MP102 Lecture 2 Elements of Orchestration What is

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? • • • 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, 4 th ed. Focal Press, 2010

Another way of looking at it: Roles of instruments in an arrangement • Melody • Harmony • • 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 3 rds and 2 nds • Dense sound • Open Voicing • Large spacing between tones • • Fifth, Octave(s), or more Drop 2 and 4 Quartal voicing • Uses distance of a fourth

“Color” Tones • Tones beyond the basic triad • • • 7 th 6 th 9 th 11 th 13 th • 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 3 rd’s, 7 th’s, and color tones • Omitting • Root, 3 rd and 7 th are most important • Give harmony tension and forward motion • Identify the quality of the chord (major, minor, etc. ) • The 5 th is rarely missed • “Open 5 ths” • Only 5 th and Octave – drop 3 rd and 7 th • 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 • V 7 ->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