In this video you can hear me playing a piece of music I improvised and named Stardust in a Teardrop. It’s about the idea that we are all made of stardust — all beings, and all things in this universe. The heavy elements in our physical make-up were forged in dying stars, like the cosmos expressing its emotions through us, showing the interconnectedness between us all. Our tears, whether from pain, sorrow, joy or vulnerability, are a manifestation of something truly felt within us, and that truth within us is built from the substance of the cosmos. It’s like there can be an entire universe in a teardrop.
I started this improvisation in the sorrowful G Aeolian, but its bright major quality chords VII and VI echoed the idea that even in grief, there can be a glimmer of hope and magic, like stardust in a teardrop.
Next I moved to the shadowy and introspective G Phrygian, with its feeling of ancient and infinite knowledge, like turning to look into the inner space, echoing the darkness and vastness of outer space.
The atmosphere darkened further with the shift into E flat Ionian Augmented in the lower register of the piano — the unstable augmented tonic triad and diminished triad built on the leading note created an ominous presence — an intrusion of unease into the dark introspection.
But then an alternation between G Phrygian and G flat Lydian with upper extensions created an otherworldly harmonic slide, like crystalline dust shimmering against the dark backdrop.
The piece closed in the mournful G Aeolian — more grounded than the instability of the previous modes, echoing that truth within us — even though the idea of stardust sounds insubstantial and magical, it is made from the real substance of our universe.
Technical Mode Table
| Mode Used | Note Names | Parent Scale | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| G Aeolian (Natural Minor) | G – A – B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F | B♭ Major | 6th Mode of B♭ Major |
| G Phrygian | G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F | E♭ Major | 3rd Mode of E♭ Major |
| E♭ Ionian Augmented | E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B – C – D | C Harmonic Minor | 3rd Mode of C Harmonic Minor |
| G♭ Lydian | G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F | D♭ Major | 4th Mode of D♭ Major |
Interval Formulas
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)
Phrygian Mode Formula
- Formula: 1 – ♭2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
- Intervals: (Root, Minor 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Minor 6th, Minor 7th)
Ionian Augmented Mode Formula
- Formula: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – ♯5 – 6 – 7
- Intervals: (Root, Major 2nd, Major 3rd, Perfect 4th, Augmented 5th, Major 6th, Major 7th)
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)
Further Reading and Listening
Learn more about modes here: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
