Composing Advice #2

Repairs

Beyond the Limitations

In my first news post, I shared a few tips that I've come across in my own study of orchestration in regard to writing parts that can be played by live musicians. If you know have listened to any of my work that has been performed live, you probably know that I write some bizzare and intricate music. I do try to push the boundaries of what I write and push the players that I write for. Sometimes what has been written, even by a world class composer, is just not playable because of minor mistakes, deadlines, or an inexperienced ensemble. The composer's mistakes will have to be fixed by the conductor, or the ensemble itself.

This recently reminded me of a musical term called "scordatura".

"Scordatura, is a tuning of a stringed instrument different from the normal, standard tuning. It typically attempts to allow special effects or unusual chords or timbre, or to make certain passages easier to play."

-Wiki

For guitar, as I'm sure most of you know, it is pretty simple to detune, or use alternate tunings while performing. For other "orchestral" instruments, it isn't quite so simple to do IN practice.

Asking a Violinist to tune their high E string up a whole step is not particularly a good idea. Those things break, and when they break, it isn't as non-chalant as a guitar string break. It's kind of like having your tire 'POP' while on a highway. It's frightening, and it can and will hurt if the string hits the player (especially in the eye!).

What we tend to forget is that these string instruments are quite expensive by comparison to common rock instruments (for a high quality instrument). While talented players are often very familiar with the intricacies of caring for their instrument, less experienced players are commonly not. So, by asking one to detune their entire instrument for a single performance, we will be affecting the said instrument's intonation. In addition, sight reading can become more difficult since the finger positioning gets altered. With it comes many problems that performers would prefer not to deal with and likewise the conductors themselves.

There is most definitely a time and a place for utilizing scordatura in your compositions, but if you are going to do it, make sure that you do so for a composition that is going to make GOOD use of the scordatura.

If you have sparse measures where your Contrabass dips down to a Cb, consider re-arranging these parts. This is a bad useage of scordatura.

If you are utilizing scodratura for effects, or you truly need to have a specific interval or chord played that cannot be performed any other way... then, go for it! Just do a bit of research first into compositions that have utilized it before as a reference point. This, I would consider to be good usage of scordatura.

Repairing your Work

It isn't that difficult to spot the unplayable, but those of us who use step sequencers may come across this problem more often than those who write directly into notation software. Here are a few ideas you might consider to repair your work...

1) Key Change--Up or Down. It is often the most simple to get the parts within range if your part has dipped above or below. Also, the simplest method.

2) Physical edit--Sometimes the part you have doesn't really need to be played as high as you have it. Try another melody that still compliments the other parts you wrote, without taking away from what you want the listener to experience when hearing your work.

3) Revamp--Obviously this method takes the most time, but it is possible indeed. The need for revamps usually will take place between a Violin and Viola part, or a Cello and Contrabass. The confusion of the range of these instruments is where most mistakes come into play. Where it gets tricky is when you need to add an extra musician to accomplish your work. It can be as simple as switching your Viola part to a Violin, or your Cello to a Contrabass etc. You might also consider splitting the voicing for your Celli to pick up the under-range that the Viola can't play. If your work demands the voice to be heard, let it be heard.

4) Split Voicing--In orchestras there is more than one player for a designated instrument (unless you are writing for a small ensemble). If you expect an entire Violin section to bow over three strings with ease, in the same manner you would play a Ukelele, you might be asking for a little too much. Try splitting the part between the 1st and 2nd Violins. Or perhaps you could just be clear in your notation that the passage that is about to be played should be played by multiple players within the section. The first char might take the top note, second chair the middle, and so on. This makes the more difficult passages easier to manage for everyone.

Hopefully this gives you guys something interesting to consider when writing your next composition or reviewing one of your old compositions.