Do any of you know if there are any publications (like Arrangers for Dummies) on the market that advises "how" to play each sound (example: a horn player "breathes," a violinst brings in vibrato, banjo's are played different than regular guitars, guitarists bend notes, etc)? In other words, how to not just play an instrument patch on the keyboard, but how to manipulate the sound so it sounds as realistic as an actual player of the "real" instrument? And other "secrets" of arranger keyboard use such as the range of each instrument, etc? I've found nothing so far.

Hi Lucky. Though this certainly isn't the newest or latest book to cover this topic, it's the one I used back in college, and an excellent one that I continue to recommend:

"Arranging Techniques For Synthesists", by Eric Turkel, published in 1988

In addition to describing the physics behind the workings of each instrument in the orchestral-band family, as well as the unique acoustic playing technique required to play each, it explains how to best emulate them on the keyboard. This book also includes valuable information on harmony & orchestration, and remains an terrific music library resource book that I find myself repeatedly refering back to.

It's available for sale: HERE

Scott

Scott....thank you. I remember that whole series. They're all excellent. I have a few books from that publisher though not the one you mentioned. I'll see if I can't get it locally and if not, thanks for the site. I'll order it from there.

I also have and highly recommend Eric Turkel's book. I even took it to a printer and had him cut the spine off and rebind it with comb binding because it is perfect bound (the pages are glued together at the left edge) and it was starting to come apart. Now I can open it up flat and not have it fall apart and loose pages.

Tom

------------------
Bigger is not always better

I think you would be much better off spending your time listening to recordings and live performanences of solo instrumentalists as well as horn and other like instrument sections within a band and listening to the whole band/orchestra as a whole. Seeing what it is they do and trying to emulate it on your keyboard using it's particular features to use inflection on the different notes using the modulation wheel, after-touch, how you attack the note, being short attack or smooth or legato. This would mean hands on experimenting. The written word here won't help too much. This is all about feeling and inflection. Since it is mostly a feeling kind of thing, if you could learn anything by reading an actual book on the subject, I think that unless you listened and then emulated, it would sound stiff. You would be using the analytical part of your brain which is not into the feeling part of it, but would instead, IMHO hinder what it is that you're wanting to do here instead.

Inflection is what makes the sound whether it's the live acoustic instument or doing it on the keyboard, or a with a vocalist for that matter.

One thing that will make a big difference is noting how the note is attacked. Is is short or long, is it an abrupt attack or is it a smooth attack. Do they hit the note hard, lower the volume instantly and slowly increase the volume adding vibrato. Do they continue at the loud volume or do they let that note get softer? Or, do the get louder and softer more than once on a long note.

Suppose you want to use a clarinet sound. What do your clarinets on your keyboard sound like. What variables can you introduce to change the sound. Plain experimentation is the only way you can find this out.

Do you want to sound like Pete Fountain, Aker Bilk or a classical clarinetist. Each one sounds differently on all playing aspects. To explain this simple thing could take a whole chapter in a book and if you just listened to these examples you would know instantly what it sounded like.

In a nutshell, simply listen and emulate the feeling and inflextion.

I humbly invite you to listen to some of my demos to see what my interpretation of different instruments could be made to sound as realistic as I could manage in different genres using what the keyboards had to offer along with using my tastes and playing abilities:

http://scottlmusic.com/Listen.html

Best
Scott


[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 04-29-2006).]

One other thought. After listening and emulating, record yourself. You will be amazed at the stuff you hear on a recording that is missed while performing it.

I find that sometimes what I thought sucked when I played it live often comes across sounding good when listened to in the context in the whole.

Also there are things that I think sound sharp when I play them live, and in listening later do not like it at all.

Certainly the best way to learn, IMO.

As far as the range of an instrument, you'll have to use your ear for that also. The main thing hear is to listen for that particular instruments charactaristic sound. Most keyboards can't duplicate the sound over the real instruments entire range.

Some trumpet players can play from F# below the staff to and above double high C, that's over 3 1/2 octaves. Most keyboards that I've heard don't sound very good on a trumpet's high C (2 ledger lines above the staff) which is a normal part of all trumpet players range. The same idea holds true for the majority of instruments on today's keyboards.

It just boils down to does is sound like the real instrument and most importantly does it sound good?

Thanks fellows for your replies. I did a Google and came up with both of these that were highly recommended and had great reviews. I'll get them both and what Scott said was important also.

Arranging Techniques For Synthesists", by Eric Turkel, published in 1988

Arranging in the Digital World: Techniques for Arranging Popular Music Using Today's Electronic and Digital Instruments by Corey Allen

Scott...great posting! Thanks for taking the time and interest. I'm not used to getting that kind of info from other musicians. Although I live in the NYC area, no one here is much interested in the type of thing you're talking about and if they are, they're not interested in taking the time to "reveal" trade secrets. I'm like you, I try to help whenever I could.

You are absolutely right about what you wrote. I should spend more time "listening" and "emulating" rather than finger practicing. I'm in the process of buying a new arranger keyboard so I'm actually going to do both: read the books and spend more time playing with each instrument. I've taken everything you wrote and put it in a single text file to review.

I'm a seasoned professional myself many years now. May I ask what is that keyboard in the photograph, or what instruments are you now using in your setup? And, what part are of the country are you in?

Lucky

Hi Lucky

As I read your posts, I am thinking that if you have the desire to read that kind of material then that mixed with using your ear a lot ought to be a great combination. My guess is you are more on the tech side of things and want to know what makes everything tick. I am more of a push a button and see what it does and try to avoid looking at even the owners manual.haha

That's a Tyros 1 in my photo. That's what I used on all the recordings except for 2 songs where I used a Technics KN1000 and a Roland E35. I am now using a Tyros 2. There are some great instruments out there by Yamaha, Korg, Roland and Ketron. You stand a better chance of being able to try them out living in the NYC area compared to the rest of us.

I live in Pensacola, Florida.

I'd be interested to hear about your professional background.

Best
Scott