Band on the Run: Arrangement or "you can't spoil porridge with butter". Arrangement

This article is devoted to the most common mistakes that beginner composers make when creating music/arrangements for a symphony orchestra. However, the errors that will be discussed are quite common not only in symphonic music, but also in arrangements of pop, rock music, etc.

There are two groups of errors specific to composers:

1. 1. The first group is due to a lack of knowledge and experience. This problem is easy to solve.
2. 2. The second group is the result of a lack of life experience and unformed taste. This factor is difficult to explain, but often it plays an even more important role than training.

We will talk about this below.

So, let's look at the main mistakes that deserve special attention.

1. Unconscious borrowing

Unconscious borrowing can also be called unintentional plagiarism. Almost everyone faces this error. To solve this problem, you should listen to as much variety of music as possible. Often listening to one composer or performer has a strong impact on you, there is a close connection between you and the elements of music.

However, if you listen to enough different composers and musical groups, then you will not unconsciously copy them, but will write your own unique material. Borrowings can help you, but they shouldn't make you look like some other composer.

2. Lack of balance

3. Boring textures

Textures of the same type for a long period of time bore the listener. If you listen to the scores of professionals, you can often see that every measure some changes are made to the orchestra, which color it in a new way. Very rarely only one instrument is used to perform a melody. Doublings are constantly added, timbres are changing, etc.

To avoid monotony, study other people's arrangements and analyze the techniques you see in them.

4. Extra effort

We are talking about unusual playing techniques, the use of which requires maximum concentration from the performer. Often, simpler techniques help to get a more euphonious arrangement. It is advisable to use rare techniques when it is justified, in other words, if the desired emotional effect cannot be achieved in any other way.

Of course, famous composers use all the limiting possibilities of the orchestra, but how much nerves does it cost him. The golden rule is the simpler the better. If you still gravitate towards the avant-garde, first try to find an orchestra that is willing and able to play it.

5. Lack of emotions and intellectual fullness

I keep repeating that balance is key. Your music will have intellectual and emotional depth only if you live an interesting and fulfilling life.

Almost all composers devoted a lot of time to traveling and actively participated in public life. Where will you get new ideas if your whole life is concentrated in four walls? The intellectual factor means reflecting your worldview in your music.

Study philosophy, esotericism and related disciplines - this will help you develop creatively. Only a person with a great soul can create great music. Learning how to write music is not enough. The ability to communicate with people and the environment is of great importance.

6. Hysteria and intellectual overload

An excess of feelings or cold intellectuality does not lead to anything good. In music, you need to put emotions controlled by the mind. Otherwise, you will lose the very essence of musical art.

7. Using Templates

Creativity dies where established cliches, clichés, etc. are used. Using all this, you become like an auto-arranger. You should strive to make each of your work unique, to reflect your individuality in it. This also applies to pop song arrangements. Therefore, you should constantly look for new techniques, cross styles and avoid repetition.

Good-sounding templates can, of course, do a good job, but you can lose yourself as a result.

8. Not knowing the tools

It is not uncommon to misuse instrument ranges. Without being technically oriented, you can write parts that musicians simply cannot perform.

It is also worth paying attention to the fact that a well-written part has a good sound even when it is played by virtual instruments, while parts that were written without taking into account the specifics of the instrument will sound unconvincing even when played live.

A professional musician simply needs to look at the sheet music to understand how compatible this part is with his instrument. In other words, most of the parts can be played, but they can be so uncomfortable that it is pointless to learn them, or written in such a way that even when played, for example, on a guitar, they will sound like another instrument.

To avoid this, you should carefully listen to solo pieces for the instruments you are working with. The best option is to master the basic techniques of the game. You can also consult with the soloist, showing him your achievements.

This will help you quickly learn how to write comfortable parts that you can play. When writing for session musicians, it matters a lot how easily your parts play from sight or how quickly they come off.

9. Scores with artificial sound

Since most of the authors work on a computer with virtual instruments, it is very important to achieve realistic sounding of your arrangements with little or no corrections. As mentioned above, well-written parts sound good even when played back by a computer. This statement is true for both a rock band and a full symphony orchestra.

You should strive to achieve such an effect that the listener would not think whether the orchestra sounds mechanical or whether the drums are programmed. Of course, by listening carefully, you can easily understand whether this is a live performance or a program.

Hands and ears are your main helpers.

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1) Means and methods of fastening plants in an arrangement. Tools and auxiliary materials.

2) Vessel as an element of arrangement.

3) Preparation of plant material.

4) Dried flowers: methods of conservation and processing of plants.

Flower arrangement is the performance of various compositions from fresh and dried flowers and other parts of plants, from tree bark, seeds, and other similar materials.

A flower arrangement can act as an addition to a gift or as a gift itself.

Materials for fastening plants.

1) Floristic sponge (oasis) is of two types: for living plants - green and for artificial and dried flowers brown or gray. Advantages: plant stems can be fixed at any angle, the risk of water rotting is reduced. An oasis for natural flowers cannot be immersed in water forcibly; a dry block is placed on the surface of the water until it is completely saturated with water.

2) Device holders: tattoos, wire, wire mesh, moss pads, perforated holders. At the same time, wet sand, gravel, plasticine, gypsum, window putty, funnels can also be used.

Tattoos (kenzan) - used to secure oases and are a lead circle with vertical spikes. If the composition is very large and several oases are used, then they are connected by several hairpins. In turn, the tattoos are attached to the vessel with a special mass or plasticine.

Branches and stems can be directly installed on the tattoos.

• Wire and wire mesh - the stems of some plants are wrapped with wire to strengthen them so that they cannot bend and disturb the composition. If a large number of plants are attached to the oasis or the plants themselves are heavy, then before installing them, a floristic mesh is laid on its surface, which prevents the destruction of the oasis under weight. It also makes a handy holder in tall, wide-mouthed or narrow-mouthed vases. The mesh is cut out in the form of a square, the edges are bent along the perimeter of the neck, inserted inside or fastened outside. Instead of a grid, you can use lattices of twigs that are tied with wire, ribbon, raffia, or glued and fixed on a vase with adhesive tape. Also, fastening from branches can be an independent decorative element of the composition.
• Moss pads - made from moistened sphagnum moss, it is shaped into a hemisphere and wrapped with wire to better fix the flowers. The pad is placed for a few minutes in water and placed in a vessel. With a sharp stick, indentations are made in it into which the plants are inserted at the right angles.
• Hydrogel is a special water-absorbing polymer. The volume of absorbing water is ten times greater than the volume of the polymer itself. The hydrogel has different shades and expressive shine. They gradually, dosed, release water to plants, preventing decay.
• Perforated holders are plates of various shapes, several mm thick, in which holes are punched. They can be ceramic, plastic, metal. These plates close the vessels into which water is poured, and plants are inserted into the holes,

Tools and auxiliary materials: secateurs, scissors, floristic knife, several types of wire, small pliers, wooden sticks to strengthen the stems, plasticine or window putty, plastic bags, adhesive tape, test tubes, foam plastic, wrapping paper, braid, dyes, glue, cardboard, fishing line.

The vessel can be of various shapes, colors, and made of various materials, the main thing is that it should emphasize the beauty of the composition, without dominating or overshadowing it. The choice of container depends on the nature of the composition, the texture and color of the plant material, the background, the destination and the method of installation.

1) Vase- this is a vessel whose height is equal to or greater than the width, usually with a narrower neck; for making bouquets and compositions, it is better to acquire simple, modest, soft-colored vases. Harmoniously combined with flowers of any color, vessels of all shades of brown and green, as well as white and black. Brightly colored vases or vases with decoration in the form of colorful painting, modeling, are better suited for winter bouquets.

For simple modest flowers, simple unglazed clay vases, wooden vessels, wicker baskets made of straw or willow are selected.

Flowering branches, as well as dry branches and branches with berries, bouquets of pubescent plants, meadow grasses, sedges, reeds go well with ceramics.

Bouquets of cereals look better in glass vases.

For large heavy flowers (dahlia, chrysanthemum) it is better to choose massive, rough ceramic vases.

Carnations, roses, orchids, anthuriums are placed in expensive vases or handmade metal ones.

Flowers with a leafless thin stem (gerbera, chamomile), as well as graceful, fragile flowers, are placed in porcelain or glass vases.

Low-growing plants or flowers with a short stem (violets, snowdrops, primroses, muscari, lilies of the valley) are placed in low flat vases or in small wine glasses made of smoky crystal or glass.

Rule for choosing a vase:.

1) The most important principle is the principle of analogy: the shape of the bouquet must either repeat the shape of the vase, or continue it.

2) Bouquets of a rounded shape should not be placed in a slender tall vase, the composition must be given the same elongated shape, picking up plants with slender stems.

3) A tall, wide-mouthed vase is suitable for a one-sided bouquet with a well-decorated front

4) A low and wide vase is necessary for a short and wide bouquet.

If the vase needs to be “fitted” into the table setting, it must be made of the same material as the dishes.

5) Pitchers - suitable for creating antique compositions and kitchen bouquets

6) Baskets - the most commonly used baskets are woven from natural materials (vine, bamboo). The size of the basket should match the size of the plants, material. The weave should be tight.

A tray is a flat vessel with raised edges. Used to create desktop compositions.

Other items - frying pans, ladles, milk jars, teapots, sugar bowls, large shells, driftwood, children's toys, fruit vases, etc.

A container of carved watermelons, melons, zucchini.

Vases-stands - from cuts of trees, from roots, thick pieces of bark, slate slabs, stones, etc.

Flowers are cut under the leaf node, at an angle with a sharp knife. When using a dull knife, the tissues of the stem crumple, which prevents the penetration of water. At the bottom of the stem, leaves are removed, which quickly rot in water. They do not do this with roses and chrysanthemums, because. their leaves absorb water, you can not remove the spines and bark. For better water absorption, the lower cut is updated under a water jet. If the stems of the plant, when cut, secrete milky juice (poppy, euphorbia, dahlia, zinnia), then the sections are treated with a flame or dipped in boiling water, then the sections are placed in cold water. The stems of bulbous plants should be cut green, because. the unpainted part of the stem does not absorb water well, it must be removed. Autumn branches and bamboo are soaked in a concentrated sugar solution, so they become glossy and last for a long time. An infusion of shag is injected into the stems of the water lily so that the flower remains open and lasts for a long time. Daisies are treated with salt. In lilies, tulips and some other flowers, dust particles are removed.

plants, because substances secreted by some plants are toxic to others.

Incompatible: carnations and roses; sweet peas and roses; dark red roses and tea roses; lilies of the valley and violets; lilies of the valley and lilacs; lilies and daisies; lilies and poppies; lilies and cornflowers; poppies and orchids; forget-me-nots and tulips; tulips and daffodils; tulips and lilies of the valley; primrose yellow and muscari; primroses yellow and other primroses.

The topic of today's article is structure and arrangement techniques (English arrangement). It's not a secret for anyone that the word "arrangement" often causes fear and horror among students and female students of the initial courses of all musical universities in the country. And no wonder - after all, this exceptionally creative science requires titanic efforts, constant self-development. But above all - an exceptionally creative approach to business, genuine love for music.

It often happens that some of your favorite fragments, or a very long and intense part of the arrangement is completely unnecessary, and it has to be deleted for the sake of the overall picture of the composition. TopSound

In our article, we tried to understand some of the features, techniques in arranging, and also to understand its structure of creation. This profession does not stand still; what was relevant only 10-20 years ago, today in technical terms - in terms of the work process itself - has changed dramatically.

traditional instruments

Here are some basic arranging techniques with common standard musical instruments.

Usually saxophones or trumpets, but also guitars (so-called transposing instruments) are written first in the key of C. It is necessary to write them in the same range where their real sound occurs.

Everyone loves to use strokes, dynamic symbols like forte, crescendo, piano, etc. In modern templates, as a rule, they are not indicated, so all these elements are entirely and completely dependent on your personal imagination.

Portfolio examples with arrangements (ROK, POP, REP)

Example 1. ROCK
Group "Wires" - song "Deep"

Example 2. ROCK
Group "Hellya" - song "Coco"

Example 3. POP
The Produkt$ - song "I Have a Dream"

Example 4. POP
The song "Cling". turnkey arrangement

Example 5. REP
Song give me. Arrangement + mixing

Example 6. REP
The song "Tomboy". Arrangement + mixing

It is difficult to keep track of correspondence with the real range of the instrument on which the musical part was written. It is especially hard to figure out the first time with bass, guitar and other things. But it does not matter, an experienced musician will be able to “correct” on the spot.

Have you heard of General MIDI? You can always use your own, self-recorded sounds, but I must say, all synthesizers have their own bank of standard sounds. As a rule, the selection of timbres is based on them.

Features of percussion instruments

Record the sounds of drums in simple notes. To do this, you must understand the GM (General MIDI) standard. A simple rule of thumb with this format is that the drums try to write a couple of octaves above their normal pitch if the part is easy to read.

Note that most modern styles include many percussion instruments. They will be recorded on several staves. Then they are transposed into a convenient key, reducing the number of unnecessary characters, and a range convenient for the musician (that is, 1-2 octaves). Also, don't forget about translating notes for a real drummer into his professional "language".

Watch the video. A great example of how drums are recorded using MIDI. The signals are transmitted from the controller (in this case, electronic drums) to the computer and already in the sequencer they are “hung” and the necessary sounds are adjusted. As a controller, you can use a regular midi keyboard with traditional keys or pads (even an inexpensive synthesizer with a midi output will also work).

Drums are conditionally subdivided into only 5 groups. The main one includes all sizes of drums. And also the toms that let you see the main drum line, and all the extra stick work on the parts of the drum. The next important group is pedals, both closed and open. This group is called the hi-hat. In Latin American music, the work of congas, bongos, timbales is considered separately as a third community. There are also percussion instruments with so-called soft and sharp attacks. The first include shakers and maracas, and the second - triangles, claves.

You can read about recording drums and percussion instruments in our article.

Understanding the structure of the arrangement

Get started to get started creating and drawing a structure. At this stage, it is important to determine the exact number of measures for all parts. How many verses, choruses, what will be the coda, and what will be the guitar solo. You will need a sheet of music or a regular sheet for this, just mark it with bars, while respecting the structure of the song.

The next step is to select the timbres that you will use in your arrangement. Now we need to decide on the functions of each, which of them will be the solo, and who will be the accompaniment.

The third stage - take some book template as a basis, or better, one that you came up with yourself, and take on the main painstaking task - write notes for them.

As a rule, the template should look accessible and simple, so it lies in C major (this makes it easier to work with the material due to the absence of accidental keys on the stave) and has a length of 1-2 bars. You will only have to remake it to the keys you need and put it in the required number of measures. This is how music is produced. It is possible that some instruments will end up with too many empty bars this way. This is normal, because unlike the classical arrangement - the simplification of someone else's work, now we are talking about true creativity. It doesn't matter if you later want to add something, so to avoid confusion, we recommend recording empty measures. In general, at this stage you should prepare individual musical scores for all your instruments.

After carrying out the titanic work, it is worth allowing a short break, and then a new round of no less profound creativity begins. Assemble a draft of the entire score of the song. Remember, you don't need to regret the music papers, write down all the empty measures, unless of course you write a clean copy for a studio, for a publisher or, say, an orchestra. Having saved a couple of musical sheets, it happens that the composer then loses hours and days to recreate the picture he needs.

Next - in the sequencer of the device on which you work, whether it be a synthesizer or a computer, you have to enter all the parts, tracks. It is not necessary to pore over individual parties for a long time, but it is better to do this work as quickly as possible. Why, you ask. Simply, time will pass, and you can always return to them if you want to change them. It's a shame, but it really often happens that some of your favorite fragments, or a very long and intense part of the arrangement, turns out to be completely unnecessary, and you have to delete it for the success of the overall picture of the composition.

Final part

Now it's time to listen to the finished recording, do it carefully, and then decide whether to work on improving it or leave the masterpiece as it is. Attention, this stage is really very interesting, the most responsible in the whole work. Now you will need to work on adjusting the timbres in the finished works. Most likely, you will have to move some of the fragments up or down an octave. Record again unsuccessful sections or parts. Try to "revive" the solo parts

On this, you almost reached the final. Now, if there is an opportunity and desire, add reverb or other elements of sound processing. Also, correct balance the volume of each musical unit in your ensemble.

Everything! Finally, just dial Elton John, tell the singer that everything is ready for you. Let him rather take your work, of course, if you don’t feel sorry for giving it away.

06/09/2013 at 03:14

Hello to all arrangers and beatmakers! :) I'll tell you how you can make the right sound of an instrumental from the very first stages of its creation. I want to warn you right away that there will be no rules here - everyone creates an arrangement and mixes it in their own way, and this is very good. I'm just sharing some of my observations, which anyone who reads can take note of. In this article, I focus on modern sound.

Selection of instruments in the arrangement for further information. Tips.

Many novice musicians believe that the sound quality of a mix depends on its mixing and mastering, and are not at all aware that work on the expressiveness and distinctness of each instrument begins from the very beginning of creating a backing track (or a full-fledged composition). Each instrument in the mix should play its role - rhythmic, melodic, accompaniment, giving dynamics, etc. If the instrument/sound does not play any specific role, then it is not needed in the mix. Each instrument "sits" in a certain frequency range, more precisely, certain frequencies of each instrument characterize it in the mix as one or another instrument. It is very important not to forget about it.
Already at the stage of creating a minus, when selecting any instrument, the arranger should think about whether it interferes with other instruments in private, and if it interferes, is it possible to fix this at the mixing stage without spoiling all the charm of its sound. Solo instruments (solo parts of piano, wind, violin, synthetic instruments, etc.) playing different melodies should sound in different octaves, otherwise confusion is inevitable. To correct such a "mess" at the mixing stage by cutting frequencies means to spoil the sound of the instrument (s).

So let's start with the kick and bass.

Barrel (kick).
This instrument must be approached with special responsibility, because its character and sound set the "brand" of the instrumental. A good-sounding kick-bass pair is 50% of a mix's success. You can first pick up the barrel, then pick up the bass to it, or vice versa.
The barrel in any modern music has a "tasty" frequency part at the bottom - 50-100Hz. With some drums, this is so expressive that they even have an audible tonality. In this case, you also need to work with its height so that it sounds "in tune" with the bass. Or simply cut with a very narrow equalizer band the frequency that is responsible for its belonging to some note. But if you do not need a "tonal" kick, then it is better to immediately look for another one than to cut this frequency.
If a kick drum has a pronounced sub part, for example, at 70 Hz, then the sub-bass should sound at 50-60 Hz or 80-90 Hz - you should be guided by this when choosing a kick drum. It is the barrels, not the bass, because the subwoofer of the bass of any timbre will sound at the same frequency, because the instrumental has a specific tonality, independent of the choice of instruments.
Be careful when layering kick drums - they can sound out of phase. The low-frequency base should be left only from one kick, cutting it off at the second (this will solve both the problem of antiphase and the conflict of tonalities).

Bass
Spherical bass has 3 components - sub, mid and high overtones. All this can contain one sound, but many arrangers (myself included) most often make up bass from a separate sub (40-100Hz) and mid (100-300Hz, and it also contains high frequencies). But mid-bass is relevant only in a mix where there are no other instruments that sound in this range (double bass, low cello, low piano octaves, guitar riffs, etc.). If there are such instruments, then you should take a closer look at the choice of bass, because. its 100-300Hz can damage their perception. If there is a low bass (sub) in the arrangement, but there are no low instruments, then in the range of these 100-300 Hz, "emptiness" may appear. Then, no matter how well the mix is ​​made and mixed, no matter how interesting melodies are in it, the listener will have an obsessive thought - "something is missing", and what exactly - no listener will be able to answer. In this case, it is not necessary to mess with the bass itself, let it remain as it is, or, for example, this frequency range can be “hammered” by playing, for example, at low octaves on the cello. Strings, any synthetic preset - it doesn't matter, our task is just to fill this void in the lower middle. The main thing is that this "filling" instrument does not interfere with low bass on the one hand, and instruments at higher frequencies on the other :).

Mixing kick and bass.
So, when a suitable bass drum has been selected, you need to bring the sound of this pair to a good profit. Any drum has a low-frequency kick in the range of 90-120Hz. This frequency must be found with a narrow band of the equalizer, and then it should be cut off deeply with the same narrow band near the bass. You can even lift it at the barrel to enhance this kick. Because the cut is very narrow, then the bass will not suffer from this cut, but the barrel will beat more clearly. Often, even after this, the kick lacks distinctness, then we add an attack to it with any sound designer or compressor. I would recommend the first option, because. all shots of barrels in the modern Internet are already quite "pressed" by the compressor by default. Plugin example - SPL Transient Designer.
Already at the stage of mixing the bass drums, you can hang a bass saturator on the master section (for example waves rbass) and set the frequency in it, according to the key of your composition, based on a small table:
c = 66 Hz,
d = 74.25 Hz,
e = 82.5 Hz,
f = 88 Hz,
g \u003d 49.5 or 99 Hz (the most uncomfortable, from the point of view of a sound engineer, key)
a = 55 Hz,
b = 61.875 Hz. All multiples also fit, as you can see.
If used waves rbass, then by default it has a very high saturation level, so the knob intensity down to reasonable limits. Right now this plug-in should be hung up because the rest of the mix instruments need to be processed already taking into account this saturation. Some sound engineers prefer not to hang such plug-ins on the master section, explaining that this processing will also affect those instruments that do not need it. But remember, if the instrument has no low frequencies at all (or if they are cut off completely), then they will not "saturate".
If multiple bass tones are used, they also need to be processed so that they sound full and do not interfere with each other. But before you do that, make sure that each of these basses really plays an important role in terms of frequencies. One of them will be responsible for the subwoofer, all the rest should be generously trimmed (including all low-sounding instruments). Mid-bass, I can advise you to process some kind of tube "insulation". Only this process is very subtle, and you won't get off with common clichés, so it all depends on your "sonic taste" :). If the composition is dynamic, then the synthetic mid-bass can also be processed with any overdrive (a plug-in that makes the teeth of the saw sharper - for example, Voxengo Tube Amp) - this will make the bass sound more modern. Although you should not abuse it, because. it might get too messy. Further, any mid-bass has quite interesting-sounding frequencies in the region of 1-3 kHz, you can try to look for them and slightly raise them with a medium-width band. If there are several mid-basses and they are synthetic, then they all need to be “pressed” with a common compressor (I would recommend a simple waves rvox).

If everything is done correctly, then at this stage we have a well-kicking kick with tasty bass.

Selection of other tools.
All further selection of instruments in the red depends on the arranger's idea. You should immediately imagine what we want to place in the lower and upper mids, in the high frequency region. All further processing depends entirely on the nature of the playing on any instrument and its role in the mix. Remember, the listener listens attentively only to the range of approximately 300Hz-4kHz, the rest of the frequencies, as it were, accompanies what he is listening to. Below 300Hz - bass, which create a quality. Above 4kHz - highs that create the effect of closeness, liveliness. Therefore, you should not place such instruments and melodies on them in these frequencies, which, according to your idea, the listener should listen to and delve into. An exception - improvisation on a bass instrument, for example, in jazz - is possible only in the absence of other instruments playing at higher frequencies (not counting drums).
Playing any instrument in the lower octaves is advisable only if the bass instrument is concentrated only in the lowest frequencies (up to 100 Hz), and above it has only optional overtones that can always be cut. Also, for all instruments, except for the kick and bass, it is necessary to cut the bottoms significantly.
If a leading instrument is conceived in an instrumental, then other instruments should not be "planted" into those frequencies that it concentrates on. Simply put, there should ideally be only one instrument per octave. However, this does not apply to background accompaniment instruments - pads, strings, etc., because they can always cut even their main frequency. This will have little effect on the perception of the mix, because. the listener does not listen to them, the listener simply hears them.

Extreme highs (from 8 kHz).
The first thing that distinguishes poor audio quality from good is the nature of the sound of the extreme tops. They should be enough, but they should not be intrusive, otherwise the listener will take it as a pain (and do it right). I analyzed high-quality audio of Western performers and I can say that almost always only drums sound at these frequencies, no instruments. These are: snare drum (snare), hats (hat), shakers (shaker), triangle (triangle), other high-frequency percussion. Drums sounding on such highs should not be stringy (it will cut the ears), they should be short and crisp. If a hat is chosen, then the higher it sounds, the shorter it should be. As for the short and rarely beating high-frequency percussion - such instruments are very fond of being scattered around the panorama, even very strongly. A short triangle sound, sometimes sounding from the right speaker, is already a classic of the genre of any slow-tempo compositions :).

Voice count.
It must be remembered that an arrangement for a song and a full-fledged musical composition that does not imply a voice are completely different things. The voice is the same instrument, requiring a frequency "hole" for expressive sounding.
If the minus is created under the voice of a particular person, it is advisable to analyze his voice for timbre, leaving the corresponding frequency range empty in the minus. If the voice is high, then we focus the instruments less on high octaves, while generously hammering the middle and lower middle zones. In the case of a low voice, just leave the lower middle empty. It happens that a branded minus of excellent quality does not go well with the voice of an equally excellent vocalist, and no amount of mixing can fix this.

A few words about equalization.
A cliché wanders around the Internet that it is impossible to work as an equalizer as a plus. Why, it is very possible. But it is pointless to raise those frequencies of any instrument that are absent or negligible in it. Only a hum or ear-cutting overtones will appear. Working in plus with an equalizer is raising only the dominant frequencies of the instrument, which are simply not enough in the mix or which need to be better highlighted. However, if you want to highlight some frequency, then you should first try to cut the overtones, and only if this does not lead to a good result, raise the desired one.

Mixing is not about creating western quality out of cacophony, it's just corrective processing for a better sound. Therefore, a good-sounding mix is, first of all, a very finely tuned hearing aid of the arranger for the competent selection of instruments and sounds in the mix.

(с) Egor Quartz Music Mishchinov
http://vk.com/egor_quartz

Turn your musical ideas into a tightly knit whole!

Making a good arrangement is almost as important as writing good music. If you do it well, you get a do-it-yourself hit, if you do it poorly, you get just a scattered bunch of ideas.

Here 14 points, each of which will help make the arrangement better:

1. Learning from the experts.
Listen to your favorite tracks and try to understand their arrangements - what do they take that makes them work. The more you listen, the more you catch the "chips". You can often use them on your own.
By the way, I have been spinning the idea for a long time to collect all these finds in a certain dictionary possibly with examples musical fragments. The only question is how, in what environment, it is more convenient to do this.

2. Be critical of your work.
Yes, everything is clear, when you have just made an arrangement, you are full of emotions and impressions and proud of yourself. But (at least not every time), try to find in your arrangement parts that don't work. And if you find ruthlessly throw away. Yes, in the short term, this process somewhat slows down the work and even throws back a little. But in the long run, your arrangements get better.

3.Learning Music Theory.
Even small piece of knowledge can give you a whole new direction (Oh, yes, I've tested it myself more than once!). It's not always too boring or scientific (Here I don't quite agree with the author. I've seen a lot of Russian textbooks presented in a terribly abstruse, confusing language. At the same time, there are a lot of English-language articles where everything is presented simply, understandably and technologically. Fortunately , the situation has changed for the better in recent years).
Exploring a new page music theory, you begin to better understand what works in your arrangement and what does not. Often you can say something definite in advance, even without listening to the thing itself.

4. Trying to use clean vocals.
In a song, vocals are king (or queen). Vocals are the focal point of the whole piece. Is it true? So why not highlight it as much as possible? For example, at the beginning or at the end songs leave only vocals. The effect can be really powerful.
A good example is the beginning of the song "Waiting For The Rain" by Roxette.
Download and listen to the example, MP3-zip, 548KB
At the beginning, for a whole 20 seconds - only vocals, though processed with a "telephone effect" and sounding against the background of an electric piano. Then slowly, one at a time, instruments begin to be added, as if musicians are entering the stage. However, the music still doesn't sound great. And it “explodes” on the second verse, where all the instruments are already sounding in full force. This technique is well described in the next paragraph. It sounds very effective. (Well, in this case - softer, given that the arrangement as a whole is somewhat minimalistic).

5. Use space wisely.
Try to leave space in the arrangement, especially in the verse. It is not at all necessary that the instruments that play chords sound everywhere. Sometimes you can turn off everything except drums, vocals(or instrumental melody) and possibly bass. It will be very effective, the effect is especially strong when everyone joins in the chorus the rest of the instruments. Which is wonderfully illustrated by the same example from Roxette.
(Here I also do not quite agree with the author - if this is not an introduction or code, after all, at least one pad I would leave, otherwise the music crumbles. Or it must be a really worthwhile vocal! By the way, about the pads, see item 10)

6. Making choruses different.
At all . Another method is proposed here: purely by means of arrangement.
The clear purpose of repeated repeat chorus- to be remembered. But simple repetition can be boring. One solution is a little change the composition of the tools in some of the choruses, changing dynamics or turning individual instruments on and off in different repetitions of the chorus. So we add some variety.
A wonderful illustration of this method can be heard in Zemfira's song "Proved".
Download and listen to the example, MP3-zip, 466KB
The end choruses even use slightly different styles and accents. But, after such a change, the repetition of the usual chorus is heard again in a new way.
In the above fragment, Zemfira sings the chorus three times in a row. But it doesn't sound boring, because although she sings them the same way, on the second repetition the group changed rhythm and even style, and then returned to the old one.
Another interesting moment: the solo-guitar that appeared on the second repetition, as it were, “sprouts” into the third one and thus gives it a slightly different color.

7. Avoid overlaps.
Pay attention to the places in the arrangement where the melody and the accompanying parts intersect. If we have a vocal or a melody, we need to give them a place (the principle “free the register!” - we will talk about it in paragraph 14). If a lead guitar or synthesizer is playing at the same time in the same range and with the same rhythm, as the melody, it just turns out to be an overlap.

8. Trying unusual tools.
If you have the same old sounds in your songs all the time, you get tired of it. Either change familiar synths, or try something completely different, maybe even wild. You can even make samples from non-musical sounds. In fact, literally anything that makes noise is fine. 🙂 And the noises do not have to be harmonious at all. This is a very creative task: to achieve musicality even from such material. But the task is usually manageable, even if you don't take exotic cases like a piece, the entire drum section of which is built from sounds made by a person - sneezing, coughing, smacking, etc.

9.Layers.
The simplest way make the mix thicker- take multiple tools playing the same game. Or even several identical instruments playing the same thing. There are some subtleties here when mixing and panning. We'll take a closer look at them sometime.

10. Using pads.
The pads sound soft and lingering. Usually they do not attract the attention of the listeners, but they give the arrangement mood and some depth. If the song sounds too inexpressive, “subtle”, and you can’t understand what’s going on, sometimes the solution becomes pad. Experts say that there is a good way to set the correct volume of the pad: you need to catch the level at which the pad is almost inaudible against the background of other music and turn it down a little more. Yes, that's right, the perfect pad in the end should not be heard. Its task is to act on the subconscious. It's like he doesn't exist. But try to turn it off completely and immediately the music becomes poorer.

11. Realize the rhythm.
Can hard sync all the instruments, making them play in the same rhythm. Can you let them play? different rhythms. Whatever you decide, it must be a conscious decision. If you do not pay attention to the rhythm at all, the arrangement will be sloppy and loose.

12. Recognize audience expectations.
When you're building an arrangement, sometimes it's best to do things traditionally and end the song with a big chorus. It - what people are waiting for and maybe want to hear. At the same time, sometimes defy conventions and alienate "something like that" - and it will be great. The main thing, again, is to do everything not by chance, but consciously.

13. Making our original initial countdown.
cruel truth is that most listeners are very impatient and often judge a track by its first few seconds. The opening score is not just the rhythm before the melody or vocals start, it's a very important part, with its own rules. So take some time and make it flawless.

14. Thinking about registers.
The register determines how high or low a particular part sounds. Sometimes it is even possible to shift the entire part by less than a whole octave (for example, the same chords can be played in a different position on a guitar). There are rules here, and they are pretty subtle. But in general, if all the instruments sound in the same register, it turns out either boring or a complete mess, due to the fact that the sound is too dense. Better split the parties into different registers. It's also good to use different registers as the song progresses.