Doubling of Strings with Winds?

[tommy2005]

I have a question for the professor but if anyone else has an answer by all means please join in.

How do you double strings when they are not not playing an octave apart but for example a 3rd or a 6th. Let's say you have the Violins with the Violas playing a 6th below. Could you double the Violins with the Flute and the Violas with the Oboe with good results? or would it be more appropriate just doubling the violins with the flute?

Best Regards,
Tom Graczkowski

[belkina]

It depends on the REGISTER the parts are in. If the oboe, in particular, is in its low register, the "honking" sound will stick out in an annoying way.

Although there are occasions when it *is* appropriate to double like this, my advice to a beginner would be: as a rule, pure timbres are usually better than mixed timbres. The dangers with overuse of mixed timbres are: loss of strong character and problems of balance. Also you lose the freshness of clean, pure timbres. It takes a surprising amount of skill to use mixed timbres well.

Alan

I have a question for the professor but if anyone else has an answer by all means please join in.

How do you double strings when they are not not playing an octave apart but for example a 3rd or a 6th. Let's say you have the Violins with the Violas playing a 6th below. Could you double the Violins with the Flute and the Violas with the Oboe with good results? or would it be more appropriate just doubling the violins with the flute?

Best Regards,
Tom Graczkowski