A COMPOSER from the Three Towns has developed a new form of music - and a bespoke guitar to play it.
Kris Lennox has managed to turn his dream into a reality, all in a bid to unite the world with music.
The 42-year-old featured in the Herald previously when he signed a global publishing deal with record label Wise Music around a decade ago.
"I've since taken a step back from this deal," he explained, "as my current project is more important."
His current project is one which sounds far from simple, but one he feels he may now have achieved after four years of intensely increased development.
Kris added: "For the purposes of unity, I've developed a universal musical language, free from cultural constraints. This is the product of over a decade's work.
"We have reached a point of maximal division - this is the perfect time to showcase what could prove to be one of the world's first true unifiers."
The unifier in question is a new form of music dubbed Parallel-12.
Kris continued: "Current music uses 12 notes, I have doubled this to 24 notes and I'm treating them as two layers of 12 notes running in parallel to each other - hence 'Parallel-12'.
"It is a new language, free from from culture and history. Parallel-12 belongs to no-one, this is why it belongs to everyone.
"Doubling the number of notes doesn't just double the possibilities - the possibilities are expanded exponentially.
"Given 12-tone Western Harmony has proved sufficient for at least 1,000 years, I would estimate that Parallel-12 should provide enough resources to last us at least another 2,000 - 2,500 years.
"If the chords/changes of the track sound unusual, it is because they are chords/changes your ear hasn't experienced before."
To make Parallel-12 a reality, Kris also had to devise a completely new style of guitar to showcase the idea. This was eventually commissioned and created, though not quite yet in its final form, after a nine-month process.
After his years of work into the project he was finally able to showcase the unifying music on YouTube earlier this month.
On releasing this, Kris said: "It must be stressed than on a Parallel-12 guitar, we can play every piece of guitar music prior but a regular guitar can't play Parallel-12 music.
"This is all just the beginnings, more instruments are under development.
"The key for the near future is to get Parallel-12 instruments into as many hands as possible, and have musicians begin writing music in this new world.
"I'm as curious to hear what others will do with Parallel-12 as everyone else likely is and will be to explore it!
"We all have our own ideas and this new language is a means of expressing those ideas - either individually, or collectively - expressing them without the weight of history and convention pressing down upon us."
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