Cliff Note Questions

[Bob]

This is a repost of a couple of things that were on AAJ, that I would like to offer for the scrutiny of lydiaphiles more learned than I, with a question at the end.

With tempered tuning (the piano) and the circle of fifths as a starting point:

1) "Chart A" is produced. This is a "chord/mode" matrix That organizes four primary scales (otherwise known as "major," melodic minor, harmonic major, and Lydian dominant), plus three symmetrical scales (AKA whole-tone, and the two diminished 8-tone scales) under one roof. The advantage? I don't need to memorize 50 (more like 250, with extensions) chord scale relationships). Everything is related in one family. One can go from "diatonic" to "chromatic" to "free" as the muse (and taste) dictate, without getting lost. Kinda of a tonal GPS.

2) The "River Trip" graphic metaphor elegantly illustrates moving from chord to chord thinking, to broader tonal centers, to the "tune" as a whole, to the tune as "home base."

3) in part 2, Ch. 2; subsets of scales are introduced (e.g., pentatonic scale), bringing "pitch class collections," melodic fragments, intervallic ''pods," all in the family.

Trying to find a practice book for getting the LCC under fingers. The Baker Lydian books seem out of print, but the Jerry Coker, Patterns for Jazz book seems quite useful. Coker does make numerous references to Russell, and he addresses the Lydian Augmented scale specifically, as well as the 'auxiliary' or symmetrical scales.

Coker's scalar patterns, which take up the first 100 pages or so, require the following adaptations to be specifically LCC.

(Category I) On a Major chord, the four primary scales, in order are:
Lydian Scale ( #4)
Lydian Augmented (#4, #5)
Lydian Diminished (#4, b3)
Lydian b7 (#4, b7)

(Category II) On a dominant V7 chord, the primary scales are (also in order, related to their parent scales, and arranged from "in to out."):
Mixolydian
Mixolydian #4
Mixolydian b9
Mixolydian b6

(Category VI) On ii-7, the primary scales are (also in order, related to the above as parent scales, and arranged from "in to out."):
Dorian
Dorian natural 7 (AKA melodic minor)
Dorian b5
Dorian b9

For the ii -7(b5), V7(b9) type progression:
(Category #IV) ii-7(b5)
Locrian
Locrian natural 2 [e.g., B C# D E F G A]
{Now it gets a bit dicey}
Locrian dim7 [e.g., B C D E F G Ab]
Locrian b4 [e.g., B C D Eb F G A]

(Category VII) V7(b9)
Phrygian
Phrygian natural 6 [e.g., E F G A B C# D]
Phrygian b4 [e.g., E F G Ab B C D]

I min
These are the same as the "dorian" above.

Granted, some of this nomenclature (mine, not Russell’s) is looking a bit strange. But, is Locrian dim7 still more transparent than “Lydian Diminished, Mode #IVâ€

[sandywilliams]

I like the “tonal GPSâ€

[dogbite]

"Alternatively, To prep a tune, would a lead sheet consisting of only parent scale names and chord roots suffice?"

yes. to me, this is the elegant simplicity, the beauty of the LCC - so much from so little:

Lydian Tonic

Lydian Tonic Interval

Modal Tonic

all defined from the eight PMG - all of those other modal terms (such as dorian and phrygian) become unnecessary.

dogbite

[Bob]

Hmm. Practicing this way, with root & reduced melody and parent scales, instead of chord symbols, feels strangely liberating. (The RP & RM are still available for chromatic embellishment. Still play the melody and walk the basic chord structure with leading tones to internalize the tune.) Lines and melodies come more freely - not quite tonal but not atonal. Must be that gravity thing. Very interesting feeling.

[sandywilliams]

Bob,
I agree with Dog that you should dispense with the traditional modal terminology. Your chart does, however, illustrate the necessity of being able to run the scales from their modal tonics. This is sometimes ignored when you are learning the LT superimpositions.
SW

[sandywilliams]

And...some of the more outgoing scales only have conceptual MTs!

[Bob]

Agreed. My intent in using modal terminology was to map one language into the other to see if that would produce any explanatory or interpretive gain. But by using the LCC analysis, eg., Bb Lyd II, guidelines, I feel forced, at least on bass, to explore cohesive melodic gestures, whose 'gravity', if you will, is internal and irrespective of the underlying chord structure, to which it is perhaps ironically related. It is a different kind of tonal relevance which somehow subsumes the atonal. You guys are light years ahead of me in understanding the LCCTO. Thanks for indulging me as I explore it naively for its expressive meaning.

[Bob]

all defined from the eight PMG - all of those other modal terms (such as dorian and phrygian) become unnecessary.

dogbite

Unless you're in Ch VI