Question on scoring

[Tuba Guy]

I think some players can hit it, but don't count on it. I would suggest writing it down an octave and having an opt. 8va (or have it written like that, and having an opt 8vb)

[bort]

If you don't know that they consistently *can* hit that note, be prepared to hear the pain of every last one of them *trying* to hit a note well beyond their range.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Entirely too high for an entire section of 1st trumpets, and it stays too high too long. I would write the 1st trumpet part as you have written the 2nd part, and I would write the 2nd trumpet part as you have the alto sax part (jumping the octave in the same place).

Your flute parts are way too low, as well...no one will hear that at all. Also, it probably isn't a great idea to write two flute and two clarinet parts for a smaller band.

Can you please edit and resize the image? A 50% reduction would be perfect, and we could still read it fine.

Todd, wishing to see more

[Todd S. Malicoate]

It looks like you're off to a great start. I hope you get a chance to get these charts played since that's really the only way to find out "what you like" and how to shape the scoring to reflect that preference.

I could go page by page and point out things that I think wouldn't work well and those that I think are perfectly scored, but that wouldn't be terribly helpful to you at this point. What is important is that you get a chance to hear these "live" with a real band - the MIDI reproduction on a computer just doesn't tell you the full story.

One thing that I would suggest is that you make use of dynamics, articulations, and other specifics to add depth to your arrangements. I don't really see any in your charts thus far, and that is just leaving all the choices to the players (who will individually ALL have a different idea of how to play a line). It's a ton more work to add all the dots, dashes, and accents...but I think you'll find the extra effort will make a big difference in the sound of your charts.

Concerning the sixteenth note divisi lines in "Power Rangers" - here I also think you are giving the players too much control. By using the same divisi scheme in all four woodwind parts, you are relying on them to accurately divide the sections for a good balance. I also think you would inevitably hear more of the "top part" as the stronger players tend to gravitate to the top parts in a divisi section. Here's a different take on how I would score the same idea:

Power Rangers example.JPG

EDIT: Whoops...the last note of each beat in the tenor sax part should be an "A" a third up from what's written...but you get the idea.

See how that would create a more "busy" texture for the constant sixteenth pattern you're looking for? It also has the advantage of not letting the players decide the balance by deciding "on the fly" which part to play...you can simply ask the clarinets to play stronger or the tenor saxes to back off or whatever to adjust the balance instead of switching more players to "part 2."

Good luck as you continue writing! Take every advantage you have to write and arrange...it's not everyone who gets a helpful director who "opens the door" and allows students to get their charts heard.

And please...resize that first image! This thread is "off the page" too much already!

[Todd S. Malicoate]

The reason I havent put in any dynamics or articulations is:
The director still has yet to say if we will be playing these at all!

Pretty weak. You should "complete" these charts so that they're ready to go if/when you need them. It will also make you faster at adding articulations and dynamics if/when you need to under time pressure.

Last bit, the single song I had chosen for the band to play, and was agreed upon by the director, was the Gavorkna Fanfare.

Gavorkna Fanfare? This one?


Forgive me for saying so, but you are in a band with woodwinds who can't ("not one player," I believe you said) play concert Eb major triad arpeggios. Do you think this tune might be a little ambitious?

It seems that my entire work is being cast to the shadows (work that I am doing purely for the purpose so that we dont sit in the stands with nothing to play and little focus on the game). These were all previously written up for a Pep Band that never materialized due to the director's unusually high claims.

That's not unusual. It takes a lot of patience, perseverance, and hard work to "break through" in the college band game...even if you are a big fish in a small pond. I had written a couple dozen charts before anything I wrote ever made the field. The nice thing about that, though, is that I was already assembling a nice catalog of tunes that were "ready to go" when I started arranging for real - some of those "early" charts are still selling!

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Fair enough. I wish you luck and like your choice...this is a great piece!

I'm just having a hard time reconciling how your band can play this and Pat Metheny stuff (First Circle, I presume?) in 22/8 (wasn't it 11/8 before?) but has woodwind players who can't manage to play

without having the parts divided. Weird.

...because even though he takes suggestions for show music, he never seems to follow with these suggestions... pop, rap, hip-hop, rock tunes, music the students want to play and have a bit more fun with stuff they know...

Oh...well, never mind, then. Once again the dreaded "out of your control" problem rears its ugly head. Perhaps having the charts "finished" will help motivate him to use them? Like I said before, it takes a while to convince a director that you can produce a field-ready (or stands-ready) chart that will work and so far you don't have any evidence that you can deliver. Keep at it!

On a brighter note, while I did have a small committee choose these pieces, I have further reduced the number:

-Gavorkna Fanfare
-William Tell Overture (Arkansas State version off of the NCAA Football Marching Band record, but with a bit more editing)
-The Office Theme (evidently the director enjoys this show as well as many in the band)
-Hawaii Five-O Theme (just plain awesome)
-Original Power Rangers Theme
-You Got Me by The Roots (it has a great harmony in the low brass and trumpets reminiscent of the organ)
-Mario Medley as made famous by the MSU Spartan Marching Band (similar winds parts but vastly different percussion parts written for the drumset for a pep band)

I'm confused. You had a small committee choose the pieces? Do you have any say in the musical selections for the band or not? Your last post seems to imply that you don't. If so, why/how did you get a committee to choose the pieces you won't be playing this year?

If these are the tunes you and your peers want to do, then arrange them. Completely. Present him with a score and set of parts and see what happens. You've got nothing to lose but some time (that you will have to spend anyway learning the craft). You definitely may regret it later if you don't give it a shot.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

How does one write for Tom-toms? ya know those five drum pieces or 6 depending on how expensive they are, I think we have six. Anyway, thats my only concern, I have never seen their music on snare, bass drum, and cymbals, and even these were quite vague and basic.

Basic notation for six-drum tenors:

Notice that the drum on the right is higher in pitch than it's partner on the left. The top two (smaller) drums are much higher in pitch...sometimes they are called "shot," "gock," or "spock" drums. These high-pitched drums are also sometimes located on the inside of the other four, rather than above...that doesn't change the notation at all. If it turns out that your tenors only have five drums, omit the note on the top line of the staff. Do yourself a favor and never call these instruments "Tom-toms" again, particularly around the people (?) who play them. They are usually referred to as "tenors" or "tenor drums." "Quads" or "quints" is also used, although I don't know what name would be used for a six-drum kit ("sexes"??? "hexes"???). "Quads" is also a pretty generic name, even when the kits have more than four drums.

Unfortunately, marching percussion arranging is a highly specialized area. It's kind of like expecting the drill designer to write the colorguard choreography. It's one of those things where, if you have to ask how, you are "in over your head" and probably shouldn't attempt it. I almost never write percussion parts for marching arrangements now - it would have to be a grade 3 or lower high school arrangement to even think about it. Most directors will tell you that the "stock" percussion parts that come with Jensen charts or the like are often generic-sounding and pretty horrible. Who currently writes the percussion parts for your band arrangements? Seek them out.

No comment on my earlier questions? Interesting. I was hoping to gain some insight on what you're trying to accomplish. You seem eager to arrange for the band, then complain that student input is never used. Which is it?