In this series I shall venture to encourage you to add unusual modes into your improvising, focusing on well known songs that make the possibility of lesser known modes to be played without causing a brain embolism with too much theoretical discussion.
The first, Lydian Diminished, is mode IV of the Harmonic Major scale, and has a wonderful atmosphere about it, sort of left hanging in the air with ethereal suggestion. Its formula is 1 2 b3 #4 5 6 7. The piece I have selected to introduce this mode is Us and Them by Pink Floyd, from the Dark Side Of the Moon album. Released in 1973 and selling upwards of 45 million copies, I’m sure everyone is familiar with this particular track.
The chord progression is simple:
Dsus2 – D6(9) – D minMajor7 – D6sus9 – Dsus2
I would suggest playing D Major (Ionian) over the first chord, then D Lydian over the D6(9) chord and now the fun bit. Over DminMajor7 play the D Lydian Diminished mode, D E F G# A B C#. This is from the A Harmonic Major scale which has the 4 note chords of:
A Major 7 – Bmin7b5 – C#min7 – DminMajor7 – E7 – FMaj7+ - G#dim
Any or all of the arpeggios sound good, but aiming for ones with the G# and F in will emphasize the mode’s qualities. I like to use the Bmin7b5 mixed with the G# diminished arpeggios and the scale positions for a wide variation of possible combination of notes. Lydian Diminished works well over minMajor7 chords, so you could also play it over the chords of Something by The Beatles, for instance.
Next, I shall look at Pete Townsend’s use of pedal tones in songs by The Who, with his trademark use of chords to create interesting modal opportunities. Thanks for reading.
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