Arrangement for Big Band

[stevel]

Ok Guys, here's a fairly final draft of this little ditty I've been working on.

It's a guitar feature - we have a big band and our guitarist is an employee of mine and a friend, and he 1. never gets any parts to play, and 2. can't read melody so well (which is probably why he never gets any parts to play!). I though I would make something that would be accomplishable for him, and keep it pretty simply - ultimately, I feel like with such a simple guitar part, it's more likely to appeal to some high school big band - it might be a little to easy for college-age bands (especially good ones who wouldn't want to bother with such a simple tune).

Keys, Bass, and Guitar, I've got no problem. What I need help/suggestions with are the Saxes, Bones, and Trumpets. Can you guys take a look at this and see if you see any red flags, or, if you see anything highly atypical. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for orchestration too - I've already gotten comments from someone and I'm wanting to see how many coincide.

Otherwise, if the orchestration is good, I might leave it, or make alternate versions, etc. But I really just want to know if I'm in the ballpark orchestration-wise. I know I could make it more harmonically complex, etc., but for now, I'm in KISS mode.

Oh, there's a MIDI file too, but again, this is Finale and I haven't spent a lot of time on playback, so it's really just for an idea, not a very good midi representation.

Thanks, Steve.

[Boneman]

Hi Steve!

I have had a look and listen and have just a few comments for you.

1. Use of instruments. Use sections rather than 1 trombone/trumpet and bari sax. Blending is quite important in tone colour.
2. Don't for get your kit player! They add greatly to any big band arrangement.
3. Page 4 (improv solo I take it) back it with bucket mute trombones for a warm feeling.
4. The intro needs extending really.
5. I feel that it is a shame that for the whole piece you only use the band as a whole for 4 bars!
6. Choice of Key! I know that guitar players like the sharp keys but if he/she has been playing in a big band they must be used to the flatter side of life.

I like the simplicity of the tune but I feel it needs developing into being used as a bigger theme using all the forces at your disposal.

Have fun with it!

Kevin

[stevel]

1. Use of instruments. Use sections rather than 1 trombone/trumpet and bari sax. Blending is quite important in tone colour.

I had a lot of similar comments from various people basically saying the same thing. I re-orchestrated it based on those comments and I have a new version, I just hadn't posted it yet (was hoping you'd comment).

I guess I was thinking orchestrally. As soon as I started looking at some other charts I was like "damn, all 4 trumputs playing this one line???" but I guess that's common in this ensemble.

2. Don't for get your kit player! They add greatly to any big band arrangement.

Oh, I bet I just had less on this version - I've added more instructions for them, but to be honest, I was waiting for a reading and I wanted to get the drummer's input.

3. Page 4 (improv solo I take it) back it with bucket mute trombones for a warm feeling.

What I had originally thought of we using muted trumpets and trombones just to run those lines. I think I ended up using saxes and trumpets or something. Again though, I think I "under-scored" by giving them pairs rather than 4tets.

4. The intro needs extending really.

Well, I've thought about this. I was really trying to Keep It Simple Stupid so I could concentrate on the orchestration (which as you can see, I had much to learn).

5. I feel that it is a shame that for the whole piece you only use the band as a whole for 4 bars!

You know, that bugged me from the start. In fact, I printed parts once just to see how much material I had given everyone, and something came out like 4th trumpet that maybe played a total of 6 meausures. Of course I'm thinking, I don't want to give them something to do just because I feel like I need to give them something to do. I think by doubling up many of the lines and "over-orchestrating" (from my perspective), I can even it out.

The other thing is, it's a simple ballad, with guitar feature. I wanted to keep it "light" as I find when listening to our big band that solo instruments are quickly covered when the entire band comes in.

6. Choice of Key! I know that guitar players like the sharp keys but if he/she has been playing in a big band they must be used to the flatter side of life.

Well, now that I have the open string things and the harmonics, it would have to remain in this key, but this is yet another one of those things I questioned myself on.

I was also thinking, I want to keep it simple - usually, we have guitarists that are the weakest readers and soloists of the group, especially in younger groups. So the guitar part needed to be simple but showy (comparatively) and the wind parts were to be more for junior high or high school kids. But the, putting it in this key might really mess up the younger wind players. So I've sort of made it too simple for people who could actually play it I think.

Thanks Kevin - I'll try and post my revision. I'd love to compare and see what I've improved, or where it's gotten worse!

Steve

[stevel]

Originally Posted by Boneman

I like the simplicity of the tune but I feel it needs developing into being used as a bigger theme using all the forces at your disposal.

Have fun with it!

Kevin

Oh, I forgot to mention - I'm chalking this one up as a learning experience. I'll get it read next semester and record it. I think in fact I'm going to see if I cant get my original and my final versions done so I can compare (I'll learn more that way).

But the piece is so simple, I really don't want to invest any more time in it - I'll do something bigger based on what I've learned. Out Jazz guy was telling me "oh I think you can include some more X type chords" and I don't know if he was talking about the progression, or the types of chords, but again, I don't think I want all these ALT chords in there - again, I don't want to put something in just because I feel I need to put them in because it seems like everyone else puts them in. This is really about the orchestration for me.

Steve

[Boneman]

Good luck with it anyway! Big oaks etc

Click here to see an arrangement I did from a piano part. Not brilliant but it will giveyou an idea asto orchestration(maybe) The playback in scorch is not brilliant.

http://www.sibeliusmusic.com/cgi-bin...&storeid=33299

[stevel]

Good luck with it anyway!

Here's the re-orchestrated version I made based on others comments. I made this a couple of months ago - not long after posting the original above. I tried to "thicken it up" a little bit. But I might still be being a little too conservative in doublings.

Is this one better Kevin, - am I hot, cold, lukewarm, etc.?

(note, again mainly concerned about the orchestration and not the other content at this point).

Steve

[Boneman]

Steve can you send me a finale/sibelius file?