Scoring my Piano Concerto!
Question: Scoring my Piano Concerto
Hi, I currently am scoring my Piano Concerto No!. 1 but am having complications!.!.!.
Should I:
1!. Write separate lines for each separate instrument (e!.g!. A line for Flutes, a line for Timpani, etc!.)
Or:
2!. Write the whole orchestra on Two lines (G/Bass Clef)!. And label specific instruments (where needed), and such!.
Which one is usually used!? I looked up Piano Concerto sheet music, but wasn't sure if they grouped it all on one sheet to save paper!.
Yes, I'm handwriting it!.
Thanks, I'm off to bed right now, I'll check in tomorrow morning!.
(And Jim, if you read this, this isn't one of my specific questions!)
MattWww@Enter-QA@Com
Should I:
1!. Write separate lines for each separate instrument (e!.g!. A line for Flutes, a line for Timpani, etc!.)
Or:
2!. Write the whole orchestra on Two lines (G/Bass Clef)!. And label specific instruments (where needed), and such!.
Which one is usually used!? I looked up Piano Concerto sheet music, but wasn't sure if they grouped it all on one sheet to save paper!.
Yes, I'm handwriting it!.
Thanks, I'm off to bed right now, I'll check in tomorrow morning!.
(And Jim, if you read this, this isn't one of my specific questions!)
MattWww@Enter-QA@Com
Answers:
Each instrument (or group) gets its own staff!. There are rules for the order of the instruments as well!. At least you can get out of a lot of wasted paper by "hiding" the instruments that are tacet for extended periods!.
What is the instrumentation you are using!? You may discover (quickly) that Finale or Sibelius will make your life infinitely easier!. Manuscript paper and a #2 pencil is great for getting a quick sketch done, but if you're scoring this thing out you're going to want a music engraving package!. IIRC, you're a student and would qualify for a fairly hefty discount on either package!.
!.!.!. (Just a reminder that I'm a Sibelius fan)
Here's the order for a Modern Orchestra (with piano):
(sub brackets indicated with "||" Grand Staff indicated with "{|")
/
| Piccolo 1!.2
| Flute 1!.2!.3
| Alto Flute
|| Oboe 1!.2!.3!.4 (sub bracket on two staffs)
||
| Cor Anglais 1!.2
| Clarinet in Eb
| Clarinet in D
| Clarinet in Bb 1!.2!.3
| Clarinet in A 1!.2!.3
|| Bassoon 1!.2!.3!.4 (sub bracket on two staffs)
||
| Contra Bassoon
\
/
|| Horns in F 1-8 (sub bracket on four staffs)
||
||
||
| Trumpet in D
|| Trumpet in C 1!.2!.3!.4 (sub bracket on two staffs)
||
| Tenor Tuba in Bb 1!.2
| Bass Tuba
\
/
| Piccolo Timpani
| Timpani 1!.2
| Timpani 3!.4
\
/
| Bass Drum (one-line staff)
| Tam-tam (one-line staff)
| Triangle (one-line staff)
| Tambourine (one-line staff)
| Guiro (one-line staff)
| Antique Cymbals
\
{| Harp (grand staff)
{| Piano (grand staff)
/
| Violin I
| Violin II
| Viola
| Violoncello
| Double Bass
\Www@Enter-QA@Com
What is the instrumentation you are using!? You may discover (quickly) that Finale or Sibelius will make your life infinitely easier!. Manuscript paper and a #2 pencil is great for getting a quick sketch done, but if you're scoring this thing out you're going to want a music engraving package!. IIRC, you're a student and would qualify for a fairly hefty discount on either package!.
!.!.!. (Just a reminder that I'm a Sibelius fan)
Here's the order for a Modern Orchestra (with piano):
(sub brackets indicated with "||" Grand Staff indicated with "{|")
/
| Piccolo 1!.2
| Flute 1!.2!.3
| Alto Flute
|| Oboe 1!.2!.3!.4 (sub bracket on two staffs)
||
| Cor Anglais 1!.2
| Clarinet in Eb
| Clarinet in D
| Clarinet in Bb 1!.2!.3
| Clarinet in A 1!.2!.3
|| Bassoon 1!.2!.3!.4 (sub bracket on two staffs)
||
| Contra Bassoon
\
/
|| Horns in F 1-8 (sub bracket on four staffs)
||
||
||
| Trumpet in D
|| Trumpet in C 1!.2!.3!.4 (sub bracket on two staffs)
||
| Tenor Tuba in Bb 1!.2
| Bass Tuba
\
/
| Piccolo Timpani
| Timpani 1!.2
| Timpani 3!.4
\
/
| Bass Drum (one-line staff)
| Tam-tam (one-line staff)
| Triangle (one-line staff)
| Tambourine (one-line staff)
| Guiro (one-line staff)
| Antique Cymbals
\
{| Harp (grand staff)
{| Piano (grand staff)
/
| Violin I
| Violin II
| Viola
| Violoncello
| Double Bass
\Www@Enter-QA@Com
I would recommend making a short score for the orchestra (4 staves) so that you can decide on all the harmonies and texture you want!. Then, only write out the full orchestra part once you've done that (otherwise, if you're reasonably new to orchestration, it will end poorly)!.
Generally if you buy the piano part for a piano concerto it will come with the piano part, then the orchestra part written on two staves for a second piano to play!. However, if you want it to be for an orchestra, you'll need to write the orchestra's parts out at some point, because two staves really can't account for a whole orchestra!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
Generally if you buy the piano part for a piano concerto it will come with the piano part, then the orchestra part written on two staves for a second piano to play!. However, if you want it to be for an orchestra, you'll need to write the orchestra's parts out at some point, because two staves really can't account for a whole orchestra!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
No, they don't group it on one sheet to save paper!. That is generally how the "full score" would look!. You would also need to write out each individual part for each player if you are planning on having it performed!. Further, it is somewhat customary to have a "piano reduction" which is the orchestra part arranged for a 2nd piano!. This is mainly used when you don't have a full orchestra at your disposal for a performance!. Good luck with the handwriting! Loads of work!. You may consider, if you haven't already, using Finale or Sibellius!. I like Finale myself, but it is rather complicated at first!. (and expensive!. If you live near a music school they may have Finale stations you could use for free)!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
Matt, if you are planning to have it played by an orchestra you will need to write out a full score (with lines for each instrument) for rehearsal and a set of parts for the instruments!. You might want to do a sketch score ( 2 to 8 lines) in order to organize your ideas before doing the full score!.
Musician, composer, teacher!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
Musician, composer, teacher!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
I suggest you look at a few scores for examples!.
an exact answer depends on some specific considerations of your piece!.
typically all the flutes get one line, all the Bb clarinets get one line, horn 1 and 2, and horn 3 and 4 would share a line!.
though if the two flute parts are very different from each other they tend to get their own line!.
Option 2 is the kind of thing that a sound engineer might use in a recording session, or a singer in an opera!. these reduced scores generally are not used for orchestral music!.
paper is cheap!. and it's easier to go back and edit if each instrument has it's own stave!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
an exact answer depends on some specific considerations of your piece!.
typically all the flutes get one line, all the Bb clarinets get one line, horn 1 and 2, and horn 3 and 4 would share a line!.
though if the two flute parts are very different from each other they tend to get their own line!.
Option 2 is the kind of thing that a sound engineer might use in a recording session, or a singer in an opera!. these reduced scores generally are not used for orchestral music!.
paper is cheap!. and it's easier to go back and edit if each instrument has it's own stave!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
Don't handwrite it!.
A Finale or Sibelius program would be a worthy investment!.
Doing it the second way is acceptable for school orchestra music and for musical comedy, but it's not acceptable for classical music!.
A Finale or Sibelius program would save you hours of work in copying parts!. You would have to do little more than punching a few keys so that the program will separate the parts for you!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
A Finale or Sibelius program would be a worthy investment!.
Doing it the second way is acceptable for school orchestra music and for musical comedy, but it's not acceptable for classical music!.
A Finale or Sibelius program would save you hours of work in copying parts!. You would have to do little more than punching a few keys so that the program will separate the parts for you!.Www@Enter-QA@Com