I am setting forth how to use the Modal Method for composition, improvisation and analysis and will start with the basics first, which is understanding the mechanics of using scales for modulation. I don’t know why I didn’t introduce this way of helping those who are making their way through the book earlier, I apologize for that as I realise that a lot of you that have a copy of my book may not have yet learned how to use it for analysing music, so this is a step by step guide to get you started. I also realise that it may be a difficult subject for newcomers to digest, but that is why you’re here, right? Study and persevere and you’ll get there.
I shall take a simple piece that has changes using three different scales so that you get an idea of what is involved whilst also gaining experience in recognizing lesser known modes or typical changes using those particular scales. A baroque piece would be most suited to this exercise as most changes involve only one note at any time, which is called the incremental method, whereas more contemporary music needs a broader understanding of the interconnectedness of scales and how to use the concepts of modal interchange and enharmonic equivalent scales.
I have decided to use as an example Bach’s Invention no. 2 in C minor BWV 773. It is simple enough and uses only the scales of Major (1 2 3 4 5 6 7) Harmonic minor (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7) and Melodic (1 2 b3 4 5 6 7). (NB: The term minor when referring to the Melodic scale is redundant as there is no Melodic Major, hence it is always referred to simply as Melodic.)
For those of you with a copy of the M3 book, I want you to have the tables ready in section II for reference when the changes are discussed. Do not be surprised if it all seems so simple because it is, but this is a mere prelude to the more complex analyses.
Firstly, let’s just go through the (+1) and (-1) process. Take the key of C Major, and modulate to G Major. The F is raised to F#, right? Now, zoom in and focus more closely on the mode in C Major that begins on the note that is about to be raised. It is F Lydian (F G A B C D E). Raising the root makes it F# Locrian (F# G A B C D E). So the modal change that occurs when a key moves up a fifth can be represented as Lydian (+1) = Locrian. (Remember, (+1) means raising the root by a semitone.)
Lets do it again but back a fifth. C Major to F Major involves the note B being flattened to Bb. Zoom in and B Locrian (B C D E F G A) becomes Bb Lydian (Bb C D E F G A). So, the rule that keys follow when modulating back a fifth is represented as Locrian (-1) = Lydian. Notice carefully, that this is not an invention on my part, but rather an observation on the mechanics inherent in music as it changes key and scale.
This is known as the Lydian – Locrian Axis and is explained fully on pages 29 – 31. It is not the first time the axis appears in music theory, but I’ll leave that up to you to discover in the book.
Now to the score. The key signature is Eb Major/C minor and the first note outside of the key signature is in bar 1, a B natural. The note Bb is part of the key signature so raising it will give us Bb Mixolydian (+1) = B Alt bb7, mode VII of C Harmonic minor. This is marked by the number 1 on the score. Turn to page 70 in the M3 book and you will see the Major scale table. Scan along to the Mixolydian mode and above it you can see the result of (+1) is Alt bb7.
The opposite happens with the Bb marked as 2 on the score, B Altbb7 (-1) = Bb Mixolydian, back into Eb Major or C natural minor. This is shown on page 71 in the Harmonic minor table when you scan along to mode VII and check the (-1) row underneath. NB: Natural minor is Aeolian and as such is a mode of the Major scale, therefore I use the Major key when referring to a Major scale. A mode cannot be a scale at the same time, A is A and cannot be non-A at the same time in the same respect. Otherwise, we could say the same for any of the other modes.
Bar 2 repeats the move above, nos. 3 and 4 showing the same change to C Harmonic minor and back to Eb Major. Got that move? Mixolydian (mode V) (+1) = mode VII of Harmonic minor, the relative minor scale of choice. Again this is repeated in bar 4, numbered 5 and 6.
The next change follows 6 bars of Eb Major and in bar 11 the Ab is raised to A natural, numbered 7. This is simply a move forward through the circle of fifths to Bb Major: Ab Lydian (mode IV of Eb Major) (+1) = A Locrian, mode VII of Bb Major. So keep in mind Bb Major when we look at the next note, F# number 8. Bb Major = Bb C D Eb F G A, and F Mixolydian (+1) = F# Alt bb7 (mode VII of G Harmonic minor). So this is just a move to the relative of Bb Major, as the same move was in the first bars.
Now, keep in mind G Harmonic minor, or rather, the altered notes of A natural and F#. Bar 12 has an F# so no change there, followed by the A natural again in the left hand which confirms that the music is still in G Harmonic minor. No. 9 is an E natural, so lets look at G Harmonic minor again:
G A Bb C D Eb F#. The sixth is Eb and its mode is Eb Lydian #2. Book time, check the Harmonic minor table on page 71 and scan along to the Lydian #2 mode and you will see the (+1) operation changes it to Aeolian b5, mode VI of the G Melodic scale. So no. 9 is G Melodic. End of page one. That wasn’t so hard was it?
Bar 13 on page 2 reverses the move again. Remember, Bach changed from Eb Major to Bb Major to G Harmonic minor to G Melodic. Now he returns, so you can see the workings of his mind this way. Number 10 is Eb making it G Harmonic minor again. Remember to check the Melodic table on page 70, move along to Aeolian b5 and check underneath, which is the (-1) row, it says Lydian #2. This is immediately followed by an F natural, marked as number 11.
Now G Harmonic minor is G A Bb C D E F#. So we want the mode on the seventh degree of the Harmonic minor scale, F# Alt bb7. Check the Harmonic minor table on page 71, scan along to Altbb7 and you will see in the (-1) row underneath that the new mode is Mixolydian, on F being mode V of Bb Major. Stepping back now from the magnifying glass, the sequence is now revealed:
(Eb Major – C Harmonic minor) x3 – Eb Major – Bb Major – G Harmonic minor – G Melodic – G Harmonic minor – Bb Major
I shall continue. Bar 14 has the same changes as the previous bar, marked nos. 12 and 13. Again, F Mixolydian (+1) to G Harmonic minor and then the reverse, F# Altbb7 (-1) to F Mixolydian.
Now we have a prolonged period in just the Bb Major scale, just scan the bars for the A, is it Ab or A natural? A natural, and it stays in the key of Bb Major. This is mimicking bars 5 – 10 which were solely in Eb Major creating a nice balance in the music until bar 21 when F# appears once more marked as 14, and heralding G Harmonic minor. Remember, F Mixolydian (+1) = F# Alt bb7 (mode VII of G Harmonic minor. Check the tables if you have to.) The F natural at the end of bar 21 signifies Bb Major, again reversing the move and then we have a new one: B natural in bar 22.
Take this slowly now, Bb Major = Bb C D Eb F G A and raising the root of mode I, Bb Ionian (+1) = B C D Eb F G A = B Altered, mode VII of C Melodic. Check Major scale table on page 70 once more. The first mode, Ionian has above it in the (+1) row the Altered mode (Superlocrian to some). Now you can see that raising the root of mode I of the Major scale modulates the music into the Melodic scale on the second degree of the Major scale, represented most efficiently as:
I Major (+1) = ii Melodic
Meaning, mode I of the Major scale with its root raised gives us the Melodic scale on degree ii of the Major scale, or Bb Ionian (+1) = B Altered. The C Melodic is followed by two changes in succession once more, mirroring the changes in bar 13, marked as 17 and 18. C Melodic mode VII is B Altered (-1) = Bb Ionian, so now Bb Major, and then the next note is Ab, so A Locrian (-1) = Ab Lydian, mode IV of Eb Major, once more back into the home key.
The rest of the changes are Eb Major to C Harmonic minor, marked 19 to 25, check for yourself and keep the tables handy. That now gives us the sequence for the whole piece:
(Eb Major – C Harmonic minor) x3 – Eb Major – Bb Major – G Harmonic minor – G Melodic – (G Harmonic minor – Bb Major) x3 – C Melodic – Eb Major – C Harmonic minor – (Eb Major – C Harmonic minor)x3
Now, lets take a minute to understand this sequence in more depth by zooming out again. The first change, Eb Major to relative C minor x3 then back a fifth to Bb Major. Then to the relative again via Harmonic minor, then to Melodic on the same root as the two are interchangeable, and then G Harmonic minor to the relative Major of Bb x3.
Spotted the symmetry? C Melodic leads back to Eb Major and then to C Harmonic minor, and then there are (Major – Harmonic minor) x3 modulations once more. So, three modulations that are each repeated three times. Symmetry and balance.
How did you do? Read through it more than once if it was difficult and print off the score as that is always easier to compare analyses. The analysis of the next piece will introduce how to recognise the Neapolitan minor scale (1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 7) and either the Neapolitan Major (1 b2 b3 4 5 6 7) and/or the Harmonic Major (1 2 3 4 5 b6 7), depending on the piece of music I select. And now an important message.
After careful consideration, I have decided to take on my first batch of students that wish to study the method outlined in the book. It is free and open to anyone, but only the first ten applicants for now. I would like to establish students in every continent to get the method out there, rather than 10 students in the south east of England which is my locale.
Send me a private message and I will start a new private group with this sole purpose in mind. No previous musical training is required although a relatively high degree of proficiency in music theory is desirable as the material does get challenging. Also, the musical instrument of choice is irrelevant but playing an instrument is a must as this will not be purely dry academic stuff but will use a hands-on approach to use the M3 method in analysis, composition and improvisation.
Thanks for reading. The book is here as always:
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