Instrumentation Student Work book

Transcription

1 1 Instrumentation Student Work book Instrumentation involves taking a piece of piano music and rewriting each of the parts for a different instrument. You cannot add new material or do your own thing. You must take what is there and re write the music for at least four different instruments. You really need to be able to read music to do this exercise. (it is highly desirable) It is also desirable to be able to use a music notation program such as Sibelius. Below is an example in its simplest form. In the example below at any one time there are three different notes being sounded at the same time. There are three lines of music that could be separated into parts for different instruments to play. So while a piano could play what is written below you would need three separate wind instruments to play one line each to get the same effect. Sibelius File 1A This is the top line. This is the 2 nd line of music This is the bottom line The next step is to create three lines of music on three different staves. One for each line of music so that three different instrument each playing just one note could create the above piece of music. Sibelius File 1B

2 2 The next step All that would be needed now would be to assign each of those parts to a different instrument. The example below shows the possibilities of that can be done when re written for three string instruments Obviously the part in the bass clef has to be written for an instrument that plays in the bass clef or is a low pitched instrument. In this example a Cello Sibelius File 1c Exercise 1 Look at the following piece of piano music. Firstly write beside and colour in with a different colour each of the separate lines of music. Re write each line on a different stave. You can do with on the manuscript or the Sibelius file 1d

3 3 An example of music in four parts In the example below there are four distinct parts Sibelius File 2a Each of the lines will be assigned to a different melodic line and have their own stave. Sibelius File No 2 Those melodic lines could be each assigned to a different instrument. Sibelius File No 3

4 4 Piano Music When you look at a piece of piano music there is usually more than one note or even two notes being played at once. Basically you are deciding what to do with the various lines of music. Exercise2. Look at the piano music below and use a highlighter to pick out the various musical lines. If you do not have a highlighter, use a pencil and lines to show where the different musical lines are. Sibelius File 4 Exercise 3. Once you have sorted the parts continues writing them out separately as started for you below. Sibelius file No 5 has the answer. Exercise 4. Here is another exercise if you fell that you need more practice. This is a piece of piano music by the composer Wilhelm Bach and is in three parts. Go to Sibelius File 6 and write the parts out on separate melodic lines.

5 5 Knowledge of chords and harmony Ideally before embarking on your instrumentation it is desirable to have a sound knowledge of chords and keys. *The task Is to devise instrumentation for an ensemble. It is to take a piece of piano music and create instrumental parts for each of the separate lines of music. Some might have to be doubled up. It is important that before doing this you must : Know what the instruments are Know about the different instrument you wish to write for articulation performance indicators their range of playable notes how they sound in different registers. The instruments are broken down into families. (If you did level 1 score a reading you should have covered this) Within these families you have a group which are considered the main orchestral instruments and then other instruments which are not so common. The main Orchestral Instruments families Strings Woodwind Brass Percussion Violin Viola Cello Double bass Flute Oboe Clarinet bassoon Trumpet French Horn Trombone Tuba Timpani Bass drum Snare drum Other Harp Less known Instruments Piccolo Cor anglais Bass Clarinet Double bassoon Vibraphone Xylophone If you are not sure what these instruments look like or sound like find out. On your student resources or the CD available there are some examples from you tube of these instruments being played. Further knowledge will be covered in class. Jazz instruments These are instruments associated with Jazz. Woodwind Brass Rhythm Section Soprano Saxophone Alto saxophone Tenor Saxophone Baritone Saxophone Trumpet Trombone Piano /Keyboard Bass guitar Rhythm guitar Drum kit Possibly vibraphone Rock Instruments Guitars Electric Guitar Electric Bass Percussion Drum Kit Keyboard

6 6 Choosing your instruments When choosing your instruments choose those that work well together and/or fit the genre of the music you are setting an instrumentation for. Some instruments sound louder than others. Some work better with others. For example a flute and two trumpets might not be a good combination. Knowing about the instruments you choose It is important to know about the instruments you are choosing. Every instrument has a range of notes that it can technically play and a range of notes that is what is called the playable range. The instruments also have a range of notes that much of the music that is composed for them uses. (How many piano pieces do you know that only use the bottom 8 notes of piano) Many instruments sound different when played with in different pitch ranges (A good example is the flute which sounds quite mellow when played lower down but very bright and sometimes shrill in the upper register.) If possible listen to examples of the instruments you wish to use either on You Tube or ask the teacher for examples. ( there is a CD with examples please ask to view and listen to this) There are two types of instruments Those at concert pitch. What they see on the page is what we hear and transposing instruments. The music they read is not what we hear. Transposing instruments. These are instruments that do not play the actual notes they read. If a clarinet which is in Bb reads the note of C it actually sounds Bb. If an instrument does not have Bb Eb etc written beside it is not transposing. It is important to have an understanding of transposing instrument if you choose to use them in you instrumentation. Below is a list of the common transposing instruments and what they transpose at Instrument What it reads What the instrument plays Clarinet in Bb Reads the note of C Sounds Bb a 2 nd lower Trumpet in Bb Same as the Clarinet Instrument What it reads What the instrument plays French horn in F Reads the note of C Sounds F a Perfect 5 th lower

7 7 Saxophones Instrument What it reads What the instrument plays Alto saxophone in Eb Reads the note of C Sounds and plays the note of Eb a major 6 th lower Tenor Saxophone in Bb Sounds quite a bit lower than what is written. Baritone Saxophone Eb This is almost a bass instrument. Reads the not of C but sounds the Bb 9 notes lower Reads the note of C sounds 13 notes lower than is written Sounds a Major 9 th lower than what is written sounds 13 notes lower than is written One octave plus a major 6 th. Other transposing instruments Instruments What they read What we hear the instrument plays Guitar Electric bass Double Bass They read the note of C Acoustic guitar They all sound 8 notes or an octave lower. Acoustic guitar sounds these notes Bass Guitar When writing music for a bass guitar be aware that is actually sounds an octave lower ( 8 notes) than what is written. When writing music in Sibelius you can have the instruments sound what you are writing. If you write the notes on the top stave for the baritone sax what you will hear is on the bottom stave

8 8 Instrument Ranges of Notes Below is a guide to the possible ranges of various wind and guitar instruments and a guide to their suitable playing range. Reads Sounds Actual Range Playable Range Concert pitch Concert Pitch Sounds Maj 2nd lower Sounds M6th lower Music will be written 6 notes higher Sounds M 9 th lower Concert Pitch Sounds a P5 lower Sounds M2nd lower Concert pitch Concert pitch Sounds an octave lower.8 notes lower Sounds an octave lower 8 notes lower

9 9 Writing for instruments on Sibelius There are a number of websites you can go to that have examples of the instruments actually playing. Ask your teacher for examples of what different instrument sound like. Most times when you are writing for different instrument using the Sibelius file if you write an instrument out of range it will show up as RED on the stave. When writing for different instruments check out the following guide. Instrument Top range Middle range Low Range Flute Shrill and very clear Still clear more mellow Husky and sometimes not heard above other instruments Clarinet Shrill quite piercing More mellow Husky darker sounding Oboe Very clear Still clear Husky not easily heard against other instrument Bassoon Almost like a cello Very clear and bright Normal range clear Trumpet Very clear almost More mellow but piercing still quite loud Horn Clearer sound Normal range Often used in harmony parts Can be quite gruff. Blends in more Not so noticeable blend in to harmony parts. Can be slightly gruff. Trombone Quite loud and clear Normal Low pitch blends in can sound quite gruff Fill in for harmony parts. Not so easily heard. Alto saxophone Very clear sometime quite shrill Normal range When writing out music for different instruments you don t have to have the highest pitched instrument playing the top melodic line. The pitch of the musical line in the piano part can be changed. Sibelius File No 9 Below is a small piece of piano music. Listen to it on a Sibelius file there are two different versions of the same piece. Notice the first version just has the saxophones written but not sounding at the correct pitch.

10 10 Sibelius file 10 here is the same piece of music with the instruments transposed for the performers to play the music You can write for different instrument at concert pitch as above then click the little Bb key signature beside the score word at the top. This will change the instrument to have the correct transposition. You still hear the correct notes.

11 Different ways of looking at the music The top part can be given to other instruments to play. What cannot change is the actual music itself. Sibelius File No 11. The tenor saxophone has the melody line while the alto sax is playing the harmony part. Listen to the example 11 Exercise 5 Choose one or two of the following piano pieces and write a small instrumentation for the first three bars of music for one of the following instrument combinations. Flute Violin Alto sax ( in Eb Clarinet in Bb Violin Trumpet in Bb Oboe Viola Tenor Sax Bassoon Cello Bass guitar Sibelius File No 12 Choose three instruments Sibelius File no 13 Sibelius File 14

12 12 Articulation Once you have grasped the concept of organising the parts for different instruments. The next step is to understand the actual instruments themselves and the various forms of articulation and the effects. It is expected that you will have an understanding of dynamics and basic articulation which cover all instruments. Staccato staccatissimo Martello Accent Tenuto Phrasing Phrases are used to capture a musical statement. A phrase will define musical shape with a curved line over the notes. Slur Is used to indicate smooth playing. In a string instrument a slur is used to indicate playing with one bow while in a wind instrument or voice it is use to indicate playing with one breath. Other terms Some of these are used to describe how the music should be played Detache Legato Fermata Dolce Cantabile Simile Marcato Smorzando morendo To play in a detached manner To play smoothly Pause Sweetly and nice In a singing style Carry on in a similar style Marked Dying away There are many other terms that can also be used to describe how the music can be played

13 13 String Instruments Violin viola Cello Double Bass A string instruments uses a bow. The down bow is more forceful than the up bow and is often found on the first beat of a bar. The down bow is shown by The up bow is shown by A curved line is used to indicate the music will be played by one bow. This will create a smoother effect The bowing will follow on unless otherwise stated Other terms for stringed instruments Pizz or pizzicato This is where the strings are plucked instead of bowed. Arco The strings are bowed. Be aware that if you put pizzicato for a solo violin it sounds quieter than if it was bowed. Using pizzicato against another instrument such as a clarinet the violin might not be heard that clearly. Double Bass Pizzicato is often used by the double bass player creating a similar effect to an electric bass guitar. Legato A group of notes is played smoothly by one bow Portato played with a single bow but with a slight break between the notes notated as a series of notes each bearing a staccato dot, placed under a slur Con sordini Sordini is another term for mutes. A mute is placed near the top of the violin and creates a softer more subdued sound. This might be used for a very soft errie solo. Wind instruments Slur If a slur is placed over a group of notes that is to indicate the music being played with one breath. When writing for wind instruments it is important to realise they do need to breath. Changes on one note. A wind instrument can change dynamics on one note Other variations can include Trumpet can also use a mute which will change the sound.

14 14 Putting it all together Step 1 is to choose your piece of music. Step 2 is to decide what instruments you will create your instrument with Step 3 is to look through your piano score and how you are going to organise your instruments Pre task Activity look at the piano score below and then examine the two different versions of instrumentations done for this score. For each one, identify good points and possible problems or aspect that might not work. Tchaikovsky snow Drop When you play the next example the mute the piano part. Did you see some problems? Read the comments on the next page

15 Problems with that combination of Instruments. 1. The combination of instruments might be questioned A trumpet is much louder than a violin and flute. It might be better to substitute the trumpet part with a clarinet or viola 2. While the bassoon part has been put down an octave you could try moving this up and here a different effect. 3. May be the flute might be better up an octave also. Be aware there is a discord in the first bar with the f and g played together You could try shifting one of the middle parts up an octave. Remember you cannot change the actual music but you can change the pitch Sibelius File 15b Here is another version of the same piece with the flute up an octave. This means you can hear it much better. The violin is taking the middle part of the three notes while the viola takes the top of the three notes Viola Violin Bassoon In terms of instrument ranges and combinations this is much more successful You need to think about pitch. In the original piano part the bottom three notes are cluster together. This could be broken up.

16 Listen to yet another version of the same piece with the bassoon part taken by the cello an octave lower. The violin part is actually middle note taken up an octave. Sib file 15c 16 Yet another combination might be to use Flute Clarinet Guitar Bass guitar Sib file 15d Note the bass guitar and the guitar both sound an octave lower than what is written

17 In this next example of the same piece the notes in the guitar have been spaced out and re arranged. Note the same notes are used and the same rhythm. Sib file 15 e 17 More Practice. Take this example of piano music. You do not necessarily have to have all four instruments playing all the music. There may be occasions where only one or two play. Sib file 16 Use it to plan what you might do choice of instruments Where could you double up? Sib file 16b suggestions you might like to carry on or try and create your won example.

18 18 Look and if possible listen to the example below and see how the piano part has been adapted for the various instruments.