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Congrats to Big Pete for being the May 2016 Mixposure Artist of the Month.
About:
Music fan all my life, I've been earning a living as a dj since 1979, worked 14 years in Radio with top Montreal radio station CKOI, was music director for the Quebec equivalent of MTV called MusiquePlus, worked to build the French Canadian service of XM satellite radio here in Canada, been a consultant for different music project, was product manager for a large indie music distributor Distribution SELECT, worked with Beggars Group while, was a DJ for pro sports team in Montréal (Expos-baseball and Alouettes-Footbal) for over 20 seasons and now I'm music and editorial director for ZIK.ca a Canadian streaming site like Sporify, making music is a hobby for me. I don't consider myself a musician more of a composer arranger, I use other people talents (friends and loops and samples) to create my compositions and always look for talent to help me complete my tracks because I feel they are works in progress.
In the last article that I wrote (21 Songwriting Tips), we explored many different ways to expand our musicianship as a whole. Songwriting Techniques takes us a step inward, focusing on the art of welding a song that used to exist only in our minds. No need for music theory here. This article merely examines the foundation of songwriting and offers alternate perspectives on how to construct a song. As with the last article, only take the tips that are relevant with you and your style of music. These techniques do not apply to every form of music, because many different styles seem to clash with others. Discard the parts that you don’t agree with.
Foundation of Music
How tricky. I’m going to explain music while staying away from music theory as much as possible! By all means, if you know music theory, it can only help you as long as you don’t abuse it. Still, many great musicians have existed without ever laying one eyeball on a piece of sheet music. The foundation of most songs have these things in common...
1) Rhythm. Rhythm, in this instance, refers to the skeleton that holds the guts of your tune. It is the chord structure that lays the groundwork throughout the song. Without a good or interesting rhythm section, you song will lack some serious umph. A poor choice of rhythm usually equates to a poor foundation to a song.
2) Lead. The lead is the instrument that carries the listener through the song. Quite often the rhythm repeats and with some genres of music, quite monotonously. Without a lead to push the song forward, there will not be movement in the song and people could get bored rather quickly. The lead is usually distinguished as being the highest pitched part of your song. If it is not the highest, then it is most likely the loudest. In many songs, a vocal or a guitar solo usually take the lead.
Imagine removing vocals and solos from most of the music that you hear on the radio. Most of the songs would be much less interesting! The lead is one of the most tricky and important parts of the song. A good rhythm lays the foundation. From the foundation, the lead is usually the instrument to make it soar, or fall apart terribly. The lead only has one restriction. In most cases, it is only limited by the foundation of the rhythm. If the lead can be free while adhering to the bonds of the rhythm, then your song will be all the better.
3) Bass. If the bass is doing it’s job correctly (excluding a bass solo), it should be supporting the rhythm while building interesting (or at least avoiding poor) harmonies from the lead. I would say that the two most prominent tones of a song are the highest and lowest pitch and their relationship to each other.
It’s like a cheeseburger. The rhythm is the bun that holds it together. The lead is the meat that tastes so great! The bass is the cheese that gives it that extra zing. The last two parts, the percussion and the ghost are all the extra condiments like ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions or whatever your individual particular taste is.
4) Percussion. Notice I said that percussion was a condiment. That’s because you can get away without percussion. It’s like ketchup. Most people like ketchup but some don’t much care for it. I, personally, must have ketchup in my burgers, oops! That’s off topic (mmm, making me hungry!) For some musical styles, great percussion is essential. A choir could benefit from percussion but does not necessarily need it. A rap song thrives on a great percussion. No need to explain what percussion is. Drums, bongos or basically anything that has some sort of impact that is timed to give it some sort of groove. It may even be a sample repeated in rhythm.
5) Ghost. Ghost? What the heck?! This is one element that does not have to be in your song, but is highly recommended. Ghost instruments usually shine after a person has listened to your song many times. These are those little tunes and riffs that you never even noticed the first few times you heard it. A good ghost note should add in a new subtle depth to your song that could not be attained through the other four categories. It should personalize your music with your individual flair. A good ghost sequence should make the listener feel like if it weren’t there, your song would feel just a little more empty. When people hear a song they love for the tenth time and notice a sequence that they never noticed before, then you’ve successfully added a ghost sequence.
Now What?
So now what? You have the five foundations of music. What do you do with them? How do you start? That is a tricky question that I can’t answer. Sometimes a great song starts with an awesome chord progression from the rhythm, sometimes its the vocalist who comes up with a great melody line(the lead), sometimes its a funky groove, sometimes even a funky bass. Doubtfully will it spawn from a ghost sequence. They are usually added in the end. Though songs have spawned from many different places, I will cover them in order starting with the...
Intro
For me, I usually write the introduction last. That’s okay, no matter how you do it, I’m just going to give you some different ideas on how to start your song.
*Synchronicity. In many cases, the first four foundations come out at the same time. This gives your song a feel of a strength from the beginning. It goes from 0 - 60 in 0 seconds. There is no loss of momentum (although there is no build of momentum either).
*Lead first. Vocals, or a lead instrument begins the song. It will feel empty because it’s not supported by any of the other four foundations. That’s okay in this case. The feel of this idea is to make your the lead ‘naked’, to expose it like it could never be exposed before. Once you have bared the soul of the lead, usually the other foundations are quick to follow. Many slow songs will have a lead begin the music.
*Rhythm first / Percussion first / Bass first. No need to sub categorize these. They are all about the same idea. Buildup. Start with any of these three foundations and build off of them, usually a lot quicker than if the lead came in first.
*Veered of the road. Some songs veer off the road to lead the song in. These are usually deceptive ideas to make the listener feel that it is one style or type of song when it is entirely something else. Sometimes it is also a series of sound effects (wind, rain, door slamming, cars, commotion, talking, etc.). Veering off the road is tricky, as it can turn a person off if it is too long or annoying. Have a distinct reason for every part, don’t just mumble.
*Light Weight. Lightweight involves using instruments that are usually ‘lighter’ than the core instrumentation of the song. For a light song, the ‘lightness’ might come from the slowed tempo, or less articulation with the playing of the chords. In a hard rock song, it might start with a piano or an acoustic guitar. When the song fully comes to terms, it would then switch over to a distorted guitar playing the same rhythm, or a modified form of the same rhythm. This allows the lead to continue on without having to change the overall feel of the song.
* Heavy Weight. Blast them with a stroke of sheer power. Then when you think they are on the brink of explosion, drop it off into a much lighter form of instrumentation. Heavy weighting the song usually comes in strong, and builds up even stronger. Just when you think it’s about to hit the climax, it will completely drop off, only to be resolved (or visited again) way later in the song.
The Rest of the Song
I’m sure most of you know what a chorus and verse is. There are common song structures, but I’m not going to go over that. You all should know the standard and if your music would like to follow that standard or veer away. What I’m going to introduce are some new ways to enhance your music. I’m not including mixing techniques, just a handful of musical ideas to make your songs more creative.
* Morphing. Morphing a melody is a great way to introduce a new instrument. Basically, two instruments are playing the same thing, but one has no volume and the other has full volume. Slowly turn the volume down on one instrument (decrescendo) while the other gains volume (crescendo). It will make the instrument appear to morph in.
* Switcharoo. Another nice idea is when two instruments are playing two different parts. Switch the parts around to let the other instrument take the lead.
* Dropoff. Stop the music at once. This will create a tension. It should resolve rather quickly or you’ll lose the effect. This can be very powerful if used right.
* Invention. As one instrument finishes the first measure, a new instrument plays the exact same thing on the second measure while the first instrument continues it’s path. Here’s an example... (imagine these are being sung at the same time)
Instrument 1: Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world...
Instrument 2: Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what...
* Texture layering. Two to five synths all play the same part. Every synth has it’s own distinctive sound. This will make it sound like one huge sweeping synth. You can even layer other instruments (guitar, voice, etc) at the exact same pitch to give it a humanistic uniqueness. If the lead is layering with the texture, then it can later branch off to establish itself.
*Swirling Pans. Can be used with texture layering. Basically as one instrument pans completely to the left, another one is going right. They will appear to swirl around in circles around the listener.
*Veer off the road. Let your music veer off the road briefly to introduce a strange tension. As soon as they begin to feel a little lost, snap back into place.
*Creative ghost uses. Extremely light vocals which say interesting things. Complex instrumentals that are barely heard. Be creative with the way you sequence your ghost tracks.
*Drone- Does not always have to be droney. This could simply be keeping the bass in a stationary position as the music revolves around different chords which include the bass note.
*Escalate- Escalating is when the pitches gradually get higher and higher. This is usually a way to add a climatic part to your song. Don’t overdo it and this idea could either be used rather quickly or very slowly. Make the escalate interesting by having the part do interesting things while the climax builds. Escalating is used a lot with choruses as well, since that usually designates the central theme of the song.
*Going downstairs- Opposite of escalating. The pitches slowly creep downwards. This usually happens to take down a highly charged section of a song.
*X movement. While one instrument escalates, another creeps downward. This will allow the new instrument to take the center stage.
GENERAL TIPS
* Be efficient. Say exactly what you’re trying to say without rambling off topic. A great motivational speaker leads the conversation the entire time. He (or she) speaks with authority and charisma. From that strength, comes the wisdom to use powerful word combinations and compelling dialogue. The motivational speaker is leading the audience through a world of ideas which exist only in their heads. If he begins to ramble, he begins to lose control of where he is leading them. The vivid imagery begins to get confusing, and the message may get lost.
Music is very much the same. By all means, being efficient does not mean making an overly simple song. It just means you should only put in the music that reflects what you’re trying to say. Don’t shove too many ideas out at once, or they will be too thin and scrappy to enjoy. Cut the fat off the steak. Let them enjoy the parts that are relevant.
*Have movement. Movement usually comes from the lead, or a solo. Movement is the reason why the listener will play your song over and over. Let’s face it, if your song is four measures long and your repeat it throughout endlessly without any changes whatsoever it will have little to no movement (which may be okay if you’re writing a jingle or a video game soundtrack). Even trance music will have tones and textures that evolve slowly to give it movement. It would be as if I repeated the same sentence over and over again. It would be as if I repeated the same sentence over and over again. It would be as if I repeated the same sentence over and over again. It would be as if...AAAA! I can’t take it anymore! Movement is what usually makes your songs come alive.
*Endless movement. A few people enjoy listening to endless movement, but for the most part- people enjoy being able to relate to a central structure. What I mean by endless movement is a song that never quite establishes a central mood or theme. It keeps running, and the listener is usually spending the entire time trying to play catch up, never being able to fully immerse themselves into a feeling because it moves too much.
Imagine a song that is written like this (don’t think lyrically. Just picture the mood of this rhyme, and compare it to the mood of a song).
The cell is dark and black,
my teeth are gritting with rage,
a little girl eats her ice cream,
dancing along the street,
because I love you,
oh baby, you’re as sweet as can be,
as pretty as the sea,
so get on the dance floor,
I want to see you shake your booty,
yeah, yeah,
and let the slaying begin.
I hate this place.
You’re cute.
This will definitely send mixed signals to the listener. Some will find it to be awe inspiring (there are always people who love things that are way different), but most people will not be able to relate. The mood jumps too much. The message that you are trying to say will be twisted, because it never situates itself. The mood has not been established.
*Going to the Movies. Music and movies have a lot in common. Both have a catalog of different genres that different types of styles fall into. Both try to emotionally connect with the people who are experiencing it. Both use many of the same concepts to wrap the audience. For instance, some songs start with a “heavy weight”, which means that they start off extremely hard. Slowly, the music begins to ascend to something even harder but just before it reaches that point, it will drop off into the core of the song (which is usually much lighter at first), only to revisit that same tension later on in the song. Many movies start off strong to capture the audience. After the strength of the movie has been shown, it will usually drop off into something completely tame. The tension will be later visited but it will also resolve. So the next time you write a song, think about how it would be as a movie. You will notice many similarities, and you can even use concepts from movies in your music. Be creative, and you’ll see what I mean.
*Say the same thing in different ways. If your song tends to repeat, perhaps you should consider a very slight variation. It could be the singers tone, or one little note that switches it up. Although this doesn’t apply in every situation, it’s always nice to keep repeating melodies interesting.
*The art of fish hooking. For most songs, the art of introducing the hook is the best way to catch the fish. Sometimes the hook is blatantly there, sometimes it is hidden only to be revealed later. The great thing about using a hook in your song is that you have established the central theme in which to build upon. As you build upon that theme, make sure you do it in such a way that it establishes itself as an individual and not a grain of sand in a desert full of overused hooks.
*Read my other article. Lots of information from that article that would fit perfectly for this section.
Well, that’s it for now. I’m sure I could write a 100 page book of the little intricacies of songwriting. These are the simple basics, and I hope that some of them will help you in your future endeavors. Until next time, happy songwriting!
Ken Hill is a guitarist and keyboardist for the New Age band, Torchlight Creek. If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas about this article, please be sure to e-mail him at ken@torchlightcreek.com
By Ken Hill - ken@torchlightcreek.com
Work with what you’ve got. Play to your strengths (literally). If you have a great range, showcase it with big sweeping melodies (Queen, Mariah Carey, and other non-cheesy artists as well!). If your tone is average but you have a great sense of groove, cover more rhythmic songs that highlight that. Choose a song that could have been written for you.
Find your key. Just because the original singer can hit that low G doesn’t mean that’s what is best for you. Find your best range and make sure you are hitting your sweet spots. There are plenty of apps that can transpose your favorite song to your perfect key if you don’t want to do it yourself (or, there are people like me that can help you).
Do it your way. Unless you are playing a wedding and it’s the couple’s special song, don’t feel married to the original version. Try different embellishments. Find your voice and treat the tune like you wrote it.
Experiment with arrangement. Try changing the time signature/feel. ( Here is my rendition of Outkast’s “Hey Ya” as a waltz, for example.) Make a rock song into a ballad, or vice versa. Put jazz chords to a simple pop song. Turn a heavily produced number into a minimalist piece (this is also a good way to go if you are still struggling with self-accompaniment ).
Get permission. If you’re playing an open mic, this isn’t such a big issue. But if you plan on recording a cover and sending it out into the world, check out the info on licensing at the Harry Fox Agency .
Robin Yukiko is a Berklee College of Music grad, singer-songwriter, pianist, and music educator in San Francisco. She hosts the SF Singer-Songwriters’ Workshop at the Musicians Union Local 6. Learn more at www.robinyukiko.com .
"Good" is a subjective term. It can mean a couple of things when used in the context of making demo tapes. "Good" can mean the song (with a slant toward "hit" potential), or it can mean the engineering or production value on the tape. If the ultimate use of your demo is to land a record deal, and not to impress your friends and relatives, then this article is for you.
Imagine this scenario: The Vice-President of A&R at a major record label is sitting in his office listening to tapes (which by the way is how they typically spend less than 10% of their time at work). The first tape he pops in to his cassette deck sounds great. The cymbals are crisp. The lead vocal cuts right through the mix. The guitars are warm, but edgy. The bass is round, fat and punchy. The kick drum gives you a heart attack with each beat. The snare pierces like a hollow point bullet. The mix is perfect. The musicianship is superb. The song is very good, although just a little bit dated. All in all, a very good demo.
The next tape goes in to the deck. The drums sound distant and a little muffled. The guitars are raunchy. The bass is okay. The musicianship is sloppy, but it has some feel and emotion to it. The song however, is unlike anything this man has ever heard. It's unusual, and very infectious. It's raw, but it has something about it that won't let go. The lead vocal is "in your face," and the singer is sweating emotion from every pore.
Which of these demos will the A&R person sign? The latter. Why? Because it's a hit song, not a close call. The first demo had everything going right for it but the song. Record companies are in business to make money. They bet a portion of the farm on every release. You can bet dollars to donuts that they would much rather bet on a hit song than a demo with great engineering or great production. You can also bet that they would rather put their money on an artist who has "star quality" than one who obviously spent a small fortune on their demo.
What's the lesson here? Buy yourself a home studio system that you can afford, and learn to use it well. You'll spend a few (maybe several) thousand dollars in the process, but you would have to spend that on one round of demos anyway. Read everything you can get your hands on to get yourself up to speed with your gear. Become obsessive. Listen to every record that you love. Study how each instrument sounds. Notice their relative placement in the mix. Play with your equalizers until you understand the nature of an eq curve. Experiment with reverb and delays. The more you play around, the more you'll learn. It's not rocket science. It just looks like it from a distance.
The most important thing to remember is not to become a gear junkie. Gear will not get you signed to a record deal. Great songwriting will. A unique artistic vision will. Star quality will. A zillion dollars worth of gear will not.
For your purpose, the use of your home studio requires that you get as familiar with it as you are with your car. Feel comfortable with it. Have a good command of it, but don't plan on driving it in the Indy 500. You only need the gear to make a good clean demo of your music.
Assuming you master your studio, there are some other things you'll need to know. First and foremost; songwriter demos don't need much production. A solid rhythm track with a great lead vocal is often all you'll need. A full production can often hurt a song pitch more than it can help. Leave some room for the listener's imagination to do it's thing. If a song demo is fully produced, it leaves the listener with only one way to hear it -- your way.
The second rule of demo production is to match the gender of the lead vocalist with the gender of the artist you want to pitch to. For song pitches, the lead vocal is crucial. No flat notes. No lackluster performances. Sell the song. Sing with your entire being, but don't go overboard and over sell. And please don't be shy about mixing the lead vocal nice and hot in the mix. The lyrics are very important, not the guitar part!
Artist demos should be a little more produced, but again, don't feel compelled to include the kitchen sink unless the kitchen sink is absolutely necessary to make the song's point.
What else should go in to a demo package? If it's a song pitch, all you need to include is a lyric sheet. Make sure the lyric sheet and the tape display the copyright symbol, the name the song is copyrighted under and the year the copyright was registered.
For an artist demo, it's always a good idea to include a photo and a bio. The reason the record company will want to see a photo is so they can see if you have that elusive "star quality." An 8 x 10 glossy has always been the standard for photo presentation, but it's much cheaper to scan your photo and print it on your bio page.
What does a record company want to see in a bio? Anything that will show them that you are successful in your own back yard. News clippings from successful shows. Proof of radio airplay. Better yet -- proof that you've sold a few thousand tapes or CD's in your hometown or surrounding area is the best ammo you can have to snag a record deal.
But remember, the single most important aspect of any demo package is the song. All the bells and whistles won't do you any good if the song isn't great.
Reprinted with permission from Audio Recording Center: Good sound advice for the independent music maker. Includes helpful articles, a well organized Links section, and other useful resources. © 2001 Audio Recording Center. All rights reserved.
data
Release date: 01 05 12
Format: digital download.
Tracks: 001, 010, 011, 100, 101.
data - the seventh net release from digitalTRAFFIC features five heavy electronica tracks around a digitised data theme.
The five tracks are a coherent assault on the senses from the first track wiith heavy sound dissonance and rhythmic patterns reflecting the sounds of digitised data traveling over the superhighway and through internet protocols - there are many strange and wonderful electronic tones, vibes, peaks and troughs.
track 001 is a heavy electronic soundscape with a soft core middle surging to a final climax.
track 010 is a slower but more subtly disturbing shift of sonic pace.
track 011 is a heavy heavy electronica soundscape firing on all electronic cylinders - a blistering noise assault on the senses.
track 100 is a lighter more sophisticated piece with some vocal samples - "hey hey hey" - "make me a better man today" - appropriate?
101 is an ethereal electronica soundscape defying the natural laws of music structure but creating an atmosphere of electronica tension that plays on the mind long after leaving this piece.
The album artwork is a QR code image - scan and you will be taken to the digitalTRAFFIC website.
(no machines were harmed in the making of this album)
click here to play data on itunes 
For almost a year, I’ve worked on compositions of mine, but I couldn’t come up with anything new. I began to think that all of this waiting that I’ve been doing “forever” for my music was making me lose my creativity in the area of composing. My mother once told me that “sometimes, you can be too good”. She meant that sometimes you can be so good at what you do, you inadvertently shut yourself out because the jealousy of others is against you. I’ve come to understand that all too well. Combine that with the stress of a day job and what is the first thing to go? Your musical inspiration. So, for months, I couldn’t compose a song even if some guy had a gun pointed to my head! When I get down-in-the-dumps like that, I pick up my acoustic-guitar and play some classical works that I used to play years ago. It doesn’t necessarily inspire me to compose anything sooner, but at least it’s a nice distraction.
Being a musician/composer can really tax the mind and spirit. If it weren’t for my determination and belief in my abilities, I probably would have given music up by now. I want to be successful just like everyone else, but I can’t sacrifice musical substance for money; thus, here I am, just like some of you, hoping that things will turn in my favor one day. My compositions have a personal history, in that something going on in my life fueled them. I can’t compose a song about someone else’s life. I just don’t have that knack for it. I can compose music based on life, but it has to be real life, not make-believe. Therefore, when you are a composer and you are trying to be as original as possible, coming up with that originality can be hell. I have compositions that were written months or years apart. All through that time, I was still playing gigs but my compositions didn’t come as fast as learning to play my instruments better.
Yesterday marked 10 years since my mother passed away on December 8th. I played my acoustic-guitar in her honor because she was the person responsible for my having interest in that instrument. Just when I thought I had lost my ability to compose completely, I woke up today and a song was in my head. It was quite early in the morning and the sun hadn’t risen yet. I stumbled around in the dark to find my guitar. I didn’t reach for a light switch because I didn’t want to lose the music that was playing in my head. For me, turning on a lamp would have distracted the idea. I know; that sounds weird, but I’m “funny that way”. It’s a simple song, in that there’s nothing grandiose about it, but it has a good beginning. I’ve been involved in music long enough to know when I have something and when the idea is headed for the trashcan. I immediately got some manuscript paper and a pencil. I had the song written out in no time. All I have to do now is fine-tune it. As I played the song this morning and watched the skies change color, an indication of the rising of the sun, I found myself getting emotional. I suppose it was the result of having to wait for my creativity to come. When you love music with all your heart the way I do, wanting to compose and play your instrument as well as you can really matter. It’s not about the money. You never know when the ideas for a song will come or how long it will take before things fall into place when you pick up your instrument. You don’t know how situations in your life will impact your music until you experience them. You can’t let yourself get caught up in the illusions. Just look at how the music business is being presented nowadays. They make it look easy on television, but just ask anyone who has gone through hell for his/her music and you’ll get a different picture.
You know how folks talk about “wheels” that begin to turn? In my case, they’re the “wheels of creativity”. My ability for composition has been dormant for months. Today, I can picture giant-sized mechanical wheels in my head that have begun to turn again. I feel as if I’ve received a Christmas present from my mother…
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you…
BY Kim Michele LaCoste
Bill Thompson of the TrueVulgarians and David C. Deal teamed up on this "tribute" to our favorite DJ, Mr. Gene Smith. Inspired by a session of busting Gene's chops in the Mixstream Radio chatroom! Hope you all enjoy it as much as you have Gene over these many years! https://www.mixposure.com/the-truevulgarians/audio/20898/the-ballad-of-dj-gene-host-with-the-most-ft-david-c-deal
I am a fan of the mid-size ensemble and the creative possibilities it offers.
2008 was a transition time for me. I had become tired of conventional big bands. As I looked for something different, ideas came to me about a smaller and more flexible kind of band. I experimented first with a 10-piece ensemble (electric violin and tuba were featured). While this group had only a short life as a rehearsal band, hearing the scores I wrote for it gave me a confirmation of the direction I was taking.
As a next step, I began to use flexible instrumentation in my scores instead of specifying the instruments. The scores are concert pitch with the wind instruments labeled as line I, line II, etc. A set of transposed parts are provided for an assortment of instruments within the range of each line. This enables the music to be performed by many configurations of instruments. An ensemble can have a specific instrumentation, experiment with different instruments, or base the instrumentation on available players. Flexibility!
One of the ensemble configurations that I like is alto flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, and bassoon. That is, a woodwind quintet with alto flute used in place of C flute. Rather than thinking of a mid-size ensemble as a smaller version of a big band, I envision a woodwind quintet – that is, with each instrument having a distinct tone color – as a role model. Another configuration that I like (this one with saxophones and brass) is trumpet, soprano sax, alto sax, trombone, and tuba. With flexible instrumentation and a creative spirit, the tone color possibilities for an ensemble can be almost endless.
For the rhythm section, piano and/or guitar, bass, and drums are the foundation. It can be expanded with additional instruments such as accordion, vibes, percussion, electronics, cello, etc.
Along with flexible instrumentation, I decided that it would be more practical to use 5 or 6 wind instruments than a larger number for a horn section. 5-horn jazz ensembles are fairly common. I have several scores for 5 horns; however, I think of 6 horns as being the optimal number for my writing. My 6-horn scores are written for a featured soloist, 5 wind instruments, and rhythm section. The soloist has both solo and ensemble roles.
As my concepts evolved for a mid-size ensemble I discovered that, from my perspective, I can be more creative in writing for 6 horns than for a conventional big band. Why? With one player on a line, each line can have an individual tone color. Then, the 6 lines are blended, juxtaposed, crossed, and voiced in creative ways horizontally and vertically. This creates an ensemble sound that is based upon an interplay of colors and an emphasis on the individuality -- bringing out the musical personality -- of each player.
As I envision it, this approach to an ensemble is fundamentally different from what I think of as the defining features of a conventional big band: harmonized saxophone, trumpet, and trombone sections with each player blending his individual sound into the collective sound of a section.
Additionally, with an ensemble of this size it can have a level of creative freedom that, most likely, would be problematic with a larger number of players. I like to extend a jazz soloist's freedom to the rest of the ensemble in various ways in my scores. This enables the music to change, evolve, and be a fresh experience for both the musicians and the audience each time it is performed.
While I have focused on 6 horns and one player on a line, it occurred to me that my scores can also be played by larger ensembles by having two (or more) musicians on each line . This option of having doubled parts -- with either same or different instruments on a part -- is an easy way for big bands to use my scores. (See A Big Band Misconception for more about this idea.)
Apologies about the down time everyone. This screw up was all me. I made a change to the site and it kind of set off a cascading error effect. In order to really correct it, we restored to a backup from Monday. This means you may be missing recent blogs, music etc. that was loaded after that day. Our apologies for that!