Orchestration Masterclass, Part 1: The Strings and The Winds from Udemy

This course is certified 5-stars by the International Association of Online Music Educators and Institutions.

100% Answer Rate. Every single question posted to this class is answered within 24 hours by the instructor.

Are you a music maker, performer, composer, or aspiring songwriter looking to up your game? This is the place to start.

It's time to learn orchestration to give your music the power, the passion, and the prodigiousness that it deserves.

Orchestration is the study of each instrument in the orchestra, how they work, how to write for them, and how each instrument collides with the others to make new sounds. Think of it like painting: The orchestra is your palette of colors. But you don't want to just mix them all together. You need to understand some principles of mixing those colors together before you put your brush on canvas.

In this series of classes we are going to work on three things:

Instrumentation: Knowing how all of the instruments in the orchestra work, and how to write for them in an idiomatic way.
Composition: Using the orchestra to write powerful music. Learning how to blend the different sounds of the orchestra to make a new, unique, sound.
Synthestration: Using common production software (Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, etc.) to create a realistic orchestra sound using sample libraries.

In this first class, "Part 1: The Strings and The Winds" we are going to focus entirely on instrumentation - learning how to write for the strings (violin, viola, cello, bass/contrabass) and the winds (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone). If you don't know me, I've published a lot of classes here. Those classes have been really successful (top sellers, in fact. ), and this has been one of the most requested class that my students (over I'm really excited to finally be able to bring this to you.

Here is a list of some of the topics we will cover:

Transposition
Score Order
Tips for Reading Scores
Preparing Parts for Players
Page Turns and Cues
Bowing
Pizzicato
Double Stops
The Violin
The Viola
The Cello
The Bass
String Effects
Harmonics
Col Legno
Ponticello
Glissando
Vibrato
Scordatura
The Winds
Sustained Tones and Breathing
Tonguing and Rhythm
Types of Flutes
Types of Oboes
Types of Clarinets
The Break in the Clarinet
Types of Bassoons
Types of Saxophones
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Bari Saxophone, and Soprano Saxophone
Woodwind Effects
Multiphonics
And Much, Much, More.

My Promise to You:

I am a full-time Music composer and Educator. If you have any questions please post them in the class or send me a direct message. I will respond within 24 hours. And if you find this class isn't for you, I am more than happy for you to take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.

What makes me qualified to teach you?

In addition to being a composer and educator, I also have a Ph.D. in music, I am a university music professor, and have a long list of awards for teaching.

But more importantly: I use this stuff every day. I write music professionally, I am an active guitarist, and I stay on top of all the latest production techniques, workflows, and styles. As you will see in this class, I just love this stuff. And I love teaching it.

Let's get started.

See you in lesson 1.

All best,

Jason (but call me Jay...)

What's inside

Learning objectives

Compose music for the strings and for the winds
The unique properties of every instrument in the orchestra

How writing for the orchestra works, including scores, parts, shared parts, and more.
Making your synthesized orchestrations sounds great!

Compose music for the strings and for the winds
The unique properties of every instrument in the orchestra
How writing for the orchestra works, including scores, parts, shared parts, and more.
Making your synthesized orchestrations sounds great!

Syllabus

Welcome to Orchestration and Instrumentation!

Introduction

What is Orchestration?

What is Instrumentation?

What is Synthestration?

Ranges and Synthestration

Suggested Texts

The Format of this class

My Orchestra Music

Let's start with the score. Where everything comes together.

Big Beautiful Scores

Transposition

Instrument Order

Rehearsal Letters and Numbers

Tips for Reading Scores

Next let's take a quick look at how parts are put together for the orchestra.

Shared Parts, and "Desks"

Page Turns

Cues

My Achilles heel. In this section I'll explain this, and some tricks for how I've learned to deal with it.

What is Transposition?

Why Do we Do that?

Muti-key Instruments

Some Sneaky Tricks Around Transposition

Ok! Let's get down to business. The Strings.

Instruments in the "orchestral strings" section

Bowings

Pizzicato

Fatigue

Multiple Stops

The Violin: Range and Sound

The Viola: Range and Sound

The Cello: Range and Sound

The Bass (Contrabass): Range and Sound

The String Section

String Effects

Harmonics

Mutes

Col Legno

Ponticello

Glissando

Vibrato

Scordatura

Up next is the woodwinds! Clarinet, flute, oboe, bass clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone.

How These Work

Sustained Notes and Breathing

Tonguing and Rhythm

Transpositions!

The Types of Flutes

The Flutes: Range and Sound

The Types of Oboes

The Oboe: Range and Sound

The Types of Clarinets

The Clarinet: Range and Sound

The Break!

The Types of Bassoons

The Bassoon: Range and Sound

The Types of Saxophones

The Alto Saxophone: Range and Sound

The Tenor Saxophone: Range and Sound

The Baritone Saxophone: Range and Sound

The Soprano Saxophone: Range and Sound

Special Woodwind Effects

Key Clicks and Air and Mutes

Multiphonics

That's it for now! Let me leave you with a few more things...

What Comes Next?

Thanks For Watching!

Bonus Lecture

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Covers instrumentation, composition, and synthestration, which are essential skills for creating powerful and unique orchestral music

Explores transposition, score order, and part preparation, which are crucial for effective orchestral writing and performance

Examines string and woodwind instruments, including their ranges, sounds, and special effects, providing a comprehensive understanding of orchestral colors

Discusses bowing, pizzicato, double stops, and other string techniques, which are fundamental for idiomatic string writing

Addresses sustained tones, breathing, tonguing, and rhythm for woodwinds, which are essential considerations for wind instrument orchestration

Requires learners to have access to production software such as Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Cubase, or Pro Tools to create realistic orchestral sounds

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Orchestration Masterclass, Part 1: The Strings and The Winds with these activities:

Review Music Theory Fundamentals

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Reinforce your understanding of music theory concepts like scales, chords, and harmony, which are essential for effective orchestration.

Browse courses on Music Theory

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Review basic music notation and terminology.
Practice identifying intervals and chords.
Analyze simple musical scores for harmonic structure.

Read 'Principles of Orchestration' by Rimsky-Korsakov

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Gain a deeper understanding of orchestration principles by studying a foundational text in the field.

View Principles of Orchestration (Dover Books On... on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Principles of Orchestration'.
Read the chapters pertaining to strings and woodwinds.
Take notes on key concepts and examples.

Orchestrate a Simple Melody

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Apply the concepts learned in the course by orchestrating a simple melody for a string quartet or wind ensemble.

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Choose a simple melody (e.g., a folk tune).
Sketch out a basic arrangement for strings or winds.
Refine the arrangement, paying attention to ranges and timbres.
Create a full score of your orchestration.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Analyze Orchestral Scores

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Improve your score reading skills by analyzing existing orchestral scores, focusing on the use of strings and winds.

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Select several orchestral scores featuring strings and winds.
Identify the instruments used and their specific roles.
Analyze the orchestration techniques employed by the composer.
Write a short analysis of each score, highlighting key observations.

Transposition Exercises

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Master the skill of transposition by practicing exercises that involve converting melodies and harmonies between different keys and instruments.

Browse courses on Transposition

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Find or create transposition exercises.
Practice transposing melodies for different instruments.
Check your work against a reference or solution.

Explore 'The Study of Orchestration' by Samuel Adler

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Expand your knowledge of orchestration techniques and styles by studying a comprehensive textbook.

View Th Study of Orchestration on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'The Study of Orchestration'.
Read the chapters that interest you most.
Complete some of the exercises provided in the book.

Synthestration Project

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Create a realistic orchestral sound using sample libraries and your preferred production software.

Show steps

Select a piece of music to orchestrate using samples.
Choose appropriate sample libraries for strings and winds.
Create a detailed arrangement in your DAW.
Mix and master the final product.

Career center

Learners who complete Orchestration Masterclass, Part 1: The Strings and The Winds will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Orchestrator

An orchestrator arranges music for an orchestra, deciding which instruments play which parts to achieve a desired sonic texture. This course provides an understanding of instrumentation, including the nuances of string and wind instruments, which are essential to an orchestrator's work. It covers practical elements such as transposition, score reading, and part preparation, all of which are crucial for a successful orchestrator. Specifically, knowledge of the individual capabilities of instruments like the violin, cello, flute, and clarinet, as well as techniques such as bowing, pizzicato, and multiphonics will help build a foundation for your career as an orchestrator.

See salaries and explore the career path for Orchestrator

Composer

A composer creates original musical works, and may specialize in writing orchestral music. This course helps a composer gain deeper insight into instrumentation, specifically the way strings and winds work, to enhance their ability to write for orchestras. The course provides comprehensive coverage of important techniques, such as transposition, score reading, and part preparation, which equips a composer with the necessary skills to create music for a full orchestra. By understanding bowing, pizzicato, multiphonics, and other instrument-specific effects, a composer will be able to write more nuanced and compelling music.

See salaries and explore the career path for Composer

Film Composer

Film composers write music for movies, and are often required to create orchestral scores. To do so, a film composer needs to understand the fundamentals of orchestration, making this course particularly useful. The course's focus on instrumentation, specifically string and wind instruments, helps a film composer use the orchestra to its full potential. The course will help a film composer learn how each instrument blends to make a new and unique sound. The instruction on transposition, and score reading, score order and preparing parts ensures that a film composer is well prepared for working with live musicians.

See salaries and explore the career path for Film Composer

Arranger

An arranger adapts existing music for different instruments, ensembles, or styles, which often involves creating arrangements for orchestras. This course is highly relevant for an arranger by exploring the complexities of orchestral instrumentation, particularly strings and winds. The course helps an arranger understand individual instrument characteristics, allowing them to create effective and creative arrangements. Additionally, an arranger will find much value in the course's information on score reading, part preparation, transposition, and the blending of instrument sounds.

See salaries and explore the career path for Arranger

Video Game Composer

A video game composer creates music for video games, often including orchestral elements. This course on orchestration may be useful to a video game composer looking to expand their skills. The course covers the essentials of instrumentation, including strings and winds, helping a video game composer work with these elements when writing video game soundtracks. The course will help a video game composer with the blending of different instrument sounds. Also important is the course's discussion of how to use software to create realistic orchestral sounds, which is especially helpful for a video game composer working with sample libraries.

See salaries and explore the career path for Video Game Composer

Music Producer

A music producer oversees the recording and production of music, and a thorough understanding of orchestration is often important. This course helps a music producer by teaching the fundamentals of instrumentation, specifically focusing on string and wind instruments. A producer will benefit from learning about how different instruments blend and how to replicate these sounds in a studio recording. A music producer will find information on transposition, score reading, and working with MIDI orchestral sounds valuable, leading to better recordings and mixes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Producer

Music Editor

A music editor works with music in various media, and an understanding of orchestration is helpful for many projects. This course directly relates to the tasks of a music editor by delving into the details of orchestral instruments, specifically strings and winds. This course will be useful when music editors work with both real and synthesized orchestral scores. A music editor benefits from the course's coverage on score order, transposition, and part preparation, as well as instruction on how to use software for realistic orchestral sounds during the editing process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Editor

Conductor

A conductor leads an orchestra or ensemble, and this course may provide a better understanding of orchestration, though a conductor typically requires advanced instruction. The course introduces a conductor to the intricate details of string and wind instruments, helping them more effectively lead an orchestra. Information on score order, transposition, and preparing parts will be of great benfit to a conductor. Also, a conductor can better understand how to work with musicians after being introduced to musical techniques, and to the specific qualities of each instrument.

See salaries and explore the career path for Conductor

Copyist

A copyist prepares written music for publication or performance, which, depending on the style of music, may involve creating parts for orchestral instruments. This course introduces a copyist to the world of orchestration, particularly the intricacies of working with string and wind instruments. The course helps a copyist understand score order, transposition, how to prepare parts, which is very important for a copyist's tasks. Additionally, familiarity with bowing, pizzicato, and other performance techniques will make a copyist's work more accurate and precise.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copyist

Sound Designer

A sound designer creates and manipulates audio content for various media, and this course may prove helpful to those working with orchestral sounds. A sound designer working with samples and synthesizers can use the course's instruction on orchestral instrumentation to make more realistic or creative sounds. The course will help a sound designer benefit from the discussion of instrument ranges, effects like bowing, pizzicato, and harmonics, and the specific character of strings and wind instruments. This background helps a sound designer make more informed decisions when crafting orchestral soundscapes.

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Music Teacher

A music teacher instructs students in music theory and performance, and an understanding of orchestration can be valuable. This course helps a music teacher by providing detailed information on orchestral instruments. This course can assist a music teacher in creating lesson plans and exercises. This course helps a music teacher in understanding instrument-specific techniques and how to use software to create realistic sounds, which can be valuable for both teaching and personal skill development.

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Musicologist

A musicologist studies the history and theory of music, and may focus on orchestral music in their research. While the course is not a musicology course, it may be helpful to a musicologist. The course delivers background about the instruments in an orchestra, especially the strings and winds. The course's discussions on instrument ranges, score reading, and orchestral effects will may be helpful in analysis, interpretation, and study. This course may help a musicologist look at orchestral scores with better understanding, and help inform their research and writing.

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Instrumental Music Performer

An instrumental music performer plays an instrument, and knowledge of orchestration can enhance their understanding of music. This course will help an instrumental music performer learn about other orchestral instruments, particularly the strings and the winds, outside of their own instrument.This course will help a performer understand the role of each instrument in an orchestra, and how they blend together. By understanding the unique abilities and effects of different instruments, a performer can bring new perspectives to their own playing and performances.

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Arts Administrator

An arts administrator manages operations for arts organizations, and some understanding of music can help. While not directly related, this course may be of some use to an arts administrator, particularly if they work with orchestras or musical ensembles. The course's overview of how instruments work may be helpful background knowledge when working to support performances and other projects. The course also provides insight into the types of music work that is done, which provides context for an administrator in their work.

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Music Therapist

A music therapist uses music to address patients' physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs, and an understanding of different instruments can be helpful. While this course does not deal with therapy, a music therapist may find value in the details it provides about orchestral instruments, particularly the strings and winds. The course's coverage of instrument ranges may help a music therapist choose the correct instrument combinations. The techniques covered in this course may also allow a therapist to expand the musical options available to them.

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Orchestration Masterclass, Part 1

The Strings and The Winds

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Activities

Career center

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