Acoustic and midi orchestration for the contemporary composer

306 Pages·2007·12.83 MB·english

by  Andrea Pejrolo

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Acoustic and MIDI Orchestration for
the Contemporary Composer
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Acoustic and MIDI
Orchestration for
the Contemporary
Composer
Andrea Pejrolo and Richard DeRosa
AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD
PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
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Focal Press
An imprint of Elsevier
Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK
30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA
First edition 2007
Copyright © 2007, Andrea Pejrolo and Richard DeRosa. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
All rights reserved
The right of Andrea Pejrolo and Richard DeRosa to be identified as the authors of this
work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
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No responsibility is assumed by the publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or
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operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
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A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
ISBN: 978-0-240-52021-6
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Printed and bound in Great Britain
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Contents
Foreword xi
Acknowledgments xv
Chapter 1 – Basic Concepts for the MIDI Composer,Arranger,and Orchestrator 1
1.1 Introduction to MIDI and audio sequencing 1
1.2 Review of the MIDI standard 2
1.3 MIDI messages and their practical applications 5
1.3.1 Channel voice messages 5
1.3.2 Most commonly used control changes 10
1.3.3 Extended controllers 10
1.3.4 Coarse versus fine 12
1.3.5 Control your sounds 12
1.3.6 Registered and non-registered parameters 14
1.3.7 Channel mode messages 15
1.3.8 System real-time messages 16
1.3.9 System common messages 18
1.3.10 System exclusive messages (SysEx) 19
1.4 Principles of orchestration 19
1.4.1 Composition 19
1.4.2 Range 20
1.4.3 Register and the overtone series 21
1.4.4 Transposition 23
1.4.5 Concert instruments 23
1.4.6 Transposing instruments 23
1.4.7 Weight, balance, and intensity 24
1.4.8 Hazards of writing at the piano 24
1.5 Final considerations 26
1.6 Summary 27
1.7 Exercises 28
Chapter 2 – Writing and Sequencing for the Rhythm Section 32
2.1 Introduction: general characteristics 32
2.2 The components of the rhythm section 32
2.3 The role of the essential instruments 33
2.3.1 The bass 34
2.3.2 The drumset (and auxiliary percussion) 34
2.3.3 Keyboards and guitars 35
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2.4 Color and style 36
2.4.1 Basses 36
2.4.2 Guitars 36
2.4.3 Keyboards 36
2.4.4 Mallet percussion 37
2.4.5 Drumset 38
2.4.6 Auxiliary percussion 39
2.5 Writing parts for the rhythm section 40
2.5.1 Bass parts 40
2.5.2 Drumset parts 40
2.5.3 Guitar parts 41
2.5.4 Keyboard parts 43
2.5.5 Mallet parts 43
2.6 Sample scores for the rhythm section 43
2.7 Sequencing the rhythm section: an introduction 45
2.7.1 The keyboard 45
2.7.2 The acoustic piano 46
2.7.3 Sequencing and mixing techniques for the
acoustic piano 49
2.7.4 The alternate keyboards: electric pianos and organs 50
2.8 The synthesizer 53
2.8.1 Hardware and software synthesizers 53
2.8.2 Synthesis techniques 55
2.8.3 Analog subtractive synthesis 55
2.8.4 Additive synthesis 57
2.8.5 Frequency modulation synthesis 58
2.8.6 Wavetable synthesis 58
2.8.7 Sampling 59
2.8.8 Physical modeling synthesis 60
2.8.9 Granular synthesis 62
2.9 Sequencing for the guitar: overview 63
2.9.1 Sequencing techniques for the guitar 64
2.9.2 Mixing the virtual guitar 68
2.10 Sequencing for the bass: overview 70
2.10.1 Sequencing techniques for the bass 70
2.10.2 Mixing the virtual bass 73
2.11 Sequencing for drums and percussion: overview 75
2.11.1 Sequencing techniques for drums and percussion 77
2.11.2 Quantization for drums and percussion 79
2.11.3 Groove quantization 84
2.11.4 Performance controllers for drums and percussion 85
2.11.5 Final touches 86
2.12 Mixing the virtual drums and percussion 87
2.13 Final considerations on sequencing for the rhythm section:
tempo changes 91
2.14 Summary 93
2.15 Exercises 96
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Chapter 3 – Writing and Sequencing for the String Orchestra 98
3.1 Introduction: general characteristics 98
3.2 Creating sound 99
3.2.1 “Open” string versus “stopped” string 100
3.2.2 Bowings 100
3.3 Performance techniques for greater expression 102
3.3.1 Portamento 104
3.3.2 Pizzicato 104
3.3.3 Harmonics 105
3.3.4 Mutes 106
3.4 The specific instruments 106
3.4.1 The violin 106
3.4.2 Functions of the violins in an orchestration 108
3.4.3 The viola 108
3.4.4 Functions of the violas in an orchestration 110
3.4.5 The violoncello 110
3.4.6 Functions of the cellos in an orchestration 112
3.4.7 The double bass 112
3.4.8 Functions of the basses in an orchestration 114
3.5 Orchestration examples 114
3.6 The harp 115
3.6.1 Spelling matters 116
3.6.2 Mass edit 117
3.6.3 Pedal charts 117
3.6.4 Pedal changes 118
3.6.5 The harp glissando 118
3.6.6 Ensemble context 118
3.7 Sequencing for the string orchestra 119
3.7.1 Synthesis techniques and library options 119
3.7.2 Multi-layer patches 121
3.7.3 Key-switching libraries 123
3.7.4 Advanced layering techniques for strings 125
3.8 MIDI sequencing techniques for strings 126
3.8.1 Attack and release control 127
3.8.2 Performance controllers 131
3.8.3 Extended performance controllers 132
3.9 Hardware MIDI controllers for string sequencing 135
3.9.1 Special sequencing techniques for strings 139
3.9.2 Legato, staccato, and détaché 139
3.9.3 Sul tasto, sul ponticello, and mute 139
3.9.4 Trills and tremolos 140
3.9.5 Detuning techniques 142
3.10 Sequencing for the harp 144
3.11 Mixing the string section 146
3.11.1 Panning the string orchestra 146
3.11.2 Equalization for the string orchestra 147
3.11.3 Reverberation 148
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3.12 The final touches 150
3.13 Summary and final considerations on writing and sequencing for
the string orchestra 151
3.14 Exercises 154
Chapter 4 – Writing and Sequencing for the Woodwind Section 156
4.1 General characteristics 156
4.2 The woodwind section 156
4.2.1 “Doubling” 157
4.3 Creating sound 158
4.3.1 Tonguing (articulation) 159
4.3.2 The slur 159
4.3.3 The trill 160
4.3.4 Grace notes 160
4.4 The specific instruments 161
4.4.1 The flute (in C) 161
4.4.2 The piccolo flute (in C) 162
4.4.3 The alto flute (in G) 162
4.4.4 The oboe (in C) 164
4.4.5 The English horn (in F) 164
(cid:2)
4.4.6 The clarinet (in B) 165
4.4.7 The clarinet (in A) 166
(cid:2)
4.4.8 The bass clarinet (in B) 167
4.4.9 The bassoon (in C) 168
4.5 The saxophones 169
4.5.1 Saxophone tone quality 169
4.5.2 Saxophone range 169
4.5.3 Saxophone transposition 170
4.6 Concerns regarding orchestration 171
4.7 Sequencing for the woodwind section: an introduction 174
4.8 Synthesis techniques and library options 174
4.9 Sequencing techniques for the woodwind section:
input controllers 178
4.10 Use of MIDI control changes and editing techniques 180
4.10.1 Attack and release control 180
4.10.2 Filter and timbre control 185
4.11 Performance controllers 186
4.12 Performance extended controllers 187
4.13 Special sequencing techniques for woodwind:
the saxophone section 189
4.13.1 Blending acoustic and MIDI 191
4.14 Final touches 191
4.14.1 Performance noises 193
4.15 Mixing the woodwind section 194
4.15.1 Panning the woodwind instruments 194
4.15.2 Equalization for the woodwind instruments 195
4.15.3 Reverberation 198
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4.16 Summary 199
4.17 Exercises 201
Chapter 5 – Writing and Sequencing for the Brass Section 203
5.1 General characteristics 203
5.2 The brass section in the orchestra 203
5.3 The brass section in the jazz band 204
5.4 Creating sound 204
5.4.1 Tonguing 205
5.4.2 Slurs 205
5.4.3 The glissando 205
5.4.4 Articulation markings and effects 206
5.5 The specific instruments 206
5.5.1 The French horn 206
5.5.2 The trumpets 208
5.5.3 The piccolo trumpet 209
5.5.4 The flugelhorn 210
5.5.5 The tenor trombone 211
5.5.6 The bass trombone 212
5.5.7 The tuba 213
5.5.8 The euphonium 214
5.6 Mutes 215
5.6.1 Mute preparation 216
5.7 Orchestrating the brass 216
5.7.1 Orchestrating brass and woodwinds 218
5.8 Sequencing for the brass section: an introduction 218
5.8.1 Synthesis techniques and library options 218
5.8.2 What to look for 220
5.9 MIDI controllers for sequencing the brass section 223
5.10 Sequencing techniques for the brass instruments 225
5.10.1 Micro-level automation 228
5.10.2 Quantization 229
5.11 Performance controllers for the brass 232
5.11.1 Breath controller 232
5.11.2 Portamento 232
5.11.3 Aftertouch and soft pedal 234
5.12 Extended performance controllers: attack and brightness 235
5.12.1 Attack control 236
5.12.2 Brightness control 236
5.13 Advanced sequencing techniques for the brass: detuning 237
5.13.1 Solo instrument detuning 237
5.13.2 Section detuning 238
5.13.3 Velocity-to-pitch 238
5.14 Addition of real instruments 240
5.15 The final touch: performance noises 240
5.16 Mixing the brass section 241
5.16.1 Panning the brass instruments 241