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Recommendations for good orchestration books?

EFlexMusic

EFlexMusic

Member
Just trying to deepen my knowledge of orchestration and maybe even some actual instrument blending techniques for certain sounds or even just orchestrating chords. Any book or ebook suggestion is welcome!
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EFlexMusic said:
Just trying to deepen my knowledge of orchestration and maybe even some actual instrument blending techniques for certain sounds or even just orchestrating chords. Any book or ebook suggestion is welcome!
Click to expand...
Adler's The Study of Orchestration is very useful. It's aimed at those orchestrating for real ensembles, rather than MIDI, but still has a ton of helpful information. Builds up from individual instruments, to sections, and then considers the orchestra as a whole. Loads of score excerpts to study, and the newer version includes the opportunity to hear the examples being performed. (You only get access to the audio for one year though, which is a bit of a downside!)
 
I also prefer Adler.

With apologies to ishagshafeeg, I don't like Kennan, unless you're constrained to writing for university level or semi-professional players. It is too timid on ranges in particular.

Here's a video that reviews a few:

 
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In this order: Piston, Adler, Rimsky-Korsakov.

Piston because it very clearly and nicely explains the basics, and because it's a total classic.
Adler to expand on Piston's knowledge, update it to 21st century standards and teach you about various ensemble combinations.
Lastly Rimsky-Korsakov (with R. Strauss' additions) to get a historical insight and understanding, that will help when studying scores.

If you only want one, then Adler.

EDIT: Berlioz, not Rimsky-Korsakov, but the latter's book is good, too.
 
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gaspermuzenic said:
In this order: Piston, Adler, Rimsky-Korsakov.

Piston because it very clearly and nicely explains the basics, and because it's a total classic.
Adler to expand on Piston's knowledge, update it to 21st century standards and teach you about various ensemble combinations.
Lastly Rimsky-Korsakov (with R. Strauss' additions) to get a historical insight and understanding, that will help when studying scores.

If you only want one, then Adler.
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Strauss revised Berlioz not Rimsky-Korsakov.
 
The best way to learn orchestration is to play with an orchestra.

The second-best way is to attend orchestral rehearsals.

The third-best way is to read an orchestration textbook.
 
rgames said:
The best way to learn orchestration is to play with an orchestra.

The second-best way is to attend orchestral rehearsals.

The third-best way is to read an orchestration textbook.
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It might be hard for someone without a trained ear to pick everything apart while playing in the orchestra. A revision to that might be learning the basics of songwriting music theory (SATB interaction), then learning orchestration fundamentals, and then, to your point, taking that knowledge to an orchestra rehearsal and seeing how it can be applied. Or maybe I'm wrong, which is just as likely lol.
 
mikeh-375 said:
^^^...you forgot score reading, exercises and analysis @rgames
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It’s been a while since I’ve looked at an orchestration text but isn’t that in there?

Orchestration is separate from music theory because it’s music practice. As in, it deals with the practicalities of music making. As with any practical endeavor, it is best learned in practice.

There is the part of orchestration that deals with how distinct voices blend, but that is an aesthetic choice and, more importantly, written descriptions of voice blending are like written descriptions of colors: mostly meaningless. How would you write a description of "red" that conveys the experience of seeing it?

Orchestration texts have value as references (what’s the common lowest note on an alto flute?) but actively studying them is, to me, not a productive activity unless you have almost no experience as a musician. I’d wager that pretty much any professional musician would find very little enlightenment in an orchestration text.

And yet, there they are: orchestration texts by names I admire greatly. So clearly I’m among a minority who are confused by their study.

Carry on!
 
rgames said:
It’s been a while since I’ve looked at an orchestration text but isn’t that in there?

Orchestration is separate from music theory because it’s music practice. As in, it deals with the practicalities of music making. As with any practical endeavor, it is best learned in practice.

There is the part of orchestration that deals with how distinct voices blend, but that is an aesthetic choice and, more importantly, written descriptions of voice blending are like written descriptions of colors: mostly meaningless. How would you write a description of "red" that conveys the experience of seeing it?

Orchestration texts have value as references (what’s the common lowest note on an alto flute?) but actively studying them is, to me, not a productive activity unless you have almost no experience as a musician. I’d wager that pretty much any professional musician would find very little enlightenment in an orchestration text.

And yet, there they are: orchestration texts by names I admire greatly. So clearly I’m among a minority who are confused by their study.

Carry on!
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Theory plays a big role in orchestration as it does composition so no, professionally speaking theory is not a separate entity to either aspect, both are symbiotic and vital in the devising of their combination for musical effect. YMMV regarding midistration.

Yes, aesthetic choice is a considerable part of orchestration, however there are still practical and best practice principles that one can use as a foundation and those principles can be gleaned from the scores of great masters. Detailed score study, analysis and consequent assimilation with practice into one's own creativity and musical psyche will supply the solid foundation on which to build and make those subsequent aesthetic choices - be they daring or standard - solid, confident and more successful.

I agree with you that being in an orchestra is a priceless way to gain insights and am assuming that is the case with you and as a pianist, I am jealous and would have relished the opportunity you have, instead I majored in composition. But any insights have to be backed up by an orchestral know-how grounded in firm principles and good practice that can then inform and guide any risk taking the musical requirements and imagination might require.

The same application of study and analysis is vital when attending rehearsals too, for then one can mark out moments of interest for special attention and gain more insight. Otherwise one is hearing but not really understanding and if a composer is to manipulate an orchestra creatively and effectively then understanding the why and how is an essential part of it.
 
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rgames said:
The best way to learn orchestration is to play with an orchestra.
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My favorite example is the distinction in orchestration by Tchaikovsky vs Rimsky-Korsakov. Most people feel something is different between the two but few are able to point out the specifics - unless of course they spend time tracking the structure of the music and which instrument combinations are used where. Analyzing a couple of pieces in this way might even reveal certain recurring patterns!

The study of orchestration is what can teach someone to orchestrate the same piece of music in either style completely at will, and to eventually develop their own unique language.

How would one learn all this while playing violin in a real orchestra, focused as s/he is on their own part, the tone, the dynamics and often hearing a bit of a blur coming from the other end of the stage?
 
It's difficult to find any learning material on orchestration that doesn't more or less say "This is how to orchestrate" rather than "Here's a bunch of puzzle pieces for you to use in your own way".
 
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