#8 Helm

The Feeling:
        Written in 2006, this was yet another Fm experiment, this time trying out as many chords as possible where two of the notes were only 1 whole step apart, while also sliding the key around for darker effects.  Dark and gorgeous with drive was probably the goal.

Inspiration:
        Music we played in CYSO (I was playing string bass before I really switched to guitar).  I brought this piece in for all of us to play once.  It...went ok, I suppose, but I did manage to lose the extra copy of the second violin part and ultimately lost the Finale file in the great laptop crash.  For this version, it was recalled as best as possible from memory :(

Technical:
       Starting with a Dn in the basses (signaling EbM), it quickly dives into flatter keys in the next few measures with the cellos bringing Db's and even Cb's.  The key hits Fm when the 2nd violins enter as they try out their dissonant chords with Db and Eb pushed together unmercifully (which sounded nice and surprised me at the time).  Following is the running 16ths of the first violins which permeates the rest of the song.

       0:40 starts a different feel with the idea of very close notes (in pitch) alternating between the 1st and 2nd violins on and off the beat.  After messing with this, the running 16th notes pattern returns to an epic buildup over the rest of the song.  I like some of the chromatic scales that worked here with Gb, right into Gn to make an EbM chord, moving up to Ab to take it into Fm again.  And of course in Octavarium style, end with the beginning and have the basses close it out.