MP-102Lecture 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, 4th 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 VoicingSpacing of the notes in block chords•Close voicing

• small spacing between tones• mostly 3rds and 2nds• Dense sound

•Open Voicing• Large spacing between tones

• 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• 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