
Explore how lines and color shape orchestration by examining violin doublings, bassoon riffs, and six doubling methods, then apply a bot corral to write for orchestra.
Switch from MuseScore to Dorico for professional notation and load external sample libraries, using the BBC Symphony Orchestra library in the free version.
Explore the concepts of foreground, middle ground, and background in orchestration, linking them to mixing principles to shape depth, space, and texture using melodic foreground and grounding base.
Explore selecting a Bach chorale from the Riemenschneider 371 harmonized chorales using a dice roll to pick a corral, then examine the lines in G minor.
Explore how adjectives shape orchestration by selecting sound textures, from thick brass and low strings to lighter winds, through careful doubling and instrument placement.
Explore the two meanings of doubling in orchestration, from instrument doubling like flute and piccolo to doubling the same material in multiple instruments at unison.
Explore how to pair piano and harp by arpeggiating chords like G major and F major to complement winds and create a light texture.
Explore how doublings on piano and harp affect orchestral texture, noting that two pianos or two harps serve volume or tuning work, while doubling percussion is rare and not warmer.
Experiment with octave doublings and unison lines to thicken textures across oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, trombone, tuba, and cello. Hear how octave choices alter range, density, and voice crossings.
Harmonize the top voice with a third using clarinet and flute to thicken the texture, staying in key in G minor for a denser corral sound.
Stack harmonies beyond thirds, octaves, and fifths to build thick textures, while honoring the envelope rule and spacing that shape color and harmony.
Explore how Ravel’s orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition builds a brass fanfare and rich harmonies through trumpet, horn, and trombone doublings, octave textures, and wind and string color.
This course is certified 5-stars by the International Association of Online Music Educators and Institutions.
100% Answer Rate! Every single question posted to this class is answered within 24 hours by the instructor.
Are you a music maker, performer, composer, or aspiring songwriter looking to up your game? This is the place to start.
It's time to learn orchestration to give your music the power and the passion that it deserves.
Orchestration is the study of each instrument in the orchestra, how they work, how to write for them, and how each instrument collides with the others to make new sounds. Think of it like painting: The orchestra is your palette of colors. But you don't want to just mix them all together. You need to understand some principles of mixing those colors together before you put your brush on canvas.
In this series of classes we are going to work on three things:
Instrumentation: Knowing how all of the instruments in the orchestra work, and how to write for them in an idiomatic way.
Composition: Using the orchestra to write powerful music. Learning how to blend the different sounds of the orchestra to make a new, unique, sound.
Synthestration: Using common production software (Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, etc.) to create a realistic orchestra sound using sample libraries.
In this class, "Part 3: Lines and Doubling" we are going to focus on building out our orchestration using "doublings" and other techniques to make a rich, full, sound. We are going to focus on each instrument's "envelope" to help us discover how to blend instruments to create the colors that we want out of our orchestra.
If you don't know me, I've published a lot of classes here. Those classes have been really successful (top sellers, in fact!), and this has been one of the most requested classes that my students (over 1,000,000 of them) have asked for. I'm really excited to finally be able to bring this to you.
Here is a list of some of the topics we will cover:
Setting up Orchestra Sample Libraries
Using Professional music notation software
Foreground, middle ground, and background orchestration
Orchestration for color
Doubling
The 6 methods of doubling in a line
Doubling for a thin and clean sound
Doubling for warmth
Doubling techniques for a powerful organ-like sound
ADSR Envelopes in the orchestra
Doubling for harmonic density
Looking at the masters: Bach, B Minor Mass
Looking at the masters: Tschaikovsky, Symphony No. 6
Looking at the masters: Moussorgsky (Ravel), Pictures at an Exhibition
And Much, Much, More!
My Promise to You:
I am a full-time Music composer and Educator. If you have any questions please post them in the class or send me a direct message. I will respond within 24 hours. And if you find this class isn't for you, I am more than happy for you to take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.
What makes me qualified to teach you?
In addition to being a composer and educator, I also have a Ph.D. in music, I am a university music professor, and have a long list of awards for teaching.
But more importantly: I use this stuff every day. I write music professionally, I am an active guitarist, and I stay on top of all the latest production techniques, workflows, and styles. As you will see in this class, I just love this stuff. And I love teaching it.
Let's get started!
See you in lesson 1.
All best,
Jason (but call me Jay...)