How do I arrange for big band? How much theory do I need to know? Where do I even start? Where am I? Why am I naked? Answers to (most) of these questions and more…
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If you booked a big band, who would you expect to turn up and play? We look at the instruments in a big band as well as their roles and responsibilities.
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A look into speciifc aspects of each instrument in a big band. We look at their ranges and tone colours as well as looking at effective, idiomatic writing for each player.
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How many instruments can we convince one musician to play? We look at common doublings in big band writing and some of the reasons why we might use these extra colours.
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Why would using an orchestral score layout look so wrong when applied to a big band? What’s the difference? We also have a brief look at good big band part preparation.
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The big band offers a huge array of great brass colours. We get the option of so many different mutes, how do we know as arrangers when to use each one and how they affect the player?
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What's the biggest tell-tale sign of a non-jazz musician arranging jazz? It has something to do with those little markings and symbols that we like to litter our scores with.
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Bad phrasing in a big band arrangement is the number one reason for wasted time (and money) in the studio. Luckily, it’s easy to get right when you know what to look for.
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