The Akousunesis Method - 2 Pink Panther

Left Hand Pattern Exercises

Prerequisites: The basic prerequisites for these exercises are Lesson 1 and Lesson 2.

C Ionian in the key of C, intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Exercises

No.

Exercise All exercises are with the left hand only

Keyed Modal Scale

Key

1

C LP1 > R2 M3 < R2 > M3 I4 < M3 > I4 T5

C Ionian

C

2

C LT5 < I4 M3 > I4 < M3 R2 > M3 < R2 P1

C Ionian

C

3

C LP1 > R2 M-3 < R2 > M-3 I4 < M-3 > I4 T5

C Ionian b3

C

4

C LT5 < I4 M-3 > I4 < M-3 R2 > M-3 < R2 P1

C Ionian b3

C

Introducing the concept of modal equivalence.

F Lydian b-5 in the key of C has a modal equivalence of
F Ionian in the key of F, intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

5

F LP1 > R2 M3 < R2 > M3 I4 < M3 > I4 T5

F Lydian b-5

C

6

F LT5 < I4 M3 > I4 < M3 R2 > M3 < R2 P1

F Lydian b-5

C

7

F LP1 > R2 M3 < R2 > M3 I4 < M3 > I4 T5

F Ionian

F

8

F LT5 < I4 M3 > I4 < M3 R2 > M3 < R2 P1

F Ionian

F

Observe how exercises 5 & 6 have exactly the same notes as exercises 7 & 8. This is done to introduce the concept of modal equivalence. I explain in the YouTube video.

Exercises 9 to 12 are harder, it's the pink panther theme. Please note, you don't need to understand modes in order to practice the exercise, all you need is Lesson 1 and Lesson 2. Simply apply the left hand pattern intervals starting at the root note of D#. In this video I'll explain how we derive the Pink Panther theme from modes and hopefully you'll start to understand the power of modes.

The exercises are in the key of B using the Phrygian mode ( 1 -2 -3 4 5 +5 -7 ) as the foundation of the exercises. First practice playing the Phrygian scale in the key of B to become familiar with it. We're going to alter the Phrygian scale with some modal operations to produce the pink panther theme. The pink panther theme is based on the modal scale Phrygian b4 A-5 R-7 A7, in the key of B it becomes the keyed modal scale, D#m Phrygian b4 A-5 R-7 A7.

D#m Phrygian b4 A-5 R-7 A7 in the key of B

Intervals 1 -2 -3 3 -6 -5 5 +5 7

The keyed modal pattern D#m Phrygian b4 A-5 R-7 A7 is easier to understand and visualise when broken down into simpler keyed modal scales. By taking away some operations from the original modal scale Phrygian b4 A-5 R-7 A7.

9

D#m LP1 > P-2 M-3 M3

D#m Phrygian b4

B

10

D#m LP1 > P-2 M-3 M3 T+5 < I5

D#m Phrygian b4

B

11

D#m LP1 > P-2 T+5 < I5

D#m Phrygian

B

12

D#m LT-5 < I3 R-2 P7 > R-2

D#m Phrygian b4 A-5 A7

B

A better way to describe the Pink Panther theme might be the keyed modal scale F Ionian A-2 A-5 A-7. Because the A-2 and A-7 are fast black slide notes in the melody, and A-5 is also a fast white note, the key of F would be a better choice for the modal equivalence. It's interesting to observe, if we chose the key of F as our key reference, the melody doesn't play the root note F. Another interesting observation is the melody doesn't even start on a note in the key of F, it starts on the note Eb, an altered Locrian or Aeolian mode of the key of F.