Building Orchestral Momentum

Hi guys,

I'm in the middle of writing my first symphonic piece, and I'm just curious what techniques you employ to create momentum in a piece without employing simply percussion.

The main composer I have in mind is Michael Kamen; lots of his work as a driving pulse to it, but the only really distinct technique of his I know is using arpeggiated figures in the strings. Check out Band of Brothers Suite 2 on iTunes, you'll see what I mean.

So, if you're writing music (NOT for an action scene) and you want people to tap their feet to it and say OH THAT'S COOL, what are some of my options? ;)

Chris

So, if you're writing music (NOT for an action scene) and you want people to tap their feet to it and say OH THAT'S COOL, what are some of my options? :)

Serve free beer at the concert. ;)

Serve free beer at the concert. ;)

:):laugh::laugh:

Try giving those arpeggiated figures to other instruments, for a start. The Russians, in particular, especially favored using the clarinets for those.

Also, judicious use of staccato chords in the brass and/or strings on off beats can give a passage a sense of forward motion.

The Russians, in particular, especially favored using the clarinets for those.

So did Gaetano Donizetti. He used it in the aria 'Regnava nel Silenzio' from Lucia di Lamermmoor quite masterfully.

Tremelo on the violions and violas while the cello and bass play arpeggios?

A chromatically rising bass-line is one (harmonic) way of creating forward motion - often accompanied by other things mentioned in this thread. (and of course suitable harmony)

I would not take tremoli as being the most effective means of creating orchestral momentum - they can actually be used very well to create the opposite effect.

You can use a driving, possibly repetitive (in the good way) bass line. Try not to over-do it, though, because it sounds clich

Look at some of the techniques Wagner used. He was great at building momentum.

I would even take the first and the fifth of the chord you are trying to build(or whatever sounds good to you) and have some instruments play simply 8th notes back and forth, then as you build it crescendo, that's about as much as I can suggest.

Have your conductor throw balloons full of paint at the orchestra. Only at those who aren't looking up of course. Works wonders.