Transcript Orchestration - AndersonSoundRecording.com

MP-102
Lecture 2: Elements of Orchestration
What is orchestration?
• an arrangement of a piece of music for performance by an
orchestra or band.
• wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• Assigning notes and roles to different instruments
What can orchestration do?
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Define sections of a song or arrangement
Define the style of a song or arrangement
Add color, contrast, interest, or drama
Give a feeling of space, depth, and size
Give a feeling of time and place
Instrument families
• Voice
• Soprano, alto, tenor, bass (and everything in between)
• Strings
• Bowed, plucked, and struck
• Winds
• Flutes, single and double-reeds
• Brass
• Cornet, Trombone, and Horns
• Percussion
• Electronic
• Synths, theremin, drum machines, electronic keys & organ, etc.
• Keyboard
• (not really…)
Elements of Orchestral
Compositions
• Primary Element
• Most important element of the phrase or section;
melody that should be heard most distinctly
• Secondary Element
• Secondary melodies, highly important
accompaniments or rhythmic devices
• Tertiary Element
• Background, true accompaniment
• Source: Gilreath, Paul. The Guide to MIDI Orchestration, 4th ed.
Focal Press, 2010
Another way of looking at it: Roles
of instruments in an arrangement
• Melody
• Harmony
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Accompaniment
Texture or color
Parallel, accents, or doubles
Counterpoint
• Fills & Riffs
• Rhythmic Counterpoint
• Foundation
Roles of instruments in a mix
• Lead
• Fill
• Foundation
• Pad
• Counter rhythm
Types of ensembles
• Orchestra
• Classical: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, chamber
• Film
• Jazz
• Small combo’s
• Big band
• Pop/Rock
What to do with chords
Chord Voicing
Spacing of the notes in block chords
• Close voicing
• small spacing between tones
• mostly 3rds and 2nds
• Dense sound
• Open Voicing
• Large spacing between tones
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Fifth, Octave(s), or more
Drop 2
Drop 2 and 4
Quartal voicing
• Uses distance of a fourth
“Color” Tones
• Tones beyond the basic triad
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7th
6th
9th
11th
13th
• Add “color” or “spice” to a basic harmony
• Escape from being “bland”
• More contemporary & “artsy” sound
Omitting or Doubling Chord
Tones
• Doubling:“1537” rule (Gilreath)
• You can’t go wrong doubling the root
• Be careful about doubling 3rd’s, 7th’s, and color tones
• Omitting
• Root, 3rd and 7th are most important
• Give harmony tension and forward motion
• Identify the quality of the chord (major, minor, etc.)
• The 5th is rarely missed
• “Open 5ths”
• Only 5th and Octave – drop 3rd and 7th
• can yield an open and ambiguous sound
• Has no “forward motion” or tension
Voice Leading
Moving from chord to chord:
• Keep common tones
• Stepwise motion when possible
• Small leaps or skips OK
• Contrary motion in outer voices
• V7->I
• 7 goes to 3
• 3 goes to root
Rhythmic Devices
• Riffs
• Hooks
Arpeggiation
• “Broken” chords
• String of chord tones rather than a block
• “Alberti bass”
• Can combine with sustained chord tones
Voicing chords across instruments
• Understand the ranges of the instruments you are using
• Soprano, alto, tenor, or bass?
• Overlapping ranges – mixing colors
• “1537” rule (Gilreath)
• Not everything has to come in or play at the same time