In this video you can hear me playing a piece of piano music I improvised and named Interstellar voyage. An interstellar voyage can be a journey into the unknown — a huge uncertain leap into a vast universe of possibilities, like how modal improvisation moves away from the restrictions of the familiar comfort zone of basic major and minor keys. No matter how terrifying the exploration into the uncharted and dark terrain of space, there can be liberation in navigating the unmapped constellations, and accepting that we don’t always know what is out there. This piece of music holds that suspension of certainty.
I started this improvisation by alternating between C Lydian and C sharp Dorian using a harmonic slide between the two tonic triads. The Lydian mode lacks a grounded perfect 4th because of its Lydian raised 4th, creating a sense of weightlessness, zero gravity and otherworldliness.
The harmonic slide into C sharp Dorian was like celestial wonder and mystery in its strangeness and juxtaposition of the different colours of the two modes. C sharp Dorian itself was melancholy due to its dark minor 3rd, but with a slight lift due to its bright major 6th — like a solitary space capsule in the loneliness of deep space, but with forward momentum, traveling towards the light.
D flat major (Ionian) brought a promise of answers in its resolute groundedness and warmth, but soon detoured into the dark alien landscape of the unrelated key of E flat harmonic minor.
The bright and ethereal D flat Lydian sliding into the dark and melancholy D Aeolian created a reality bending effect, like crossing a threshold into another dimension where the light is suddenly coming from a different direction.
Technical Mode Table
| Mode Used | Note Names | Parent Scale | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| C Lydian | C – D – E – F♯ – G – A – B | G Major | 4th Mode |
| C♯ Dorian | C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B | B Major | 2nd Mode |
| D♭ Major | D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C | D♭ Major | 1st Mode |
| E♭ Harmonic Minor | E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D | E♭ Harmonic Minor | 1st Mode |
| D♭ Lydian | D♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C | A♭ Major | 4th Mode |
| D Aeolian (Natural Minor) | D – E – F – G – A – B♭ – C | F Major | 6th Mode |
Interval Formulas
Lydian Mode Formula
- Formula: 1 – 2 – 3 – ♯4 – 5 – 6 – 7
- Intervals: (Root, Major 2nd, Major 3rd, Augmented 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Major 7th)
Dorian Mode Formula
- Formula: 1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – ♭7
- Intervals: (Root, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Minor 7th)
Major (Ionian) Mode Formula
- Formula: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
- Intervals: (Root, Major 2nd, Major 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Major 7th)
Harmonic Minor Mode Formula
- Formula: 1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – 7
- Intervals: (Root, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Minor 6th, Major 7th)
Aeolian Mode Formula
- Formula: 1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
- Intervals: (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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