February 13th, 2010
To begin with, a Cadenza is not something a string arranger would usually write into an average 3 minute pop song or rock track but they can be added into other styles of music and apply to any instrument (not just strings!). A cadenza comes from the word ‘Cadence’ (a cadence is an ending either to a phrase or even section of a piece) and is essentially an ad libbed passage in a piece of music (usually at a Cadence) where a solo instrument breaks out from the rest into a flourish. In the baroque era, a singer would often embellish a cadence with an improvisation (normally near the end of an aria). Later, in the classical period the cadenza developed into an improvised solo at the end of the recapitulation section and before the coda of a first movement (normally a concerto). In this form, the soloist would take themes from the piece and develop them, often changing the form into something quite different yet still related to the original melody. Cadenzas became increasingly virtuosic, allowing the performer the chance to really demonstrate their skills on the instrument - and in many cases became quite a few minutes long. Nowadays, a cadenza is less commonly improvised and more often carefully composed before the performance to cleverly capture themes from the piece and gain the maximum impact whilst still feeling ‘improvised’. The performer has the complete attention of the audience during a cadenza so it’s important to ‘get it right’ and most cadenzas are carefully prepared beforehand.
In a string arrangement for a song, the length of the track will determine how long a cadenza might last but in modern pop or rock music it now takes the form of an instrumental break - where the vocalist and other instruments takes a pause and one of the instruments comes to the fore with a solo phrase or quick flourish, possibly only lasting a few seconds. An appropriate section could be at the end of the introduction, before the first verse begins.
So how does a cadenza differ from say, a guitar solo? In a guitar solo the beat or pulse of the track continues underneath - sometimes the same chords repeat, allowing the guitar to float over the top with improvised runs. In a cadenza, the beat of the music stops completely (like a pause), allowing the instrument to provide a fill in until the music starts where it left off. A cadenza is usually a solo instrument, but there’s no reason why a whole section of instruments couldn’t play one!
Tags: arranging for violin, cadence, cadenza, guitar solo, improvisation, instrumental break, scoring for violin, session strings, String Arranging, writing for orchestra, writing for strings
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February 8th, 2010
Now, I have to admit I don’t think I’ve used Scordatura more than a handful of times in my entire life, but thought it worth writing about anyway as it could be an interesting compositional technique to experiment with in relation to a string arrangement. Scordatura comes from the word ‘Scordare’ which means to ‘mis tune’ and applies to any piece or passage where the normal tuning of the strings is altered. One famous example is the violin solo at the beginning of Saint Saens’ ‘Danse Macabre’ which de-tunes the perfect fifth of the A and E string to a diminished fifth (the E coming down to an E flat) - to represent the dissonant interval of the devil! Some violinists however prefer to simply play the passage with normal tuning so that they don’t have to fiddle around re-tuning the violin during the piece.
Apart from when you want your strings to represent the devil (!) there are other reasons for using Scordatura: one is to extend the range of the instrument down or upwards and the other is to change the tone colour of the instrument, either making it brighter by tuning upwards or mellower by tuning downwards (an example is Paganini’s violin concerto no. 1 in D major which the composer instructed should be played in the key of E flat major by tuning the entire violin up a semitone to create added brightness).
In terms of string playing, I am scratching my head to think of a single instance where I ever de-tuned my violin during a piece of orchestral music, but that’s not to say that an innovative or enterprising composer should be put off from trying it, to create an effect. With a whole section (e.g violas) having a string de-tuned, it could create some striking sonorities and would be well worth trying out if a suitable mood is required from the strings.
Tags: Add new tag, Arranging for strings, De tuning string instruments, Paganini violin concerto, Saint Saens Danse Macabre, Scordatura, session musicians, Tuning of a violin, tuning of violins, violas
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February 7th, 2010
The word vibrato comes from the latin ‘vibrare’ meaning ‘to shake’ and it is a slight (and often rapid) wavering of the pitch for emotional effect. Many singers, whether classically trained or not naturally have a vibrato to their voices and in terms of string playing this is often an ever present feature of music making.
For music of the 16th and 17th century, only a small and refined vibrato is occasionally used (if that!). The phrasing and expression generally comes from the bowing rather than the motion of the finger on the string, although in 1751, the famous Italian violinist Geminiani advised vibrato to be used ‘as often as possible’ and there is documentary evidence to support the use of vibrato for music of this period.
When a composer or string arranger specifically wants a passage to be played without vibrato at all, the direction ‘senza vibrato’ would be written in the score. Particularly when combined with a Sul Tasto sound, the use of no vibrato can be very effective when applied to the entire string section in giving a very ‘pure’ and gentle, velvety feel to the sound.
On the other hand, adding a lot of vibrato tends to make the pitches sound less pure and for some reason, thickens up the entire sonority of the strings. This could also be indicated by a composer or arranger by the direction ‘molto vibrato’ and gives a very romantic expression to the strings, particularly effective when played loudly. The music could start softly without vibrato and build up in intensity as the vibrato increases.
Tags: molto vibrato, senza vibrato, strings without vibrato, Vibrato
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February 6th, 2010
Occasionally we are approached by clients who are self financing a project or who are on a very restricted budget, yet are unhappy using samples and still would like to add real strings to their track. Often, it is a private project with a tight budget, which (without going overseas and potentially risking the quality of player) would make hiring a full string section and large enough recording studio out of the question. With modern technology, several options are open - either using a high quality sample string sound as a base and layering a few real players on top (to give a more realistic and convincing effect than samples alone), or hiring a handful of very good players who are able to overdub themselves accurately - subtly varying the bowing, level of vibrato and microphone positioning on each take to try and sound like different people.
Although we always recommend that when the budget is not an issue, as many players are used as possible to capture a natural sound - surprisingly overdubbing can work well as an alternative to synthesized strings - although requires great concentration and an attentive engineer to sound convincing. This week, we were asked to overdub to create the sound of 64 string players - which is more the scale of string section found in a large symphony orchestra. Because each section was divided into two separate harmonies (or lines of music), we had all in all 8 layers for each line of music. The parts were recorded to be one element of a track which had plenty of other instruments and effects going on, so the overall sound was more convincing than adding synthesized strings, yet didn’t break the bank.
Tags: adding real strings to a track, overdubbing strings, strings on a budget
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February 1st, 2010
‘Double Stopping’ is a term used to describe the simultaneous playing of two notes on a stringed instrument. It is a versatile technique which can encompass melodies, harmonies, accompaniments and can be played in a virtuosic fashion at high speed. In the context of a string quartet, it can have the effect of making the group sound as if it is playing up to 8 parts at any one time which can create (when skillfully written) the impression of a far larger ensemble.
In the context of a string orchestra, the individual parts can either play double stopping - giving the music a thick and full feel, gaining in energy and effort or can ‘divisi’ - this means that on every ‘desk’ (two players to a desk) the left hand player plays the lower note whilst the person sitting on the right plays the upper note. This can thicken the harmonies with less effort required from the players, potentially sounding more lyrical and flowing.
One problem with writing double stops into a string arrangement, particularly when composed by non string players or composers writing at a keyboard is that they can end up being awkward or unplayable. If two notes are written on the same string (such as an E and a G to be played on the D string of a violin), this is not necessarily impossible to play as the musician can play it in a higher position but could in context make it uncomfortable or impractical to play. Composers must have a good insight into how stringed instruments work in order to write passages containing many double stops that feel ‘right’ under the fingers. Clients who have written their own arrangements, but who have less experience writing for strings are always welcome to send us through parts before a recording session. Sometimes it’s worth us spending a short amount of time re-notating some of the double stops so that they are written less awkwardly for the player - this saves time in the studio and gives a more natural feel to the music.
Tags: composing for strings, composing for violin, divided string parts, divisi, divisi parts, double stopping, double stops, String Arranging, string writing technique, writing for string orchestra, writing for strings
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January 26th, 2010
The ability to play a pianissimo on a stringed instrument might sound straightforward but it is an area that many amateur and student players can struggle with. I remember when I was at the Royal College of Music doing an orchestral technique masterclass with highly experienced Rodney Friend and he said that to create a real pianissimo as part of a big string section requires the ability to play infinitely more softly than you would ever be required to play in a chamber ensemble or as a soloist. It is a sound that is barely audible with only a few hairs of the bow in contact with the string, like the smallest whisper - but when 16 players are doing this simultaneously, the effect can be breathtaking.
In a studio, one must not be put off by the fact that the microphone picks up so much surface noise as the sensitivity of modern microphones can quite literally pick up the sound of the rosin against the string (as well as players breathing). Whether a full string section sound is gained by the accurate use of overdubbing or whether there are many players involved, the end result should be a blending of many players’ pianissimo creating a velvety sheen. Inexperienced session musicians can often make the mistake of individually playing a pianissimo that would be perfect if they were playing on their own, but with many people playing this way the result can be too loud and full for the desired effect.
Tags: capturing soft string sound, pianissimo, quiet string sound, recording a string orchestra, session musicians, soft strings, strings in the recording studio, studio strings
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January 25th, 2010
When a string compsoser or arranger wishes to create a specifically warm or hazy sound, they may well write in the direction ‘Sul Tasto’ meaning ‘on the touch or on the fingerboard’. In effect this means bringing the bow further away from the bridge until it is over the end of the finger board. Here, the string has less tension as it is further from the point of suspension on the bridge and therefore has less resistance, so cannot take as much pressure. Generally Sul Tasto is used for a softer dynamic (such as p or pp) and like a harmonic, a faster, gentler bow is utilised.
Yehudi Menuhin defines it as giving “….a velvety and cooing sound. The string is soft, not as resistant, and cannot take any pressure….”
When a full string section players Sul Tasto, the effect can be of a very soft sheen with any surface noise absorbed by having so many players. In a solo instrument, recording with a close microphone can pick up some of the surface noise (the bow against the string), but it has a lilting, ethereal quality, not unlike a flute.
Tags: bowing over the fingerboard, composing for strings, hazy strings, string arranger, String Arranging, string articulations, Sul tasto, warm string sound, Writing for stringed instruments
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January 24th, 2010
The phrase ‘Sul Ponticello’ written in a score means ‘play near to the bridge’. When string players play, the bow is continually making tiny adjustments, resulting in it moving nearer or further away from the bridge, according to what sonority or strength of sound is required. In Sul Ponticello however, the direction is for the bow to be as near to the bridge as possible - and this creates a harsh, metallic sound, unlike the normally warm and rich tones produced by the instrument.
A string arranger could very well write in Sul Ponticello if they wanted the effect to sound chilly, or tense. Often Sul Ponticello is written as a tremolando (rapidly repeated note) which gives the music a sinister quality and lends itself well to film or television music of a suspense / horror genre.
On a solo instrument, Sul Ponticello can sound scratchy and unpleasant, but in a whole section the effect is of a blending of sounds, resulting in an eerie and uncomfortable feel - which may well be what is required!
Tags: Arranging for strings, bowing near the bridge, effects on stringed instruments, scratchy string sounds, spooky strings, string arranging for suspense, strings for horror film, Sul Ponticello, Writing for stringed instruments
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January 2nd, 2010
Col Legno (meaning ‘with the wood’) is a special technique where the main wooden stick of the bow is tapped against the string - this percussive effect is rarely used but can have a distinctive sound when used in an orchestra or string section.
Col Legno is even less commonly used for a solo instrument and therefore it is at it’s most effective when a large group of players are doing it simultaneously.
Pieces to listen to that use Col Legno to great effect are Saint Saens’ ‘Danse Macabre’ where it is used to suggest the rattling of skeletons and also in Berlioz’s ‘Symphony Fantastique’ to represent the Dream of the Witches Sabbath, thirdly it is heard in Mars from Holst’s ‘Planets Suite’.
Some string players are nervous of using the technique as it can create scratch marks on the back of a pernambuco bow, however when used as Col Legno Tratto, the sound is very quiet and yet the pitch of the note is still evident with very little risk of damage to an expensive bow!
Tags: back of the bow, bow technique, Col Legno, col legno tratto, composing for stringed instruments, dramatic strings, playing on the back of the bow, String Arranging, violin bow, writing for strings
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December 23rd, 2009
All musical tones are based on the harmonic series - whether it be a length of brass pipe, a church bell or a taut length of string, all instruments are subject to harmonics. The harmonic series are a sequence of pitches relating to a lower pitch (or fundamental note,as it is often called). Therefore a sound of a certain number of vibrations will also cause overtones to resonate in a ratio to that sound eg. a 100 Hz sound will be accompanied by overtones of 200, 300 and 400 Hz,and so on. All musical sounds possess all the notes of the harmonic series and it is the way these notes are blended together that gives sounds their individual ‘timbre’ or texture. Therefore the blend of the harmonic series in an oboe is different from that on a violin.
The harmonic series has been at the heart of tuning and temperament for thousands of years, before the standardisation of pitch into what we call ‘equal temperament’. This tuning system which has only gained universal currency in the last hundred years is the least understood of all musical concepts as it has been so wholly embraced. In so doing, not only has it ironed out music into 12 strictly equal semitones (robbing it of much of it’s harmonic character) but it also goes against the natural laws of the harmonic series. This is why even the world’s finest orchestras can have irreconcilable tuning issues.
For a full explanation of this all-encompassing musical dilemma I would like to heartily recommend Ross W. Duffin’s ‘How Equal Temperament Ruined Harmony (and Why You Should Care). An organist friend of mine passionate about various tuning systems brought it to my attention it and it is scholarly, concise and a hugely entertaining read.
On all stringed istruments the harmonic series reveals itself as described above. Therefore when a string is foreshortened (or ’stopped’) by a finger the same ratios apply eg. there is a harmonic exactly half way up each string (ratio 2:1) sounding an octave above the open string. The second one is a fifth higher than that (ratio 3:2) and so on. These notes are called harmonics and can be played by touching the left hand finger very gently on the string with a fast and light bow speed (in a similar way to making a wine glass produce a pitch by running one’s finger along the rim of the glass). The note thus produced is pure, clear with a flute-like quality different from any non-harmonic notes.
Stringed instruments are also capable of producing ‘artificial’ harmonics. These mimic the tonal qualities of a harmonic but produce notes of a higher pitch than the natural note in the same way. The lower finger ’stops’ a note in the conventional way with a higher finger gently touching the string at the interval of a fourth above to produce a note two octaves higher than the lower finger. In this manner, it is possible to play whole melodies transforming the sound of the instrument into a completely different timbre.
In the context of a string arrangement, harmonics can produce an ‘other worldly’, ‘eerie’ quality that can add a real sense of mystery and magic to a piece, even when mixed in with other instruments in a track, the effect is haunting!
Tags: advanced string technique, arranging for stringed instruments, eerie strings, harmonic series, Harmonics, haunting strings, string arrangement, string arranger, timbre of stringed instruments, writing for strings
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