Circuit Training Unit 8

Hello and welcome to Circuit Training Unit 8.

Overview of Modes

Other modes, all modes, have their distinctive mood, color, and interval relationship.

Dorian Mode

To get this unit off to a good start, Chris will play the famous Dies Irae, which, like Scarborough Fair, is in the Dorian mode. Another familiar example is Scarborough Fair, the Dorian jig. Page 45 captures the mood of the Dorian mode.

• Be sure you create a proper 6/8 lilt.
• Make sure you get three quavers to the beat and not two fours.

Scarborough Fair is also in the Dorian mode, but not quite so obviously here.

Breathing Techniques

I recommend preparing realistic, regular breathing places to maintain a calm poise.

• Irregular and excessive short breaths cause breathlessness, increase stress and tension, and will inhibit your eyes from moving forwards across the page.

Other Modes

Phrygian Mode

Another mode is the Phrygian mode. This mode is like playing all the white notes on the piano, starting and ending on E. It was very popular in the Bach period and can be very wistful.

Lydian Mode

Whole Cell Phone is based on the Lydian mode (F to F) and is the only mode that starts with three whole tones.

• This mode has some very fancy and famous trombone references.
• A tip here is to leave the grace notes late in bars 5 and 7 and sustain the preceding note to avoid rushing and enhance clarity.

Pentatonic Scale

The Pentatonic is a five-note pattern.

Mixolydian Mode

The Mixolydian mode (G to G) and blues scale, when combined, give you wonderful melodic and harmonic possibilities.

• A good example of the pentatonic scale is Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen.
• Folk Dance is a good example of the Mixolydian mode.

Be sure to exaggerate the phrasing by using clear articulations while maintaining air support.

Remember, singers have words to help them; instrumentalists only have the phrasing.

Locrian Mode

The Locrian mode, from B to B on the white notes of the piano, is the only mode with a diminished chord as its tonic.

• Chris will play the opening phrase from Brahms' First Piano Concerto, which uses the notes of the Locrian mode in the key of E flat.
• Watch out for Chris's wonderful lip trills.

Lip Trills Practice

Don't be afraid of lip trills! Start to practice regularly between F and G in a slow, even tempo:

1. First in crotchets
2. Then quavers
3. Then triplet quavers
4. Semiquavers
5. Semiquaver triplets

Then you'll be trilling in Unit 8!

Conclusion

We have covered a lot of material in this unit. We have looked at the modes and heard some great playing from Chris.

To consolidate, play the complete unit once again.

Don't forget that all we have talked about can be found in Circuit Training, Volume 2.