(Tip no. 1 from “100 Orchestration Tips,” Part I: The Wind Section) Breathing for wind instruments is cyclical, not inexhaustible. Breathing is the foundational mechanism for the operation of wind instruments. It’s puzzling why, therefore, some orchestration manuals pass so lightly over the subject. This gap undoubtedly contributes to that question often posed by the…
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As mentioned on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, here’s more detailed information about the “5 Orchestral Textures” perk from the “100 Orchestration Tips” book launch. What It Is “5 Orchestral Textures” is a perk especially offered for a donation level for my new book kickstarter on Indiegogo. It’s a five-part excerpt from another book planned for…
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(Tip no. 3 from 100 Orchestration Tips) The question of doubling for winds comes up quite often for an orchestrator-in-progress. Strange to say, the simple act of putting two of the same type of wind instrument on the same note can have broad implications for the type of sound you want in the orchestra. You…
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(Tip no. 5 from 100 Orchestration Tips) For every orchestral family, there are always auxiliary instruments: holdovers from older periods, like the viola d’amore or the oboe d’amore; or extensions of range like the piccolo or bass clarinet. Then there are the extreme auxiliaries, which push the range of the families in strange directions, usually…
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Have a read over the following two paragraphs, and think about which one is easier to process emotionally and practically. “Dear Hubert! Thanks so much for the first draft of my “Sonnet for a Dying Sparrow.” I feel so lucky to be working with such a talented and gifted musician as yourself, bringing my ideas…
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Composer of the Week: Ravel http://on-demand.radionz.co.nz/appt/appt-20111013-1900-appointment_for_13_oct_-_les_apaches-064.mp3 Thomas Goss explores the influence on Ravel’s music and career of his social circle ‘Les Apaches’, relationships that were symbolically interpreted in his piano cycle ‘Miroirs’. © Copyright Radio New Zealand
