tascam's current hard drive version). After that the mix was imported into a stereo ProTools session for mastering, where versions were made at 96k 24 bit, then 44k 16bit, and then MP3 variable bit rate files were created using iTunes, because for some strange reason ProTools does not support variable bit depth MP3 encoding. Whew.

Composer, guitarist and arranger Steve Kirk's music has been featured in film, video games and TV. This includes music for the Disney game version of "The Princess And The Frog", Microsoft Games "Voodoo Vince" , the FarmVille Theme for Zynga Games, and to be released in Spring 2011, Cantina music composed for the Star Wars MMOL game The Other Republic.

Steve teaches guitar, music theory and composition privately in Oakland, California, as well as Blue Bear School Of Music and Community Music Center- both located in San Francisco, California. He is also the guitarist for Club Foot Orchestra and Orchestra Nostalgico.