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How To Orchestrate and Arrange Music
How To Orchestrate and Arrange Music
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 Instruments
Chapter 2 Definitions
Chapter 3 Historical Instrumentation/Orchestration
Chapter 4 Transcriptions
Chapter 5 Arranging
Chapter 6 Score and Parts
Chapter 7 Overall Considerations
Chapter 8 Grading Rubric
Chapter 9 Jazz Arranging
Chapter 10 Marching Band Arranging
Chapter 11 Scoring for Young Band/Orchestra
Chapter 12 Finale Check Sheet
Introduction
Creating an effective arrangement of music is a craft and it is an art. A person can
learn appropriate ranges of the instruments and effective combinations. That, as well
as learning to effectively notate (using Finale or other notation program) can be
considered the craft of arranging. The artistry is the ability to imagine sounds and to
make them come alive. It involves creativity, musicality, musical experience, and
attention to details.
Chapter 1 Instruments
You must know “in your ear” how the various instruments will sound individually and in
combination.
• You must know the ranges of the instruments
o Consult your text
o Use the Check Range Plug-in on Finale. On Finale 2009 it is under
Scoring and Arranging. It will allow you to select for beginner, intermediate
and advanced players.
o Talk to persons who play the instrument in question
• You must understand the blend and balance of instruments as they are
combined
o More blend—families of instruments such as strings or brass
o Less blend—a variety of instruments such as a quartet of trumpet,
clarinet, viola and bassoon.
o Avoid masking. This happens when the melody is not on the top of the
voicing and it is masked by other instruments in the same register or with
similar tone quality
Spread the voicing to give the melody space
Make sure the voice has a different tone quality
Double the voice or making it louder with a dynamic marking
Understanding of the sounds of the instruments and how they will sound in combination
takes time. Make a point of listening to music and trying to understand how sounds
are created. As you arrange and orchestrate music, you should feel like you are
listening with “new ears.”
Class Textbook
Black, D. & Gerou, T. (1998). Essential Dictionary of Orchestration. Los Angeles:
Alfred
Other Resources
Adler, S. (2002) The Study of Orchestration, 3rd Ed.. New York: Norton.
A comprehensive guide with many musical examples. CDs accompany the book.
Chapter 2 Definitions
Arrangement
The adaptation of a piece of music so as to make it suitable for performance by media
other than those for which it was originally; or, a simplified version of a work for the
same medium of performance.
Transcription
An arrangement that strives to give the impression of the work in a new medium.
Example: Transcribing an orchestra piece for band. A transcription can vary from trying
to sound exactly like the original to a re-conception of the original in a new medium. In
this case, the transcriber would use the resources of the new medium to come up with a
new version of the piece.
Composition
To compose is to create new music. Those who compose for band or orchestra are
usually thinking about the orchestration from the beginning of the process.
Orchestration/Instrumentation/Bandstration.
Some musicians use the terms Orchestration and Instrumentation interchangeably.
However, others say that instrumentation deals with individual instruments, while
orchestration has to do with combining sections of the band or orchestra.
The orchestra in the modern sense of the word did not exist before the 17th cent.
Previous instrumental ensemble music was chamber music, except for occasional
ceremonies when as many instruments as were available would be massed together.
Until well into the 17th century, there was little thought of specifying what instrument
should play a part; any available instrument with the proper range was used. The first
known example of orchestration occurs in Giovanni Gabrieli's Sacrae Symphoniae
(1597). Monteverdi's Orfeo (1607), one of the first operas, demands a large and varied
group of instruments—all, in fact, that were available to him through his patron.
During the 17th cent. the violin family displaced the viols, except the double-bass viol,
as the principal strings of the orchestra. By the end of the century a division into four
parts had become standard: first and second violins, violas, and cellos, with the double
basses playing the cello part an octave lower. (Not until the 19th cent. did the cellos and
basses frequently have different parts to play.)
Throughout the baroque period and into the second half of the 18th cent., the basso
continuo was an integral part of the scoring and required that a harpsichord or some
other chord-playing instrument fill in the harmonies above the figured bass. The treble
and bass were strongly emphasized, while the middle parts were often left to the
continuo alone. The orchestra was rather small at this time; Bach had as few as 18
players for his larger church works, and Handel usually used about 30.
to the strings. All the wind instruments, especially the woodwinds, could carry the
melody, providing desired changes of color.
The scores of Mozart and Beethoven generally required an orchestra of about 40; those
of Weber and early Wagner called for about 55; Wagner's Ring cycle (1854–74) called
for about 110; and Strauss's Elektra for 115. Hector Berlioz was highly influential in
increasing awareness of orchestral color and in encouraging the use of a larger
orchestra; his Traité d'orchestration, a fundamental work of its kind, envisioned an ideal
orchestra of 465. After the climax of orchestral bulk in the works of Wagner, Mahler,
Strauss, and several others, composers reacted against orchestral gigantism, first in the
impressionism of Debussy and his followers. They still used a large orchestra, but more
restrainedly, making more distinctive use of the instruments and largely avoiding
massive sonorities.
Band Orchestration
• Early bands played arrangements and compositions that had the entire group
playing. Bands also played orchestra transcriptions.
• School band music tended to have lots of tutti for inexperienced players
• The Wind Ensemble movement has given bands many pieces written specifically
for all the possible tone colors available. Contemporary band literature mirrors
trends in orchestra composition.
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 6
Chapter 4 Transcriptions
Steps to an effective orchestration—such as assigning instruments in a
transcription of a piano piece
• Adler lists these requirements to do a transcription
o A thorough knowledge of all the instruments (their capabilities and the
characteristics of different parts of their range) used in the piece you wish
to transcribe as well as in the transcription you wish to make.
o An intimate knowledge of the piece’s structure, including its formal details
o An insight into the orchestral style of the compose whose work is to be
transcribed, or it that composer has not written for orchestra, familiarity
with the orchestral practices of the era in which the composer lived
o A love for the work to be transcribed
o A valid reason to transcribe a particular work.
o The Study of Orchestration by Samuel Adler is an excellent resource. The
3rd edition was published in 2002 by Norton.
• Examine the musical characteristics of a piece
o Key, style, dynamics, range, character (e.g. is it pianistic? impressionistic?
marchlike?).
• Make a preliminary determination about the kinds of instruments that would be
appropriate.
o What is the most important musical element that you want to start with?
o Try some various combinations of instruments for the melody,
background, countermelody, rhythm, etc. Usually melody is the most
important item, but other elements may need to be considered first. An
example would be a rhythmic figure that drives the piece.
o Consider range and tonal effects. For example, if there is a big crescendo
that you would like to have the trumpet on the melody, make sure the
trumpet is in an appropriate range. Consider changing key if needed.
o Work with the other elements and consider instruments that would work.
Once again, consider range and tonal qualities.
• Once you have made a preliminary determination, try filling in the other
elements—bass, accompaniment, countermelody, rhythm, melody. If it seems to
work, then continue. If not, try other ideas—key change, different kinds of
instruments assigned to different musical elements. Keep “starting over” until
you get a plan that works.
• At this point, you may also make some decisions about how faithful you are
being to the original. Do you need to make changes such as simplifying rhythms,
changing octaves, stretching the sound palette or condensing it?
• Consider articulations. Are the instruments you chose able to do what you want?
• Now look back at the piece and make sure that you have taken into account the
musical effects, dynamic changes, masking problems, balance, blend, etc. Also,
consider adjusting the doublings you have tried—either to make the piece fuller
in sections or to thin things out.
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 7
• Avoid a transcription where everyone plays all the time. This results in a boring
effect. Consider how you used colorful sections contrasted with tutti sections.
This is one of the areas where you have to interpret the music. For example, if
the composer wanted a change in sound, and changed octaves on the piano,
can you experiment with tone color or doublings instead of only changing
octaves?
• Orchestrate your dynamics. This is a simple concept that arrangers sometimes
forget. If the music gets louder, then use more instruments—and vice versa.
• Don’t forget basic musical sound
o Chords voiced to the overtone series (except when you are trying for
something different)
o Voice leading (avoid parallel octaves and 5ths unless you are trying for an
effect. Look at individual instruments and make sure the part does not
have awkward jumps. Good voice leading will help your piece have a
professional sound, and it will make the musicians happy!
Do a final listening in your head to the piece. Imagine you are conducting this. Would it
work? Would the musical style and effects happen? Would it be playable? Is the
melody clearly stated? Are accompaniments the right dynamic level? Is there the
proper balance between melody and accompaniment? Do dynamics need to be
adjusted?
Examine individual parts for correct range, dynamics, layout, etc. before printing.
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 8
Chapter 5 Arranging
Arranging involves creating something new from something old. You will take an
existing piece of music and change it in some way. Some common reasons for
arrangements are to:
• Simplify. You want the Junior High Orchestra to play Beethoven Symphony #5.
• Make harder or elaborate on the original. You are going to make a simple folk
song into an interesting piece for the UW orchestra.
• Change the style. You create a swing version of the march American Patrol
(Glen Miller did this)
• Added elements such as intro, transitions, key changes, ending.
Arranging also involves orchestrating—so all the things you did in the “Transcription
Section” above need to be considered here.
Live with tune for a time, and think of multiple ways to vary the music.
What is the purpose of the arrangement? What is the level of proficiency of the players
involved?
Examine the musical characteristics of the music you will arrange. What will you
change—style, genre, instruments, harmony, etc.?
Manipulate texture
How can changes in texture be used to create a musically interesting arrangement?
• wide/close
• dense/transparent
• solo/tutti
• polyphonic/homophonic/homorhythmic/unison/etc.
• can melody be heard?--consider changes to facilitate melody
Color/Timbre
How can voicing be used to create a musically interesting arrangement?
• Style
• Melody vs. accompaniment
• Feature soloist or section
• Solo or “combined” color
• Contrast
Dynamic Contrast
Don’t expect the performers to do this for you.
• Phrases
• Sections
• Dynamic contour of entire piece
• Relationship of volume to the number of instruments playing
Harmony
How can harmonic variation be used to create a musically interesting arrangement?
• Add harmonic interest
• Simplify harmony
• Unison can be a surprising and strong effect
• Mode—change to major or minor
• New key for different effect or ease of playing
Meter
Can meter be manipulated to create a musically interesting arrangement?
• Change meter for variety (e.g. change a waltz into a jig in 6/8)
Form
How can form be manipulated to create a musically interesting arrangement?
• extend/compress sections
• new sections
• overall balance
Style
Will putting the tune in “new clothes” make an effective arrangement?
• Making a Bossa Nova out of a folk song
• Changing a tune from swing to rock
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 10
Further Considerations
• Decide on your general approach. Make some decisions about style,
instruments, assignment of melody, assignment of background harmony and
rhythm parts, and difficulty of the piece. An arrangement is likely to have more
than one section, so you will have to do this more than once. Also, think about
possible intros, transitions and endings.
• Consider the key. Also consider key changes for various effects
• Do parts or rhythms need to be simplified or made more interesting?
• Consider movement. Does the piece go somewhere? Also, consider the
accompaniment. Does the accompaniment create a sense of forward movement
when appropriate?
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 11
• Chord Voicing
o Safe Chord Voicing
Voice by the overtone series
Choices for voicing sections
• Complete chord in each section—ww, strings, brass and
melodic. Each section has a balanced sound
• Overlapping or interlocking. Example: WW have the 3rd and
5th, brass has the root and third, xylophone and marimba
have the root, and Strings have the root and 7th.
o More interesting voicing
Experiment with various parameters
• Wide vs. close voicing
• Thin vs. thick voicing
• Tessitura
• Bright vs. dark
• Percussion
o Safety—predictable and easy parts
o On the edge—percussion is completely independent of the rest of the
group.
o Combination. Percussion helps establish and maintain rhythm and
provides color and added punch for selection moments in a piece of
music.
o Percussion should be considered as a melodic, rhythmic and harmonic
section of the group with an enormous palette of sound available.
• Work with all the elements to sketch out the main sections of an arrangement.
You may find that when you make a decision on one section—such as assigning
clarinet to the melody in a certain key, it goofs up what you wanted to do for
accompaniment. This process will take some time, and repeated
experimentation. If you try to rush this, you will likely have an inferior
arrangement.
• Add introductions, transitions, and endings.
• Check the issues for basic orchestration—range, balance, blend, masking,
dynamics, color vs. tutti, voice leading, chord voicing, etc. Does your
arrangement need to be adjusted?
Do a final listening in your head to the piece. Imagine you are conducting this. Would it
work? Would the musical style and effects happen? Would it be playable? Is the
melody clearly stated? Are accompaniments the right dynamic level? Is there the
proper balance between melody and acc? Do dynamics need to be adjusted?
Does the music style, harmonization, approach work? Is there unity and variety? Is it
long enough?
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 12
• No dynamics
• Dynamics on the score…but not part. Usually it is because you actually hooked
it to the line above when you placed the marking on the score.
• Dynamics above the line. They should be below the line in instrumental music.
• Extra empty measures at the end. Delete highlight them and push delete.
• Music too big, or not enough measures per system. Look at the format before
you print. This is sometimes tricky. See your instructor if you have problems.
• No articulations.
• Instruments out of range. Consult your text or have Finale do this for you.
• My printer ran out of ink. Plan ahead! This is not an excuse that will help you. I
suggest you print at FA 118.
• Parts don’t agree with score. If you make changes, make them on the score and
print out the parts again. Finale parts and score are linked.
• Not enough time spent on the assignment. This is the biggest problem that
occurs in assignments. All the items above are evidence of this. Other
evidence includes minimal instrumentation (example: melody only for a long
time), awkward voice leading, harmony that does not make sense, missing
instruments, missing sections (intro, ending, transitions) and generally “sloppy”
work
• Every element and part for the players contributes something. Players (and
audience) stay interested.
• The music is easily playable as possible, always using the simplest means to
create the desired effect.
• Has clear character, and uses all your resources to make the character apparent
See the Grading Rubric in Chapter 8. This rubric takes the principles above and
provides a means for determining the grade on an individual project.
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 14
The actual grading sheet will include all of the items in the “A Row” above. Use this
rubric to make sure you have created a project that will get the grade you want.
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 15
Style Is Everything
Groove
Jazz Harmony
Basic Styles
Swing
Usually notated as straight eighths--sometimes dotted eighth, sixteenth
Shuffle a variation of swing
doo dot, Daht, etc.
Rock
Straight Eighths
Latin---Samba, Bossa, etc.
Straight eighths
Ballad
Straight or Swing eighths
An arrangement
Intro
Head (the main tune)
Optional contrasting section
Solos with background
Out-restate the head
Ending
Voicing
Chords in jazz are not just triads
Choices
1. Assign instrument to every chord note from top to bottom--muddy
2. Overlap--Brass Overlap 1 or 2 voices
3. Duplicate in a different octave (Basie Voicing)
4. Spread
Drop 2--drop the second voice of a close-spaced chord to an octave lower
Drop 2 and 4--drop the second and fourth voice an octave
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 16
Scoring
• Melody most important
• Low rhythm, countermelody, bass
• Percussion provides drive and effects
• Woodwind and mallet percussion effects are possible
• Unison/octaves can be used
• Think visually as well as in sound
Indoor Marching
• Score more like concert band
• Problem is that bands do not march exclusively indoors
General Hints
• Get Instruments in range where they will project-consider melody first
• Tessitura--be kind
• Complexity-remember they have to march
• Keep it simple
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 17
One purpose of young band music is to teach specific concepts such as:
• meter
• key signature
• rhythms
• range extension
• style
• confidence of players.
Directors chose music for young groups with specific considerations in mind. They are
interested in music that:
• is playable
• sounds good
• teaches something
• hides deficiencies
• is safe in performance
• challenges students.
Music for young groups should be accessible. (not “easy.”) The question you consider
is:
What do Elem and JH kids know, and when do they know it?
Rhythms
First year Second Year Third & 4th Years
eighth dotted eighth sixteenth
sixteenth
Meter
First year Second Year Third & 4th Years
4/4, 3/4, 2/4 6/8 5/4, etc.
• Solo and Soli passages are fine--just make sure you cue any solo or important
soli parts. Cue for other possible missing sections.
• Elem. Band will have few bass instruments--JH more. Reinforce bass part
whenever possible.
• Do not divide too much. Trumpet, Clar, Sax 1 &2 OK for younger groups.
• Variety!
• With young musicians, they must like it right away. Write music they will like.
o Rhythmic
o Attractive melody
o Contrast
o A bit of a challenge
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 19
Set up
New Score from Template (File Menu)
New Score using Wizard (File Menu)
Open old file (File Menu)
Save (File Menu)
Key Signature Tool (looks like Bb Key Sig)
Time Signature Tool (looks like 4/4 time)
Page View/Scroll View (Under “View” Menu or toggle with Ctrl-E)
Display in Concert pitch/ or not (“Document” Menu)
Other
Copy and paste (Mass Mover Tool)
Undo Ctrl-Z. This may be the most important command you know!
Triplets (triplet tool)
Transpose (highlight with Mass Mover and then find transpose under untilities
menu. Use this to change octaves or move something up by a 3rd, 4th, etc. Use
key sig tool to change key of piece.
Shortcuts. If you need to move notes up or down, highlight the measure and use
the 6, 7, 8, or 9 keys to move notes up/down a step/octave
Check Range (Plug In Menu)
Tempo Marking(Plug In Menu)
Endings (Plug In Menu)
Rehearsal letters (mf tool)
Multimeasure rests in parts
Double bar for key or meter change (Measure tool—whole rest).
Help
Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 20
Playback
Listen through headphones in lab
Show in Concert pitch and listen for mistakes.
Print
Prepare to print
Print parts and score. You can see individual parts…. Ctrl-Alt-period
Percentage and Page layout—don’t waste paper