What do you do if you have something like a violist who wants to be in your ensemble?

• "You panic…" - Dave Stamps

In some situations, there may be unbalanced numbers

• Often too many saxes or too many trumpets

  • Trumpets can play tenor parts and vice versa

  • Students can transpose and cover other instrument parts

• More and more publishers are adding "flex" parts, but aren't necessarily the highest quality of chart

• If you have (for example) one extra trombone, check in with the balance

  • If the main four are balanced, double the lead and keep the balance in check

  • If the main four are not balanced, maybe rotate parts or balance an inner part and provide alternative outlets if you have students sitting out

Two schools of thought:

• The score is scripture; if there's only five sax parts then you can only have five saxes play

• The experience should be as inclusive as possible

Specific Instruments

• Look at the score and model what you're seeing

• Do what you can to keep it sounding authentic while also providing opportunity

Horn

• Hard because of transposition

• Stan Kenton library has mellophone parts that can work for horn

  • Hard literature but there are ways to simplify it

• "Big box" stuff often will have a horn part

• Flexible, versatile, and can play either a sax part or a brass part

  • Blends well with saxes but if it's too technical, give them a brass part (specifically trombone reinforcement)

• Seat them with who they're doubling

Mallets (if the part doesn't already exist)

• Go with vibraphone for jazz

  • Don't turn on the rotors, but make sure the pedal works

• Give them transposed sax parts for two mallets

• Four mallets = comping, read the piano parts or guitar parts

• "Big box" stuff will often have a vibes part

• Need a harder mallet (for lines) and a softer option (for comping)

Flute / Clarinet / Oboe (not as a part of sax parts)

• "Big box" stuff often will have a part

• Clarinet could play tenor or lead trumpet parts

• Flutes can double transposed lead alto parts

• There are standard doublings so students who play other WWs as their primary could learn sax and have the doubling capability

• Seat them with who they're doubling

Euphonium

• Double trombone

Tuba

• Double bass trombone or bass

Strings

• Similar situation as vibes

  • Saxophone or guitar parts

• Likely have to be amplified (pick-ups are better than electric instruments)

Percussion

• Auxiliary percussion

  • If there isn't a part, listen and make your best musical judgement to make one

    • Only have what you need, sometimes less is more

  • Reinforce things if needed (time, subdivisions, etc.)

    • Cowbell, shakers, etc.

  • Ambiance

    • Wind chimes, ocean drums, rain sticks, etc.

  • Style-specific

    • Timbales, congas, bongos for Latin charts

    • Don't put something like bongos on a swing tune because it changes the affect

Dave's tips for orchestration

• View sound as a 3D situation

  • Transparent ---- Translucent ---- Opaque

    • Adjust with balance, doublings, mutes, techniques, instrument choices