This video captures a piano improvisation of mine which I named Finding a Magical Path. It represents the sense of wonder that might be felt when a hidden track reveals itself, like the fairy paths of Celtic folklore, which are routes taken by the fae between sacred sites. Although these paths are traditionally depicted as straight lines, there are many of them, as represented by the many transitions between modes and keys in this piece. And so, what would otherwise be a linear journey turns into a network full of twists and turns, echoing the spellbinding enigmas of fae magic. Instead of following rigid, logic-driven steps in pursuit of the answer, this mystical journey can be about learning to listen to your intuition and open your senses to what is beyond and beneath the superficial, so that seemingly enchanted portals become visible. Sometimes when you stop searching and just tune in instead, the right path reveals itself.
I started this piece in E flat Lydian sharp 2, whose Lydian raised 4th brightens and destabilises the sound, creating an ethereal nature, while the harmonic minor augmented 2nd structure creates enigma and ambiguity in its paradoxical darkness.
I then modulated to the wistful C Dorian mode, which has shadows in its minor 3rd, and a warm light in its major 6th, adding to the ambiguity, mystery, and potential for illumination.
Some rotations between three different Mixolydian flat 6 modes — G, C and F Mixolydian ♭6 — created shifting shadows and altered directions of light. The hybrid major-minor sound of each Mixolydian flat 6 mode created a twilit sense of mystery in its minor 6th and 7th degrees, and a brightening sense of wonder and discovery in its major 3rd.
Then, moving to E flat Dorian, quickly followed by a return of C Dorian created an otherworldly transition and a new harmonic relationship in the chromatic slide between the two tonic triads, like the enchanted portal revealing itself.
Then, a coda in the home mode, E flat Lydian sharp 2, left a feeling of suspension in the air, like the fae defying the cold logic of the concrete world.
Modes Used, Notes Names, and Parent Scales
| Mode Used | Note Names | Parent Scale | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| E♭ Lydian ♯2 | E♭, F♯, G, A, B♭, C, D | G Harmonic Minor | 6th Mode of G Harmonic Minor |
| C Dorian | C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭ | B♭ Major | 2nd Mode of B♭ Major |
| G Mixolydian ♭6 | G, A, B, C, D, E♭, F | C Melodic Minor | 5th Mode of C Melodic Minor |
| C Mixolydian ♭6 | C, D, E, F, G, A♭, B♭ | F Melodic Minor | 5th Mode of F Melodic Minor |
| F Mixolydian ♭6 | F, G, A, B♭, C, D♭, E♭ | B♭ Melodic Minor | 5th Mode of B♭ Melodic Minor |
| E♭ Dorian | E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C, D♭ | D♭ Major | 2nd Mode of D♭ Major |
Interval Formulas
- Lydian ♯2: 1 — ♯2 — 3 — ♯4 — 5 — 6 — 7
- Root, augmented 2nd, major 3rd, augmented 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th, major 7th
- Dorian: 1 — 2 — ♭3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — ♭7
- Root, major 2nd, minor 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th, minor 7th
- Mixolydian ♭6: 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — ♭6 — ♭7
- Root, major 2nd, major 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
