Cast your Orchestration Challenge 6 vote!

**YBaCuO** · 03-20-2006, 11:37 AM

Normally, I consider this an orchestration challenge, and so I am listening for the most harmonious use of diverse instruments. While this aspect is still important in the challenge, given the contrapuntal nature of the theme, I also am lsitening for interesting contrapuntal development.

Some entries sported interesting counterpoint but awkward orchestration, while others had a flowing composition but rather weak counterpoint. I choose one that seemed to find a balance between the two.

Very interesting overall. I certainly liked the "double" theme ...

YBaCuO

**SeanHannifin** · 03-23-2006, 11:34 PM

Looks like the last day to vote is just about upon us...

Thank you to everyone who participated and to everyone who voted!

And many thanks to Gary for posting the poll!

**Richard N.** · 03-26-2006, 05:56 AM

And the winner is....

**SeanHannifin** · 03-26-2006, 08:20 PM

I suppose it's time for the contestants to reveal themselves (though you can of course remain anonymous if you like).

As for #5...

**Collin** · 03-26-2006, 10:32 PM

I was number 2. Nice job Sean.

**RichR** · 03-26-2006, 11:36 PM

I was number six. I wouldn't mind a little critiguing on it. After all this is a learning experience for some of us.

**southportJim** · 03-27-2006, 01:53 AM

I had not expected to have internet access during the "fess up time", so had asked Sean to post my name alongside my entry. But it turns out that I do have access, so I'll "fess up" to number 1.

Originally Posted by SeanHannifin

I suppose it's time for the contestants to reveal themselves (though you can of course remain anonymous if you like).

As for #5...

Sean?...Is number 5 yours? DUDE...check your PMs. GREAT!!!!!!!!

;-)
jim

**pianodoc** · 03-27-2006, 01:42 PM

I accept responsibility for Number 4. I am still working on learning to mix and get the right balance and sound. Any help would be appreciated. I am also interested in any thoughts about the orchestration or other musical ideas. Would like to make this as much of a learning experience as possible.

Thanks.

David Mauney

**RichR** · 03-28-2006, 08:06 AM

pianodoc said:

I am also interested in any thoughts about the orchestration or other musical ideas.

I agree with you pianodoc. So let me try in my humble way to tell you what I observed in your rendition of Challeng 6.

As for your piece's musical ideas, I thought you made a strong presentation of the given theme. Your development of the two given musical phrases was superb. The use of percussion was placed tastefully, I thought.

The play between the strings, woodwinds and brass worked well. The only area that I didn't like was the ending. It maybe that the last chord or tone cluster that developed from the instruments playing in a downward rush ended too abruptly. I would have like to hear a little after reverb and let it ring for a while. In all, I really liked your piece. I didn't vote for it because someone HAD to vote form mine.

As for the concept of orchestration (or more to the point mix and balance - not orchestration per se) in any of the pieces in this forum are probably difficult to comment on (at least for me). Some people write using notational programs (Overture, Finale, Sibelius etc.) and others use sequencers only (Sonar, Cubasis, Pro Tools, etc.) and still others use a combination of the two i.e. write in a notational program and export the midi file to a sequencer for honing and balancing each part to a musical line that is indicative of the instrument. And I guess you could say there is one more way music is prepared for presentation. That being to play each part at the keyboard and use the mod wheel and pedal to get the feel of the real instrument that is beingn scored (this is how GPO was designed in the first place, I believe).

With so many ways of preparing a mix, how the pieces sound will have a direct correlation to how they were conceived and prepared. I know that when I write in Finale, I have to put in dynamics that are either softer or louder than that which would be normally played by a musician to get the balance correct. Plus all those Key Switches embedded and in notational programs are a zillion leger lines below the staff.

I hope I wasn't too long winded on this discussion. As a final note, I liked all the challenges and if I hadn't written one myself, I would have been hard pressed to make a decision on a winner. There are a lot of great musician/composers here and you can certainly count yourself as one of them.

Thanks for taking the time to write your challenge. It shows that one musical idea can't be presented in a multitude of ways.

**pianodoc** · 03-28-2006, 08:41 AM

Rich:

Thanks so much for your comments. I'm still trying to get started using the forum and taking advantage of the opportunities it affords to create music and put it in front of others. The orchestration challenges have been my first attempts and I've really enjoyed participating.

Incidentally, I have Sonar 5 and generally play my things in drawing in the controllers after the notes are in. I have two Echo sound cards so this gives me 16 analog channels to take the ouput from Sonar. I have Finale but have not been aboe to relly get good results from the HP in Finale. I do use it to notate my scores.

Thanks again for the comments.

David M.