Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange
Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [instrumentation]

Questions pertaining to the particular instruments or combination of instruments used in a piece of music or the manner in which a piece is arranged or composed for certain instruments.

31 questions
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When were the Db piccolo and the Eb horn phased out of the wind band?

In many classic wind band pieces, there are parts written for Db piccolo and Eb horn. I imagine these were more common in the genesis of the military band, but now Db piccolo is all but unheard of, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a horn in Eb.…
NReilingh
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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 orchestra instrumentation. But even reading this…
João Paulo
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14
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4 answers

How do I approximate instruments when arranging an orchestral piece for brass ensemble

I am going to arrange Wagner's Prelude and Liebestod for British brass band. I am not sure if it will be a good fit, but it is worth a try. The instrumentation that I am writing for is…
Eric
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11
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2 answers

What does this instrumentation mean?

I was checking the requirements for a score and saw this. 1.1.1.1-1.0.0.0-strings (3.3.2.2.1) - common woodwind doublings allowed I still don't know how to read the shorthand for orchestra instrumentation. What does it mean?
Cons
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10
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Why was basso continuo not widely used after the baroque period?

I'm studying a string quartet by Haydn. This (obviously) doesn't have a basso continuo. Why were basso continuos no longer used in the classical period? Was it something to do with the development of available instruments?
8128
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10
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Why can some people play music well who don't "know music"?

I have seen people who can play instruments well, but can't: Read sheet music. Do not know anything about music theory. Do not know the structures or rhythms of sound, acoustics, or the such. I have, on the other hand, studied music theory for a…
Bas Fetz
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9
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How many voices do violins usually play in modern orchestral music

I've been into arranging and composing for orchestral music for a few years now, however, my music is usually fully computer-rendered (ewql), so I don't have any practical limits of how many instruments I use. Well I'm trying to not be completely…
dialer
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Blondie's Heart of Glass shimmering cascade effect

There's a ethereal shimmering cascading effect in the background of Blondie's song "Heart of Glass" at around 0:35 minutes in (in E major) and also moments later at 0:43 (in C# minor) and 0:50 (in C# major) --- also appears again at 1:19 and…
D.R.
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8
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2 answers

Orchestral strings disposition (numeration meaning)

It's going to be the first time I'll be trying to compose a piece to be played by an orchestra and I don't know much about orchestral strings numeration/disposition. I just ran into this Composers initiative:…
ppareja
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8
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How does sound design affect musical composition?

For the purposes of this question, I'm using definitions commonly used in electronic music production: Sound design: The creation of single sounds, that can be used in a composition. For example, synthesizer patch design, sample selection, voice…
naught101
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How can I use a trumpet in a pop rock band?

We need to arrange several pop rock songs. The band has vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. In addition, we add a trumpet. Do you have any idea, method or example of how to play the songs with the trumpet?
nano.galvao
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6
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Renaissance or Baroque pieces with no instrumentation

I found out today that Michael Praetorius's Terpsichore is written with no indication about what instruments to use. I knew that the Art of the Fugue doesn't have instrumentation either, but I'd always thought that it was unique in that respect. …
Daniel Shapero
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Trill notation with a wavy line

There are 2 trill notations: 'tr' and 'tr' followed by a wavy line. What exactly is the difference and when is one used over the other?
Jack999
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What instrument is this and why is it held so strangely and played?

Looking at this orchestral performance of sinfonia from Bach's 29th Cantata (BWV 29), it is really curious to see the trombonists (?) holding the horn/trombone with one hand and the way they are standing with the other hand on their hip. You can see…
Fixed Point
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How Common Are the Trumpet in C and Clarinet in A?

In the wind/marching/concert band world, trumpets and soprano clarinets are always in Bb. The orchestra, however, uses trumpets in Bb, C, and D, and clarinets in Bb and A. I understand that clarinets in A would be preferred for pieces written in…
JAF
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