The Complete Idiot's Guide to Arranging and Orchestration

302 Pages·2007·22.95 MB·English

by  Michael Miller

Dear Reader:
A composition without an arrangement is just a melody and chords. To create a
finished musical work, you need to arrange and orchestrate it—flesh it out with
different parts, and assign those parts to specific instruments and voices.
It doesn't matter what type of ensemble you're writing for, arranging is the
thing. You need to master the same set of skills, whether you're arranging for
choir, jazz band, marching band, or orchestra. For that matter, even a four-piece
rock band needs its music arranged—and arranging a piece for a commercial CD
is essential to the recording process.
All those different types of arrangments—and more—are covered in this book.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Arranging and Orchestration builds on the informa-
tion presented in my previous music theory and composition books to teach you
the specific skills needed to arrange and orchestrate any type of music.
Any musician can arrange and orchestrate, if you know what to do. That's
what this book teaches. You'll work step by step through the entire process,
from structuring an arrangement, through working with chord progressions
and voicings, to creating countermelodies and additional sections, to assigning
instruments and voices to each part. And, thanks to the book's accompanying
CD, you can hear examples of each technique as you learn—as well as complete
performances of different types of arrangements.
If you want to arrange and orchestrate music, you can. The sounds are inside
your head, and the tools are at your fingertips. Use this book as your guide to
the world of arranging and orchestration—and then start putting notes to paper!
Musically yours,
Michael Miller
http://avaxhome.ws/blogs/ChrisRedfield
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yp* G U I D E TO
Arranging and
Orchestration
by Michael Miller
A
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Contents at a Glance
Parti: Esential Skils I
1 Understanding the Aranging and Orchestration Proces 3
What arranging and orchestration are—and how to do them.
2 Structuring the Arangement 25
What goes where, and why.
3 Harmonizing with Chords, Progresions, and Substitutions 35
Working with the harmonic background of an arrangement.
4 Utilizing Voicing and Voice Leading 45
Choosing the order of notes within a chord—and from chord to chord.
5 Working with Melodies and Countermelodies 63
Extending and enhancing a piece's melody.
6 Deciding on the Right Instrumentation 7
Choosing which instruments play which notes.
Part 2: Instruments and Voices: Ranges and Techniques 85
7 String Instruments 87
Writing for both bowed and plucked strings.
8 Bras Instruments 9
Writing for concert, marching, and drum corps brass.
9 Wodwind Instruments 109
Writing for single-reed, double-reed, and flute-like instruments.
10 Keyboard and Electronic Instruments 17
Writing for the piano, organ, synthesizer, and similar instruments.
1 Percusion Instruments 125
Writing for drums and mallets.
12 Voices 137
Writing for sopranos, altos, tenors, basses, and other voices.
Part 3: Real-World Aranging 145
13 Aranging for a Rhythm Section 147
Writing in different styles—and for different rhythm-section
instruments.
14 Aranging for a Jaz Big Band 165
Creating jazz, swing, and funk arrangements in big-band style.
15 Aranging for a Marching Band 181
Creating arrangements for marching bands and drum and bugle
corps.
16 Aranging for an Orchestra 195
Creating symphonic pieces for the full orchestra.
17 Aranging for a Choir 205
Creating vocal arrangements in SATB fashion.
18 Aranging for a Popular Recording 219
Creating in the guise of a record producer/arranger.
Appendixes
A Glosary 27
B Arangements 237
C CD Contents 265
Index 269
Contents
Parti: Esential Skils I
1 Understanding the Aranging and Orchestration Proces 3
Composition, Arranging, and Orchestration:
Which Is Which? 4
The Arranging and Orchestration Process:
Diferent Aproaches 5
The Basic Proces 5
The Rough-Sketch Aproach 6
The Ful-Score Aproach 8
Aranging the Composition 10
Orchestrating the Arangement 1
Preparing the Score 12
Identifying the Score 12
Concert or Transposed Key? 13
Section or Individual Staves? 13
Score Order 16
Letering and Numbering 21
Copying Individual Parts 21
Pencil or Keyboard? 2
Using Pencil and Paper 2
Using a Music Notation Program 2
2 Structuring the Arangement 25
Considering the Intended Performers 25
Chosing a Musical Style 26
Chosing a Musical Form 26
Introduction 21
Verse (A-Section) 28
Chorus (B-Section) 28
Bridge (C-Section) 29
Ending 29
Deciding on Esential Musical Elements 30
Instrumentation 30
Texture 30
Time Signature 31
Tempo 31
Key 31
Dynamics 32
Planing the Musical Structure 3
Flow and Contour 3
vi i i The Complete Idiot's Guide to Arranging and Orchestration
3 Harmonizing with Chords, Progresions, and Substitutions 35
Harmonizing a Melody with Chords 36
Deriving Chords from Structural Tones 36
Other Tips for Harmonizing a Melody 31
Understanding Chord Leading 38
Ading Sophistication with Extended Chords 39
Diferent Types of Extensions 39
Extending a Progresion 40
Changing the Harmonic Structure with Altered
Bas Chords 40
Ading Tension with a Pedal Point 41
Reharmonizing a Piece with Chord Substitutions 42
Diatonic Substitutions 42
Dominant Seventh Substitutions 43
Functional Substitutions 4
h Utilizing Voicing and Voice Leading 45
Exploring Diferent Chord Voicings 45
Using Open and Closed Voicings 47
Voice Removal and Doubling 48
Orchestrating Voicings 49
Sparse Voicings 49
Dense Voicings 50
Voicing Note Clusters 51
Voicing a Chord Progresion 52
Aplying Voice Leading Techniques 54
Move Smothly 54
Move in Diferent Directions 5
Avoid Crosing Lines. 51
Emphasize Comon Tones 51
Let Leading Tones Lead 58
Focus on the Bas Line 59
Ading Rhythmic Acompaniment 61
5 Working with Melodies and Countermelodies 63
Extending a Melody 63
Embelishing and Altering a Melody 6
Ading a Harmony Line to a Melody 68
Creating a Countermelody 70
Countermelody as a Harmony Line 10
Cal-and-Response Countermelodies 1
Independent Countermelodies 12
Combining Countermelodies and Other Acompaniment 73
Orchestrating a Countermelody 74
Contents ix
6 Deciding on the Right Instrumentation 7
The Esentials of Orchestration 7
Understanding the Instrument Families 78
General Orchestration Guidelines 79
Combining Instruments for Diferent Colors 82
Multiple Instruments of the Same Type 82
Similar Instruments 82
Disimilar Instruments 83
Part Z: Instruments and Voices: Ranges and Techniques 85
7 String Instruments 87
Understanding Bowed String Instruments 87
Ranges and Transpositions 8
Comon Techniques 8
Examining Individual Bowed String Instruments 91
Violin , 91
Viola 91
Celo 91
Double Bas 92
Understanding Unbowed String Instruments 92
Ranges and Transpositions 92
Comon Techniques 94
Examining Individual Unbowed String Instruments 94
Guitar 94
Electric Bas 96
Mandolin 96
Banjo 91
Harp 91
8 Bras Instruments 9
Understanding Concert and Orchestral Bras Instruments 99
Ranges and Transpositions 10
Comon Techniques 101
Examining Individual Bras Instruments 102
Picolo Trumpet 102
Trumpet 102
Cornet 103
Flugelhorn 103
French Horn 103
Baritone Horn 104
Trombone 104
Bas Trombone 105
Tuba 105
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Arranging and Orchestration
X
Understanding Drum and Bugle Corps Instruments 105
Soprano Bugle 106
Melophone 106
Baritone 106
Euphonium 101
Contra Bas 101
9 Wodwind Instruments 109
Understanding the Wodwind Family 109
Ranges and Transpositions 10
Comon Techniques Il
Examining Individual Wodwind Instruments 12
Picolo 12
Flute 12
Alto Flute 13
Bas Flute 13
Oboe 13
English Horn 13
Bason 14
Contrabason 14
E\> Clarinet 14
B^> Clarinet 14
A Clarinet 15
Alto Clarinet 15
Bas Clarinet 15
Soprano Saxophone 15
Alto Saxophone 15
Tenor Saxophone 16
Baritone Saxophone 16
Bas Saxophone 16
10 Keyboard and Electronic Instruments 17
Understanding Keyboard Instruments 17
Ranges and Transpositions Il
Comon Techniques 19
Examining Individual Keyboard Instruments 19
Piano 19
Electric Piano 121
Organ 121
Harpsichord 12
Clavichord 12
Celesta 123
Acordion 123
Synthesizers and Samplers 123
1 Percusion Instruments 125
Understanding Pitched Percusion 125
Pitched Percusion Ranges and Transpositions 126
Comon Techniques for Pitched Percusion 121