2b: Let the Mode Go Round (Continued Alteration of a Pattern)

The basic idea of this tutorial is to play one and the same generic pattern in different diatonic modes. In the first video a two-bar pattern with a descending Fauxbourdon with 7-6 suspensions is repeated over and over and followed by a sharpward alteration each time. The tone syllables in the descending bass 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 and later in the added 1-2-3-2-1 melody change every time, accordingly.

This example was made with the help of a Midi-File, which contains also the alteration commands. In the channel-menu one may specify that in a certain channel the notes are interpreted as mode definitions. There are several possibilities to do this. In this case (see attached MIDI-File) the information is contained in channel 16 and in the App one needs to enable the option "Interpret Notes < 60" for this channel. The snapshot below shows the encoding of the actual modes, which in this case change every two bars. The lowest system (Midi pitch height between 36 and 47) encodes the tonic, and the system above it (Midi pitch height between 48 and 59) encodes the octave species.The concrete notes stand for the tonic of the Ionian mode associated with that same signature.

Playing with three Voices in varying Modes

The second video was made with the first version of the app and some details of the interface are meanwhile different. The voices are the ones from the Museum Exhibit "Tonkreisel" in Dresden. The voice of "Bruno" (available since Version 1.2.2) is more practical to use, as the sounds respond more quickly and the syllables are more clearly articulated. Nevertheless, in slow polyphonic examples the "Tonkreisel"-voices have some charme as well.

The present movie shows a quite simple example. Start with a triad in root position and let the upper two voices move in parallel motion

• two steps up,

• three steps down and

• one step up again.

The movie starts in Bb-Lydian (Fa-Mode with tonic Bb), and goes flatward through Bb-Ionian (Do-Mode with Tonic Bb), Bb-Mixolydian (So-Mode with Tonic Bb), Bb-Dorian (Re-Mode with Tonic Bb), Bb-Aeolian (La-Mode with Tonic Bb), Bb-Phrygian (Mi-Mode with Tonic Bb), A#-Locrian (Ti-Mode with Tonic A#), A-Lydian (Fa-Mode with tonic A).

[NB: The switch in the tone names of the tonic from Bb to A# between Phrygian and Locrian is a mere pragmatic issue. The note names within each mode are always consistent.]