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SupplementalStudyGuide
InstrumentRangesandTechniques
MUSE312ArrangingforVocalandInstrumentalGroups
Instrument
Range/Tessitura
Transposition
Considerations
Piccolo
(Dylan)
1octaveabove
written
Avoidunisonwritingfortwoormorepiccs
Avoidwritinghighandsoft
Lowregister:woody,breathy,hollow,doesnotprojectwell
Midregister:mostcharacteristicsound
Highregister:Piercing,shrilltone
Similartofluteintechnique
Flute
(SarahF)Notransposition
Lowregister:airy,toneclosertotheoboe,typicallyflat,tendstobe
softand
blends
well
with
other
instruments
Middleregister:Clear,fullsound,willbeheardabovetheensemble,
goodfordoublingtheoboepart
Upperregister:canbepiercing,usuallysharp,difficulttotuneacross
thesection,theloudestoftheflute(difficulttoplaysoft),goodfor
bringingputupperharmonicsoftheensemble
Vibratoisusedtohelpcreateashimmeringeffect;novibratocanbe
usedtocreateadifferentcoloandforjazz
Used
in
orchestra,
wind
choirs,
jazz,
band
Oboe
(Meg)Notransposition
Lowrange:thickandreedy,appropriateforslowerpassages
Midrange:richanddistinctive,effectivedynamics
Midupperrange:brightsoundandagile
Upperrange:Piercingquality
Notesspeakclearlyandcanflowthroughouttheentirerange
Candosingleanddoubletonguing
Upwardslursaremoredifficultthandownwardslurs
Clarinet
(Morgan)
Bbtransposition:M2
(mostcommon)
PlayasoundingC?
WriteaclarinetD.
Wide
range
of
timbre
with
large
range
Clarinetsappearinorchestras,bands,marchingband,andjazz
Usuallyhavemultiplepartsperensemble
Doesanexcellentjobatfadingawaytonothing
Typicallycarriesmelodyorplaysasupportiverolewith
countermelody
Doesnotusevibrato,doubletongue
Canaddaflourishyeffecttotheensemble
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Instrument Range/Tessitura Transposition Considerations
BassClarinet
(Trevor)
*LowestnoteiswithaCextension
Bbplusan8vb
PlayasoundingC?
Writeabass
clarinetD.
Lowestregisteristhemostresonantandclear;blendswellwithlow
brass,bassoons,andotherlowvoices
Middle
range
is
good
for
cutting
through
ensemble;
supports
clarinet
choirparticularlythe3rdclarinetpart
Highregisterhasauniquesoundsimilartosaxophone;difficultto
projectandshouldbeavoided
ThebreakexistsbetweenBbandBnaturalinthestaff;partsshould
stayprimarilyaboveorbelowthisbreak
Avoidlargeleaps,pianodynamicsintheupperrange,heavystaccato
inthelowrange,doublingwithhigherpitchedinstruments;excessive
doubling
or
boring
parts
Bassoon
(Tiffany)Notransposition
Canbeusedinbands,orchestras,andchambergroups
Notatedinbass,tenor,andaltoclefs
Lowregisteristhickandreedy
Lowmiddleregisterhasthefullestbassoonsound
Uppermiddleregisteristhinandreedy
Upperregisterisalsothinandreedywithlotsofdifferentfingerings
Versatileinstrumentthatcaneasilyplayoctavejumps,lyricalplaying,
and
can
play
humorous
sounds
Avoidsoftplayinginextremeendsoftherange,quickarticulated
passagesinlowregister,playingthesamepartasthebassclarinet,
andVariationsonaKoreanFolksong
Techniques:fluttertongue,airsounds,timbrechanges,keyclicks
Relatedfamily:contrabasson
AltoSax
(Andrew)
Ebtransposition:
M6
PlayasoundingC?
WriteaAltoSaxA.
Prevalentinjazzband,combos,andconcertbandwithonlyspecific
piecesfororchestra
Mainly
used
as
melodic
instrument
and
can
include
solos
CanplayapartsimilartotheFrenchHorn,duetotheirsimilar
timbres.
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Instrument Range/Tessitura Transposition Considerations
TenorSax
(Robbie)
Bbtransposition:
M2plus8vb
PlayasoundingC?
WriteaTenorSaxD.
Thethirdvoiceofthesaxsection
Canbeplayedinavarietyofstylesfromjazz,funk,band
Capable
of
many
expressive
techniques
(vibrato,
bends,
glissandi,
trills)
Capableofbothlinearandarpeggiatedlines
Responseisslowerinlowregister,especiallyRHpinkykeys
Notesareoftenshrillandoutoftuneinhighregister,especiallyLH
palmkeys
Mostcharacteristicrange:DbelowstaffDabovestaff
Lowerregisterblendswellwithtromboneandhorn
Upper
register
blends
well
with
trumpet
BaritoneSax
(Regan)
Ebtransposition:
M6+8vb
PlayasoundingC?
WriteaBariSaxA.
Thelowerandmiddleregistersproducethebesttoneonthe
instrument
Articulationsincludelegato,staccato,anddoubletonguing
Breaksarefairlyconsistentacrosstheinstrument
Functionsasalowregisterinstrumentandsometimesasabassinan
ensemble
Difficulttoplayinlowregisters
Multiple
levels
of
vibrato
Specialtechniques:fluttertonguing,slaptonguing,multiphonics
FrenchHorn
(SarahM)
Ftransposition:P5
(mostcommon)
PlaysoundingC?
WriteaFHornG.
Thesoundintheloweroctaveofthehornisweakandeasilycovered
Themiddlerangehasatonethatcanvarybetweendarkandbland;
oftenusedforsustainedchordaltexture
Cansoundlyricalorheroicwhenusedinsoloorinunison
Thehighertherange,thestrongerandbrighterthesound
Itiscommontointerlocktheharmonypartsacrosshornparts
The
horn
can
be
muted
with
the
hand
(stopped
tones)
or
with
a
mute
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Instrument Range/Tessitura Transposition Considerations
Trumpet
(Suzanne)
Bbtransposition:
M2
(mostcommon)
PlayasoundingC?
WriteatrumpetD.
Typicallycarrythemelodyinbandandorchestra;jazzusedfor
melodyorhits;canalsobeusedinavarietyofbrassensembles
Mutes
can
be
used
and
change
the
timbre
of
the
sound
(straight,
cup,
harmon,plunger)
Allowthetrumpetplayeropportunitiestobreath
Considertrumpetplayerendurancewhenarranging
Givespecialconsiderationtoarticulationmarkings;trumpetsare
conducivetomanydifferentkindsofattacks
Considerthespeedofthenoteswithregardstoyourarticulationand
playingability
Euphonium
(Effie)Notransposition
Conical
bore
Hasthesamepitchastrombonealongwithsimilartonecolor
Uprightbellorbellfront
Dark,rich,mellowtone
Articulation:singletonguing,multipletonguing,fluttertonguing,
staccato,piccato,sforzando,legato
Lipslursandglissandos;vibratoshouldbenaturalandwellsuited
Mutesareused;typicallyraisespitch1425cents
Trombone
(Eric)Notransposition
Special
techniques:
glissandos,
trills,
vibrato
Mutescanbeusedandchangethetimbreofthesound(straight,cup,
wawa,plunger)
Canaccompanyvocalmusic
Oftenplaysthealto,tenor,orbassrangesandfunctionswithinthe
totalorchestralsoundscape
Alsofeaturedinjazzasanensembleandsoloinstrument
Tuba
(Tamara)
IfBBbtuba:
M2+2octaves
below
IfCtuba:
twooctavesbelow
Conicalborewhichmeanslotsofharmonics
Upper
range
isnt
particularly
brilliant
Lowerrangearethestrongestandmostresonant
TimbreisakintoFrenchhornbecauseofitsconicalbore
Usedinband,orchestra,marchingbandasasousaphone,andjazz
Specialtechniques:growling,fluttertongue,vibrato,mutes
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Instrument Range/Tessitura Transposition Considerations
Harp
(Felicia)
Notransposition
Hasfootpedalsto
changethe
instrumentinto
differentkeys
Usethefingerstogeneratesound
Hastobemanuallytunedperstringperperformance
Only
comes
in
one
key;
have
to
adjust
pedals
to
change
the
key
of
the
instrument
Specialtechniques:harmonics,whistling,pedalslides,pedalbuzzes,
knocksonsoundboard,paperinstrings,rod/pencilinstrings,nai
glissandos,Presdelatable
Checkouthttp://www.garritan.com/tutorial/GPO_HarpTutorial.html
Informationcombinedfrominstrumentpresentationsin:
MUSE312ArrangingforVocalandInstrumentalGroups
ToddFruth,instructor,Fall2010
TrevorK.
Ousey,
editor
[email protected]
