The Perfect Mode Pitches C to Eb Or D to F Natural
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6 The Harp Therapy Journal --summer201~1 consisting of three semitones from the The perfect mode pitches C to Eb or D to F natural. This interval occurs other places within the byJulieAnn Smith BM, MA, IRTF, VAHTP modes and scales by the way but it is the occurrence of this interval between Do and Mi of any mode that is the How often do you start a therapeutic music session and ask yourself, "What do I deciding sound between the major and play?" This is a serious question. When thinking about musical modes I have often minor mode groups. wondered about one being superior. In considering music for therapeutic settings I Throughout time there has been also have wondered what mode might be an all-encompassing mode. Is there a mode a lot of emphasis placed on how we that could effectively work in any therapeutic situation; at least as a starting point? view the third note of any mode and its Therapeutic musicians are so often presented with the dilemma of what to play first, role in music with regards to our mood what key to play in or what mode would work, among other factors. So in considering and how the music affects us. There is which mode would be most important, there are several factors to consider. a different opinion about what affect, 1. Matching and meeting the patient's needs. Is she in pain? Is he sad, anxious, with- effect or emotion music should evoke. drawn, or depressed? Does she need relief from pain or anxiety? Does he just want Socrates and others prescribed that to feel better? Obviously our goal as therapeutic musicians is to address the patient's music should be played that was the needs. Always it will be to a positive end but at least we can say that the client is on proper music to affect the correct the negative side of emotions in the beginning and our intentions are to slide them emotions of valor, strength and over to the happier side of the scale during therapeutic sessions. So assuming the character (A Historyof WesternMusic patient is in pain what do I play? p.161). Plato felt music to be a serious 2. Should it be a major mode or a minor mode that you play in? What makes a science that "morally affected people mode a major or minor mode? Modes and scales have been classified for some time and must be used with discretion" in one of two groups: the major modes and scales and the minor modes and scales. (http://ctl.cedarville.edu/ musicology / This reference is about the interval that occurs between the first pitch and the third wordpress/?p=37). Aristotle thought pitch of any given mode or scale. This interval is either a major third consisting of music affected behavior (A Historyof four semitones or half steps; say from C to E or D to F#; or the minor third interval Continued next page Therapeutic Vibroacoustic Harp Therapeutic Harp presentationkit Harp Therapy@ Ancient Legacy, Sound Science, presentation kit Clinical Applications UVO/l..l" ~I 163 minutes $ 79.95 + S/H 14'12 minutes $ 20.00 + S/H 19 minutes $ 20.00 + S/H A groundbreaking 3-DVD Set Take a panel of experts into your Take a panel of experts into your produced by Sarajane Williams presentations on therapeutic music presentations on VAUT To order, visit: To order, visit: To order, visit: www.planetharp.com or www.planetharp.com or www.planetharp.com or phone: 610-966-5677 phone: 610-966-5677 phone: 610-966-5677 I Summer 2013 The Harp Therapy Journal 7 Mode, frompage6 DorianMode WesternMusic, p. 14). Some people and Plato and Guido of Arezzo felt the Dorian mode def gab c d musical periods have said the minor was considered "serious" (Cedarville.edu, p.37). The i ii III IV v vi VII modes are better because the minor third Dorian mode was used to bolster the troops going into interval was more religious or reverent battle. According to Christina Tourin in the Harp TherapyManua4 this mode is good (Ibid., p. 59). The minor modes evolved for focus and grounding also (fourin, p. 201). out of Pythagorean theory, which states In Pythagorean Theory the intervals of the unison, octave, perfect fifth and that certain intervals are consonant and perfect fourth were considered consonant because of their ratios to the whole. This certain are not. Through just intonation formula makes them perfect intervals. That is why they were considered the intervals and later mean tuning around 1482, both of choice in the beginning chant and other music composition because they were the major third and minor third became considered perfect from a mathematical and scientific standpoint. This made these more or less consonant through adjusted intervals sacred. The minor third interval runs a close second to these perfect tuning. Consonant intervals originally intervals and is considered an imperfect consonant interval. were considered pleasing to the ear. See Mode, page 9 In medieval sacred music or chant the major third was avoided at all costs as that interval was not considered con- sonant or sacred. (Ibid., p. 159). Music New! with the major third (M3) interval such as the Ionian mode was thought to make people lazy and the sound of the M3 was very unappealing to the ear. It did not connote happiness like it does in today's music. In ancient music the minor third Comfort Music was not thought of as a happy sound per se but wasn't sad like we think of that sound today. Think of folk songs originating in medieval times such as Greensleeves; you'll find the minor mode being used. The minor third interval was considered more or less somber, not sad but reverent and strengthening of the moral character. (Harp TherapyManual Cradleoj Sound,p. 201). In fact people danced to it all the time. 3. What resonance is the patient speak- ing to you? Is it happy or sad? What key is it in? Is she stressed, angry, depressed? Through listening to the client speak we can ascertain many things. One is that one of the two emotions, happy or sad, a collection of songs and their na"at;ves, from ancient to modern, for intermediate pedal and non-pedal harp will be reflected in the client's speech. Looking at pitch variation, studies have shown that in speech the natural pitch by Sarajane Williams that indicates a minor third interval re- flects sadness and can be seen to be the SUva Vocat equivalent of a minor third while happy emotions, thoughts and feelings are ap- proximately reflected with a major third interval in speech. (Curtis and Bharu- 57 pages, 22 c%r & B&Wimages, soft bound, $18.95 + S/H cha). We can see and hear that a patient who is clearly hurting, anxious, worried To order, visit: etc. has a speech pattern that reflects the nature of his dis-ease. These indicators www.planetharp.com or lead me to believe the Dorian mode to phone: 610-966-5677 be the perfect mode. I p I Summer 2013 The Harp Therapy Journal 9 Mode, from page 7 It is as close to consonant as can be eM). The jazzprogression used most is ii - V7 - 1.The ii chord in e is the Dorian I without being one of the perfect four chord; the V7 chord in e is the Dorian IV7 chord and the I chord in e is the VII in (unison, 8th, 5th, and 4th). In other the Dorian mode. See charts below. words the minor third is the only Chord Name Chord Notes Function in Dorian Function in Ionian nonperfect interval that was considered (C Major) consonant (http://en.wikipedia.org/ Dm (minor) d-f-a i (minor chord built on ii (minor chord built wiki/Minor_third). Ist degree of mode) on 2nd degree of scale) If we are going to match the patient's mood and resonance, and have intentions CM (major) c-e-g VII (Major chord built I (Major chord built on the 7th degree of mode) 1st degree of scale) of turning her mood happier or healthier through easing pain etc., I see the Dorian G7 g-b-d-f IV7 (Dominant 7th V7 (Dominant 7th chord mode again as the perfect mode. chord built on 4th built on 5th degree of degree of mode) the scale) Using the Dorian Mode 1. The Dorian mode (we'll always The Dorian mode for jazz has become perhaps the most popular mode. A tune reference from the traditional key of can be in one chord: The i chord in Dorian mode, or perhaps the verse in the "one" e, so the Dorian scale will begin on D) chord with the bridge going to a more traditional harmonic evolution. The Dorian is perfect for moving from the minor mode often will be the "key" used for improvisa- Dorian To Ionian tion and works well for a more modal sound modes to the major modes smoothly. i chord IV7 chord VII chord When, as is often the case, the therapist and less diatonic sound; which fits jazz. Often ii chord V7 chord I chord is starting from a point of sadness, pain, the Dorian mode might shift to another mode anxiety or the like, music that resonates during improvisation if the song dictates another chord or a chord progression. with the patient's disease, provides help The use of the Dorian mode for jazz, rock 'n roll and therapeutic music is evident for the patient.