I. CONSIDERATIONS

As it has been mentioned before, woodwinds do not possess the blending ability of strings. In other words, when combining instruments of the string section the result is a smooth homogenous sound. With woodwinds, however, due to great differences in tone colour from one instrument to another (and between different registers of the same instrument), it is much harder to achieve a homogenous sound.

The most important characteristic that a harmony part should exhibit is as Rimsky-Korsakov calls it “resonance equally distributed throughout”. In other words, different harmony parts should blend well together without moving the ear’s focus away from the melody parts. When it comes to woodwind harmony, there are a few tricks we can use to make the overall woodwind sound appear more homogeneous to the ear; i.e make the ear perceive all the woodwind harmony parts as one homogenous timbre instead of many different instruments playing together :

• Be consistent in the roles you give to each woodwind instrument. If you choose, for example, to give flute the soprano voice (the top note of the harmony) for the first chord, continue in that manner for the rest of the chords during the given passage where you have decided to have woodwinds play the harmony. This will ensure that each instrument has a smooth horizontal line and each chord flows as seamlessly as possible into the next.
• The safest and most effective way to build woodwind chords is to use the normal order of register; i.e. Flutes on the soprano voice, Oboes on the Alto, Clarinets on the Tenor and Bassoons on the Bass. This will help ensure that all instruments are sitting roughly on the same relative register. If, for example, we placed the oboe above the flute, the oboe would be in its high and strongest register, possibly overpowering the other harmony parts. The only exception to this is vertical dovetailing which we will discuss at a later point in the article.
• Instruments of the same kind or similar timbre should be voiced in consonant intervals (octaves, 3rds or 6ths) instead of dissonant ones. This is especially true for oboes which tend to overpower the rest of the woodwinds if not used properly.

A Note on Bassoons

Bassoons are kind of ‘joker’ instruments and can play several different roles in an orchestration :

1. Woodwind function : where the bassoon either plays the bass line of the woodwind harmony or plays inner parts of the harmony;
2. Horn function : where it is often used as an extra french horn or as a ‘blender’ between the brass and woodwinds.

It is best if you determine the role you want it to play as soon as possible.

II. HARMONY WITH WOODWINDS IN PAIRS

There are three basic ways to construct harmony when we have two of each woodwinds available :

1. Super-position or Overlaying : essentially following the normal order of register 2Fl – 2Ob – 2Cl – 2Fg
2. Crossing or (vertical)Dovetailing : roughly put this means having the two parts of the same instrument ‘separated’ by one part of another instrument. For example, instead of having 2Fl playing the top two notes of the chord and 2Ob playing the bottom, we have Flute 1 – Oboe 1 – Flute 2 – Oboe 2.
3. Enclosure : when two instrument parts of the same instrument are enclosed or ‘surrounded’ by  two parts of another instrument. For example, Flute 1 – Oboe 1 – Oboe 2 – Flute 2. Enclosure is also very effective (in fact, more effective) if the two ‘enclosing’ or outer parts are played by different instruments; e.g. Flute 1 – Oboe 1 – Oboe 2 – Clarinet 1.

Methods 2 and 3 help create a more homogeneous sound by blending different timbres as much as possible.

And now comes the million-dollar question….how do you choose which method to use?

Well, Mr.Rimsky-Korsakov comes to our rescue once again. Here are a couple of things to remember when in doubt as to which method to use :

• First of all, consider the register of each chord of your passage.
• Then, consider the register of each individual instrument you are going to use and be consistent in the choice of registers; combine the weak register of one instrument with the weak register of the other instruments. Combining one instrument in its weak register and one in its strong will result in a non-homogenous sound where one instrument is heard above the others.
• As with string harmony, knowledge of part-writing will help you enormously in creating effective woodwind harmonies. First make sure that you connect the chords as smoothly as possible. This means that some parts will be relatively stationary (held notes) and others will be more active. Assign one instrument timbre to your stationary parts and another to your moving parts and be consistent with it. The ear is very perceptive to movement and if you keep changing instrument roles your harmony parts might even overpower the melody of your composition.
• Avoid widely-spaced chords because when played by woodwinds they do not sound homogeneous. If you have to use open voicings, place them as high as possible because this makes the different timbres less perceptible and the sound appears to be more homogeneous.
• Avoid close four-part voicings comprising of four different instruments; i.e Flute – Oboe – Clarinet – Bassoon. This is most likely to result in the use of a different register for each instrument and make the sound less homogeneous.

What to do when you have three-part harmony?

There are two things you can do to ensure a nice-sounding three-part harmony :

1. Use 2 instruments of the same kind and 1 other instrument in close harmony.
2. Use overlaying, i.e. flutes above oboes, oboes above clarinets and clarinets above bassoons

III. HARMONY WITH WOODWINDS IN THREES

When we have three of each instrument available, the choices are a bit more straightforward.

Three-Part Harmony

The best way to orchestrate close three-part harmony is to use three instruments of the same kind; e.g. 3 flutes or 3 oboes etc.

In the case of open three-part harmony, using three instrument of the same kind will not be as effective. The only case where open three-part harmony will work with three instruments of the same family is by using the auxiliary bass instrument for the bass line. For example, 2 Oboes for the top two notes and an English Horn for the bass or 2 Clarinets for the top two notes and a Bass Clarinet for the bass note.

Four-Part Harmony

In the case of close four-part harmony, the best approach to use is overlaying of parts with three instruments of the same kind and a fourth instrument of another.

Dovetailing and enclosure can also be used but it is a much more complicated approach because you have to take into account the relative registers of all instruments as well as the smooth progression from one chord to another.

Remember that woodwinds don’t work well harmonically in open voicings!

IV. HARMONY IN MULTIPLE PARTS (5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-part harmony)

If the extra parts are chord tensions (9ths, 11ths and 13ths) then close voicings are always preferred using either of the three methods outlined in part II of this article (overlaying, dovetailing or enclosure).

If the extra parts are mere octave duplications of the existing 4-part harmony, then the best approach is to use the principles outlined at my previous article regarding the duplication of woodwinds in octaves, 3rds and 6ths.

Woodwinds in Paris

You can use any of the three methods you wish : overlaying, dovetailing or enclosure.

As a general rule, when you are after a homogenous harmonic BACKGROUND (that stays behind the melody and does not distract the ear from it) the safest approach is to use close-voiced harmony. When using open voicings you can voice your chords according to the harmonic series for a more homogeneous and natural result.

Woodwinds in Threes

The best approach is overlaying when you have close three-part harmony doubled in octaves. Crossing of parts will not be as effective because it will disturb the ‘natural order of register’.

V.HARMONY IN WOODWINDS AND OTHER ORCHESTRAL SECTIONS

In practice, woodwinds are seldom asked to provide the harmony alone. They are usually combined with other orchestral sections in several ways, including :

1. The three upper parts of a 4-part harmony are given to woodwinds alone and the bass line is doubled by double basses arco or pizzicato.
2. The three upper parts are assigned to strings and the woodwinds carry the middle harmony parts, usually in sustained notes.

In either case, each instrument section should be complete in itself.

VI. DIRECT DOUBLING OF WOODWIND LINES (MELODIC OR HARMONIC) IN OTHER SECTIONS

Below you will find a chart of the most commonly used combinations :

CONCLUSION

I hope that you have enjoyed these three articles on woodwinds. They by no means cover everything there is to know about woodwinds but they can certainly form a basis for further woodwind explorations! As a parting gift I have created a summary table outlining the most common uses of woodwinds both as a section and as individual instruments.

I wish you all the very best in writing for this wonderful instrument family! Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to leave a comment below. Also, do not forget that next week, my colleague Asimakis Reppas is going to explore ways in which you can make your woodwind mockups come alive!

Au revoir then!

]]> http://www.scorecastonline.com/2012/10/25/orchestrating-your-harmony-in-the-woodwind-section/feed/ 1 http://www.scorecastonline.com/2012/10/18/orchestrating-a-melody-for-the-woodwind-section/ http://www.scorecastonline.com/2012/10/18/orchestrating-a-melody-for-the-woodwind-section/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:00:00 +0000 Stellita Loukas http://www.scorecastonline.com/?p=1729 Welcome back! Having gotten the technical part out of the way, let’s now explore the different ways in which we can have the woodwind section play our melody.

I. ANATOMY OF THE WOODWIND SECTION

Woodwinds are found in an orchestra in three basic configurations :

1. Solo woodwinds : one of each ; 1 Flute – 1 Clarinet – 1 Oboe – 1 Bassoon
2. Woodwinds in Pairs : two of each ; 2 Flutes – 2 Clarinets – 2 Oboes – 2 Bassoons
3. Woodwinds in Threes : three of each ; 3 Flutes – 3 Clarinets – 3 Oboes – 3 Bassoons

However, many woodwind players are proficient in more than one instrument of the same family (e.g. flutes, clarinets, bassoons etc) and can be asked to double on another instrument if the orchestration calls for it. For example, a flutist can be asked to double on the piccolo at some point during the orchestration (provided that a flute is not required at the same time!). When there are more than one of each instrument available, things are a lot easier of course because we can ask the principal player of each instrument to double on another. Sounds confusing, right? Let’s make it a bit more clear then :

II. MELODY BY SOLO WOODWINDS

When writing solo lines for woodwinds that you want to be clearly heard, there are two basic points to keep in mind :

• Write in the instrument’s best range (see table below)
• Make sure that the accompaniment (orchestral or not) does not fall on the same register and allows the woodwind to come through.

The following table, along with the knowledge of each instrument’s registers and characteristics (presented in my first article about woodwinds), will help you start writing solo woodwind melodies.

We will now look at some characteristic uses of each individual woodwind in carrying the melody. Where possible I have provided a link to a corresponding video in YouTube.

1. Solo Flute

The flute has the ‘lightest’ quality of all woodwinds and is the trickiest when carrying the melody because the accompaniment must be carefully crafted not to overpower it when it is playing at its weakest register (the low one).

A great example of a solo flute melody is Dvorak’s Symphony No9 (“From the New World”), first movement, bars 149-156. You find it here, at 06:50. The flute carries the wonderful theme alone,in its low to middle register, with a minimal accompaniment from strings only so as to be clearly heard.

 2. Solo Piccolo Flute

The piccolo is the smallest instrument of the entire orchestra yet, when playing at its stronger (high) register it can be heard above the entire orchestra! While it does not lend itself for solo melodies easily, it is great for doubling the flute octave above or playing fast staccato passages. It is often used for light passages of comedic nature or for doubling brass and strings in marching band music.

A good example of a solo piccolo flute is Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije, first movement, where the piccolo plays solo with a military drum accompaniment. You can find it here, at 0:35.

3. Solo Alto Flute

Similar in construction to the flute, the alto flute has a longer tube which gives it a mellower and darker tone. Its main purpose is to extend the lower range of the flute. If you have a melody that ‘lives’ in the flute’s lower range, it is best to use the alto flute instead. The alto flute is used extensively in Gustav Holst’s Saturn. You can find a live performance here; it starts with the alto flute. A solo alto flute melody is found at bars 53-62.

4. Solo Oboe

The oboe is the soprano of the double-reed instruments. Its tone is nasal as is consistent with double reeds. It has enormous carrying power and can easily be heard over an orchestra when playing at its strong registers (middle and more so, high). A great example of a solo oboe melody is the opening to the 2nd movement of Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN7oFdFqtB4.

5. Solo English Horn

The role of the English Horn in a double-reed section is similar to that of the viola in a string section. It can be used to play countermelodies very effectively but it is also a wonderful solo instrument capable of great expressive quality. A good example of a solo english horn melody is the Overture from Berlioz’s Roman Carnival. You can find the solo english horn section here, at 0:26. Listen to the mellow and deep sound of the instrument which is clearly darker but equally expressive to the oboe.

6. Solo Clarinet

A greatly agile instrument capable of anything and everything (within limits of course!). As a single-reed, it has a much mellower and rounder tone than any of the double reeds. You can listen to it playing a solo melody at the opening of the 1st movement of Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony.

Aside from classical repertoire, the clarinet is extremely popular in ‘jazz-ier’ settings as well. The most famous example and one of my favourite, is the opening to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, showing the clarinet’s enormous capabilities in performing a glissando.

7. Solo Bass Clarinet

The bass clarinet is an often neglected yet very useful instrument. While it is practically used to extend the lower register of the clarinet, it is one of the most agile bass instruments of the orchestra; it can provide a full and lush bass line in its lower register but can also play a melodic role in its higher register provided that it is not overpowered by other instruments (because it loses its carrying power and tonal color as it moves higher, towards its weakest areas). You can get a pretty good idea of the bass clarinet’s melodic capabilities here.

8. Solo Bassoon

Bassoon is often wrongly associated only with comedic musical passages and cartoon music! However, it is one of the most expressive instruments of the woodwind section and aside from providing a bass line it can also carry the melody perfectly well. Listen to the bassoon opening the 1st movement of Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique Symphony.

9. Solo Contra Bassoon

The contra bassoon is the deepest and ‘bassiest’ instrument of the woodwind family. Due to its size (and the amount of air needed by the performer), it is also one of the less flexible and agile. While it has been used as a solo instrument by composers such as Beethoven, Brahms and Strauss, it is most often used to strengthen a bass line and provide a solid foundation in a melodic or harmonic role.

10. Horizontal Dovetailing

There is no rule that forces us to use the same instrument to carry the entire melody. We can start by having the melody in flute, then passed to the oboe, then to the clarinet and then back to the oboe.

In the case of a demanding melody that requires a lot of air and contains difficult passages, we can alternate between the principal and second player of each instrument. For example, we can start with flute 1 playing the first 4 bars of the melody and have flute 2 carry on the next 4 bars, thus giving time to the principal flutist to catch his/her breath!

III. MELODY BY WOODWINDS IN UNISON

Very expressive and demanding melodic lines are best entrusted to solo woodwinds. The combination of two or more woodwinds in unison restricts the players’ expressive capabilities and often forces on of the instruments to play at their weak ranges.

1. Combining 2 of the same instrument

Woodwinds are vastly different from strings. Combining 2 violins in unison will strengthen the melodic line. However, combining two flutes or oboes in unison will present a number of problems; it will not necessarily increase the volume (and carrying power) of the melody and it introduces the possibility of intonation problems. As a general rule, it is best to combine 3 of the same instrument rather than 2. Another way to mitigate ‘out-of-tune’ problems is to combine a pair of the same woodwinds with a string section (e.g. 2 flutes with violins).

2. Combining different instruments in unison

As with strings, it is best to first explore combinations of ‘neighbouring’ instruments in terms of range :

1. Flute and Oboe : the oboe adds fullness to the tone of the flute and the flute ‘sweetens’ the nasal quality of the oboe. In soft dynamics, the flute will be more prominent at lower registers and the oboe at higher ones.
2. Flute and Clarinet : the clarinet adds fullness and volume to the tone of the flute and the flute ‘tames’ some of the brightness of the clarinet. The sound of the flute will be more prominent in the lower registers and the clarinet in the higher one.
3. Oboe and Clarinet : the combination of these two instruments results in a fuller tone than that of each individual instrument. The oboe adds carrying power to the clarinet and the clarinet sweetens the nasal quality of the oboe.
4. Flute, Oboe and Clarinet : a full-sounding combination; the oboe and clarinet add fullness and volume to the flute while the flute and clarinet sweeten the oboe.
5. Bassoon and Clarinet : another powerful and ‘full-sounding’ combination.
6. Basson and Oboe, Bassoon and Flute : rarely used combinations due to the differences in range of the combined instruments. A unison by bassoon and oboe or flute means that either of the two instruments has to be at its weak register and will not result in a particularly changed tone colour than if using them separately.
7. Bassoon, Clarinet, Oboe and Flute : an equally rare combination due, again, to range differences that produces a peculiar sound where each instrument’s timbre is clearly distinguished. It sounds more like the combination of bassoon, clarinet, oboe and flute rather than an amalgam of the four instruments.

3. Combining woodwinds in octaves

Again, the most natural-sounding combinations are those of adjacent instruments (Flute-Oboe, Oboe-Clarinet etc.). However, if none of those combinations are suitable for the effect you are after, there are other choices you can explore. Here’s a list of the most commonly used combinations :

1. Piccolo and Flute
2. Flute and Oboe
3. Oboe and Clarinet
4. Clarinet and Bassoon
5. Flute and Clarinet
6. Oboe and Bassoon
7. Clarinet and Bassoon
8. Flute and Bassoon

Due to the changing timbre of each woodwind across the different registers, combining two of the same woodwinds in octaves essentially means combing two completely different instruments. Again, this combination is best doubled in a string section.

Another point to keep in mind is that melodies that lend themselves to octave doubling are those situated in either the extreme high or extreme low register. If a melody situated in the middle of the orchestral register is doubled in octaves it is likely to ‘clash’ with accompaniment lines and harmonies.

4. Combining woodwinds in 2, 3 and 4 octaves

Once again, the safest approach is to combine adjacent instruments first before exploring more extreme possibilities. Common combinations are :

1. Flute – Oboe – Clarinet in 2 octaves
2. Oboe – Clarinet – Bassoon in 2 octaves
3. Flute – Clarinet – Bassoon in 2 octaves
4. Flute – Oboe – Bassoon in 2 octaves
5. Flute – Oboe – Clarinet – Bassoon in 3 octaves

Combinations of all four instruments in octaves produces a rather stunning and powerful result and should be saved for special effects instead of being used for a long period of time.

5. Combining Woodwinds in 3rds and 6ths

A melody progressing in 3rds or 6ths is a very commonly used technique and it is effective even when combining two of the same instrument. The most common combinations are :

1. 2 Flutes
2. 2 Oboes
3. 2 Clarinets
4. 2 Bassoons
5. Flute and Oboe
6. Oboe and Clarinet
7. Clarinet and Bassoon
8. Flute and Clarinet
9. Oboe and Bassoon

As a general rule, it is best to use two of the same instrument when the melody is progressing in 3rds and two different instruments when it is progressing in 6ths.

6. Combining Woodwinds in 3rds and 6ths, moving in Octaves

When we wish to combine octave-doubled parts in 3rds or 6ths, Mr.Korsakov suggests the following approach :

1. 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Oboes in 3rds/6ths
2. 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by Oboe + Clarinet in 3rds/6ths
3. 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Clarinets in 3rds/6ths
4. Oboe + Flute in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by Flute + Clarinet in 3rds/6ths

If we have 3 players of each instrument available, we can employ the following combinations :

1. 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Oboes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Clarinets in 3rds/6ths
2. 2 Oboes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths AND 2 Clarinets in 3rds/6ths

7. Combining Woodwinds in stacked 3rds and 6ths

Aside from using either 3rds or 6ths, we can combine those two and have a melody progressing in 3 parts :

1. Clarinet + Oboe a 3rd above + Flute a 6th above the clarinet
2. Bassoon + Clarinet a 3rd above + Oboe a 6th above the bassoon

 If we want to double each part into 2 different instruments then we can use :

 [Oboe + Clarinet in unison] + [Flute + Clarinet in unison] a 3rd/6th above + [Oboe + Flute in unison] a further 3rd/6th above

Oh dear that was a LOT of information I threw at you! Go take a break, grab a bite or a cup of coffee…you’ve earned it! Let it all sink in for a few days and then start exploring the different combinations on your own so that you can create a mental catalogue that you can later refer to when looking to create a particular orchestral colour. If you have any questions please feel free to add a comment below!

Until next week then, that we will explore ways to use woodwinds to play the harmony. Have a great week!

I. INTRODUCTION

Woodwinds are probably the most underused instruments within new composer’s circles yet they can add a huge variety of interesting colors, timbres, flourishes and extra layers to an orchestration. While they can serve as excellent ‘fillers’ (providing wonderful runs, trills, rips and all sorts of interesting effects playing behind or between melodies), they are also capable of a vast range of expression when given solo melodic lines and can work wonders in adding ‘attack’ and poignancy to your harmonic material.

What are woodwind instruments?

Sounds like a rather silly question but bear with me for a second. When I was a little girl, if asked what kind of instruments are saxophones I would exclaim “BRASS” without any hesitation. Why? Because I thought that wind instruments were classified into wooden and brass according to the material from which they are constructed. However, I later found out that the distinguishing factor according to which winds are classified is the material from which their mouthpieces are constructed. Brass instruments have brass mouthpieces and woodwinds have wooden mouthpieces.

Woodwinds are further classified according to how many reeds their mouthpiece consists of.

• Single – Reed : clarinets and saxophones
• Double – Reed : oboe, cor anglais and bassoons
• No – Reed : flutes. While flutes do not have a wooden mouthpiece, they are considered woodwind instruments because they used to be constructed from wood. Some piccolos are still made of wood.

The most common woodwinds used today

If we were to explore the entire range of woodwind instruments we would need a few articles just for that! The clarinet family alone has 7 instruments!!! Therefore, we are only going to look at the woodwinds used most commonly in modern music;

• FLUTES : Flute in C, Piccolo flute in C and Alto flute in G
• CLARINETS : Clarinet in Bb and Bass Clarinet in Bb
• OBOES : Oboe in C and English Horn (Cor Anglais) in F
• BASSOONS : Bassoon in C and Contra Bassoon in C

While the saxophones also belong in the woodwind family, they deserve an article of their own and will be covered in the near future!

II. SOUND CREATION AND BREATHING

Woodwind instruments produce sound as air is blown into their tubes through their mouthpieces. Different pitches are possible through the alteration of the tube length with the opening and closing of the different holes.

The first and foremost point you should remember when writing for woodwinds is that woodwind players are humans and not robots. While a note sustaining for 5 bars is feasible in strings or even virtual woodwinds, a real woodwind player will have a LOT to say about that! So when writing for woodwinds keep in mind that players need time to breath! If you cannot sing a phrase in one breath, chances are a player won’t be able to play it in one breath either…unless they are using an iron lung!

Another point I would like to bring to your attention is the relation between instrument size and the air required for it to produce sound; the larger the instrument the more air the player needs in order to produce sound. While a passage may be easy on the clarinet, a bass clarinetist might need much more time to breath in order to execute the same passage. When writing for woodwinds, try to put yourself into the player’s role and provide ample time for breathing and preparation.

Finally, the louder the dynamic, the more air is required and the quicker the air is consumed. Therefore, be extra careful when asking your players to play forte passages.

III. TIMBRE, DYNAMICS AND FLEXIBILITY

Woodwinds are not like strings; their timbre and color changes as they move from the lower to the higher end of their range. In fact, many scholars and orchestration books suggest that one should look at each woodwind as three different instruments : low, middle and high. This is because a flute, for example, sounds completely different when playing at its low register than playing at its middle or high register. We will look at these differences in more detail in the next section. For now, what you should keep in mind is that :

• the middle register of each instrument is the easiest for a player to control (both in terms of pitch and dynamics);
• the high register lends itself for loud dynamics and more ‘intense’ passages, and;
• the low register is more suitable for soft dynamics and more subtle passages.

In other words, woodwind players can do pretty much everything on the middle register but have difficulties executing loud passages in low registers and soft passages in high registers.

IV. INSTRUMENTATION NOTES

Below you will find information regarding range, registers and characteristics for each individual woodwind, presented in a table format for easier comprehension.

 V. TECHNIQUES AND SPECIAL EFFECTS

Hello everyone! I hope you are all well and deep into creative frenzy! Following my article on how to orchestrate the melody within the string section, in this article I would like to explain various ways in which we can give the harmony to the string section. While Mr.Korsakov and “Principles of Orchestration Online” have done a brilliant job of explaining these principles, I would like to present the material in a more concise and organized way. So, as is our customary ritual, grab a fresh cup of your preferred beverage and let’s get started!

Due to the nature of the string section and the fact that all four instrument families blend perfectly with each other, string harmony is one of the easiest to write. However, it is also one of the most important! As we mentioned in the last article, strings are the backbone of the orchestra. If you create a solid basis for the entire orchestra to ‘sit’ on, then chances are your orchestration will sound much much better. The most important goal when writing string harmonies is to achieve an equal balance of the harmonic parts.

A. Preparing to Orchestrate – Brush up your Part-Writing!

If you were looking for a chance to brush up your part-writing skills, now is the perfect time! However big and lush your string patches may sound, bad part-writing cannot be corrected neither in the orchestration nor in the mixing stage. So, the first step in successfully and effectively orchestrating your harmony in the string section is to have a nicely-crafted harmony to begin with. Make sure that each chord flows into the next as smoothly as possible and each instrument has a playable and interesting line.

Keep in mind that the smaller the string ensemble you have available, the more exposed your part-writing will be. However surprising, it is true that it is much harder to make a string quartet sound good than a full string orchestra! So next time you are having a hard time concentrating in all those harmony rules we all had to ‘digest’ at some point, remember that!

The next step is to take your 3-, 4- or X-part harmony and assign each line to a string family. Let me clarify here that when I refer to 3-part harmony I don’t necessarily mean triadic harmony (i.e. chords comprising of Root-3rd-5th) but any chord comprising of 3 parts. Also, ‘4-part harmony’ refers to any chord structure that comprises of four notes (R-3-5-7 or R-3-5-9 etc). Any 3-part structure can be turned into a 4-part structure with doubling.

The standard and most straightforward approach to orchestrating any chord in the string section is to assign chord tones according to the range and role of the instrument. For example, the obvious choice for the top note(s) of the chord are the violins and for the bottom are the basses.  Another thing to always have in mind is that while close voicings sound well in higher registers, it is best for the lower notes to be spaced in larger intervals because close intervals between basses and cellos will sound very muddy.

Our very own Robin Hoffmann has written an excellent article on how to voice a chord according to the harmonic series. I suggest that you give it a read as it will help you understand a lot about voicing chords for the string section. No matter what kind of harmony you are using, spacing the notes correctly is a make-or-break factor in successful string writing. Voicings are everything!

B. Orchestrating the Harmony within the String Section

1. Harmony in 3 to 5 Parts

Harmony in 3-5 parts is rather straightforward, in the sense that the string section allows us to write up to 5 parts without problems.

When we are faced with a harmony in 3-parts, we can either omit some string instruments (e.g. have only Violins-Violas-Celli) or we can always double some chord tones to create extra parts.

In 4-part harmony, when our chords are essentially triads, the common practice is to give the bassline to the cellos and double basses either in unison or in octaves. If the bassline is too busy, a common technique is to give the basses a simplified version of it. For example, if the cellos play a rather busy legato basslines, we can have the basses playing a simplified pizzicato bassline, giving our harmony parts a bit more ‘bounce’.

2. Harmony in more than 5 Parts

This is where things get interesting! When our harmony comprises of more than 5 parts, we have two choices; we can either divide each of the string families to derive extra parts or write so-called ‘multiple stops’.

2.1 Divisi Strings

Learning to write for divided (i.e. divisi) strings is a lifelong pursuit and requires a lot of practice and experience. There are, however, some general guidelines that can help us get started and this is what we are going to touch upon in this section. While here we are going to talk about divisi a 2 (i.e. dividing each section in 2 parts), these guidelines can be adapted and applied to any other configuration.

Each string section can be divided into 2, 3 or even 4 parts, depending on the size of the section. If our string ensemble is very limited in size, divisi writing will either be infeasible or impractical.

As a general rule, the minimum number of players per harmony part should be between 3 and 4. Any less than that will result in an imbalanced tone colour. For example, violas should only be divided if there are 8 or more available and violins should be divided only if there are 6 or more.

So, when SHOULD we use divisi strings?

Divided strings are usually used when we are after a thin sound. For the Big Hollywood sound, it is much better to use double stops.

Some Ideas for distributing divisi strings :

 2.2 Double and Multiple Stops

Each string instrument can be turned into a polyphonic instrument if the player stops two or more notes at the same time. For any multiple stop to be feasible, each note must be located on a different string.

As a general rule, all double stops including an open string are easy to play.

In order to be able to write successful multiple stops for strings, a thorough examination of playing positions of each instrument is required. The table below shows some of the easy and possible double stops in each instrument. The MIDI notes refer to the bottom note of the interval.

When writing multiple stops, bear the following in mind :

• Triple and quadruple stops can only be executed rapidly and slightly arpeggiated, due to the ‘curved’ nature of the instruments’ bridge.
• When writing multiple stops, the two factors you should account for first and foremost are : resonance of chords and ease of execution.
• Multiple stops are usually assigned to violins and violas and less often to cellos.
• When asking a player to perform a multiple stop give them ample time to prepare their positions. For example, a fast run cannot end on a multiple stop because the players will not have time to prepare the multiple stop.

3. Special-Purpose Chords

3.1 Short Accented Chords

Short and sharp chords can be played using multiple stops for extra strength and accent. A very good example of this is the so-called “Tchaikovsky Chord”, explained at a later section of this article.

3.2 Tutti Pizzicato Chords

Tutti chords are usually employed only if we are after a special effect and only for a short period of time. Continuous use of these chords lessens their impact and tires the listener!

Pizzicato strings are usually used in the following manners :

• One or all string families playing pizzicato, accompanying a solo instrument;
• As accents to emphasize important rhythmic moments of the melody of the composition;
• Combined with sustained harmony; the basses are often divided in two sections, half playing the bassline pizzicato and the other half arco.
• Pizzicato strings playing chords with multiple stops (for extra strength and accent);
• To play driving rhythms; for an extra ‘driving’ element, these pizzicato chords are usually combined with low brass;
• As I have found out recently, pizzicato strings blend beautifully with tuned percussion instruments such as marimbas when playing upbeat melodies.

Tutti pizzicato consists of the entire string section playing pizzicato, usually doubled by woodwinds and brass. Tutti pizzicato chords are occasionally reinforced by harp and piano.

3.3 Sustained and Tremolo Chords

Sustained harmony needs a lot more attention on our part because it is much more prominent. A perfect balance of tone is the first and most important goal.

Assuming that all string families are equal in power (i.e. comprise of a balanced number of players), the most frequent arrangement of chord tones is according to register, with the bassline doubled in unison or octaves :

• Melody (also called Soprano in part-writing) : 1st Violins
• Harmony note 1 (also called Alto) : 2nd Violins
• Harmony note 2 (also called Tenor) : Violas
• Bassline : Cellos and Basses in unison or octaves

When we want to add notes and reinforce the middle register it is preferable to double notes on the violins or violas. As a rule of thumb, the further apart those doublings are from the bass, the better. Of course, in order to create those doublings we will need to either write multiple stops or divide some string families. The best ‘candidates’ for divisi writing in this case are the violas. Violas, being ‘hidden’ in the middle of the string section in terms of register, are more easily ‘digested’ by the ear when being divided.

Another thing you should be careful of is dividing the higher strings (violins and violas) when the lower ones play non-divisi. Such an arrangement results in a heavy sound and you should balance it in other sections of the orchestra.

Finally, in sustained or forte double stops performed tremolo, we are allowed to ‘bend’ the part-writing rules in order to ensure ease of execution.

C. Doubling the String Harmony in other Sections

1. Strings and Woodwinds

The best candidates for doubling in strings and woodwinds are long sustained or tremolo chords (plenty of examples in the Star Wars suite!!). When we want to double string chords in woodwinds, we have the following choices :

• Complete doubling of chords according to register (Flutes with Violins, Oboes with Violas, Clarinets with Celli etc).
• Flutes and Oboes with Violins divisi
• Clarinets and Bassoons with Violas and Cellos divisi

While they sound ‘grande’ and please our ears, full and exact doublings should be used only when we are after a particular effect and not for long periods of time.

A very common technique is to have a sustained harmony in the string section and double with woodwinds playing more rhythmic variations of the string lines for extra motion.

The best practice when combining strings and other sections to play the harmony is to make each section complete in itself before considering any doublings. Also, trying to give each section a different voice-leading (i.e. connection of chords) will ensure that we avoid parallels as much as possible. If parallels cannot be avoided, they should better reside in the inner parts of each section.

2. Strings and Brass

The combination of strings and brass to play the harmony is a much harder one to get right. The best approach for a nicely blended and balanced tone is to use crossing of parts, enclosure or juxtaposition.  Again, the best approach is to make each section complete in itself with independent voice-leading.

Doubling strings with brass tends to produce a full and heavy sound. If we are after a more transparent effect, we can always reduce the number of brass instruments or omit some if desired. For example, we can only use French horns or Trumpets and Trombones instead of all three. Also, for added transparency, brass harmony should be written mainly in open intervals (fifths and octaves).

If exact doublings are desired, we have a number of choices :

• Harmony by tremolo strings, sustained chords by brass, doublings according to register relevance (Vln-Tpt, Vla-F.H, Vlc-Trb, CB-Tb);
• Strings playing short and disconnected sforzando chords, accented by brass;
• French horns doubling divided violas or cellos.

3. Strings, Woodwinds and Brass

The combination of all three instrument sections produces a heavy, full and round tone and should only be used for special effects rather than as common practice. Try to make each instrument section sound good on its own and when possible use independent voice-leading to avoid excessive use of parallels. When doubling string harmony in both woodwinds and brass, the most important factor we must account for is balance and distribution of tone colour.

The Tchaikovsky Chord

Berklee’s Mr.Ben Newhouse has written a fantastic article about the Tchaikovsky chord on his blog. While I am going to present the essence here, I strongly advise you to visit his blog and read in more detail!

The Tchaikovsky chord is a short, accented chord presented in Tchaikovksy’s 6th Symphony. It is a tutti chord where all strings play quadruple stops, doubled in the woodwinds and brass. In reality, the Tchaikovsky chord is only a G major triad, cleverly voiced according to the overtone (harmonic) series and doubled in all 3 groups of instruments, producing a ‘massive’ accent effect.

Looking from the bottom to top, the root has been doubled 5 times, the third of the triad has been doubled 3 times and the fifth only two times. The distribution of the full chord is (from top to bottom) :

G6 : Violins I + Flutes 1-2 + Piccolo

B5 : Violins II + Oboe 1

G5 : Violins I + Clarinet 1 + Trumpet 1

D5 : Violins II + Clarinet 2 + Oboe 2

B4 : Violas + French Horns 1+3

G4 : Violins II + Trumpet 2

D4 : Violins I + Violas + French Horns 2+4

B3 : Trombone 1

G3 : Violins I + Violins II + Violas + Trombone 2

G2 : Cellos + Bassoon + Trombone 3

G1 : Basses + Tuba

Hello good people and welcome back to our orchestration series! Grab a fresh cup of coffee and get ready!

Strings are, and have always been the backbone of the orchestra. Good string writing can add a lot to a cue, whether you are scoring a fast-paced action movie or an over-the-top romantic scene. I will try to present the material as concisely and laconically as possible, giving you the essence without all the extra ‘syrup’!

A. Instrumentation Notes

Let’s get the basics out of the way so that we can talk about the interesting bits later!

1. Ranges and String Tunings

2. String Characteristics

Here are some of the most important characteristics of the violin, viola and cello strings :

Violin  : 

• G3 :the thickest and most sonorous string of the violin
• D4 : has a mellow character, especially in the Eb4 – A#4 range
• A4 : the range A#4 – C5 presents the characteristic sound of the violin A-string. The range from C#5 upwards is particularly suitable for lyrical passages.
• E5 : has a ‘brilliant’ character; can be very effective in quiet and mysterious passages played piano

Viola :

• C3 : the most characteristic viola sound lies in the C3 – A3 range.
• G3 – D4 : both suitable for non-obtrusive accompaniment lines due to their dark quality.
• A4 : suitable for melodic playing or for doubling melodies in woodwinds, trumpets (soft) and trombones.

Cello :

• C2 : the lowest string of the cello is a rather sonorous bass and can be used to play basslines if a double bass in not available.
• G2 : the weakest cello string
• D3 : most of the lyrical, warm and greatly captivating melodies we hear being played on the cello are usually played sul D.
• A3 : a rather brilliant and piercing sound

3. Basic String Techniques

Strings are capable of producing a vast variety of articulations, ranging from soft legato to loud percussive sounds. The following table presents the most commonly used techniques any composer should be aware of :

B. Orchestrating a Melody within the String Section

Now that we got the boring stuff out of the way, it’s time to start tackling the real essence of orchestration. Get up, do some stretches, grab some fresh air and a fresh cup of your favourite beverage and let’s get started!

The string family is the most homogeneous family of the orchestra. Its four members blend beautifully with each other and when combined, produce a wonderful wall of sound. The old adage of “the sum is greater than its parts” is really applicable here. While each section sounds wonderful on its own, when you are after a the “Big Hollywood Sound”, you cannot go wrong by giving the melody to the strings playing in octaves.

In the following sections we will explore some of the most commonly used techniques for orchestrating a melody within the string section. These techniques are by no means exhaustive but provide a good starting point when you are pressed for time and need to get started right away. On other hand, for when you have plenty of time to experiment, remember that orchestration is not only following rules like 1+1=2; it’s all about creative imagination.

A final thing before we look at these techniques…bear in mind that there are three basic roles an instrument (or group of instruments) can have in an orchestration :

• playing a melody (either the main melody or counter-lines);
• playing the harmony (either as block chords or in counterpoint format);
• playing various effects here and there (trills, runs, crescendi, chord attacks etc).

Let’s explore the various ways in which strings can carry a melody.

1. Strings Carrying the Melody in Single Sections

Through a series of articles, I will present some instrumentation and orchestration principles not in the textbook approach adopted by various other sources, but in a meaningful more structured and concise manner—exactly as I would structure my personal notes for fast and easy reference. Being a geek at heart, I got into the habit of note-taking early on in my academic life and I have found that concise and easy to browse notes can save A LOT of time. If you are like me (i.e. without a 30-year experience in orchestrating), there must be times when you don’t remember something and you find yourself browsing through several books or online sources to find it. That’s exactly what we are looking to avoid here (as well as any bald patches from excessive head scratching)!  So, the idea behind this series (or of any other article in the SCU channel for that matter) is to make our lives easier and help us focus our time and energy in the actual task for writing music.

What This Is

Taking Rimsky-Korsakov’s approach and the excellent framework/structure of “Principles of Orchestration Online”, I will present the essence of instrumentation and orchestration in as a concise, quick and easy manner as possible, adding material from other sources and a good dose of humor where needed. Additionally, our resident musicologist Yaiza Varona will offer an extra dimension to everything; a behind-the-scenes look to help you better understand why orchestration has come to be what it is today.

What to Expect

For each orchestral section you will get two things : instrumentation notes (ranges, registers etc.) and orchestration techniques (how to use the section to play the melody and how to orchestrate the harmony within the section). After the examination of each orchestral section, we will provide you with sequencing, mixing and production techniques relevant to the instruments of that section.

Do not expect to learn to orchestrate like a pro merely by reading these articles. It takes a lifetime of studying, researching and applying to master the art of orchestration. But, we all have to start somewhere, right? Take the notes presented here and try to apply one technique at a time.  Study how the greats have done it and try to understand why. Unfortunately the pill for the ‘ultimate internalization of knowledge’ has not been discovered….yet. Don’t expect – like me a few years back! – to learn everything overnight. Give yourself a break and most of all, ENJOY that you can spend time doing what you love!

A Clarification

When referring to specific pitches, the “Roland” MIDI system is used, where Middle C=C4.

Also, instrument names and abbreviations come in many different shapes and colours. The ones used here are :

So, grab a cup of coffee and let’s get started!

Instrumentation VS Orchestration VS Arrangement

Three different but easily confused terms. Let’s get them straight :

The term Instrumentation is used to describe two things; 1) the selection of instruments used in a composition, and 2) the properties of musical instruments (construction, timbre, sound production, ranges, sound characteristics etc).

Orchestration is the distribution of ‘roles’ to different instruments in a composition. Orchestration usually entails the writing of countermelodies and accompanying lines.

Arrangement is the process of taking a composition/song and altering/adapting it to another form, style or orchestration. The term ‘arrangement’ is very common in jazz music where the so-called ‘jazz-standards’ can be found in many different arrangements. 

So, what does all this have to do with us composers? Let’s say you sat at your keyboard or picked up your guitar and came up with a nice melody and a chord progression. How do you turn this into a full-fledged composition? Having in mind the mood and atmosphere you want your music to exude, one of the main decisions you have to make is what instruments to use in your composition; i.e. choose your instrumentation. That requires a good knowledge of the particular characteristics and capabilities of the instruments available to you.

Having chosen your palette and having in mind a general outline of the form of your piece, next step is to decide how to distribute your material. There are three very basic elements in each orchestration : the foreground material (i.e. your main melody), the middle-ground material (the countermelodies and certain fill-ins, runs etc) and the background material (accompanying lines, mostly the harmony and rhythm). Keep in mind that generally, the ear cannot discern more than three elements at any given time. Therefore, you must have at most 3 different ‘roles’ at the same time otherwise the listener will get lost in translation. This is where a good knowledge of orchestral devices (doublings, instrument combinations etc.) comes in very handy.

One of the most important ‘rules’ of orchestration is variety and surprise. Keep your listeners alert by giving them little surprises every few bars. A good rule of thumb is to change the orchestration or small bits of it every few phrases or at every new section.

Orchestral Ensembles and Mixing Principles

The seating of the orchestra did not come to be what it is today for no reason. The careful placement of each instrument on stage and the size of each section has been carefully determined with mixing in mind, In the time of Beethoven and Wagner, Neve or SSL consoles were a tad expensive and hard to transport and folks preferred to do the mixing completely out of the box…without any box really!

The main principle underlying the nature, formation and seating of the orchestra is balance. Louder and more dominant instruments are placed in the rear and come in small numbers. Instruments with less carrying power (e.g. strings) come in larger numbers and are placed at the front of the orchestra. By learning how to orchestrate you will make the mixing process much easier. Remember that a bad orchestration cannot be fixed in the mixing phase.

Stay tuned for the first installment of String writing coming shortly as well as Yaiza Varona’s Musicological look into the origins of the orchestra!

Daunting isn’t it? Especially since each of these crafts alone could take a lifetime to master. As we cannot learn and master every harmonization or orchestration or even mixing technique a specialist would know, there must be systems in place to handle the parts where we are forced, either by budget or lack of connection, to handle those for ourselves. And when we ultimately do find ourselves in the enviable position of being able to hire out the necessary parts of production to a team of seasoned specialists, it becomes even more important that we know and understand a little about each area in order to be an effective manager and leader for the team overall.

That’s exactly why we’ve created SCOREcast University (SCU). Through a series of white papers, reference materials, and strategic tools over the next year, SCOREcast University aims to supply you with essential harmony, composition, orchestration and technology understanding to improve the quality of your work and help you take the next steps in building a successful career.

SCU will serve a dual purpose. First, it will be used as a ‘reference room’ which articles from other channels will refer to for further and background information. Second, it will serve as a ‘go-to’ library for easily locating information that would otherwise take you precious time to find.

SCOREcast University

While often cross-pollinate and not as distinct, there are six phases from the initial idea/concept of a score to the final product, and SCOREcast University will focus on each one through interconnected resource material.

Conception

The essential work every composer needs to do before sitting down to write music. Themes such as how to plan your time and your project, how to read a script and ‘interpret’ the director’s words, how to attend a meeting with the director and avoid unpleasant surprises, how to research your project, and how to develop the basic concept for the project will be covered here.

Composition

In conjunction with SCOREcast’s Composition channel (spearheaded by Ryan Leach), SCOREcast University will provide you with useful information regarding Tonal, Jazz and 20th Century harmonic devices as well as resources and specifics on turning your themes into full-fledged compositions.

Orchestration

For each orchestral section (strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion) we will provide you with important instrumentation information as well as a variety of techniques and devices you can use to make the most of the orchestral forces you have available.

Sequencing/Mockup

Aside from expensive sample libraries, the other most important factor in creating realistic mockups is the use of appropriate sequencing techniques. This category will contain resources for everything from sequencing for strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion and band instruments, DAW-specific techniques, sample library specifications, blending different libraries, and efficient template set-up.

Score Preparation/Recording

How to prepare your score and parts either using a notation program or using your DAW’s printout, best practices for working with session musicians, how to run a successful scoring session, how to layer recorded instruments with sample libraries, and much much more… the prep and recording section of SCOREcast University will resource all of these concentrations.

Mixing/Mastering

A detailed overview of the basic techniques involved in mixing and mastering your work; how to use panning, EQ, compression and FX to make your productions come alive, mastering techniques for specific genres, etc.

Delivery

An often neglected but equally important step in the chain of production scoring. This section will contain references designed help you see your project through to completion; specifications for industry standard deliveries, resources for physical or electronic delivery, checklists for dubbing and mixing sessions, cue sheet protocol, after-sales service and more.

In building SCOREcast University, we are putting together the world’s first online repository of resources specifically designed for the orking film music professional. With resources built by the pros in the trenches who are in the trenches everyday in Hollywood and London, we hope that the SCU database will quickly become a go-to tool for you and your team and that it will help you become quicker and more effective as a content provider by handling some of the more technical and mundane tasks that come with with job.

For those of you taking your first steps, SCOREcast University might serve you well as a starting point. For those of you already there, it can help you freshen up your memory. In any case, we hope it will help make your lives easier!

See? Life doesn’t have to be so hard!

SCOREcast University launches February 1st, 2012, first with a set of comprehensive orchestration tools. Keep your eyes on the front page for further information.