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Part 1: i→IV
Part 2: I→IV
Part 3! 2021 changes by type, demystify the mode theory stuff, integrate what’s important, make it all extra crispy or whatever, yadda yadda YES YOU CAN.
Today, we’re looking at the Shapeshift Special, the Ambiguous Amble, the Lydian Lightswitch, the...
i→♭III
“Starting in a minor mode (i), the band shifts the key center up (→) by a minor third, to a relative major mode (♭III).”
Occurs naturally between:
Dorian i→♭III Lydian
Aeolian i→♭III Ionian
Phrygian i→♭III Mixolydian
Hearing the interval: minor third
The change in reverse:
2021 EXAMPLES
Below are a few examples in pre-queued YouTube form. Observations, questions and criticisms of all kinds are welcome and encouraged. Enjoy!
(all queued to 5~15 seconds before change begins)
Alpharetta Twist
(LP ~4:15)
Dorian i-♭III-i→♭III Lydian
A long, tortured, beautiful and confusing bobble between the Dorian and it’s relative Lydian. Two things going on here:
-the tonic triads of both modes overlap by 2 notes (of their respective 3), which highly predisposes them to blending, stacking, vascillating, interchanging, whatever.
-Dorian being harmonically stable, and Lydian being notoriously unstable, there is an inevitability to crashing back to the Dorian. Or to put it another way, i-bIII-i is a nice progression.
Eugene Ruby Waves
(LP ~4:00)
Dorian i→♭III Lydian > Ionian
Another way of dealing with Lydian’s instability – just settle into the parallel (same tonic) Ionian. Just un-sharp that 4 and suddenly you’re harmonically stable as f***.
Chula Vista NICU
(LP ~13:35)
Dorian > {Aeolian} i→♭III Ionian > NICU theme
Cutting the most direct line from Dorian to an NICU theme (Mixolydian ♭6) a minor third above. It’s arguable what path it can be said to have taken. ^That’s what I hear most recently.
Dick’s Everything’s Right
(LP ~ 23:40)
Aeolian i→♭III Ionian
Pretty standard and pretty beautiful minor the the relative major. Feels good. Jon Fishman enjoys his job.
LA Forum YEM
(LP ~14:10)
Dorian i→♭III Lydian > Ionian
Another one where Trey quickly drops the #4 and brings us into the parallel Ionian. Eventually he’ll start dropping dominant 7’s, and we’ll be in the parallel Mixolydian. Just like that.
Phoenix Everything’s Right
(LP ~7:00)
Dorian i→♭III Lydian / Ionian
One identifiable moment in a passage heavy on what I think Trey calls liberating the dissonance? Really nice to listen to, whatever you call it.