Variations in 15/8

This peice began with a melody. I wrote it for a theory class at a music camp, where the idea was to come up with a simple melody and a set of chords underneath it. I attempted to write it down before I encountered computer notation software. I thought it was in 4/4, but it turned out to alternate between 15/8 and 12/8.

The chord progression is Am7 Am7 D7 Am7 Am7 G7 Em7 D7 Am7 Bm7 Em7 Am7.

With the exeption of the G7 it feels like it is in a Dorian mode. I kept the v chord minor, because the major V chord felt to strong for the sound I wanted.

I developed some variations on this chord progression once I got a hold of a full version of finale that would allow me to create a time sig like 15/8. The idea was to explore different combinations of instruments and rhythms over the same basic harmony.

The peice ends on an Am7b5 which leaves quite a bit of tension and is a setup into the next movement (which I haven't written.)

How does the song flow as a whole? How does the odd time signature sound?

15over8.MID

Hi Schallert.

The feeling is quiet natural. The first variation might lacks a bit of events since the harmony is quiet square and sober. But the other variations are more imaginative and even funny from time to time. The ending chord is nice, you might have explore some flexible chords in your sequence of chords that might be altered in various ways.

A simple example of this is to alter the fifth in a triad (as you have done in your last chord). A diminished fifth gives a different feeling than a just one or an augmented one. Well... you probably already know this...

The esthetic problem with a variation on a same sequence of chord is to know how to end... and that might be a problem you would have the opportunity to work on here I guess ! :P

A very inventive look at a very uncommon meter. A 5+5+5 pattern would never have occured to me.

But, like Dunael said, it does sound a bit square in some areas. Also, I viewed the midi with my music notation software, and some of your horn part (I play horn) is reeeeally high. I think it goes a whole step outside the range at one point but I'm not entirely sure.

Nice piece but it can be "lightyears better," as my band director says.