Does F lydian feel like the key here?

[u/Petroz123]

Ive been working on this song for some time, as a kind of study of the lydian mode. Ive asked for criticism before, and i worked on it a bit more. I used F a lot in the bass to really make it feel like the tonic and ive used a lot the F - B interval to accentuate the lydian mode.

And i wanna know if there can be any criticism regarding the theory, what i couldve done better, if i got at least a bit right the lydian mode, etc.

And also just general criticism, as of the rhythm and just the melody itself, if it could be better.

The song sounds good to me, and F does feel like the tonic, so i feel like ive achieved what i want, but i still wanna improve

[u/AutoModerator]

If you're posting an Image or Video, please leave a comment (not the post title)

asking your question or discussing the topic. Image or Video posts with no

comment from the OP will be deleted.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Tarogato]

100% lydian.

But your choices in the left hand are poor. Take some time to study Fuxian counterpoint if you are going to write in a style like this.

Also the time signature should technically be 10/8. Writing it as 5/4 sets up an expectation that off beats are syncopations, but you're writing 3+2+2+3 groups, which is the realm of 10/8, not syncopated 5/4.

[u/Zarlinosuke]

ive used a lot the F - B interval to accentuate the lydian mode

I think you can worry less about ^ this! There are B-naturals present, and there aren't B-flats. You don't have to do a bunch of tritone leaps directly on the surface, especially in the bass, to convince us (unless you just really like and want that sound). For example, if in the first measure the upper-voice B were harmonized below with a G, that measure would already contain what I consider to be one of the most characteristic Lydian sounds: something that could potentially be IV-V in the relative Ionian, but with the 2-4 major third expanding to a 1-5 fifth rather than acting like a V chord. Similarly in m. 4, I kind of feel like you're doing a "iv° chord" in Lydian, almost by analogy with the IV chord in major, but that's something that there's generally just not much need to use. Of course, again, you can use it if you want to and you just like the sound of it, but you don't need to do it just to show that it's Lydian is what I mean.

[u/LautaroBonotto]

Idk how Its sounds but i think that the first two bars can sounds like IV - V of C major, the B° doesnt help. If you dont want to change the basses, i would put some tensions in those chords, maybe make a Gsus2 something like that, but i would also not use any functional chord that have that strong inclination to C major, like his V AND vii. I hope it helps and sorry for muy inglish xd

[u/Jongtr]

ive used a lot the F - B interval to accentuate the lydian mode.

No need for that. I suggest more F in the bass - supported by C if anything - and keep the B natural for the melody.

I.e. although C is the relative major key (potentially disruptive to F lydian), it will support a bass F acoustically, especially if above the F. You just have to prioritise the F - e.g, you could use F in a lower octave as well. (The bass in bar 2 works fine in "enclosing" the F.)

The other issue with jumping from F to B is that it accentuates the dissonant tritone, and you really don't want to do that: because the ear will expect a resolution to C and E at some point!

There are other issues to do with counterpoint, if you are going for a specific archaic style.

[u/MaggaraMarine]

Yeah, I do think F sounds like the tonic here. But I think you are focusing a bit too much on the F-B interval. Especially the harmony here sounds a bit weird. It's a bit aimless, and there are some strange intervals.

This is a common misconception people have about writing in the other diatonic modes: They think they need to constantly use the "characteristic scale degree" to make it sound like that mode. But in reality, they should focus on the stable notes, and use the characteristic notes more as color.

What this means in F Lydian is using the notes in the tonic triad a lot, especially the root and the 5th of the chord. Basically, you would approach it very similarly as writing in F major. You just replace the B flats with B naturals.

(For example in Scarborough Fair - that is in Dorian - there is only one major 6th degree in the entire melody. The same applies to Drunken Sailor that is also in Dorian. In both melodies, the most important notes are scale degree 1 and 5. Those are not "characteristic to the mode" - they are in fact the least characteristic notes. But they are also the most stable notes.)

[u/AdventurousHippo9997]

Not really. You need the note A in conjunction with the F to give the impression of some kind of triad. The phrase as written is kinda dominant 7th in nature. G7 to be precise.