Here is a video in which you can hear me playing a piece of music I improvised and named Night Violet. The Night Violet is a plant with the botanical name Hesperis matronalis, and it can symbolise magic, mystery, and discovery within a nocturnal inner world. Night violets can have an exquisite and intoxicating scent in the stillness of the night, representing modest beauty and humility, and gentle awakening of intuition — their value is not illuminated by the spotlight of daylight, instead they have a quiet and unassuming power. In this improvisation I found myself carried along by the exotic and peaceful elements of the nocturnal sounding B and G Phrygian modes, and the magical twilight colours and shifting shadows of the C and D Mixolydian flat 6 modes, reminding me of the mysticism of the Night Violet.
Modal Analysis Table Showing Note Names and Parent Scales
| Mode Used | Note Names | Parent Scale | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| B Phrygian | B, C, D, E, F♯, G, A | G Major | 3rd mode of G Major |
| C Mixolydian ♭6 | C, D, E, F, G, A♭, B♭ | F Melodic Minor | 5th mode of F Melodic Minor |
| D Mixolydian ♭6 | D, E, F♯, G, A, B♭, C | G Melodic Minor | 5th mode of G Melodic Minor |
| G Phrygian | G, A♭, B♭, C, D, E♭, F | E♭ Major | 3rd mode of E♭ Major |
Interval Formulas
Phrygian Mode Formula
1 – ♭2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
(Root, Minor 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Minor 6th, Minor 7th)
Mixolydian ♭6 Mode Formula
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 in general here: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
