F Harmonic & Melodic Minor, A♭ Lydian ♯2, and F Aeolian (Natural Minor)
Here is a video in which you can hear me playing an improvised piece of music which I named Electricity in the Air at Sunset. Whilst improvising this music, I found myself exploring a feeling of warm descending light and latent kinetic energy. It brought to my mind the warm yellow, gold and crimson glow in the fading sky, and despite the potential peace of the day drawing to a close, there is a charged feeling in the air. It’s like a storm waiting to break, with the crackle of the electrostatic charge building up in the atmosphere as the barometric pressure drops. The descent of light and pressure combine with the rise in anticipation, where unspoken feelings are alive.
I started this improvisation in F minor, using both the melodic and harmonic forms in the classical tradition, with a chord sequence that had a descending bass line — echoing the descent of the light and pressure in the sunset just before the storm.
A flat Lydian sharp 2 had paradoxical potential energy in the tension between the downward pull of its dark harmonic minor structure, and bright upward expansion of its augmented 2nd and 4th degrees.
F Aeolian had even more darkness in its natural minor sound, due to its minor 3rd, 6th and 7th degrees, but upper extensions and suspensions created more tension and kinetic life.
Mode Table
| Mode Used | Note Names | Parent Scale | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| F Harmonic Minor | F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E | F Harmonic Minor | 1st Mode of F Harmonic Minor (Relative Minor of A♭ Major) |
| F Melodic Minor | F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E | F Melodic Minor | 1st Mode of F Melodic Minor (Relative Minor of A♭ Major) |
| A♭ Lydian ♯2 | A♭ – B – C – D – E♭ – F – G | C Harmonic Minor | 6th Mode of C Harmonic Minor |
| F Aeolian (Natural Minor) | F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ | A♭ Major | 6th Mode of A♭ Major |
Interval Formulas
Harmonic Minor Mode Formula:
1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – 7
(Root, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Minor 6th, Major 7th)
Melodic Minor Mode Formula:
1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
(Root, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Major 7th)
Lydian ♯2 Mode Formula:
1 – ♯2 – 3 – ♯4 – 5 – 6 – 7
(Root, Augmented 2nd, Major 3rd, Augmented 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Major 7th)
Aeolian Mode Formula:
1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
(Root, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Minor 6th, Minor 7th)
Further Reading and Listening
Learn more about modes here: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
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