Dec 6, 2019 | Daily Film Scoring Bits, Orchestration
Dynamics in Score Sheets When studying score sheets of classical works, you will often notice how ambiguous dynamic markings are notated. There might be hairpins leading to or from nowhere and other markings that don’t clearly indicate what the desired dynamic...
Nov 29, 2019 | Daily Film Scoring Bits, Orchestration
Close vs. Open Position Chords in Brass When writing chords in Brass it is usually better to stay in close position voicings rather than in open position. As basically all brass instruments have a natural crescendo and raise in intensity towards their top end, writing...
Nov 22, 2019 | Daily Film Scoring Bits, Orchestration
Clarinet Dynamics Due to their construction with a single reed, Clarinets (and also Saxophones) have the special ability to create incredibly low dynamics and can crescendo from or decrescendo to almost complete silence. This doesn’t only apply to the Clarinet...
Oct 18, 2019 | Daily Film Scoring Bits, Orchestration
Triple Dynamics The dynamic range of orchestra musicians spans more or less between pp and ff. Triple dynamics, even though used quite regularly especially by inexperienced orchestrators will mostly result in not sounding any different than the double dynamics. Only...
Aug 30, 2019 | Daily Film Scoring Bits, Orchestration
Balance of the Harp In a real orchestral tutti, there’s hardly any chance for the harp to be heard. The only thing that might have a chance to cut through are quite strong and expansive glissandos, but any figuration etc. gets lost already in a mezzoforte tutti. Most...
