Thank you for all these incredibly wonderful videos you have been uploading for years. For me, yor are really one of the most reliable music educators here on youtube. Thank you!😊
Thank you for calling this out! As a flute and oboe player, I see poor flute writing/range from inexperienced composers and arrangers far too often. Your points are spot on, as always.
Great to hear, Jen! I learned a lot of what I know from listening to the concerns of players, and it means so much to hear from a player when I get it right. Thanks so much!
Solution: Give the alto/bass/contrabass an advantage by supplying them with a personal amp and speaker system designed to project low notes. Simply add it to the musicians toolkit in situations where they are inevitably buried in the orchestra.
Thank you very much Thomas!❤ I recently rewached the video about harp-scoring and there were some quite intresting things in it. And I would be delighted, and I thing other people would be also intrested, if you would make a video somewhat expanding on what you said in that other video. For example, where it is useful to use a harp and where one could have the strings or woodwinds to support it or just have the harp effectevly enhance the texture. Also touching on diffrent texures that one is able to have on the harp.
Great video and good to know that the "last orchestrations tips" book is coming. I'm already eager to get one copy. Thank you,Thomas, for the amazing job you have been doing. Grettings from Chile.!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
...and orchestra. It's the Menetto from one of Bizet's L'Arlesienne suites - as the opening was from Carmen. Both examples of first-rate solo flute settings.
When I write for flutes _as supporting harmony_ I tend to imagine them an octave lower than they actually are, and this aligns pretty well with how well they're going to sit in the texture. As an extreme example, if I'm writing a salsa arrangement and the "horn section" is a flute, a trumpet, and a trombone, I let the trumpet still lead, and the flute gets what amounts to the second trumpet or sax part, but played an octave higher so it can actually be heard. Even though it's the highest pitched instrument in the stack, I don't consider it the "lead". Then I make sure there are the usual clichés of charanga flute in there somewhere or what's the point of using the instrument?
Brilliant video! There is only one thing I am missing. What about doubling (or tripling) flute in the lowest register. Is it even useful to do it? Does it helps anyhow?
What do you think of the flute writing in Chopin's First Piano Concerto? The flute lines in b.296-298 and 424-429 of the first movement seem hard to project in practice over the orchestra - do you think it's a miscalculation by Chopin, or would it have worked better on the instruments of his time?
Would you consider an addendum video balancing flutes and soprano/alto saxophones, as orchestrating for wind orchestra settings is a topic I don't think is well mastered by band composers?
So how careful do I need to be in a chamber musical setting? I mean, each instrument should be easier audible. But I have an allegro for piano, flute and basson and sometimes the flute is in its middle or even low register below the right hand in the piano. But I mean, the dyamics are easy to balance on a piano and the tone fades away after you have stricken a string which might compensate a little bit. The contrast in tone quality creates variety and may help making the individual lines more distinct. (Also, the basson is often in a high register, but again it should be easier when there are only three instuments. I love the singing quality of the tenor register, but maybe I have overused this feature.) I have a very soft and calm passage in a largo for the brass section in a (large) wind band, but I want the upper line end on the third of the chord (G sharp), but I still wanted the upper B ablove to be there. If I use a brass instrument that upper voice will sound to much and I want a heavy weight on the upper voice in the brass so I put a flute softly on the B (below middle C) instead. I hope that should work. The entire point is that I want it to sound as if the B is almost played below even if it technically isn't so it should be much weaker than the rest of the voices. (8 voices) The passage is played pianissimo. Maybe upwards arpeggios can be suitable for the flute from its lowest register taking advantage of its agility and the fact that fast moving notes are generally more aubile in any register. I have such a passage, dubbled by clarinets. It is a gradual crescendo which also fits the flute. The disadvantage is perhaps that the lowest notes are not balanced with the clarinets, but weak, but it might work fine anyway taking everything into consideration.
The answer: score-read, score-read, score-read! There are many fine wind quintets you can download for free at imslp dot org and read along to performances here on TH-cam. Quintet players will balance so that the flute is more audible; but at louder dynamics, the first octave will always be at a disadvantage.
@@OrchestrationOnline Thanks for your reply! Downloading is great, but I really love having real paper scores in my hand, but nowdays you usually have to order them online. I have bought scores in a bookstore in Hamburg (there are none here in Sweden anymore selling) and I know there is one in Berlin as well, but it is rare nowdays. I wonder how the case is in other parts of the world like where you are in New Zealand for instance?! It's just not the same feeling to order online as going to a real bookstore.
Bear in mind that this will differ also by the specific instruments used, but a _modern_ concert flute can keep up with just about all the other woodwinds except for saxophones, once you get out of that lowest octave. However, that modern sound may not be what you're going for, and an instrument that sounds "rounder" is also going to get lost in the mix more.
In the case of the dissapearing flute. Is it possible to mark this effect on the part of the flutist? For example could you use mezza voce to convey to not play with a "full" sound.
Gonna write a concerto for inaudible low flute and loud orchestra
“Secret concerto” - only the performer will know what it sounds like
Genious
Thank you for all these incredibly wonderful videos you have been uploading for years. For me, yor are really one of the most reliable music educators here on youtube.
Thank you!😊
Thank you for calling this out! As a flute and oboe player, I see poor flute writing/range from inexperienced composers and arrangers far too often. Your points are spot on, as always.
Great to hear, Jen! I learned a lot of what I know from listening to the concerns of players, and it means so much to hear from a player when I get it right. Thanks so much!
There are times where I think an overwhelmed flute still provides a lovely bit of softness to the overall sound
My knowledge is always sharpened when you post a video!
Wow, these videos are amazing! I’m a self-taught composer and these videos really help me understand the music itself!
To do so is flute-ile
Solution: Give the alto/bass/contrabass an advantage by supplying them with a personal amp and speaker system designed to project low notes. Simply add it to the musicians toolkit in situations where they are inevitably buried in the orchestra.
it doesn't sound very good, like it's not natural. That only works with the celesta and other special instruments.
Thank you very much Thomas!❤
I recently rewached the video about harp-scoring and there were some quite intresting things in it. And I would be delighted, and I thing other people would be also intrested, if you would make a video somewhat expanding on what you said in that other video. For example, where it is useful to use a harp and where one could have the strings or woodwinds to support it or just have the harp effectevly enhance the texture. Also touching on diffrent texures that one is able to have on the harp.
Great video and good to know that the "last orchestrations tips" book is coming. I'm already eager to get one copy.
Thank you,Thomas, for the amazing job you have been doing. Grettings from Chile.!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you for sharing your valuable insight as always Thomas!
Ending excerpt for flute, harp and cough. 😆 Great video though, thanks for this!
...and orchestra. It's the Menetto from one of Bizet's L'Arlesienne suites - as the opening was from Carmen. Both examples of first-rate solo flute settings.
This video was really thought provoking and helpful. Thank you so much Thomas!
Thank you, Thomas ♥
Thanks a lot Thomas for sharing tips ! I will revisit my scores to align when needed !
Great to see your health is getting better😊 Excellent video, love all the helpful examples!
Great video! Very much looking forward to the two follow up videos. 😊
Great video! Thanks a lot!
Lovely, idea and break through making ❤
When I write for flutes _as supporting harmony_ I tend to imagine them an octave lower than they actually are, and this aligns pretty well with how well they're going to sit in the texture. As an extreme example, if I'm writing a salsa arrangement and the "horn section" is a flute, a trumpet, and a trombone, I let the trumpet still lead, and the flute gets what amounts to the second trumpet or sax part, but played an octave higher so it can actually be heard. Even though it's the highest pitched instrument in the stack, I don't consider it the "lead". Then I make sure there are the usual clichés of charanga flute in there somewhere or what's the point of using the instrument?
11:23 11:35 YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Check out the filmscore main theme to DEATH AND THE MAIDEN by Woijchec Kilar. Alto Flute at its best
Brilliant video! There is only one thing I am missing. What about doubling (or tripling) flute in the lowest register. Is it even useful to do it? Does it helps anyhow?
What do you think of the flute writing in Chopin's First Piano Concerto? The flute lines in b.296-298 and 424-429 of the first movement seem hard to project in practice over the orchestra - do you think it's a miscalculation by Chopin, or would it have worked better on the instruments of his time?
Would you consider an addendum video balancing flutes and soprano/alto saxophones, as orchestrating for wind orchestra settings is a topic I don't think is well mastered by band composers?
So how careful do I need to be in a chamber musical setting? I mean, each instrument should be easier audible. But I have an allegro for piano, flute and basson and sometimes the flute is in its middle or even low register below the right hand in the piano. But I mean, the dyamics are easy to balance on a piano and the tone fades away after you have stricken a string which might compensate a little bit. The contrast in tone quality creates variety and may help making the individual lines more distinct. (Also, the basson is often in a high register, but again it should be easier when there are only three instuments. I love the singing quality of the tenor register, but maybe I have overused this feature.)
I have a very soft and calm passage in a largo for the brass section in a (large) wind band, but I want the upper line end on the third of the chord (G sharp), but I still wanted the upper B ablove to be there. If I use a brass instrument that upper voice will sound to much and I want a heavy weight on the upper voice in the brass so I put a flute softly on the B (below middle C) instead. I hope that should work. The entire point is that I want it to sound as if the B is almost played below even if it technically isn't so it should be much weaker than the rest of the voices. (8 voices) The passage is played pianissimo.
Maybe upwards arpeggios can be suitable for the flute from its lowest register taking advantage of its agility and the fact that fast moving notes are generally more aubile in any register. I have such a passage, dubbled by clarinets. It is a gradual crescendo which also fits the flute. The disadvantage is perhaps that the lowest notes are not balanced with the clarinets, but weak, but it might work fine anyway taking everything into consideration.
The answer: score-read, score-read, score-read! There are many fine wind quintets you can download for free at imslp dot org and read along to performances here on TH-cam. Quintet players will balance so that the flute is more audible; but at louder dynamics, the first octave will always be at a disadvantage.
@@OrchestrationOnline Thanks for your reply!
Downloading is great, but I really love having real paper scores in my hand, but nowdays you usually have to order them online. I have bought scores in a bookstore in Hamburg (there are none here in Sweden anymore selling) and I know there is one in Berlin as well, but it is rare nowdays. I wonder how the case is in other parts of the world like where you are in New Zealand for instance?! It's just not the same feeling to order online as going to a real bookstore.
Bear in mind that this will differ also by the specific instruments used, but a _modern_ concert flute can keep up with just about all the other woodwinds except for saxophones, once you get out of that lowest octave. However, that modern sound may not be what you're going for, and an instrument that sounds "rounder" is also going to get lost in the mix more.
It is also unwise to bury a garklein recorder. Someone might dig it up again. :-D
In the case of the dissapearing flute. Is it possible to mark this effect on the part of the flutist? For example could you use mezza voce to convey to not play with a "full" sound.
It's far easier to bury a clarinet than a flute. Most of the time, I can well darn hear the flute.
Whilst I'm inclined to agree, I think the tone of the flute is far purer and so the character of the clarinet tends to come out far better
B♭ clarinet, yes. But the little eefer cuts through more than any flute in the same range.
🥱