The Mode Books

The Principles of Improvisation Collection

The Mode Books

They Show 21st Century Concepts on Improvisation and Composition
To Assist Any Musician To Develop Their Own Ideas.

How do I know which Improvisation Book is right for me?

For Beginners we recommend Book One – An Introduction.  It has all the basic music theory required to be a good musician.  

For Intermediate players,  those with some experience, we recommend one of The 7 Mode Companions. They examine the relationship between the Ionian Mode and respective Mode (note of the scale) to show how to develop your own ideas on the improvised line. 

For Advanced experienced players, composers and music students we recommend one of The 3 Complete Handbooks. They contain everything you need to know about all the Occidental (Diatonic), Oriental (PentaTonic) and Chromatic scales and their alterations. These are complete encyclopedia in themselves from which you will gain a new idea every day for the rest of your life.

With our SECURE, FAST and FULLY AUTOMATED Ordering Service you can have
your personal copy of any of our eBooks direct to you email within minutes.

The Beginners Book

Book One – An Introduction to Music Improvisation  

Essential information on music, not only for beginners, but for those who do not wish to remain in the 20th century when creating the improvised line.

As you read this, as with any of the books on the improvised line, don’t expect it to be of any academic excellence or historic accuracy. Read it for what it is – an honest attempt to explain what music is and how it came to be what it is today. This is a theory on improvisation that anyone from novice to academia can understand.

This Introductory Book should be an invaluable reference for those who haven’t the advantage of a formal education in music. Welcome to the wonderful world of music literacy. – Donald A Ahern

The Players Seven Mode Companions

Book Two – The Ionian Companion

This give a complete list of the alterations to the Natural Major Scale and suggestions on how to create more imaginative improvised lines and melodies.

This is the first innovation in music theory since the 17th century. Reducing the Scale to a Common Tonic is the gateway to developing ideas for improvisation. miAim is to create a level playing field where all who wish to reach their full potential at improvisation can find the most comprehensive materials to assist them with the greatest expediency to attain their goal.   Improvisation will cease to be an intangible phenomenon.

Book Three – The Dorian Companion

Ideal for forming cadences in jazz-rock, rock, country and country rock improvisation.

The Dorian was considered a masculine mode. In ancient Greece ‘masculine’ alluded to anything that was dominant, strong and forceful. This book exploits the relationship between the Ionian and the Dorian, and how best to make use of the information to develop ideas for the improvised line.

It lists the alterations ending with the 2nd (Dorian) note of a scale; creating Dorian Cadences.

Book Four – The Phrygian Companion

Ideal for solo cadences used in Afro-american spirituals, blues, jazz, latin,
country and contemporary improvisation.

While the Greeks thought of the Dorian mode as masculine, they thought the Phrygian mode was feminine; a bit effeminate. Early church music refers to the Phrygian as an angelic mode. History aside, this book is about how best to make use of the information using the Phrygian to develop ideas for the improvised line.

It lists the alterations ending with the 3rd (Phrygian) note of a scale; creating Phyrgian Cadences.

 Book Five – The Lydian Companion

Suitable for most genres in music especially swing, rock, jazz rock, country,
country rock, rhythm & blues composition and improvisation.

The Lydian is called Sub-Dominant because it lies just under the Dominant, the second most important mode after the Ionian/the Tonic/ the Naming Note. Today, in song writing and jazz improvisation, we tend to think of the Lydian as the ‘go to’ mode after you’ve made your opening music statement. This doesn’t have to be so; in this set of books you’ll learn how to ‘go to’ any mode. Here the focus is on the Lydian and how to make the best use of the information using the Lydian to develop ideas for the improvised line.

It lists the alterations ending with the 4th (Lydian) note of a scale; creating Lydian Cadences.

Book Six – The MixoLydian Companion

Used in modern composition such as techno, rap, hip-hop and house.

This is the most important mode to remember; it is the Dominant mode. If you thought that the natural major scale was the only scale to produce a Dominant 7th then you’ll be delighted to know you can learn there are eight more. This means that there are nine possible ways of varying your opening statement without shifting from the original key.

miAim.com.au is the only site on the planet where you will find scales with 1, 2 and 3 Dominant 7th’s suitable for creating the improvised line.

Because the Dominant 7 is so crucial to cadences, it doesn’t necessarily follow that a cadence must be formed using the MixoLydian. You’ll find a complete list cadence-forming Dominants in the books on the improvised line.

This book lists the alterations ending with the 5th (MixoLydian) note of a scale; creating MixoLydian Cadences.

Book Seven – The Aeolian Companion

Used in all forms of composition and improvisation such as jazz, rock, country, blues,
rhythm & blues and latin.

Once the way was found for the Ionian (Tonic Major Key) and the Tonic Aeolian Minor to share the same Dominant 7, the other modes seemed to have got lost in the wake of the Classic era. This is the best and most complete investigation of the Aeolian mode anywhere. I guarantee you won’t find its contents anywhere in the world!

This book will show you how to make the best use of the information, past, present and future when using the Aeolian to create the improvised line. It lists the alterations ending with the 6th (Aeolian) note of a scale; creating Aeolian Cadences.

Book Eight – The Locrian Companion

Used in blues, classic, country, disco, grunge, hip-hop, jazz, latin, rap, rock, swing, techno and rap.

The Locrian has a lot to offer; it is only a half tone either away above and below the Tonic key; i.e. the Relative Minor is a half tone below and the Tonic Minor is a half tone above. Sweet! But I have absolutely no idea where the word comes from. But if your intention is to learn all there is about the Locrian, this book will show you how to use the information when using it to create the improvised line.

It lists the alterations ending with the 7th (Locrian) note of a scale; creating Locrian Cadences.

The Three Advanced Books    

 Book Nine – The Complete Occidental Handbook

An ideal platform for advanced students of Jazz and Classical composition and improvisation

This is a 1st edition book with everything from the Ionian to the Locrian (as listed above) all in one complete volume. You may never need to purchase another book on composition or improvisation for the rest of your life.

 Book Ten – The Complete Oriental Handbook

This is a 1st edition book and contains a complete list of the 9 penta-tonic scales and their alterations. It gives you everything you ever wanted to know about penta-tonic scales and how to created Cadences in Chi, Yu, Pien-kung, Kung, Chiao and the Chien-chi Zones.

 Book Eleven – The Complete Chromatix Handbook

This is the third and final 1st edition book in the series. It contains the complete 33 variations to the classic 12-note Chromatic Scale. The potential here is to create 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12-note sequences with cadences you never even dreamed of previously.

 

We only use     for worldwide fast and secure payments.