The Arrangers' Thread

[bassybill]

Any arrangers here, come and talk!

By "arrangers" I mean people who regularly do written charts for any combination of musicians, either of their own material or of other people's. The latter could be a transcription of someone else's work - in which case I guess you're not strictly arranging - or a complete reworking of a piece.

Of course, if that description excludes you but you still call yourself an arranger, you're very welcome to step in.

So, any tips? Favourite arrangers? What software do you use, if any? What have you been up to recently? How do you like to work? Et cetera.

Let's hear it.

[Buxtehude]

I have had my own arrangement business since 1983. When I started, arranging was done by hand. Nowadays, I use Logic Pro for the pop and jazz stuff and Sibelius for the classical stuff. Sometimes I start on Logic then import into Sibelius to finish off of I need certain details.
I do over 50 arrangements per year and it serves as half my living wage. I get lots of orchestral work especially adapting, rearranging items for musicals. The other work consists of transcribing exact parts off cd for pop and jazz singers who want the music to sound exactly like the original.
Having been a full time arranger for over 30 years, I am totally sick of it and don't get enough time to write my own stuff. But at around 40 grand per year, I can't afford to stop. Wish I had more time to play and practice bass although I gig regularly (mostly reading work) so not that interesting.
Joke: Why is an arranger like a prostitute? Because everybody wants a freebie.

[bassybill]

That's a very good level of income to get from arranging. I never score that much for a chart (no pun intended). Most of my stuff is just done for my own bands. But it's great fun. And I really enjoy studying how the masters do it - some of the stuff done for film and TV scores is beautifully worked out.

[Buxtehude]

So where are the rest of us?

[BassChuck]

I've been arranging since I was in HS (grad in '70). I've done all kinds of orchestral, big band, studio, small groups composed and arranged for musical theater. I've just left a R+B band that I wrote horn parts for. I'm currently writing for a big band I play with.

I can't listen to anything without hearing in some other kind of media. This morning on the way to work I heard the Tallis Variations by Vaughn Williams and I'm thinking that could be really interesting for brass quintet and organ. Nice church prelude kind of thing.

Yea, its an affliction, but I love it.

[Buxtehude]

Well Bassy Bill. I guess it's just a 3 person thread. Pity. I love to hear amusing arrangement stories. E.g. I was once asked to write a string arrangement for a rock producer who described the job as..."just make it like Mozart meets Tom Petty."
Hiding: or is that Haydn?

[BassChuck]

OK... Once I had to do a backing track for Miami Sound Machine's "123", but since the client was selling a product for something western, they wanted it to be in C+W style. (don't ask for a mp3, I destroyed them long ago after the gig).

Another time I lost a gig with an arrangement done on spec. It was for a well know fried chicken company here in the US. They were doing a big sales convention for their managers and the catch phrase was "Moving Into The Future" (duh, like where else will you go?). Anyway, I did the chart and put a working title on as "Poultry in Motion". There was no moment of humor there.

[renobassman]

I took some arranging classes in college and kinda got hooked on it. I got to do some arrangements for the University big band as well as some rock tunes with horn sections and some string arrangements. Haven't gotten to do much lately, but a singer I'm working with is recording a song and wants it to be with a piano and string quartet, so I'll get to do the arrangement for it.

One time I got asked to do an arrangement for a commercial for an internet service provider, but by the time the commercial was made, the company was bought out so it was never used.

Also, I use Sibelius.