Well there are no rules but consider that if your pieces arent
16 or 32 bars or say 12 bars in the case of blues, that you will
create alot of obstacles for other people (and youself).
Even within say a 32 bar song form, the phrases and sections are usually
4 or 8 bars.
You can deviate from that but unless you have a strong musical reason,
I wouldn't.
In classical music there lots of 5 bar phrases and such but that
is not an improvised music.
It makes it more difficult for the band to play them, not get lost
in the tune, and of course getting other bands to play the tune will be
a harder sell.
Also think about the song form. AABA and AA are the most common.
>Also, in the process of getting the melody together, I'm aware of the bare-
>bones harmonic implications, but do not fully consider it until after I
>have the melody completed. (actually I haven't yet completed a melody, but
>I haven't worked on any chord progressions for the melody fragments either
>and don't plan to until a particular melody is completed.) Should I change
>my approach? I was wondering what processes are used by others on the list?
>
You are better off not reharmonizing your tune, IMHO, until the
melody is completed, as you are doing.
Great melodies can be sung without reference to chords at all.
But once again, there are no rules.
Some tunes are based on chord progressions.
>peace,
> David Kaczorowski
> kaczordk@umdnj.edu
>
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Reed Kotler
http://www.reedkotler.com