big band arranging

2001-12-24 05:00 am

as an ex - pro musician/arranger, I would like to try my hand at arranging for an electronic big band i.e:- 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 5 saxes, piano, guitar, bass and drums. what software is available, which would generate realistic sounds of these instruments, and would allow me to input the musical parts for each instrument, and then hear the final result played? any suggestions?

Re: big band arranging

Reply #1 – 2001-12-24 05:00 am

Well, I think you've come to the right place. NoteWorthy Composer would fit your bill from a software standpoint.

As to the sound you get -- that depends on your hardware (and/or "firmware", i.e. soundfonts in the case of SBLive! etc. sound cards).
What other software is out there? Tons. Some of it very involved, some of it very limited. NoteWorthy Composer falls somewhere in the middle, combining a surprising versatility with an almost legendary ease of use.

Fred Nachbaur

Re: big band arranging

Reply #2 – 2001-12-25 05:00 am

Alan,
Reply to the link above and let's set up a dialogue.

Re: big band arranging

Reply #3 – 2002-01-19 05:00 am

I use noteworthy for arranging for concert bands and I too like a reasonably realistic voice for instruments. Most sound cards are designed with games in mind and therefore the authenticity of a sax or trumpet is not of the highest priority. There is some real serious hardware and software out there which unfortunately requires serious finance. I have made do with the Yamaha XG software. Whilst not brilliant it is an improvement on the bog standard soundcards. Let me know how you get on, I'd also be interested in seeing and hearing your arrangements.

Cheers,

Bill

Re: big band arranging

Reply #4 – 2002-02-11 05:00 am

I use Noteworthy Composer with a Roland XV-3080 and its Orchestral 1 and Orchestral 2 cards. The software is brilliant. I do Big Band and show tunes mostly for 6-18 instruments. I also have used a Creative Labs Vibra 128 sound card (budget solution) and also a Roland Sound Canvas (mid-cost solution) and the results have been quite pleasing with Noteworthy Pro driving them.

The important thing to learn for Big Band is 5 part harmony - every chord has 5 different notes in it. So a C major chord becomes a C69 and a G7 becomes a G9, or a G7b9 and so on. Cm becomes an Cm7sus4, or a Cm9, or Cm69, or C7#9.
When you want a block chord in a section, you write the lead in each section and voice the other parts beneath it as tight as possible. If you then run into instrument range problems you can then drop the second and fourth parts (of the 5 in the section) down an octave (useful with mixed sections of sax and tpt/trom).

As a keyboard player you have to start thinking about voicing brass chords in fourths as often as you can - using third intervals, the harmonics of the instruments intersect and it doesn't sound as realistic or rich. Using three part diatonic harmony, you get a school marching band sound more than a big band sound.

Another trick is to use a different synth patches on each instrument in the section, so the instrument sounds don't flange when written in unison. eg. use trumpet and cornet and flugelhorm patches instead of 3 trumpets (which you'd use in real life).

Also, structure your chart so that you don't have everyone playing at once except towards the end. Solos and 16 bar section rests assist to vary your music dynamics.

I get a four minute chart for 12 pieces arranged and down to tape in 6 hours using Noteworthy Pro and just the computer keyboard - nothing else compares for productivity.