In this video I am playing an improvised piece of music which I named Aria Unsung. In music, the word “aria” means song or melody. An aria is often a self-contained piece of music found within a larger work, where the main narrative pauses for a moment, giving a character a chance to express their own feelings and reflect deeply. It is a moment of an unsung or unheard thought being voiced as a solo, allowing the character’s true self to be liberated. It is a soliloquy, where the unsung voice is finally allowed to shine without being drowned out by the dominant narrative.
I started in G major (Ionian) and the warmth and stability of this mode/key created light around the emergence of a voice being allowed to come to the fore.
The B Aeolian mode (natural minor) had a more lamenting quality, like the sadness of the unheard voice and unsung air.
The G Mixolydian flat 6 mode brought more mystery in its half-light major-minor hybrid sound — like the potential of more hidden voices being revealed.
Modes Used, Notes Names and Parent Scales
| Mode Used | Note Names | Parent Scale | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| G Major (Ionian) | G – A – B – C – D – E – F♯ | G Major | 1st Mode of G Major |
| B Aeolian (Natural Minor) | B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G – A | D Major | 6th Mode of D Major |
| G Mixolydian ♭6 | G – A – B – C – D – E♭ – F | C Melodic Minor | 5th Mode of C Melodic Minor |
Interval Formulas
- Ionian (Major): 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
- Aeolian (Natural Minor): 1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
- Mixolydian ♭6: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
Further Reading and Listening
Learn more about modes in general here: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
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