Yesterday we were booked to provide a large string sound for a dance track being produced by someone studying recording technology in Oxford. As the rest of the track was just drums and vocals, it gave us plenty of scope to add some inventive strings, scored for violin, viola and cello parts - the final arrangement ended up being scored for cello, viola, violin 2, violin 1 and an additional violin part which repeated the opening hook to help the cohesion of the track. Because the track was in the key of F minor, (with four flats), tuning had to be really precise. The session ran smoothly and the final track sounded powerful and detailed - all that remains is for it to be mixed and mastered!
Posts Tagged ‘Orchestrating for strings’
Embellishing a dance track
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009Tags: Adding string parts, adding strings to a dance track, arranging for violin, Large string sound, Orchestrating for strings, SAE, session musicians, session string players, studio musicians, studio strings, writing for string orchestra, writing for string section
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Tremeloes and Rapid Bowing
Wednesday, July 29th, 2009A tremelo can be defined as being a ‘trembling’ or ‘quivering’ effect - this usually takes one of two forms. One is where a single note is rapidly bowed repeatedly and the other is a a fast oscillation between two notes (rather like a trill) - with the gap between the two notes being wider than a trill.
A tremelo might be rhythmically even, or unmeasured (which can also be written as tremolando). The unmeasured version would be used where a composer or arranger instructs the notes to be simply played as quickly as possible - this technique is used often when adding strings to pop and rock tracks and can add a feeling of tension to a piece of music. Tremeloes can also be given an accent at the beginning (which means the first note of the tremelo is emphasised to give it a ‘kick’) - this can convey a feeling of tension even further and is particularly effective with a full string section rather than writing for single strings.
In string arranging, a tremolando can also be used very quietly - and if the whole of the string section are playing this way at the same time, it can give a rumbling feeling of something imminently about to happen - so instead of having a chord held, it can lend a sense of anticipation and of course add all important variety to a string arrangement.
Tags: Orchestrating for strings, rapid bowing, scoring for violins, string arranger, String Arranging, tense strings, tremolando, Tremolo, tremoloes, using string orchestra to create tension, writing for string section, Writing for stringed instruments
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Preparing string parts from a midi file
Monday, June 29th, 2009Many of the jobs that we’ve worked on have been for clients who have sent us string parts they’ve written themselves from a midi file. Scoring from midi requires no knowledge of music theory or written notation and often involves the composer playing parts into a keyboard and then printing off the results.
Whilst this is a useful tool in many situations, it rarely produces results that sound convincing for string players once we’re in the studio. Here’s an example: If the composer has little knowledge of the different musical clefs then a cello part can be printed off in a treble clef. As the range of the cello extends lower than the treble clef can accommodate, we’ve been handed parts with about 10 ledger lines at the bottom of the stave, the notes overlapping the stave below - almost impossible to read. The other problem with playing chords in via a keyboard is that it ends up quite ‘fixed’ with no ‘feel’ and the inner parts don’t have a satisfying musical line - therefore so much of the potential from using live strings is lost.
Writing for any collection of instruments is all about the individual line of each instrument. If the parts are moving in chords, each part sounds best when it is playing a melody that harmonises with the rest of the parts in the piece or track.
Very often, expensive studio time can be wasted whilst session musicians sit around re-writing scored midi parts until they are both readable and playable, so as a matter of course we now do ask clients to send through midi-created parts so that we can tidy them up before the session, and save everyone time and money. We charge a nominal fee of £40 per hour for this - the same fee as for string arranging from the original track in the first place.
Although it might seem cheaper to create parts using a midi, it can be just as quick and economical to hire a string arranger to score the parts properly for strings in the first place - and results will be more effective with creative harmonies and melodic lines written in to add richness. As an example, paying a string arranger £40 per hour to spend a couple of hours correctly notating and orchestrating will potentially save hours in the studio and the musicians will be able to go in and just play everything right first time from a properly written score, using each instrument to it’s full potential.
Tags: Adding string parts, chords for strings, cost of a string arranger, creating a score from midi, midi strings, notation fees, Orchestrating for strings, orchestration fees, orchestrator, scoring from midi, session musicians, session string players, string accompaniment, string arrangement costs, string arranger, string arranger fees, String Arranging, studio musicians, studio strings, writing for string section, Writing for stringed instruments
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Spiccato and Martele bowings
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009One of the most wide ranging techniques on a bowed stringed instrument is what is commonly referred to as staccato. In essence, staccato is where the notes are short and spiky - this can be achieved in different ways. The Martele (pronounced mart -el-lay) bow stroke is where the bow is gently pressed to the string and released rapidly to create a little ‘kick’ or accent at the beginning of each note. It can be played rapidly or slowly and there is generally a small gap between each note. Whereas this would be rarely applied for a commercial string session on a pop or rock track, it could be used in a more classical sound - perhaps for a film soundtrack or television production.
The spiccato bow stroke is what is commonly referred to as ‘off the string bowing’ because the bow leaves the string at the end of each stroke. This gives the music a distinctive sound which can be used in a variety of different context as it’s so versatile. Spiccato bowing is great for rapid scales and will create a ‘brilliant’ effect (as in bright) or could be applied in a slower and heavier passage to add drama.
Adding variety with spiccato and martele bowings can accentuate the strings by using the whole section, or just one group of instruments (for example, only violas) and both are widely used ways of adding interest or energy when orchestrating for strings.
Tags: Adding string parts, dramatic string parts, martele bowing, Orchestrating for strings, orchestration, orchestrator, session musicians, session string players, spiccato bowing, spiky string parts, string arranger, String Arranging, studio strings, violinist, writing for string section, Writing for stringed instruments
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Improvising in the studio, arranging and recording
Friday, June 5th, 2009This week we contributed to two contrasting recording projects - one for some final year students at SAE in Oxford where the studio was absolutely state of the art and the particular studio we were in used a lot of analogue recording equipment including an old analogue valve mixing desk. The recording was part of an assignment for the students and their brief was to record 4 acoustic instruments on top of guitars / drums etc, with three tracks all in all. The session involved some music which was already scored and some which we were asked to improvise in order to fulfill the assignment brief.
On Monday we were asked for something totally different - working with a talented singer songwriting partnership who needed string quartet parts adding to some tracks which were almost finished. As I’d been asked to arrange the strings for two of the tracks, we’d been working together all week via email with small adjustments to get the strings sounding as close to the composers ideas as possible - this is a process which requires patience as often several revisions are needed before the song is ‘just right’. It’s always gratifying to get into the studio and finally record the parts - and after all the careful arranging work, we laid down the strings at the Dairy Studios in Brixton. The session ran smoothly and we recorded three songs with very few ’second takes’ needed. Although the majority of the music was scored for string quartet, there were a few bars where the sound needed to be thickened up with an extra violin or viola part, so I stayed on and carefully overdubbed a few phrases at the end to give a larger string sound.
Tags: Adding string parts, adding strings to a song, Dairy Studios, Improvising session musicians, Orchestrating for strings, orchestrator, Recording studios, SAE, session musicians, session string players, string arranger, String Arranging, String quartet, studio musicians, studio strings, writing for string section, Writing for stringed instruments
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Pizzicato (plucked strings)
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009Pizzicato is simply a technique where the strings are plucked rather than bowed (arco). It is a great tool to add variety to a piece and can enhance the rhythmic vitality of a section. As the tension of violin strings is higher than that on guitars, plucked notes tend to give an immediate response with a slightly ‘tight’ sound and a rapid decay.
When used in a full string section, pizzicato can cut through other textures without sounding abrasive, but can also be used to add a touch of humour or quirkiness to a song. Often single notes can be picked out or plucked as part of a counter melody, or if a single chord needs to be struck, 2, 3 or even 4 notes can be simultaneously plucked. In this instance, a knowledge of the tuning of stringed instruments is needed as the spacing of the chord is unique to the string family (being tuned in fifths). A string arranger has to take into account that on a given chord, there is a big spread of notes and it’s important to know which finger takes each string so that the chord ends up being playable by your session musicians.
When writing for stringed instruments, it’s always important to keep in mind how the four strings are tuned unless the lines are very simple. If the parts have been written on a keyboard, they may not necessarily be playable on a violin, viola or cello so unless the composer is a professional string arranger, having a string player check them through is advisable before entering the studio.
Although usually used sparingly, adding some pizzicato effects can be a great way to bring some bounce and life to a string arrangement. Plucked strings can be soft and subtle or really dramatic.
Tags: Adding string parts, appropriate string parts, arranging for violin, composer, orchestrating, Orchestrating for strings, orchestrator, Pizzicato, plucked strings, session musicians, session string players, string arranger, String Arranging, String orchestra, studio musicians, studio strings, violinist, writing for string section, Writing for stringed instruments
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Con Sordino (With Mutes….)
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009Adding a mute to a stringed instrument has a very different effect from muting a brass instrument. Although by definition, a mute does take off a little of the volume, rather than just making the violin quieter, it can make the sound more mellow and add a subdued quality. Adding a mute is an excellent tool where the harmonies are complex and slow moving - or where the arranger would like a wash of strings to add a special ambiance.
A mute is a small piece of either plastic or wood which sits between the strings and the tailpiece of the instrument - it can be slid up on top of the bridge to restrict the vibration - thus creating a less piercing sound. The Italian musical term for adding a mute is ‘Con Sordino’ and the instruction ‘Senza Sordino’ means to take the mute off again.
When scoring for strings and using mutes, it’s important to allow a few seconds either side of adding or removing one so that the player has a chance to move the mute on or off.
Although it’s possible to just mute some of the instruments in the section, the effect is more striking if all the strings are muted simultaneously - this can really add interest, variety and a whole different sound to the strings.
Tags: Adding string parts, arranging for violin, cello mutes, con sordino, haunting strings, muted strings, mutes, Orchestrating for strings, orchestrator, senza sordino, session string players, soft string sound, string accompaniment, string arranger, String Arranging, String orchestra, studio strings, viola mutes, violin mutes, writing for string section, Writing for stringed instruments
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Pedal Notes and Inverted Pedals…..
Friday, May 8th, 2009Despite the title, todays blog entry is nothing to do with bicycles…. 
A pedal note is where the bottom note of a chord (the bass note) is held through a passage of music including some chords which it does not belong to. This is a great technique which has been used in every form of music, including baroque, classical, rock and pop.
A pedal note can add real drama and build tension in a piece. Sometimes it can be used as a dramatic opening in it’s own right, or as a bridge section.
In the strings, the double bass or cello section can provide a pedal note which adds thickness to allow it to be heard without being too dominating. Many tracks have a sustained pedal note high up in the violins - this is called an inverted pedal but has the same idea. An inverted pedal is a good choice to add mystery or a sense of unresolved longing. A sustained note high on the violins can be a great way of starting or finishing the track, either as a slow introduction or fading out gently at the end.
In a more complex use, it’s possible to use pedal chords - (which have all the notes of a chord combined) - sometimes clashing with the changing chords which surround it - and if it’s placed low in the mix can be very bold when eventually the harmonies resolve.
Although they occur infrequently, when used in the correct way, pedal notes can be an excellent way of adding complexity to a passage which otherwise could sound too simple.
Tags: Adding string parts, appropriate string parts, inverted pedal notes, music theory, Orchestrating for strings, orchestrator, pedal chords, Pedal notes, session string players, string arranger, String Arranging, writing for string section, Writing for stringed instruments
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Spacing of Chords
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009One of the most common ways in which strings are added to a track is through the provision of chords. There are in essence three basic ways of using a chord in music.
One is called a ‘root’ chord, the others are a ‘first’ or ’second’ inversion of a chord. If the chord in question is in C major and the note C is placed at the bottom, then this is a ‘root chord’ of C. If the next note in the chord (E) is placed at the bottom, this is a ‘first inversion’ and if the third note of the chord (G) is at the bottom, this is a ’second inversion’ of the chord.
When arranging for strings, inversions add variety to the harmony and give the opportunity for all the parts to move in a musical way. What this means is that you can have an inner part (viola or second violin) moving in step so that when the session musicians play just that part, it has a logical and satisfying musical line to it and doesn’t just jump around randomly.
This is crucial when writing a bass line as it underlines the entire harmony and has to flow as a line of music in it’s own right (as well as fitting with the individual chords).
Sometimes, chords may all be grouped quite close together with the parts low in their register - this is when the rest of the track may have a ‘hole’ in that register which needs filling by the strings. In other situations, the gaps between the individual notes of the chord might be very wide and spaced apart - when a more sparse texture is needed. It’s always possible to thicken or thin out the texture of the strings by doubling notes in different registers (a careful use of double stops), or by not using all the notes in the chord.
A double stop is where two notes are played simultaneously on any given instrument. As the celli, violas and violins are all tuned in fifths, the interval of a fourth, fifth, sixth and octave can all work well. When it comes to thirds, these work better in the violin and viola parts than they do with a cello, but your studio musicians won’t thank you if both the notes in the third are written on the same string!
Other chords which require more than three notes in them are seventh chords (again in the chord of C this would be C, E, G and a Bb on the top), or diminished chords - which are a succession of minor thirds spaced one on top of another.
Jazz chords are a whole area in themselves where the arranger needs to have a good knowledge of harmony and be able to hear the chords in order to arrange around them.
In the next blog entry, I’ll be writing about the effective use of pedal notes.
Tags: Adding string parts, appropriate string parts, arranging for violin, chords for strings, orchestrating, Orchestrating for strings, orchestrator, session musicians, session string players, string accompaniment, string arranger, String Arranging, String orchestra, studio musicians, studio strings, writing for string section, Writing for stringed instruments
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Arpeggiated accompaniment
Sunday, April 19th, 2009When the strings are more in the background, there are many ways in which they can add interest to the track without becoming too dominant.
The use of a repetitive arpeggiated accompaniment is one such technique - what this means is that the strings can oscillate between the various notes of the arpeggio (for example if the chord is in G major, the first violins could play G,B and D in rapid succession), then the second violins and violas could simultaneously add moving parts, using the other two notes of the same chord. The cello often adds stability to the other parts, by providing a more static line.
These arpeggios can be slurred, played with seperate bows or staccato bowing, they can be quavers or semi-quavers and you can vary the patterns of them according to the context of the track. Arpeggios can be very simple, even alternating between just two notes (rather like the piano accompaniment in the song ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon), but they can also be quite elaborate - using notes of more than one octave.
As the chords change in a song, the arpeggios can simply remain in the same pattern but just progress to the next chord.
Using arpeggios in a string accompaniment can add life and movement to the track while remaining quite subtle and they can ‘lift’ a song, giving it buoyancy.
Tags: Adding string parts, arpeggiated, arpeggios, chords for strings, Orchestrating for strings, string accompaniment, String Arranging, writing for string section, Writing for stringed instruments
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