arrange • compose • conduct
How do you do your “one last look” at a new project? Even thought I do my music writing almost all on computer (sometimes some sketches are done with a pencil and paper), I feel like I always catch an error or two if I only edit it digitally. Printing […]
I love it when the blobs come to life! We’re doing a bonus Cabaret this year. (get your tickets! Wednesday, June 8!) For me, that means taking an other stack of piano-vocal scores and turning them into band arrangements for a pro rhythm section. By far, the most exciting part […]
The small things are important. But they can be agonizing. Half Time 12/8 feel (quarter=90) Half Time, 12/8 feel (quarter=90) Half time (quarter=90) 12/8 feel quarter=90, 12/8 feel Half time, 12/8 feel 12/8 feel, quarter=90 These are just some of the metronome markings I considered for a particular spot in […]
I love premieres. As a composer and arranger, you would think it goes with the territory, but the truth is that developing my craft was focused so much on the work I do in my studio – selecting notes, rhythms, orchestration, voicings, etc. – that it took me years to […]
Most of the time, good writing is the natural outcome of more writing. A common refrain to my composition students (and to myself) is, simply, “More bars!” No adjectives necessary to describe the bars. Just more. We can always choose the best ones. We can always edit, revise, reimagine, or […]
Design is a vital and often overlooked part of writing music. I’ve long been obsessed with design – thanks to my long relationship with graphic design by way of concert programs, CDs, posters, etc. I spend at least a little bit of every week with visual design. Which is why […]
My (alto) student remarked this evening, “Tenor parts are weird.” The correct response is, “You’re right. And alto parts are weird too, right? But they’re weird in the way you know.” If you’re an alto, alto parts are normal-weird. But tenor parts are just weird. If you’re a tenor, it’s […]
Writing a piece “without thinking” is a good sign you’ve done a lot of thinking for a long time. Every piece I wrote used to take my entire brain, and hours of work crafting the perfect solution to the musical challenge at hand. Today I wrote an entire arrangement for […]
Clare Fischer grew up close to where I live, in Grand Rapids Michigan, and came to be one of the most important voices in contemporary harmony and arranging. He died ten years ago today. You can remember him fondly for his work as arranger and pianist for The Hi-Lo’s (like […]
With each new project I create as a composer or arranger, I have a few personal goals for growth (beyond crafting a good piece, with clear notation, that suits the ensemble I’m writing for, etc.). Do Less. For the arrangement I’m currently finishing, I’ve had three arrangements worth of ideas. […]