Arrangements

A new instrument comes with advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses. It is not clear how to best play a song on the iotatone. There are many new choices available, and a new complexity to explore & wrestle with. iotatone is primarily a chordal instrument, easily performing arpeggios and chords. Melodies take practice to accomplish, & the combination of the two, a melody punctuated with chords, or a chord progression connected with passing tones offers the performer options. There is much to discover about the best way to arrange songs. In a group situation, parts can be divided and shared between instruments. In a solo situation one person is responsible for all the parts. Where there are options for chords, which note is best? Which note belonging in the chords best connects smoothly to the cadence? How melodies and chords fall under the fingers must be considered as well. These are all decisions that are specific to the instrument. Arranging for the iotatone is a new exciting problem for the theorist / musician to solve. The precision and accuracy of just intonation adds surprising new level of complexity. It is easy to take for granted how our current system of enharmonics simplifies music, and how iota reveals new complexity, and thus new resources in musical expression. There are numerous ways of arranging songs for the iotatone. So far, the field is wide open, and very likely points of controversy and differences of opinion and taste will emerge. This public forum is being designed to be a place where you can share your arrangements / videos / chord paths etc. Let's share strategies, tips and arranging tricks.