2/4/18

Orchestrating:
Choosing colors

Instruments can be divided by family, range

and relative loudness.


FAMILIES:
1.  Strings: 1st and 2nd Violins, Violas, Cellos & Basses
2.  Woodwinds: Flutes, Clarinets, Oboes & Bassoons
3.  Brass: Trumpets, Horns, Trombones & Tubas
4.  Percussion:
1.  Pitched: Glockenspiel, Marimba, Xylophone, Timpani
2.  Unpitched: Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Cymbals, etc.

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RANGE:
1.  High: Violins, Flutes, Trumpets, Glockenspiel
2.  Medium: 2nd Violins, Violas, Clarinets, Oboes, 2nd Trumpets, Horns,
Marimba
3.  Low: Cellos, Basses, Bass Clarinets, Bassoons, Trombones, Tubas,
Bass Drum, Timpani

RELATIVE LOUDNESS:
1.  Soft: Strings, Medium & Low Flute, Low Clarinet, muted Brass,
Marimba
2.  Medium: Strings, Medium-high Flute, Medium-high Clarinet,
Bassoon, Horns, Timpani
3.  Loud: High Flutes & Piccolo, High Clarinets, Oboe, Trumpets,
Trombones, Tuba, Snare Drum

How to score the melody

•  Put the melody in a high or medium voice in the orchestra so that the
children will be able to hear it and sing along.
•  Also be sure the melody is in a relatively loud instrument so that it
can be heard easily over the accompaniment.
•  You may double the melody an octave higher with flute or piccolo
and/or glockenspiel. This is especially effective if you are using a lot
of the orchestra.

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How to score the accompaniment

•  Be sure that the accompaniment is not louder than the melody!
Choose your instruments carefully!
•  Be sure that the accompaniment does not cover the melody: all of
the notes in the accompaniment should be lower than the melody
notes!

Possible Scorings:
•  Strings: 1st Violins get the melody, 2nd Violins & Violas get the inner
notes of the harmonies, Cellos & Basses get the bass line.
•  Woodwinds: Flutes, 1st Clarinets or Oboes get the melody, 2nd & 3rd
Clarinets get the inner harmony notes, bassoons get the bass line.
•  Brass: 1st Trumpets get the melody, 2nd Trumpets, 1st and 2nd Horns
and 1st Trombones get the inner harmony notes, 2nd Trombones &
Tuba get the bass line.
•  Strings plus a woodwind instrument: Flute, Oboe or 1st Clarinet would
get the melody, possibly doubled by 1st violins. The rest as before.

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Variations for each verse!

•  Each repetition of the song could be different: decide relative dynamics
and go from there.
•  You could have a verse with no singing, and that could have a more
complicated orchestration.
•  You could add pizzicato strings to the woodwinds for extra color, maybe on
one of the repetitions. Pizzicato strings with brass would probably get
drowned out.
•  You may add percussion for color. If you know what you would like, but
are not sure how to do it, you can indicate that and one of us will make it
happen.
•  Your final iteration of the song could have the full orchestra!

Reminder about Voicing of Chords!

• Remember to keep larger intervals

between your lowest two voices in your
scoring. If they are too close together,
the sound will be muddy!
• Higher voices can be close together: no
problem!

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These are just a few ideas of

what you could do. Think in
terms of colors, and it will
end up interesting!

All set?
See how to send/upload
your score on the next page!

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Exporting from Noteflight

1. In the score menu, click on the export cloud/arrow at the far right of the menu

2. Export as a MusicXML Score

3. Find the MusicXML version of your score in your folder/drive/desktop and either email
that file to Mr. Gitch at mgitch@gtcys.org or upload it to https://goo.gl/6mXutB

Exporting from MuseScore (Mac)

1. Under the file menu, select export

2. Export as a MusicXML File

3. Find the MusicXML version of your score in your folder/drive/desktop and either email
that file to Mr. Gitch at mgitch@gtcys.org or upload it to https://goo.gl/6mXutB