Cosmos, Earth & Subterranea Part I
The title of this improvised piece of music came about because I was inspired by the idea of a gravitational wave — ripples and distortions in the fabric of spacetime — echoed by the sweeping and oscillating, stretching and squeezing patterns in this piece. Gravitational waves can be detected by analysing the timing array of a cosmic pulsar, which is a highly magnetised, rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation, creating a lighthouse effect. The texture in this piece often consists of pulsing between hands with fast arpeggios, mimicking that rhythmic, high-energy sweep. Pulsars are formed from the collapsed core of a massive star, and although their pulsing is very regular, there was irregularity in the timing of this piece, echoing the time distortion of an event horizon. Gravitational waves are often caused by merging black holes, or colliding neutron stars. The modes used in this piece had cold otherworldly luminosity, as well as darkness like outer-space. There’s a sense of inevitability, like a domino effect in these themes, which I felt was reflected in the kinetic energy and brightness in this piece of music.
I started with sweeping fast arpeggiated/broken-chord figures in D Lydian Dominant, which often pulsed between the hands, a bit like the oscillation of a pulsar, or the orbit of a binary star. The Lydian Dominant mode has the brightness of the Lydian mode due to its sharp 4th, but the flattened 7th gives it a dark edge — representing the dangerous yet awe-inspiring radiation of a neutron star.
At times a single-line melody fights to be heard, almost engulfed by the broken chords, like something disappearing beyond an event horizon.
Next I modulated to B Dorian where the texture consisted of more of the sweeping broken chord/arpeggio patterns, or chord planing. The Dorian mode has darkness in its minor 3rd degree, but some light and warmth in its major 6th degree too.
Then I modulated to B Lydian — the Lydian mode is even brighter than the Lydian Dominant mode due to having that raised 4th without the flattened 7th.
I very briefly wandered into C sharp Dorian, before moving back to B Lydian, then B Dorian, then closing in D Lydian Dominant.
Modes – Notes and Parent Scales
| Mode | Notes | Parent Scale | Mode Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| D Lydian Dominant | D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C | A melodic minor (ascending) | 4th mode of melodic minor |
| B Dorian | B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A | A major | 2nd mode of major |
| B Lydian | B – C♯ – D♯ – E♯ – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ | F♯ major | 4th mode of major |
| C♯ Dorian | C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B | B major | 2nd mode of major |
Interval Formulas
D Lydian Dominant
1 – 2 – 3 – ♯4 – 5 – 6 – ♭7
B Dorian
1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – ♭7
B Lydian
1 – 2 – 3 – ♯4 – 5 – 6 – 7
C♯ Dorian
1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – ♭7
Further reading and listening
Learn more about modes: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
