Questions tagged [orchestra]
A sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments.
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questions
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2answers
568 views
Players of unusual orchestral instruments
Consider a professional orchestra with a fairly wide repertoire. Obviously it will need players of all of the strings pretty much all of the time. However, for many of the other instruments, the ...
3
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3answers
1k views
Non-Chromatic Orchestral Instruments?
I would like to know which instruments of a modern orchestra are not able to play a full chromatic run?
I know that the harp for example is in a certain key and you have to use the pedals to change ...
28
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4answers
6k views
Why is the saxophone not common in classical repertoire?
Other than the fact that its relatively new compared to other orchestral instruments (e.g. the violin), why is the saxophone (any of them from the family, alto, baritone, tenor etc) not more prevalent ...
4
votes
1answer
70 views
What does a small slash through a line on the staff mean?
The slash mark is shown multiple times in the piece, and it’s not just shown on the top line. The slash goes between notes and on any of the staff lines. I just want to know what it signifies.
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3answers
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Why are almost all the people in this orchestra recording wearing headphones with one ear on and one ear off?
I was watching this video showing the behind-the-scenes recording of Ed Sheeran's 'Perfect' single, and I noticed that everyone in the orchestra (that I could see) is wearing headphones with one ear ...
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1answer
83 views
Is it possible to learn to play the violin for a year and be able to play in an amateur orchestra afterwards? [closed]
A little bit of background: when I was younger (around middle school) I played the piano for approximately 4 years. We're talking about around 10 years ago. I used to take regular lessons and also ...
11
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6answers
2k views
Parallel fifths in the orchestra
I started to learn orchestral music with four part harmony for choirs and there you always try to avoid parallel fifths and octaves...
How does this relate to a whole orchestra? Do you have to take ...
16
votes
1answer
1k views
What does this shorthand mean?
I was reading an article on the Internet and saw this notation:
3*3*3*3* – 4331 – tmp+3 – hp – cel/pno – cds (14/12/10/8/6)
Then, searching on Google, I could see that this is a shorthand for ...
4
votes
1answer
144 views
Transcribing from Orchestra to Piano [closed]
I was wondering what the standard procedure for transcribing an orchestra piece for a solo piano. Obviously, the large number of parts being reduced to a single instrument results in certain ...
1
vote
2answers
57 views
Advice on arranging an orchestral work for piano duet?
So, I am starting again with my arrangement of The Nutcracker Suite. I was debating whether or not to do the whole ballet but I decided on the Suite because it is shorter and more widely known than ...
6
votes
7answers
341 views
Orchestral Composition Process
I'm trying to find out about the process of composing for the multiple instruments in an orchestra.
Do you just write on the piano for all the instruments and then present the finished piece to the ...
3
votes
6answers
549 views
Can synthesizers match orchestras in terms of complexity and quality? [closed]
To what degree can technically demanding scores such as Tom and Jerry's (Scott Bradley's music) be performed on synthesizers? Which specific synthesizers are capable of the best quality performance?
...
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votes
2answers
87 views
Question about intonation of enharmonic notes on the trumpet [duplicate]
I've been told that, ideally, a note like an e sharp or a b sharp should be slightly different in pitch from an f natural or a c natural. (especially when it is written as a leading pitch in a minor ...
16
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7answers
4k views
Should I learn to play from memory in an orchestra
I play in an amateur wind orchestra and I noticed that generally people do not play from memory at all and look into the sheets for the entire piece. I'm no exception for the most part but here and ...
8
votes
7answers
4k views
Can I have two different instruments play the same melody at the same octave?
I am writing an orchestral track and so far I have written the melody of strings (violins and such) and I want to add trumpets and here are 3 things I consider.
1) Have the trumpets play the same ...
4
votes
2answers
39 views
How do I correctly mix my lead bass strings?
My orchestral composition has a bass lead line composed of a cello and a bass played in pizzicato. No matter how I mix my ensemble, the bass line does not stand out as I want. I tried:
Double ...
2
votes
1answer
217 views
Realistic jazzy sound with VST
I've been quite impressed with the orchestral sound of Nina Simone's "I put a spell on you". The part which interested me can be heard at first 17 seconds. So is it possible to simulate such warm and ...
6
votes
1answer
420 views
How to practice orchestration?
How can I practice composing for an orchestra? Should I take Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, analyze and then copy everything down on manuscript paper?
I would like to hear some techniques for ...
0
votes
2answers
175 views
I find composing for transposing instruments hard
So I have gotten into writing orchestral works and I have a bit of a problem. You see, I can transpose, but I am not used to adjusting the notation of the transposition.
So if I transpose from C to ...
0
votes
2answers
133 views
Prepared myself for symphonic writing, still very nervous
History of my compositions and how I feel about composing a symphony
I have been composing music for years but it was mostly intermittent and studying music theory. Now it is more regular.
I have ...
1
vote
1answer
85 views
What is this string/violin technique called?
In this song, from 2:40 to 2:41, the strings play a series of very short notes. It sounds almost like vibrato. I hear this string technique quite often in orchestral music. Is there a name for this ...
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votes
1answer
141 views
Are pieces for orchestra written mainly by pianists and keyboard players?
I'm just wondering if pieces for orchestra are/were mainly written on pianos or synthesizers. Is it just written on piano for all the instruments since on the piano it's easiest to play both harmony/...
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votes
1answer
345 views
Who composed “And the Waltz Goes On”? [closed]
I listened to "And the Waltz Goes On" played by Andre Rieu's orchestra a while ago, in the video Andre say it was composed by Anthony Hopkins and never have been played until he did so in Vienna, but ...
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4answers
2k views
Loudness of A Contrabass
I was watching a play called The Contrabass and the actor stated that "the contrabass is different from other instruments in that, it is heard better as one moves further from it" (please note that ...
0
votes
1answer
187 views
What is the best way to become first chair? [closed]
I had bad seating last year as a cellist in intermediate youth orchestra. I work on rhythm, as the conductor told me to. So how should I play to get a better seating this year?
0
votes
3answers
63 views
Causes of the problems with hearing the singers over an orchestra
Recently I have been to a concert, where Carmina Burana was presented. It was my first time hearing a live performance of this masterpiece. However, I have found out that live performance differed ...
7
votes
1answer
798 views
Aren't conductors like Valery Gergiev hard for orchestras to follow?
All of the conductors I've had in the past have had a very... English style of conducting. They show you what they want with the baton and then you play it, but God forbid that you play with or (gasp) ...
3
votes
4answers
911 views
What is the difference between Ensemble and Orchestra?
Both the definitions imply a group of musicians playing a piece together. If i am inferring it wrong, kindly clarify the difference.
3
votes
6answers
293 views
Counting long rests in music
So, in orchestra we got given Bolero and the third trombone part has 236 rests before we come in (yes I counted). If you're wondering, I'm not some professional player, I'm the youngest in the group ...
0
votes
2answers
188 views
Parallel Fifth in a Symphony Orchestral [closed]
when writing for an orchestra can we use parallel fifth (Power Chord)?
for example in game of thrones symphony for some part of string or another song for brass section because it is so powerful and ...
5
votes
2answers
751 views
Musical that requires changing the keyboard MIDI sounds quickly [closed]
Within the score for our school production the keyboard part has to change voice every other page and there isn't time to change the voice manually.
Rather than having 6 different keyboards in the ...
7
votes
1answer
597 views
Historically informed performance - Tuning
I recently attended a performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto by Nicola Benedetti and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Marin Alsop. At the end, Nicola played an encore: a version of ...
2
votes
1answer
325 views
What orchestral compositions have parts for Trumpet in H?
I know I've played parts written in H, but I can't find any from Google search. H is the German equivalent of B. Source: http://web.library.yale.edu/cataloging/music/names-keys-french-german-italian-...
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votes
3answers
1k views
Emulating human performance in orchestral software
I recently bought Garritan Personal Orchestra and find it a great tool to get professional-sounding orchestral renders of my scores. However, I feel a certain lack of "human" playing in it, i.e., ...
23
votes
4answers
4k views
As a soloist, should I face the audience or the conductor during long tutti sections?
I am playing a violin concerto with an orchestra and a fairly large audience in a few weeks. So my question is, in the long Tutti parts where I don't play, should I face towards the audience, and what ...
35
votes
3answers
3k views
Do composers take advantage of the position of players in an orchestra for effect?
While listening to Brahms Symphony no. 1, I noticed that there is an interesting stereo effect, alternating left and right, (to my untrained ear) between the violins and the cellos/double basses, at ...
0
votes
1answer
461 views
Performing music from long ago
Let's say a modern orchestra wants to perform a piece of music composed by Mozart. Which of the following is true?
Mozart wrote the score for every instrument in the orchestra. Those instruments ...
0
votes
2answers
195 views
Sample Library: Orchestra vs Band
I'm an amateur composer interested in purchasing a high quality orchestral sample library like Garritan Personal Orchestra. The problem is that I plan on composing a piece for my schools concert band, ...
4
votes
1answer
393 views
How to add extra rehearsal marks in orch. score in Lilypond
In Lilypond (ver. 2.18.2), how can I place rehearsal marks above each staff group in an orchestral score? Currently, it only places rehearsal marks above the top-most staff only.
Refer to the below ...
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votes
4answers
2k views
Why are some instruments listed 'in F' or 'in B'?
I am looking through scores of pieces that I particularly like.
I can't understand (as this is the first time I have come across it) why here, in the manuscript, some instruments are named as ...
2
votes
2answers
103 views
Intonation when playing with a click track on one ear
Recently I participated in a project where we played film music live with the film playing. We got an earbud that played the click track for one ear so we stayed in time.
Now this was an amateur ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Do left handed violinists play in orchestras?
I don't think I've ever seen any orchestra that uses left handed violinists (or viola/cello/bass players). My guess is that they would clash with the rest of the violinists, and they would seem out of ...
4
votes
2answers
122 views
How to keep my scroll out of my stand partner's face
I'm playing on the outside of my desk, and my scroll is constantly in my stand partner's face. To have my violin off to the side seems kind of necessary for me to keep good posture, but this clearly ...
1
vote
2answers
506 views
Where does the soloist stand (sit) in a concerto?
Is there a standard location?
In any piano concerto that I remember, the soloist was to the right of the conductor.
In a recent cello concerto, the soloist was also to the right of the conductor and ...
0
votes
2answers
97 views
Is there a specific name for phrases in music that create tension/anger?
In a lot of music I hear phrases that are very hard hitting. Forgive the vague reference but this can be heard in orchestral music where for example a timpani, violin/strings all hit together for a ...
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vote
5answers
139 views
Will my orchestral compositions be disregarded if I do not hold a degree in music?
I want to get a grasp of the current state of things, and my question is quite simple.
If a person does not have a university degree in music, does he have any chance to get his orchestral works ...
0
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3answers
590 views
How difficult is the orchestra part of Rachmaninoff's 3rd piano concerto?
I would like to play this with my high school orchestra (with me as piano), and I was wondering how difficult the orchestra part of this concerto is. Would a typical high school orchestra be able to ...
1
vote
1answer
174 views
Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture: which side of orchestra are cannons usually on?
I am wondering if there is a typical or traditional side that the cannons for 1812 Overture are usually at in the orchestra and, if there is a preferred side, what reasons there are for choosing that ...
2
votes
1answer
99 views
Is clip-on tuner suitable for stage in orchestra?
I googled and saw videos in youtube about tuning in classical orchestra during their live performance. I was wonder if somebody tell me that using clip-on tuner for instruments (like violin) in ...
16
votes
3answers
509 views
Are there historical or musical reasons to why the concertmaster of an orchestra is a violinist?
So far, I have found and read a number of articles about the role and duties of an orchestra concertmaster, or first violinist. There is also this possibly related question which discusses the spatial ...
