Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction
The building of my portfolio on this course has availed me the opportunity to
develop my understanding, skills and abilities in orchestrating, arranging and
programming. The various projects I carried out within this portfolio have guided
me to meet up with the learning outcomes of this course. This portfolio is a
compilation of my research in the field of orchestration, exercises in Orchestration,
Arrangement and Programming that have helped me to develop my skills in this
field of Music.
My musical background is a good foundation which has been of immense help to
me in this course. One of the learning outcomes of this course is the ability to
demonstrate an understanding of instruments and arranging techniques necessary
in the production of a score. This is hugely dependent on knowledge of music
theory and the ability to sight-play or sight-read a music score which I have
conquered through the ABRSM theory exams. Joining the Leeds Beckett Choir as
a soprano singer also helped me to improve my sight-reading skills hence making
my score readings in this module more enjoyable. My involvement in the violin
orchestra and brass band in the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Church,
Although I came across the Easwest Quantum Leap Gold, Cinebrass, NI Session
Strings, Hollywood Strings and other better-sounding sound libraries during my
research, I intentionally limited myself to the one mentioned above in order to
concentrate on developing my programming skills using the sound libraries within
Logic Pro X because from my research, I discovered that it is not about using the
most expensive sample libraries but how you make the most out of what you have
is what really matters.
Therefore, as a summary of my goals, I aimed at:
3/4 (watch video and see scores via this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jVhYU_-RHs) caught my fancy and I used it
for my very first practice to get familiar with programming using Logic. I worked
with the Logic sound library which wasnt too helpful in helping me achieve my
aims and I got a great feedback from the module lecturer who shared some
insights, giving me better options with Kontact 5 patches which had better
sounding orchestral instruments and a range of articulations that responded well to
automations unlike the sounds in the Logic Pro X library. I was introduced to
blending patches and learned to automate modulation, expression and tempo from
the Global Tracks drop-down.
So I came up with this audio (https://soundcloud.com/laura-etemah/scarboroughfair) and the screenshot follows.
Screenshot of my programming of Scarborough Fair with the application of tempo variation and expression automation.
My String Arrangement
Instrumentation:
1st Violin, 2nd Violin, Viola, Cello and Double bass.
Key: C Major.
In this arrangement, I started out with some random chords on a slow tempo,
arranged the note positions by spreading them out for easy playing by an orchestra.
I made the strings to connect in sound, extending their lengths where necessary,
balanced the mix, panned, avoided a hard quantize, applied automations for
modulation and expression, EQ, reverb and then I bounced. At this time, I was still
learning to use the Logic Pro X DAW so I practically worked by ear guided by the
instructions given in the videos I watched.
My string arrangement.
Here, I aimed at working with all the elements that were involved in making
strings sound realistic so that I could improve on them as I developed my skills
through the module. The youtube video titled: Creating Realistic Strings for MIDI
by Nick Murray was most helpful. The information shared between pages 70 and
77 of Eric Turkels Arranging Techniques for Synthesists on strings were also of
great value. In addition, for the purpose of practice, I also worked on two hymns:
Years I Spent by William R. Newell and Wilt Thou Be Made Whole by Wm. J.
Kirkpatrick.
Screenshots showing note velocities and expression automation on the first hymn.
here
I discovered from the videos that woodwind players need to breathe; hence rests
are very important for them. Both musical rest and embouchure rest are
necessary. In the way that they were used, they created rich overtones and wideranging textures especially when they crossed octaves. Also, the permutation and
combination of the instruments mixed in a colourful palette created a great
effect. Again this family is capable of a whole lot of different exciting tones
peculiar to them - sliding pitches, tone bending, muting, microtones, harmonic
glissandi, flutter tonguing and a whole lot more can be achieved with them.
In the pieces and orchestra, it can be seen that the composers avoided uniform
legato for too long as the instruments have a wide array of more dynamic
capabilities. The legato application worked well with hymns which is what I
drew inspiration from in my own arrangement. But in my own opinion, this
family provide a more exciting sound when playing staccato and in allegro.
The classification and principle on which the instruments of this family function
can be found between pages 164 and 179 of Samuel Adlers The Study of
Orchestration. Adler shared tips for scoring for woodwind instruments on page
178 of his book. He dealt elaborately with each family, expanding on their
ranges, articulation and tonguing and coloristic effects of how the instruments
can be combined during orchestration.
The music arranging and MIDI orchestration tips shared by Graham Plowman on
http://www.haydockmusic.com/composing_tips/music_arranging_tips_part_one.ht
ml#ixzz3Yj8dOa5c,
http://www.midi-orchestration.net/p/sequencing-miditips.html, On Composing for Woodwinds by Zeke Hecker on
http://kalvos.org/heckerz.html and Principles of Orchestration by Nikolay Rimsky
Korsakov were of great help to me in working on my arrangement for
woodwinds.
Plowman (n.d) also shared great insights on panning, the use of reverb and using
the instruments realistically. He hinted on the danger involved in panning
orchestral instruments in the exact traditional way they are arranged on the stage or
in the concert hall because of the resultant poor audio effects.
My Woodwind Arrangement
Having these at the back of my mind, I embarked on my own arrangement for
woodwinds using the score for the hymn Hark on the Highway by Austin C.
Miles. I chose this hymn because of its fast tempo which I felt would advertise the
beauty of this family of instruments. This is a hymn I have watched my church
orchestra play. The score can be found in common hymn books. My arrangement
goes thus:
Key: C Major
Time Signature: 4/4
Tempo: 120
Instrumentation: Piccolo, Flute 1&2, Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon with piano
accompaniment. Here is the audio link - https://soundcloud.com/lauraetemah/hark-on-the-highway-by-laura-etemah
Woodwind arrangement showing track contents, tempo changes and expression automation.
Picture showing the adjustment of note velocities of a melody line which helped in effecting crescendos and diminuendos.
member. Adler does the same in chapter 9 of his book, The Study of Orchestration.
Equipped with these, I went into brass arranging. Having played some pieces with
the MFM Brass Band on the 2nd trumpet, I decided to get the scores of one of the
bands favorite songs titled Marches in F which is a medley of classical and
popular songs arranged by Seyi Oluyale. See scanned music sheets via this link http://www.leevocalstudios.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/brass-band-pieces.html.
My Brass Arrangement
Instrumentation: Trumpet 1&2, French horn, Trombone and Tuba.
Key: F Major
Tempo: 120
Key Signature: 4/4
My first discovery while sequencing for brass is that they sounded late with a lag
on their attack. To correct this, I highlighted the MIDI samples and moved them all
a little towards the left. This helped to get them on the beat. Tweaking the
instrument parameters, adjusting the velocities and tempo markings, automating
modulation and expression, adding some reverb, EQ, compression and other
plugins all added to the resulting realistic sounding brass ensemble. Listen to the
arrangement
via
this
Soundcloud
link
https://soundcloud.com/tags/mfm%20hymn%20by%20laura%20etemah. See the
screenshots below.
Picture showing automation of modulation, tempo changes and note velocities of individual tracks.
In summary for brass realism, I have added add power, depth, analogue warmth
and adjusted the MIDI parameters and MIDI notes to get the resultant sound.
Conclusion
For me, this is going to be my first ever attempt of orchestration. I found out that
my attempts at learning to play at least one instrument in all the families of the
orchestra was not a waste of time at all. Without such an experience, Id have
found this course a bit of a struggle. Hence, I am happy with my background in
instrument playing and sight-reading because they really helped.
However, I am only new to using technology to make music which kept me many
nights in the labs trying to find my way through Logic Pro X. I am glad I could
come up with the orchestration works I did because at the start of it all, I was
discouraged; I did not know how to use any DAW at all much less create anything
with them. I may not have had access to other sound libraries but I am happy with
what I was able to achieve using the Kontakt library. What gave me more
encouragement were the comments sent to me by my church orchestra leader when
he listened to my work. He couldnt quite believe they were all made on the
computer. He sent me the scores thinking I wanted to play live music with a band.
Hence, I believe that in my own little way, that I have been able to meet the
learning outcomes of this course.
Although I intended to do more orchestral pieces, this is impossible because of
time constraint. I spent a great deal of time learning the Logic Pro X interface and
the rest of the time creating orchestrations. I have been able to tap into my
compositional capabilities and discovered Logic Pro X and sound libraries as a
great tool. This has inspired me in a new direction. The first is to re-orchestrate
hymns and make into albums for fans of instrumental hymns and the next is to
improve my orchestration skills and launch into making my own compositions for
the commercial world.
Bibliography
Adler, S. (2002) The Study of Orchestration. (Third ed). W. W. Norton &
Company, Inc. USA.
Oliveros, P. (2005) Deep Listening a composers Sound Practice. iUniverse, Inc.
Lincoln.
Turkel, E. (1988) Arranging Techniques for Synthesists. Amsco Publications. New
York.
Webliography
All websites are stated in the text.
Hymn Scores
Oluaye,
S.
Marches
in
F
http://www.leevocalstudios.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/brass-band-pieces.html.
Olukoya, D. K. (2014) 70 Days Fasting and Prayer Programme. MFM. Lagos.