Arranging for Strings

by Mimi Rabson

(Berklee Guide). Learn to use strings in your compositions and arrangements! From romantic chord pads to powerful grooves to gut-wrenching passionate melodies, strings do it all. This book presents time-tested techniques and contemporary developments in writing and arranging for strings. You'll learn strategies for authentic writing in many different styles and find ideas to take your personal sound forward. Discover voicings that work best for each project and explore the intricacies of bowing. Hear articulation approaches from pads to chopping in the online audio examples. See how other composers have used strings to heighten the impact of their music in the written examples. Make your work stand out with the drama and depth that well informed string writing can bring. You will * The tunings, range, and timbres for the violin, viola, cello, and bass, including standard instruments and common variations, including acoustic, electric, and synthesized string instruments and sections * Bowing techniques and possibilities * Characteristic articulations and sounds, such as vibrato, pizzicato, sul tasto, trills, tremolos, and harmonics * Timbral and rhythm effects, such as chop technique, ponticello/feedback, portamento, and falls * String-section arranging techniques, such as melody/countermelody, fills, pads, and comping * Stylistic nuances of genres such as American roots, Celtic, jazz, rock, klezmer, eastern European, Gypsy jazz, and swing * Mic, recording, and live sound techniques for capturing the best string sounds for both acoustic and electric instruments

Genres: Music

126 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2018

Reviews

[David Rubenstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that this book would be helpful, by improving my composing/arranging/orchestration skills. I have read other books that treated all the instruments in the orchestra. But I had thought that since this book specializes on the string section of the orchestra, I would get more specialized information. I was dead-wrong.

This book attempts to cover a very very wide range of topics. It covers the individual string instruments, world instruments outside of the normal orchestra, a range of playing styles, and even strategies for notation for giving sheet music to musicians, advice for discussions with performers, and a chapter on recording small and large ensembles. Not only that, but most of the musical examples that are notated in the book refer to online recordings that can be unlocked with the key printed in the first page of the book. And, many of the examples were written by the author, Mimi Rabson, specifically to illlustrate key points in the book.

This sounds pretty comprehensive, doesn't it? Nothing could be further from the truth. The author may be a wonderful musician, but her book is woefully incomplete. The book frequently mentions the use of vibrato, which cannot be applied on the "open strings". What are the open strings? Each string instrument has strings that are tuned to a specific note, but there is no mention of what the tuning is. The book mentions the use of "first position", but makes no attempt to explain what this is, or what range of notes are accessible from first position. The book mentions something called "DI" recording. But there is no explanation of what is meant by DI, or when it is useful.

At the back of the book is a list of suggested pieces of music, to get a feeling for the various styles and genres. But each style is given just a page or two description. And, there is no real help in the book on how to arrange specifically for each style. For example, for the klezmer style, there are two one-second recordings of a specific motif that is common to the klezmer style. You can't learn much about the style from the written description or the audio recordings.

All in all, the book is woefully incomplete. There are many references that are infinitely better, even references that include lots of audio recording examples. This book is not for beginners, and not for experts, either. Stay away from this book.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent survey but generally much too basic.