This is my entry to the NGUAC Knock-out Round. It is a song written in a 7/8 time signature using the Jeths' Mode scale (C, D, Eb, F, Gb, A, B, C). This piece took me quite a long time to create and logistically process in my mind, and I am very proud of how the end result has sounded. Below I have written some more information on the title, story, and music theory behind this piece:

The title, Antikythera Mechanism, refers to an ancient and mysterious artifact of machinery that dates itself to around 87 BC. It is believed to be the first analog computers and was used to track space phenomenons such as astral positions and eclipses. The only known piece of this mechanism was discovered in 1901 off the coast of Antikythera, and has gone through several attempted replicas. However, no one knows how it was built, or how it ended up looking in its prime.

This song follows an ABA format. The first A section creates an unsettling underground atmosphere, meaning to represent a forgotten underground aquifer. This section is in a 3+2+2 meter, creating the sense of nervousness and unfamiliarity. Our explorer is making their way through it on the hunt for treasures lost to time. It is then starting at the B section that they discover a fully-functioning and intact Antikythera Mechanism. This is represented through the sudden mood shift, the addition of epic and fast strings, and most importantly the mechanism's ticking as an ostinato. The B section features an unusual meter, switching between 3+2+2 and 2+2+3 every other measure. The secrets of the mechanism get more and more revealed, leading to a crescendo in volume and instrumental range, until it concludes as suddenly as it began. The final A section is our explorer escaping back the way they came with their unbelievable treasure. The earlier unsettling atmosphere, echoey theme, and 3+2+2 meter return, eventually fading out as the explorer makes their way back to civilization.

Because this was my first time moving into the knockout round, I originally was not entirely sure how to approach starting this piece. I decided to go to my old reliable method when I am on a creative block which is to stop by the Amazing Scale Finder website and find an obscure 7-note musical scale that almost no one has heard of or written with. For this piece, I rested on Jeths' Mode, which in its simplelist explanation is a major scale with a lowered 3rd and 5th. I then decided on the time signature of 7/8, something that I had attempted in the past but hadn't had luck with.

The first day of composition I ran into some problems. The biggest being the 7/8 meter feeling too unbalanced. This problem persisted through a couple of days until I took a smarter approach: think of the meter as smaller/easier to handle segments. Working with 3+2+2 was a lot easier than taking all 7 beats at face value, and I later added a 2+2+3 feel to it in the B section as added complexity.

The other big problem I had with this piece was with the key that I chose. Jeths' Mode proved to be a real pain in the butt to write with due to the tonic chord being diminished cause of the lowered 5th. Working around this often meant skipping it or accepting the dissonance, a semi-tricky balancing act that I took upon myself. Fortunately I managed to make it work out, leading to this ominous but exciting piece of music.

With all that said, I do hope that you enjoy Antikythera Mechanism. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear it! :D And as always if you enjoyed, please leave a rating. Thank You!

Song composed in GarageBand