The Color Of 'Fa'

     The following articles will attempt to demonstrate that harmony is a consequence of melody... and not the other way around.
     It is precisely because the tone 'Fa' cannot be found (anywhere) in the harmonic overtone series that awards it - the profound catalyst... the melodic tone of greatest influence over any (and all) movement in natural harmony. 

     So far - in our study of Modal Jam Theory - we have been looking at this model of the Circle Of Fifths:
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     For a moment - let's revisit the guts of this thing... laid out flat. These are the 12 Major Scales (15 Major Key Signatures) represented using the solfege syllables of 'C' Major (only). Notice the column of 'Fa' (in the center of the 'grid'). As we look up the column (clockwise in the circle) - we see flatted tones.... and as we look down the column (counter-clockwise in the circle) we see (mostly) the diatonic tones in the Key of 'C.'

     

​     As we stay focused on this "column" of 'Fa' (above) --- follow this table:

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​     Have we missed one (other than Locrian)? I count only 5 Modes. Yes - we are missing the Lydian Mode. It turns out that 'C' Lydian is the only 'C' Mode that reenforces the key of the Dominant with a raised 'Fa' (F#) - also known as '#11' or 'Fi'. It is the mode that claims 'Fa' as its root - and the only mode that does not have any 'Fa' of it's own. I call it the 'Harmonic Mode' because all its tones match the harmonic overtone series.
​     When we are playing a tune - we know when we've 'landed' in the Lydian mode... as all its tones 'work' with the harmony and everything feels like a 'bright' harmonic soup --- but eventually - as most tunes go - 'Fi' is flatted to become 'Fa' (in the melody) and the harmony responds with it. For me - this very common change feels like adding a shade of 'blue.'
     The following table adds the true 'Fa' of Lydian into the scenario of 'melodic' modes. The true 'Fa' of Lydian is 'Do.'