Using modes of the major scale?

apple-joe · February 06, 2006, 11:27:59

Does any of you got mods where you've used the modes of the major scale?

I'd especially like to hear music with Dorian and Lydian tonalities. And Phrygian. Heck, anything, really, but the natural major and minor aren't that interesting.

Anyone with links to uploaded music?

Snu · February 06, 2006, 13:35:28

i like the less common modes as well, but i havnt used them much yet. i have written one song in (mostly) mixolydian (has parts in minor too, and the modulation from e minor to e mixo i still think is about the coolest ive ever done).
well, have a low quality module here:
http://www.snuq.com/mod/Snu%20-%20Dreaming%20(8bit).zip
or, an mp3:
http://www.snuq.com/mp3/Snu%20-%20Dreaming.mp3

another time i tried to write a section in f# dorian, but it ended up being in e major, doh...

apple-joe · February 06, 2006, 14:22:19

Great - I'm gonna listen any minute!

EDIT: Quality composition. I'm gonna listen to it several times - I think it's a 'grower'. You certainly created a lot based on one instrument.

Matt Hartman · February 07, 2006, 14:30:58

Nice track Snu. I like the second movement a lot.

One suggestion, work with velocity and dynamics a little. I think this would push the feeling of it more.

You many want to speed up and slow down certain parts as if there's no definite meter other than an internal emotional one.

Coolness.

Matt Hartman · February 07, 2006, 14:34:59

Quote from: "apple-joe"Does any of you got mods where you've used the modes of the major scale? I'd especially like to hear music with Dorian and Lydian tonalities. And Phrygian. Heck, anything, really, but the natural major and minor aren't that interesting.quote]

A good technique is to play the notes that make a basic major or minor chord and branch out from there. You can find some interesting results and really get to know the keyboard with it's spacial and tonal relationships. The combinations are plentiful.

apple-joe · February 07, 2006, 14:51:04

Yes, I know quite a bit about the use of the modes, but sometimes my creativity stops for a moment. Hence, it would be great to hear fresh inputs from other people. Nothing would be better than a Dorian mod by for instance you very soon, how about that?

Matt Hartman · February 07, 2006, 20:08:30

I don't know. But how bout dis?

http://artman-dg.com/Dorian.it :wink:

apple-joe · February 07, 2006, 20:21:26

OK. Gonna listen now. Did you make it?

Matt Hartman · February 07, 2006, 20:38:50

Quote from: "apple-joe"OK. Gonna listen now. Did you make it?

No, elves did the light of the moon while I was in my slumber.

Little bastards.

Matt Hartman · February 07, 2006, 20:45:22

I forgot to mention I made this with the latest build of the open source MPT, so you'll have to raise the tempo significantly in order to hear this correctly if you're playing this with the regular build of MPT or MP Player.

I recommend the open source build in order to hear it correctly "out of the box".

Snu · February 07, 2006, 23:49:29

Quote from: "Matt Hartman"One suggestion, work with velocity and dynamics a little. I think this would push the feeling of it more.

You many want to speed up and slow down certain parts as if there's no definite meter other than an internal emotional one.

Coolness.

indeed, i wrote this song back in july 2003, since then i have written 3 piano pieces, and have experimented with dynamics and rubato quite a bit more.
i do agree that i should have used more dynamics, but for this song i prefered it to be very rhythmically precise.

cdnalsi · February 10, 2006, 19:36:38

Let's do this excercise

(btw these smilies suck)

Say you have dominant G. - and that would be the mixolidyan (G A B C D E F G).
Now, notice these are all white keys on a piano. To add tension and a bit of color, let's replace one of the white keys with a black one. Let's take C. We'll make it C#. Now we have G A B C# D E F G- lydian-mixolydian

Now we have the lowest level of tension we can have in a dominant scale.

Okay, now let's introduce another black key in your "soup"

We'll take D and make it D#. Now we'll have G A B C# D# F G- wholetone

And the most tensioned scales would be the last two ones. The halfdiminished (G G# A# B C# D E F G), and the halfdiminished-wholetone. (G G# A# B C# D# F G)

Notice how the addition of the black keys give diferent flavor to each of the scales.

Now experiment with your own keys and scales

Cheers!

Matt Hartman · February 10, 2006, 21:39:33

http://artman-dg.com/Dorian.it

I've updated the chip tune I put together as part of this experiment.

If I've gotten a little off the Dorian track on this, just know it happens all the time.

I can't ever stick to one thing very well, there's just too much I want to do.

Matt Hartman · February 10, 2006, 21:41:50

Generally, I find diminshed scales only really useful for classical and jazz. But you never know...

apple-joe · February 10, 2006, 23:55:29

Quote from: "Matt Hartman"http://artman-dg.com/Dorian.it

I've updated the chip tune I put together as part of this experiment.

If I've gotten a little off the Dorian track on this, just know it happens all the time.

I can't ever stick to one thing very well, there's just too much I want to do.

Very good piece, but I don't think I could have told it's Dorian. It was definately among the better mods I've heard both when it comes to sound and composing, but I struggled hearing the Dorian sound. Maybe it has to do with your method of tracking this mod.