Here is a video capturing a freeform improvisation of mine which I named A Desert World Feels Rain. The idea of a desert receiving rain is symbolic of awakening and relief after a seeming eternity of barrenness. When rain finally touches that world, it is felt like a shower of love and compassion, allowing colour and life to rise in the bleak landscape.
The idea of a “desert world” is also a nod to my favourite book (and saga of 6 books) — Dune by Frank Herbert. In Dune, the desert planet Arrakis is dry because tiny creatures called sandtrout hoard and lock away the planet’s water deep underground to keep the surface an inhospitable desert, guarding the planet’s precious resources. The character Liet Kynes was a planetary ecologist who along with the people of Arrakis (known as the Fremen) dreamed of turning the desert into a lush, green world of rain. But that dream came with a paradox: too much water would kill the sandworms, destroying the production of the planet’s most precious substance — the spice. The spice grants heightened awareness and the power to navigate the dark unknown.
It’s a paradox that rain in a desert can mean a long-starved and neglected world suddenly receiving rich nourishment, but at the same time unique gifts can be forged in adversity. These paradoxes and ambiguities, rolling dunes, exotic deserts, and gentle rain (and sometimes storms) were conveyed by the modes and textures in this piece.
Technical Mode Table
| Mode Used | Note Collection | Parent Scale | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| F Dorian ♯4 (Home Key) | F – G – A♭ – B – C – D – E♭ | C Harmonic Minor | 4th Mode |
| G Mixolydian ♭6 | G – A – B – C – D – E♭ – F | C Melodic Minor | 5th Mode |
| G Phrygian Dominant | G – A♭ – B – C – D – E♭ – F | C Harmonic Minor | 5th Mode |
| A♭ Lydian | A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F – G | E♭ Major | 4th Mode |
| F Dorian | F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E♭ | E♭ Major | 2nd Mode |
| D♭ Lydian | D♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C | A♭ Major | 4th Mode |
| C Phrygian | C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ | A♭ Major | 3rd Mode |
| C Dorian ♯4 | C – D – E♭ – F♯ – G – A – B♭ | G Harmonic Minor | 4th Mode |
Interval Formulas and Modes Used
Dorian ♯4 Mode Formula:
1 – 2 – ♭3 – ♯4 – 5 – 6 – ♭7
(Root, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Augmented 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Minor 7th)
Learn more about the Dorian sharp 4 mode
Mixolydian ♭6 Mode Formula:
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
(Root, Major 2nd, Major 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Minor 6th, Minor 7th)
Learn more about the Mixolydian flat 6 mode
Phrygian Dominant Mode Formula:
1 – ♭2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
(Root, Minor 2nd, Major 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Minor 6th, Minor 7th)
Learn more about the Phrygian Dominant mode
Lydian Mode Formula:
1 – 2 – 3 – ♯4 – 5 – 6 – 7
(Root, Major 2nd, Major 3rd, Augmented 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Major 7th)
Learn more about the Lydian mode
Dorian Mode Formula:
1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – ♭7
(Root, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Minor 7th)
Learn more about the Dorian mode
Phrygian Mode Formula:
1 – ♭2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
(Root, Minor 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Minor 6th, Minor 7th)
Learn more about the Phrygian mode
Further Reading and Listening
Learn more about modes here: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
