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  4. How do I arrange a brass section?

  • How do I arrange a brass section?

    F
    F
    After trying for such a long time without success I got a few questions for brass arrangement (in this case for a pop/dance produktion):

    1. Should I use the VSL instruments? Or do U recomend other libaries, e.g. Killer Horns.

    2. How do I place the different instruments? Example: I want to program a simple chord in C-major.

    a) Should every Instrument play the whole chord?

    b) Wich instrument should play which note (e.g. tenor sax on C4, trombone ensemble on C3???)

    c) Which instrument should be doubled?

    d) Should I use different panning?

    e) Which effects do U recomend?

    3. Anyone knowing "Lola´s theme"- Shapeshifters: I really like the Trumpet (Brass?) in the hook-line. Could anyone explain for idiots, how to program this (instruments, effects...) It sounds so simple to me, but I don´t get it done!

    Thanks for your help!
  • D
    D
    Felix,

    The Kent Kennan book "The Technique of Orchestration" has very good examples of voicing brass, woodwinds and strings as individual groups as well as together. It's very clearly presented and insightful. The current book comes with a CD of the examples which is even more helpful.

    VSL brass is probably the best available.

    HTH,

    Dave Connor
  • E
    E
    The correct choices are plentyful. Only plenty of experience can make your choice the "right one" for you, and at that point you won't need anyone else's opinion as to the "best" way.

    Jump in, and get wet, and keep at it until you've mapped out all the corners of the box called "the universe of music".

    Herbie Hancock once told me:
    "You have to learn how to think outside the box ... and not just in a bigger box."

    So once you've got it licked, you still have that to look forward to as well! [;)]

    Fun huh?

    Evan Evans
  • Beat KaufmannB
    Beat KaufmannB
    last edited
    last edited

    @Felix Bartelt said:

    After trying for such a long time without success I got a few questions for brass arrangement (in this case for a pop/dance produktion):
    1. Should I use the VSL instruments?...

    ...Without doupt... [H] [H]

    Hi Felix
    Click please on VSL > Sousa-Excerpts

    Sousa Excerpts
    Composed by John Philip Sousa
    Instruments
    OPUS 1:
    * Flute
    * Trumpet Ens
    * Trombone-Ens
    * Horn-Ens
    * Bass Tuba
    * Snare-Ens and other Percussion instruments.
    ...cheer up! [[[:D]]] [[[:D]]] [[[:D]]]

    All the best
    Beat Kaufmann
    - Tips & Tricks while using Samples of VSL.. see at: https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/vitutorials/ - Tutorial "Mixing an Orchestra": https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/mixing-an-orchestra/
  • H
    H
    Our dear departed genius Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov wrote a wonderful book that i always considered a 'bible' in music, and the construction of great sounds. It's as relavent today as when it was written.

    'The Principles of Orchestration.'

    For your current dilemma and others in the future, this makes a good read, and a great reference.

    As for thinking outside the box................what box?

    Regards to you all

    Alex.
  • E
    E
    Yeah, Korsakov is the finest, and Blatter.
  • P
    P
    Hey Beat, glad I clicked that! Nice one! Why do you hide it like that? [;)]
  • Beat KaufmannB
    Beat KaufmannB
    last edited
    last edited

    @PolarBear said:

    Hey Beat, glad I clicked that! Nice one! Why do you hide it like that? [;)]

    Hallo Polarbär
    I didn't want to hide it. I thought "VSL > Sousa Excerpts" looks more elegant than...
    http://homepage.hispeed.ch/beat.kaufmann/downloads/bksousaexcerptsvsl04.mp3 ... [8-)] [*-)]:

    Beat
    - Tips & Tricks while using Samples of VSL.. see at: https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/vitutorials/ - Tutorial "Mixing an Orchestra": https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/mixing-an-orchestra/
  • F
    F
    Hi guys,

    back to my question:

    I´ve just ordered the recommended books. Thanks for the hints.

    Can someone maybe give a quick example, how he would arrange a simple chord.
    Let´s say for example a C-Minor with a length of 3 sec beeing used in a pop song.

    Wich instruments would you use on wich note. (e.g.: C4 played by Tr-3_sffz and SXT_mV_sffz, G3 played by PO-3....)

    I think that would really help me for the start.
  • D
    D
    Felix,

    Any instrument with _3_ at the end means there are three instruments in the sample, which you can use anyway you like but it's 9 players total (in a three note chord) not 3.
    Even so anything goes in MIDI and particularly in Pop arrangements. I would try single instruments and see how they work.

    Triads always work well in brass particularly if they are not in an extreme register (too high or low.) C Major7 could be voiced B<below mid C (Trombone) E (Sax) G (Trumpet) or in the same order E G B or even G B E< very high and bright.

    Generally closed voicings of triads is a very solid choice with the option of the 7th of the chord in the bottom tone (Bones) for that color.

    Chose the most appropriate articulation. fpf is often done in brass as well as staccato, sfz and cresc. Try whatever you think will work and then something else if it doesn't. Also try the layered modwheel samples because you can control the swell exactly. If you need a staccato attack AND swell, use two midi tracks (one for stac instrument one for layered.)

    Dave Connor
  • D
    D
    I really wish that VSL had included fpf samples for the brass in the Pro Ed. They did for a few of the woodwinds.
  • PaulP Paul moved this topic from Orchestration & Composition on