Orchestration: PART 1 (woodwinds) discussion

Originally Posted by Qccowboy

comments:

first of all, thank-YOU.

excellent work.

the oboe part might be a TAD too high for the "weak range". we wouldn't want the oboist's lips to fall off either.

your combo theme is very nice. I believe it would work very well as long as you don't force the oboe to go too high.

your chord, on the other hand... yes it would be shrill... but I'd like something a little more complete.

could you re-set a 3-note chord, major or minor?
and use more than 4 instruments. remember, now we have access to a symphony orchestra (woodwinds listed above).

Here is something a bit more complete. I listed only certain instruments before because of what lesson 1 and two entitled and got lazy on the last one . Here it is.

What did you mean by re-set a three note chord? I think I failed in that case....I used a 1-5-9 Chord clashing the two and the one in my thing. Its my favorite chord. =)

Originally Posted by TheMeaningofLIfe

Here is something a bit more complete. I listed only certain instruments before because of what lesson 1 and two entitled and got lazy on the last one . Here it is.

What did you mean by re-set a three note chord? I think I failed in that case....I used a 1-5-9 Chord clashing the two and the one in my thing. Its my favorite chord. =)

I wanted just a simple 3-note major or minor chord, "orchestrated" using the woodwind section.

here is your chance to start using the woodwinds of a symphony, we have access to the whole thing for this course

it's time to start breaking free from using single instruments.

I think your chord will have a very beautiful sound... but I'm afraid it might not quite give the result you are expecting: "airy and relaxed".

More on this later...

Originally Posted by Qccowboy

very good David.

I notice a lot of you are choosing to go the "nasal" route with your melodic combinations

lots of oboe/bassoon combos.


David, I think that your chord might end up sounding a bit thin, you heavily emphasized the tonic of the chord. If this is what you wanted, then it IS your choice. As I said, outside of actual performing impossibilities, there are no "wrong" choices. There are weaker and stronger choices, but gradually you'll get the hang of those.

I guess I didn't like the sound of the chord when there was more of the third. And I love the sound of the oboe and the bassoon--especially up high. Only reason I like Le Sacre du printemps.

This can't be said enough. Thank you, Qc, for the time and effort that you have put into this class and the community at large.

Praise aside, attached are my excercises.

A couple notes:

-The filenames of the pictures should tell you which excercise is which. (In case it doesn't, the order [left to right, bottom to top] is Flute-Strong, Flute-Weak, Oboe-Strong, Oboe-Weak, Clarinet, Bassoon-Strong, Bassoon-Weak, Excercise 2, Excercise 3.)

-Although the clarinet part in my excercise can be considered strong and weak (keeping in mind the clarinet has complete dynamic control), I'd like to point out that, despite this fact, the throat tones can be hesitant. In addition, the part could also be considered weak in terms of playability, due to crossing the break (though really a microscopic weakness)

-In the 4 bar phrase, I paired the Clarinet and Bassoon, using the weak (almost humorous) range of the Bassoon. My intention was to convey a joking mood.

-And lastly, the E major chord. All of the instruments are doubled (incl. the Bassoon). I used the weak registers of all the intruments, except for the flutes, to convey a light, airy, fragile mood. I tried to emphasize the 3rd of the chord in Fl. II and Cl. I.

Thank you for your time.
(And you may refer to me as Luke, if you wish)

thank-you Luke, very well done.

I think almost everyone has handed in the exercises now... so I may as well add a little note.

The little melody that I asked you to place in each instrument had a little trap built in: the trill. I'm glad to see that no one fell for it. That trill, in the clarinet, could very easily have landed right ON the break, making for very awkward fingering.

Just to speak quickly about the break: I don't believe you should make a big case out of it. For beginner clarinetists it is a fingering and tone quality issue, however, for good players it is a non-issue. Obviously, a trill across that break does make for awkward fingering, no matter the technical level of the musician.

I'm going to ask for a bit of patience as I prepare the next set of exercises.

So keep at it, and ask any questions you might have I will answer them and incorporate them into the course if necessary.

I'm going to ask for a bit of patience as I prepare the next set of exercises.

Hey everyone - time to do extra credit!

Should we continue orchestrating simple phrases like Mark did while we wait?

Ok, here are mine. (sorry that they aren't in the right order, I had to re-upload one...)

I'm not too sure about the basson in the first one...

In the second I re-orchestrated a melody from another piece of mine. In that piece it uses tuba and very low bassoons so it is very plodding and heavy. In this I tryed to make it a bit light but still kind of keep a little of the 'plod' if you know what I mean. Hence the high bassoon.

The third one I had most problems with, is it ok?

Thanks for giving up your time to do this, I really appreciate this.

Originally Posted by bob_the_sane

Ok, here are mine. (sorry that they aren't in the right order, I had to re-upload one...)

I'm not too sure about the basson in the first one...

In the second I re-orchestrated a melody from another piece of mine. In that piece it uses tuba and very low bassoons so it is very plodding and heavy. In this I tryed to make it a bit light but still kind of keep a little of the 'plod' if you know what I mean. Hence the high bassoon.

The third one I had most problems with, is it ok?

Thanks for giving up your time to do this, I really appreciate this.

ok, in exercise 1, be careful, your Oboe is too low in the low register.

exercise 2 , very good. flute and bassoon is a mixture I particularly like in my own music. hehehe

exercise 3, that's a very pretty chord. I think to reinforce the bass I might have placed the bass clarinet on an A an octave lower (sounding G in bass clef, between the two bassoons)

the flute sound comes out very clearly in the texture.

If you want to try again for something different, try to think of how you would re-orchestrate that same chord to blend the instruments more fully.

take into consideration the added elements of stacking, enclosing, enbricking and overlapping we have now added to our vocabulary in the latest lesson.

I know you guys have been thanking me for my time, but you know what?

I think the greatest thanks I could possibly get is seeing how you are assimilating the material and it makes me feel like a million dollars.

I want to thank YOU.

Originally Posted by Qccowboy

I know you guys have been thanking me for my time, but you know what?

I think the greatest thanks I could possibly get is seeing how you are assimilating the material and it makes me feel like a million dollars.

I want to thank YOU.

Contributing to the positive vibe.

I think I have found something we should all try our hand at.

It is a competition for a woodwind quintet and we were all just given a lesson on the use of them so.........

Just a hint.