Orchestration​ ​Notebook

Duquesne​ ​University​ ​Fall​ ​2017

Dr​ ​Z.​ ​Nagy

Johnathan​ ​Snatchko
Week​ ​1:​ ​The​ ​Score

The​ ​Score
Instrumentation​ ​Ordering

- *The​ ​Score​ ​is​ ​a​ ​source​ ​of​ ​effective​ ​communication​ ​between​ ​the
composer/arranger​ ​and​ ​the​ ​performers

-​Parts
-​ ​when​ ​instruments​ ​need​ ​to​ ​share​ ​a​ ​staff​ ​and​ ​have​ ​different​ ​parts​ ​that​ ​could​ ​look
too​ ​confusing​ ​for​ ​the​ ​performer​ ​a​ ​divisisi​ ​is​ ​needed​ ​ex.​ ​Flute​ ​1​ ​and​ ​2​ ​parts​ ​share​ ​the
same​ ​staff​ ​but​ ​have​ ​too​ ​different​ ​parts​ ​the​ ​divisi​ ​note​ ​stems​ ​must​ ​face​ ​in​ ​different
directions

-if​ ​voices​ ​cross​ ​excessively​ ​best​ ​to​ ​use​ ​two​ ​different​ ​staves

-Vertical​ ​Alignment
-Extremely​ ​important​ ​that​ ​parts​ ​are​ ​vertically​ ​aligned​ ​so​ ​it​ ​is​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​read​ ​for​ ​the
conductor​ ​and​ ​or​ ​performers
-Rehearsal​ ​Numbers​ ​help​ ​in​ ​rehearsal​ ​process
-Numbers​ ​should​ ​attempt​ ​to​ ​be​ ​placed​ ​in​ ​areas​ ​where​ ​it​ ​is​ ​easy​ ​for​ ​all
instruments​ ​to​ ​start​ ​and​ ​stop

Transposed​ ​Scores
-Ex.​ ​Written​ ​Pitch​ ​on​ ​a​ ​Concert​ ​Score​ ​is​ ​the​ ​sounding​ ​pitch​ ​on​ ​a​ ​Transposed
score​ ​Written​ ​pitch​ ​is​ ​transposed​ ​with​ ​the​ ​type​ ​of​ ​instrument.

Dynamics
-Written​ ​Below​ ​parts​ ​unless​ ​no​ ​room,​ ​if​ ​so​ ​place​ ​above

Individual​ ​Parts
- G.P.-​ ​Grand​ ​Pause
- V.S.-​ ​Volti​ ​Subito-​ ​Sudden​ ​Turn
- Tacet-​ ​Rest​ ​until​ ​end​ ​of​ ​music

Week​ ​Two:​ ​Orchestral​ ​Strings

Open​ ​Strings
Violins​ ​G-D-A-E
Viola​ ​ ​ ​C-G-D-A
Cello​ ​ ​ ​C-G-D-A
Double​ ​Bass-​ ​E-A-D-G​ ​-​ ​Transposed​ ​by​ ​an​ ​Octave​ ​Lower

Sound​ ​Production
Pizzicato-​ ​String​ ​Plucking
Bow​ ​on​ ​String-​ ​Arco

Bow​ ​Markings

Down​ ​Bow​ ​=​ ​Diminuendo

Up​ ​Bow​ ​=​ ​Crescendo

Bow​ ​Placements
Sul​ ​Ponticello-​ ​Near​ ​the​ ​Bridge
Ord.​ ​-​ ​Normal​ ​Placement
Sul​ ​Tasto-​ ​ ​near​ ​the​ ​fingerboard
Harmonics
Natural-​ ​Dividing​ ​String​ ​Naturally
Artificial-​ ​Sounds​ ​two​ ​octaves​ ​higher

Mutes
Con​ ​Sordini​ ​with​ ​mute
Senza​ ​Sordini​ ​without​ ​mute

Double​ ​Stops​ ​and​ ​Chords​ ​often​ ​should​ ​be​ ​marked​ ​non.​ ​Divisi

Week​ ​Three:​ ​Woodwinds

-Flute​ ​C4-D7
-Oboe​ ​Bb3-A6​ ​ ​ ​-Double​ ​Reed
-Clarinets-​ ​ ​E3-C7
-Bassoon-​ ​Bb1-Eb5​ ​ ​-​ ​Double​ ​Reed
-Saxophone-​ ​Bb3-G6

Articulation​ ​Chart

Week​ ​Four:​ ​Brass

Instrument​ ​Ranges​ ​and​ ​Transpositions
Trumpets​ ​F#3-D6
Horns​ ​F#2-C6​ ​-​ ​Transposed​ ​Down​ ​Fifth
 Trombone​ ​E2-F5
Tuba​ ​D1-F4

Trombones-​ ​Bb​ ​and​ ​B​ ​natural​ ​are​ ​in​ ​two​ ​drastically​ ​different​ ​slide​ ​positions

General​ ​Rule​ ​of​ ​Brass-​ ​If​ ​a​ ​singer​ ​can’t​ ​sing​ ​it​ ​don’t​ ​write​ ​it

Week​ ​Five:​ ​Percussion

Pitched​ ​Percussion​ ​examples​ ​and​ ​Ranges