I agree, to a degree. I remember reading about the Bohlen-Pierce scale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohlen%E2%80%93Pierce_scale) and was pretty intrigued by the concept. However, when I heard pieces played in practice, it just sounded like whole tone scales. Something is lost in the "pervading sameness" of the concept. However, what Mr. Keating does here with the 24-tone scale is break that sameness with contrast. The piece presents lines and chords in the traditional 12-tone scale, and then pulls our ear away into the 24-tone realm. Setting the scene with the familiar and then contrasting it with the unfamiliar. In that sense, it makes a seemingly highfalutin practically useless musical theory actually work in practice.

But I think the point you were trying to make was that you really don't need "a little bit more" to make real music. For which, I completely agree. Who says you need to buy a guitar:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ7DZ7HPXck[/youtube]

Other tunings are just a tool in the tool kit and never pulling them out doesn't hurt anyone. The atmosphere it creates could be just the thing depending on the piece though although other solutions also exist.

I think this video was just a demonstration of what's possible not the best use of 24 Tet stick in a composition. But I don't think it's a dead end any more than any other direction is. It's a vector. For me, it's a nice vector.

I think what Emmett is getting at is that the post-modern penchant of new, different, experimentalism has been done to death and even if there was something new to find, it just doesn't matter anymore. It's irrelevant. However, Russell didn't JUST use 24 Tet. He played melodically and harmonically in normal keys as well. The combining of the two is just the ticket right now in my opinion.

There's a famous Japanese Zen garden designer in the history of Zen gardens and he was active when Avant-garde was really at the forefront so his gardens reflected the spirit of the moment as it were which is what he valued in a good garden. It was his belief that future gardens would not be avant-garde the way his were and would have to reflect the "state-of-the-art" for the new moments that were coming.

I think he would agree that this piece is similar to the Zen garden of now. Very contemporary. Could be fleshed out more but it can't be pushed aside really just for using altered tunings.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to listen to the song and the time to comment.

This was an experiment, not necessarily my new direction in music nor what I consider the future of music to be. With that I'd like to say that the experience of writing 12:15 was great. As I wrote I didn't have to worry about sounding like something I had heard before. I didn't rely on music theory, I just did it all by ear. In some ways it was like being a young untrained musician and writing my very first song.

On the other hand, I didn't just make sounds. The composition has direction. I purposely tried to toy with ones ear by using a simple theme, twisting and turning that into quarter tones and finally finishing in regular tones as a way of resolution.

A person with perfect pitch wont be fooled by my "tricks", but someone who's ear is allowed to be toyed with may actually enjoy the "ride" more. If you can't hear what is going on that's cool just go with the flow (that's what I do). If you are curious about the details check out the written music.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8KSOG ... sp=sharing

One more thing. I had some fun with the title. If you say 12:15 the way I had in mind, it relates to this type of music

Oh.. I think I get it, at least the general if not exact idea. Very clever

Awesome Russell!
More more.. don´t stop!

Listening again. It's powerful. I don't like it. Tune that thing up! Interesting tho. I kinda like it. Tension and release to the max. A glorified dominant to tonic type resolution device. Lotsa mileage here. Does the scenery ever change?

Twelve fifteen? Twel vif teen! To well viff teen! Neet well to five. Eleven something? Sorry, I just don't get it.

12:15. That's when the big clock strikes the quarter tone.

Here's the deal with the title.

I think most people (at least in this digital clock age) would see 12:15 and say "twelve fifteen". I thought of it as "quarter after twelve" as in
quarter (tones going) after twelve (tones). Kind of a stretch ...just like the music.

Really interesting the fact that you wrote everthing. Here in Québec we have people playing this kind of music. It's called "Société de musique contemporaine du Québec". Their website has an English version. You can see it here: http://www.smcq.qc.ca/smcq/en/

I'm sure they would be very enthousiastic about this piece you wrote.

I was part of a show ( I think it was in '90) and we were 101 guitarists on stage. It was part of a festival of this SMCQ. I don't remember the composer's name but he is american and he did this show a couple of times in France before coming to Montréal to do it again.

Nice job...

I finally remember the name of this guy...Rhys Chatham and here is a video of this 100 guitars on stage...lol...

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Aa9T73Y0bg[/youtube]