SupplementalStudyGuide InstrumentRangesandTechniques MUSE312ArrangingforVocalandInstrumentalGroups

Instrument
Piccolo (Dylan)

Range/Tessitura

Transposition

Considerations

Flute (SarahF)

Oboe (Meg)

Clarinet (Morgan)

Avoidunisonwritingfortwoormorepiccs Avoidwritinghighandsoft Lowregister:woody,breathy,hollow,doesnotprojectwell 1octaveabove Midregister:mostcharacteristicsound written Highregister:Piercing,shrilltone Similartofluteintechnique Lowregister:airy,toneclosertotheoboe,typicallyflat,tendstobe softandblendswellwithotherinstruments Middleregister:Clear,fullsound,willbeheardabovetheensemble, goodfordoublingtheoboepart Upperregister:canbepiercing,usuallysharp,difficulttotuneacross Notransposition thesection,theloudestoftheflute(difficulttoplaysoft),goodfor bringingputupperharmonicsoftheensemble Vibratoisusedtohelpcreateashimmeringeffect;novibratocanbe usedtocreateadifferentcoloandforjazz Usedinorchestra,windchoirs,jazz,band Lowrange:thickandreedy,appropriateforslowerpassages Midrange:richanddistinctive,effectivedynamics Midupperrange:brightsoundandagile Upperrange:Piercingquality Notransposition Notesspeakclearlyandcanflowthroughouttheentirerange Candosingleanddoubletonguing Upwardslursaremoredifficultthandownwardslurs Widerangeoftimbrewithlargerange Bbtransposition:M2 Clarinetsappearinorchestras,bands,marchingband,andjazz Usuallyhavemultiplepartsperensemble (mostcommon) Doesanexcellentjobatfadingawaytonothing PlayasoundingC? Typicallycarriesmelodyorplaysasupportiverolewith WriteaclarinetD. countermelody Doesnotusevibrato,doubletongue Canaddaflourishyeffecttotheensemble 1

Instrument

Range/Tessitura

Transposition

Considerations
Lowestregisteristhemostresonantandclear;blendswellwithlow brass,bassoons,andotherlowvoices Middlerangeisgoodforcuttingthroughensemble;supportsclarinet choirparticularlythe3rdclarinetpart Highregisterhasauniquesoundsimilartosaxophone;difficultto projectandshouldbeavoided ThebreakexistsbetweenBbandBnaturalinthestaff;partsshould stayprimarilyaboveorbelowthisbreak Avoidlargeleaps,pianodynamicsintheupperrange,heavystaccato inthelowrange,doublingwithhigherpitchedinstruments;excessive doublingorboringparts Canbeusedinbands,orchestras,andchambergroups Notatedinbass,tenor,andaltoclefs Lowregisteristhickandreedy Lowmiddleregisterhasthefullestbassoonsound Uppermiddleregisteristhinandreedy Upperregisterisalsothinandreedywithlotsofdifferentfingerings Versatileinstrumentthatcaneasilyplayoctavejumps,lyricalplaying, andcanplayhumoroussounds Avoidsoftplayinginextremeendsoftherange,quickarticulated passagesinlowregister,playingthesamepartasthebassclarinet, andVariationsonaKoreanFolksong Techniques:fluttertongue,airsounds,timbrechanges,keyclicks Relatedfamily:contrabasson Prevalentinjazzband,combos,andconcertbandwithonlyspecific piecesfororchestra Mainlyusedasmelodicinstrumentandcanincludesolos CanplayapartsimilartotheFrenchHorn,duetotheirsimilar timbres.

BassClarinet (Trevor) *LowestnoteiswithaCextension

Bbplusan8vb PlayasoundingC? Writeabass clarinetD.

Bassoon (Tiffany)

Notransposition

AltoSax (Andrew)

Ebtransposition: M6 PlayasoundingC? WriteaAltoSaxA.

Instrument

Range/Tessitura

Transposition

Considerations

TenorSax (Robbie)

BaritoneSax (Regan)

FrenchHorn (SarahM)

Thethirdvoiceofthesaxsection Canbeplayedinavarietyofstylesfromjazz,funk,band Capableofmanyexpressivetechniques(vibrato,bends,glissandi, Bbtransposition: trills) Capableofbothlinearandarpeggiatedlines M2plus8vb Responseisslowerinlowregister,especiallyRHpinkykeys PlayasoundingC? Notesareoftenshrillandoutoftuneinhighregister,especiallyLH WriteaTenorSaxD. palmkeys Mostcharacteristicrange:DbelowstaffDabovestaff Lowerregisterblendswellwithtromboneandhorn Upperregisterblendswellwithtrumpet Thelowerandmiddleregistersproducethebesttoneonthe instrument Ebtransposition: Articulationsincludelegato,staccato,anddoubletonguing Breaksarefairlyconsistentacrosstheinstrument M6+8vb Functionsasalowregisterinstrumentandsometimesasabassinan PlayasoundingC? ensemble WriteaBariSaxA. Difficulttoplayinlowregisters Multiplelevelsofvibrato Specialtechniques:fluttertonguing,slaptonguing,multiphonics Thesoundintheloweroctaveofthehornisweakandeasilycovered Ftransposition:P5 Themiddlerangehasatonethatcanvarybetweendarkandbland; oftenusedforsustainedchordaltexture (mostcommon) Cansoundlyricalorheroicwhenusedinsoloorinunison PlaysoundingC? Thehighertherange,thestrongerandbrighterthesound WriteaFHornG. Itiscommontointerlocktheharmonypartsacrosshornparts Thehorncanbemutedwiththehand(stoppedtones)orwithamute

Instrument

Range/Tessitura

Transposition

Considerations

Trumpet (Suzanne)

Euphonium (Effie)

Trombone (Eric)

Tuba (Tamara)

Typicallycarrythemelodyinbandandorchestra;jazzusedfor melodyorhits;canalsobeusedinavarietyofbrassensembles Mutescanbeusedandchangethetimbreofthesound(straight,cup, Bbtransposition:M2 harmon,plunger) (mostcommon) Allowthetrumpetplayeropportunitiestobreath Considertrumpetplayerendurancewhenarranging PlayasoundingC? Givespecialconsiderationtoarticulationmarkings;trumpetsare WriteatrumpetD. conducivetomanydifferentkindsofattacks Considerthespeedofthenoteswithregardstoyourarticulationand playingability Conicalbore Hasthesamepitchastrombonealongwithsimilartonecolor Uprightbellorbellfront Dark,rich,mellowtone Notransposition Articulation:singletonguing,multipletonguing,fluttertonguing, staccato,piccato,sforzando,legato Lipslursandglissandos;vibratoshouldbenaturalandwellsuited Mutesareused;typicallyraisespitch1425cents Specialtechniques:glissandos,trills,vibrato Mutescanbeusedandchangethetimbreofthesound(straight,cup, wawa,plunger) Canaccompanyvocalmusic Notransposition Oftenplaysthealto,tenor,orbassrangesandfunctionswithinthe totalorchestralsoundscape Alsofeaturedinjazzasanensembleandsoloinstrument Conicalborewhichmeanslotsofharmonics IfBBbtuba: Upperrangeisntparticularlybrilliant M2+2octaves Lowerrangearethestrongestandmostresonant below TimbreisakintoFrenchhornbecauseofitsconicalbore Usedinband,orchestra,marchingbandasasousaphone,andjazz IfCtuba: twooctavesbelow Specialtechniques:growling,fluttertongue,vibrato,mutes

Instrument

Range/Tessitura

Transposition

Considerations
Usethefingerstogeneratesound Hastobemanuallytunedperstringperperformance Onlycomesinonekey;havetoadjustpedalstochangethekeyofthe instrument Specialtechniques:harmonics,whistling,pedalslides,pedalbuzzes, knocksonsoundboard,paperinstrings,rod/pencilinstrings,nai glissandos,Presdelatable Checkouthttp://www.garritan.com/tutorial/GPO_HarpTutorial.html

Harp (Felicia)

Notransposition Hasfootpedalsto changethe instrumentinto differentkeys

Informationcombinedfrominstrumentpresentationsin: MUSE312ArrangingforVocalandInstrumentalGroups ToddFruth,instructor,Fall2010 TrevorK.Ousey,editor tkousey@indiana.edu