GRGR920) note, part 1 or 2 Michael Perez

[Paul Mackin]

Michael Perez wrote:
> 
> Paul wrote:
> "Don't know the answer to this. The modern mixolydian scale would have
> to start on G rather B (Greek) if the black notes were missing as in
> the GR situation--in order that is to depart from C major only with
> respect to the flatted seventh. What this might have to do with
> anything I don't know. Maybe it could be considered a start on the road
> to the Blues. Just need to additionally flat the third and fifth."
> 
> I don't know what you mean by "modern mixolydian scale" here or why it
> would "have to start on G."  The modes started on different tones so
> that there would be different intervals between notes.  As far as the
> road to the blues, Miles used modes for music written in the early 60s.
>  _Kind of Blue_ was the a entire album of modal jazz - still sounds
> great after all these years, too.  He used the church type Dorian mode
> (all white keys beginning on D) mostly, if I recall correctly.

Michael--
By "modern mixolydian" I merely meant not of the Ancient World. Modern
in the modal context could be said to have started with Medieval music.
Don't know if this modern meaning applies to V. Just thought I'd throw
it in. I don't know the approved way to describe what mixolydian means
today. The way I think of it is simply as changing the position of the
second half tone to between the sixth and seventh from between the
seventh and eighth as in the major scale. Thus to get the mixolydian
pattern of whole and half tones on a keyboard without using black keys
you have to start on G. This is merely taking advantage of the fact that
the intervals between B and C and  between E and F are naturally only a
half tone--no room for a black key in other words.  As I say I was just
playing with ideas. Don't imagine they add up to much of anything. The
idea of the mixolydian mode being a Blues scale without the black keys
required for the additional downward half tone shifting was possibly a
feeble reference to Speer who was the only Black character and therefore
the only one with full access to the Blues. It was a reach.


                        P.