This video captures another freeform improvisation of mine which I named A Message Washed Ashore.
In this piece, the harmony takes unexpected turns, a bit like the waves lapping the shore, bringing some object into sight which is floating on the surface, then disappearing again, coming and going with the ebb and flow, sometimes the waters are turbulent and stormy, sometimes calm. We’re never quite sure if the mysterious object being carried on the waves is going to settle on the land, until finally it does — a message in a bottle. But we don’t know what the message is yet. The unresolved harmony at the end tells us the message has arrived, but we are still deciphering the ink.
Modes Used, Note Names and Parent Scales
| Mode | Scale Degree | Parent Scale | Note Names | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B♭ Dorian | II | A♭ Major | B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭ | 2nd Mode of Major |
| F♯ Phrygian Dominant | V | B Harmonic Minor | F♯, G, A♯, B, C♯, D, E | 5th Mode of Harmonic Minor |
| E Aeolian | VI | G Major | E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D | 6th Mode of Major |
| D Mixolydian ♭6 | V | G Melodic Minor | D, E, F♯, G, A, B♭, C | 5th Mode of Melodic Minor |
Interval Formulas (Structure List)
B♭ Dorian:
1 — 2 — ♭3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — ♭7
F♯ Phrygian Dominant:
1 — ♭2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — ♭6 — ♭7
E Aeolian:
1 — 2 — ♭3 — 4 — 5 — ♭6 — ♭7
D Mixolydian ♭6:
1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — ♭6 — ♭7
Learn more about the Dorian mode here, the Phrygian Dominant mode here, the Aeolian mode (or natural minor) here, and the Mixolydian flat 6 mode here.
Further Reading and Listening
Learn more about modes: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
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