I did not misunderstand the proposal, but that's okay. Composers have never been truly universal in the ways they have tackled problems, and so to hear that one would prefer A Lydian in four sharps shouldn't be a surprise. I don't mean any disrespect toward those who choose the 3+1 approach; I just simply disagree and believe that 4 sharps would be better.
It's not a matter of the "major" modes (Lydian, Mixolydian) and the "minor" modes (Dorian, Phrygian). I get that. Perhaps you misunderstood what I was saying about the major key acting as mode. No, it's not a "church mode", but major and minor are modes in their own rights. If it helps, a list, using tonic A as our example: A Lydian - 4 sharps A Major - 3 sharps A Mixolydian - 2 sharps A Dorian - 1 sharp A Minor (natural, of course) - no sharps or flats A Phrygian - 1 flat Call major "Ionian" and minor "Aeolian" if you will. Doesn't matter to me. Douglas Brown Adjunct Professor, School of Music Wayland Baptist University Douglas, with respect, I think you misunderstood the proposal. MINOR modes (those with a minor third) would use a minor key signature. MAJOR modes (those with a major third) would use a major key signature. Only the notes that made the mode different from the parallel major or minor would have to be altered, which never gives more than one alteration in the Church modes, except for locrian, which requires two (the flat 2 and flat 5.) In our tonal world, I think many musicians think of modes as altered major or minor scales, rather than a major scale starting on a different note. Christopher _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
