6.3 Phase II: live rehearsing………………………………………..
In this phase I form groups based on my findings in phase I and based on instrument theory. I will give a short reflection on each group, and in 6.4 I’ll draw my final conclusions about this phase. In my analyzations I categorized in the type of instruments that are involved (brass/ wood) and how the overall sound of the group is. At the end of each small analyzation I draw some conclusions based on this specific group.
Group1: Voice/Clarinet/BassClarinet
Both instruments are wood instruments. I’m singing lead.
Sound: Mellow, airy, warm, lush, dim. An air of classical music.
1st try:
My sound is more piercing and shrill in this register. By asking the clarinets to play “brighter” they match more to my sound. This is in favor of a homogeneous blending. You can hear this in the 2nd try.
2nd try:
- When the two other horns are both woodwinds, it makes the blending very homogeneous.
- I can ask the horns to blend more to my sound, when singing the lead.
- All wood + voice is likely to have a homogeneous blending
Group2: Voice/Alto/Trombone
Alto belongs to the woodwinds, and trombone belongs to the brass-family. I’m still singing lead.
Sound: rich, full, not very homogeneous,
1st try:
Trombone has naturally a more fuzzy sound. In this register I sound more bright and vivid. I tried to sound more “warm” the 2nd try, but it only helped a bit, since I am quite limited singing in this register. The alto also tried adding some air. Since I am still leading here, it isn’t that much of a problem that I am still sticking out, in my opinion.
2nd try:
- When I’m singing a leading part, and the horns naturally have a warm tone because of the anatomy of the instrument, reaching a homogeneous blending is quite difficult.
Group3: Soprano/Voice/Trombone
Again woodwind + brass. Voice has a backing position, with hints of polyphony and a bar of lint harmonization.
sound: serene, rich, projecting, dramatic
1st try:
In this first try I found out that in order for me to be really adapted by the horns when playing the 2nd part, I have to sing louder.
2nd try:
- Requirements when singing the 2nd part:
- Sing dynamically slightly louder
- Be certain of your part, sing with belief
- Know what position you take in the arrangements and match this with vowels
- Horn players also use vowels to influence their tone. Pretty standard are[ɑ] [ɔ] [ʌ] - ish sounds when playing low and [i:]& [u:] type of sounds when playing high.
- When trombone has to play in their higher register, it blends very well with the voice. Not every trombone player can play this, though.
Group4: Flute/Trumpet/Voice
Theoretically wood+brass, I subdivide this as two times brass + voice. Voice has a backing position, with hints of polyphony and a bar of lint harmonization.
sound: Luminous, clear, light, thin
1st try:
The flute wasn’t really projecting as a lead, since when he plays this part, it is really in the lowest register possible. So we tried again, and the flute played an octave higher.
2nd try:
- When you want the Flute (or any instrument) to play a leading part and pierce through, write for them in a leading register. You can write in a lower register, but then again, the other instruments have to be aware of this. The resulting sound then will be subdued and thin.
Group5: Voice/Trumpet/Trombone(lead)
Brass+ voice. The voice has the toppart, in the role of the backing with hints of polyphony and a bar of lint harmonization.
sound: closed, almost no lead,
It sounds like there is almost no lead since the arrangement on itself already has some polyphonic parts. Now that the trombone is playing the lead 8va, the parts become even closer. This is a different feeling.
- When playing with brass, I need to check my dynamics. Most of the time this means I have to sing louder than I am used to.
- A low registered instrument can have a leading part, with the backings being “on top” of it.
Group 6: Voice/Trumpet/Bassclarinet(lead)
Brass+Woodwind+ voice. The voice has the toppart, in the role of the backing with hints of polyphony and a bar of lint harmonization.
sound: velvet backings, full, rich, serene, sonorous, velvet,
- Woodwind and brass together give a less homogeneous blending. You can use this for you benefit if you have on or the other play a leading part 8va.
- Trumpet is playing to loud in this case. But the potential is that of a group that sounds full, rich, serene, sonorous and velvet.
Group 7.1: Clarinet/Voice/Trombone(8va)
Wood+brass. Voice has the middle part in the role of the backing with hints of polyphony and a bar of lint harmonization. Mostly together with brass.
Sound: Weak, adjective, poignant
I wanted to check if it is an option for the trombone to play an octave lower his 3rd part, since this is his most comfortable option.
- I cannot get to a trustworthy blending when my part and the part I have to blend with are further away then a 4th.
Group 7.2: Clarinet/Voice/Trombone
Wood+brass. Voice has the middle part in the role of the backing with hints of polyphony and a bar of lint harmonization. Mostly together with brass.
sound: luminous, light, bright, biting, vivid,
I think this sounds good until I cannot not change vowels to blend with the trombone, so from D#5 upward.
- Leading part can be played by a different type of horn than the backing parts.
- Backing parts should be or of the same category, or paired up with the voice.
Group 8: Voice/Trumpet/Tenor
Brass+woodwind+voice. The voice has a mostly leading part.
sound: warm, rich, full, fat,
Group 9: Trumpet/Voice/Tenor
Brass+woodwind+voice. Voice has the middle part in the role of the backing with hints of polyphony and a bar of lint harmonization.
sound: Mellow, rich, full, warm, serene
- The voice and the tenor both have a warm to bright quality when the voice plays p2 en the ten plays p3
- The trumpet has a very clear leading sound, against the warm blend of the tenor and the voice.
- When singing or playing a lead function, it helps when the part is written in their actual lead register. The part where the are most comfortable and bright.
Group 10: Voice/Bugel/Trombone
All brass+voice. The voice has a mostly leading part. Instrument theory tells us that all the instruments play in their range that is qualified to be “clear” and “bright”.
sound: Bright, vivid, rich, lush, clear
I absolutely love the warm but bright sound that the bugel and the trombone provide as a backing.
- All brass + voice is likely to have a homogeneous blending
6.4 Findings phase II……………………………………………….
I made a step-by-step path you could follow based on vowel use and blending. If you are opting for a homogeneous sound and optimal blending, you can follow these steps.
- Pick your horns/ make your arrangement *
- Make an arrangement/ choose your horns *
- Check the instrument theory to find out how the horns sound at certain pitches
- Attach vowels to this
- Analyse your arrangement: who has to blend with whom.
- “Repair” the places where the vowels or colour of the instrument does not matches with the one they have to blend with. Do this by placing vowels that correspond better in the scores. Select another instrument if necessary.
- Notify the players of the spots in the arrangement that may cause blending issues. Awareness is key.
* You can of course find yourself in a position that you want to write something for a certain group of horns+voice, or you find yourself in a position that you have an arrangement ready and need to pick your horns based on the sound you want to have.
Further findings of fase II are:
- A low registered instrument can have a leading part, with the backings being “on top” of it.
- Woodwind and brass together give a less homogeneous blending. You can use this for you benefit if you have on or the other play a leading part 8va.
- I cannot get to a trustworthy blending when my part and the part I have to blend with are further away then a 4th.
- Leading part can be played by a different type of horn than the backing parts.
- Backing parts should be or of the same category, or paired up with the voice.
- All brass + voice is likely to have a homogeneous blending
- All wood + voice is likely to have a homogeneous blending
- When the voice sings the 3rd part, it becomes harder to get fully embedded in the horn section. You can fix this if everybody is aware of the dynamics, and you can choose your vowels more precisely.
- Instrument theory provide a trustworthy source of information.
- When imitating horn players, the vowels change at almost the same points as instrument theory tells us the sound changes.