Arrangement tricks. Methods of teaching the basics of musical arrangement

A. A. Titova

graduate student of KGK named after N. Zhiganov,

teacher of the Children's Academy, Kazan

Scientific adviser - G. I. Batyrshina,

Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor

METHODOLOGY OF TEACHING THE BASICS OF MUSICAL ARRANGEMENT

There are several interpretations of the concept of arrangement. The shortest and most common for all is the arrangement of a musical work for performance by a different set of instruments. This understanding of the term is clearly in contact with long ago existing concepts instrumentation and orchestration of the work.

The etymology of the term arrangement (from German Arrangieren, French arranger, lit.) - to put in order, arrange, on the one hand, gives a more vague understanding of its essence. On the other hand, today the original meaning of the term is experiencing some revival. Increasingly, the words arrangement and arranger are used in a non-encyclopedic context. Arrangement is the creation of a piece of music based on melody and chords, including the organization musical texture, forms, instrumentation, compositions of undertones, transitions, introductions and conclusions, performance and recording of parties on various musical instruments, knowledge of musical computer programs.

The real flourishing of the art of arranging came with the birth of popular mass genres of music in the second half of the 20th century. Due to the relatively short period of existence of a popular musical composition, the question arose of creating the accompaniment of a song with a minimum of costs and time. Computer arrangement did the best job. Gradually composers refused to record "live" musicians. The emergence of high-quality software, the development and establishment of the electronic music genre played into the hands of this process.

Over time, the so-called format of modern musical composition was formed, meeting the expectations and requirements of the music market. It changes according to the trends of musical fashion, gives music a commodity value and is focused on a successful market sale. It is the arranger that gives the musical material format, i.e. qualities that lead to the interest of the audience. Both an amateur and a professional can become the author of the original musical material. Little is required from the author of music - melody and harmony, the arranger takes care of everything else (sometimes the author and arranger are combined in one person, sometimes they work in tandem). It depends only on him whether the product he created will be able to advance into hits. It is characteristic that the arranger, at least in our country, does not seek to declare his name, does not claim authorship and royalties, but is content with only a one-time payment for his work. The name of a good arranger is known in narrow circles of performers and composers, his creative success becomes the key to further prospects for orders, and, accordingly, profits.

There is another understanding of the term arrangement. A number of musicians explain it as a transposition of the original musical material into new way. There is a fairly popular direction of this kind of arrangement - the processing of classical works. The music of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Borodin, Rachmaninov and many other great composers can now be heard in a new reading - as part of a verse of a vocal-instrumental composition, or as an independent instrumental work. At the same time, unlike instrumentation, the original musical material is processed - a change in harmony, shape, size, rhythm, etc., while the source of the quote remains recognizable.

Arrangers enter the profession in a variety of ways. Some of them are certainly the most competent in creating a musical composition - composers with a higher musical education, others are musicians of various specializations, and, finally, a considerable part of the army of arrangers - people who have an elementary musical education, but are well acquainted with the format requirements of the modern musical stage. .

As you know, there is no state educational system arranger training. However, the study of arrangement is often a component vocational training composers, musicologists, pop artists in secondary special and higher educational institutions. The mastering of arranging skills takes place within the framework of the courses "Computer Arrangement", "Musical Informatics", etc.There are many curricula for the study of arrangement, however, this subject, in most cases, remains optional, not special.

The main difference between the process of arranging and composition is associated with the emergence of musical and computer software that allows you to create a piece of music in virtual space, and not on paper, as it was for many centuries before. Now the musician does not need to anticipate the future sound, wait for the performers to learn the parts. The arranger can hear the first measures of the composition in full timbre composition already at the initial stage of music creation. The computer program allows him to edit the sound vertical, achieving the best sound.

The question remains, where and how to teach the basics of arranging to those who wish? The subject of this article is to consider the issues of teaching the basics of arranging to children of an older age. school age and students of secondary specialized institutions of additional education. The emergence of such a direction in music education is due, firstly, to the spontaneous independent desire of students to understand how to create a computer arrangement using the Internet, which does not always give a positive result, and secondly, the introduction of programs for learning to play electric keyboard instruments into the process of musical education. By studying the principles of performance and creativity at keyboard synthesizer, teachers and students have a natural desire to understand the principles of arranging in order to learn how to create their own compositions using a keyboard synthesizer and a computer.

The curriculum for studying the basics of arrangement should include an extensive amount of theoretical knowledge in the field of composition, instrumentation, acoustics, the principles of sound synthesis, knowledge in the field of computer music programs. In addition, the program should include hours of auditory analysis, practical exercises. The stages of learning should be differentiated as the complexity of creative tasks increases. There are several educational programs and methodological developments on this issue that fully reflect the range of issues related to teaching the basics of arranging,,. However, the search for teaching methods remains relevant, especially since the pedagogy of arranging is quite new, and the means for creating musical arrangements are software, synthesizer models - continue to change and improve.

As one of the new methods, we can offer an experimental, successfully tested method of transferring painting techniques into the process of creating an arrangement. It consists in a detailed study of the techniques of painting in various directions, followed by the application of these methods in the arrangement. The student gets acquainted with the phenomenon of fine art, studies the corresponding paintings, ways to fill the artistic canvas. Then, together with the teacher, he looks for means musical expressiveness, similar in texture, figurative content, technical solution. This method has several important advantages:

the student gets a visual representation of the various ways to fill in the musical texture;

the student gets acquainted with artistic phenomena that connect in certain historical periods and musicians, and artists, and writers, etc.

the fusion of the process of musical creativity and visual arts gives integrity to the texture, form of a musical work, artistic validity of the musical image.

The great Leonardo da Vinci called music "the sister of painting". Ideas of organic fusion of the arts have been floating around for a long time and remain popular today. For electromusical creativity, visualization is also relevant and natural. Visual images arise in the process of composing and arranging. On the one hand, when working with a keyboard synthesizer, the sound of synthetic timbres, their processing, overlaying ... all this actively awakens virtual visual images. On the other hand, when working at a computer, the process of creating music is already tied to the visibility of sound - notes as midi events, signal volume level, voice panorama, moving cursor, etc. Immersion in painting helps to clearly "see" the task musical embodiment, fills the student with positive energy of creativity and, of course, inspires the search.

The method of transferring painting techniques to the arranging process consists of several stages:

• studying painting canvas, definition and study of style direction
• familiarity with the methods of translating ideas into painting
• creating an arrangement plan, researching resources (timbres, effects, settings) of a computer program or synthesizer
• implementation of the arrangement plan, editing, mastering.

As an example of the application of the method, we can offer the study of the most striking and interesting style directions.

Impressionism

The artistic meaning of this stylistic direction is an impression, randomness, blurring, an image of the world in its variability and mobility, fixing fleeting impressions.

Techniques of impressionistic painting - blurred contours, colored shadows and reflections, complex tones are decomposed into clean separate strokes placed side by side, counting on their optical mixing in the viewer's eye.

Impressionism in the arrangement - attention to the pads, sound spots, vague texture, amplification of the secondary voices due to bright timbres, smooth interweaving of timbres, form sections. Musical creative tasks for mastering the arrangement in the style of impressionism can be any piano pieces, from educational sketches to the works of C. Debussy, M. Ravel or own compositions. As examples of the most characteristic paintings, one can offer paintings by C. Monet, P. Cezanne, O. Renoir and others.

Cubism

The artistic meaning of style is the primacy of thought, knowledge of the essence, the objectivity of subjectivity in all its simplicity. Knowledge of the subject without involving the emotional component. The visual means of cubism are objectivity, the decomposition of the form into elementary components (cube, ball, cone, etc.). Absence color palette, only brown, black and gray tones. The subject was depicted not as a whole, but in parts and not from one, but from several points of view at once.

Arrangement in the style of cubism should have a clear form, clearly distinguishable elements of texture. Particularly close to cubism is work with relief, har A ctern loops in a computer program. Based on the combination of musical cubes - samples - you can create a bright musical composition in the style of cubism. Samples can be both ready, i.e. inscribed in the program or memory of the keyboard synthesizer, and, for more advanced arrangers, created independently. You can also take as a basis the music of E. Varese, whose ideas are close to cubism, J. Cage, A. Schoenberg, peers of cubism in painting. The characteristic canvases of P. Picasso - “Accordionist”, “Girl with a Mandolin”, “Three Musicians”, etc., are perfect for studying cubist painting.

Minimalism

The artistic meaning of minimalism is simplicity, a minimum of the artist's intervention in the environment. "Less is more" is the motto of the minimalists. The techniques of minimalist artists are the minimal transformation of the materials used in the creative process, the simplicity and uniformity of forms, and monochrome.

Musical minimalism is quite relevant today. There are many works that can be used as material for arranging (authors - A.Pärt, M.Nyman, F.Glass, etc.). When arranging in the style of minimalism, it is necessary to focus on pure timbres, transparency, clarity of texture, and simplicity of form.

In addition to the indicated styles, big interest represent such areas of painting as Tachisme (painting with spots), Suprematism (the idea pure art), naive, fantasy, graffiti and many others. The method of transferring the techniques of painting to the process of arranging can be applied in educational courses for children of senior school age, students of music colleges and schools. This method, due to its high aesthetic orientation, elevates the process of learning the basics of arrangement to an academic level.

Bibliography:

1. Hakobyan L. Edgar Varese//XX century. Foreign music. Essays. Documentation. - M., GII, 2000.
2. Great Soviet Encyclopedia: in 30 volumes / ch. ed. A. M. Prokhorov. - 3rd ed. - M.: Sov. encycl., 1969–1978
3. Zhivaikin P.L., 600 sound and music programs. SPb., 1999
4. Krasilnikov I.M., Zavyrylina S.N. Fundamentals of Theory and Practice of Computer Arrangement of Musical Works // Electronic Musical Instruments. Sample Program Package for Secondary Institutions vocational education. - Togliatti: "Print-S", 2006. - 41s.
5. Krasilnikov I.M., Markushina O.A. Creation of arrangements of musical works and performing practice on a keyboard synthesizer // Electronic musical instruments. A package of exemplary programs for institutions of secondary vocational education. - Togliatti: "Print-S", 2006. - 41s.
6. Mazur A. K., Sikazin V. M., Perspective principles of music performance using computer systems // Electronic technology and musical art. M., 1990.
7. Petelin R. Yu., Petelin Yu. V. Sound studio in PC. St. Petersburg, 1998.
8. Podkopayeva O.A. Methods for the development of students' musical thinking in the keyboard synthesizer class // Pedagogy of Art. Electronic scientific journalInstitutions of the Russian Academy of Education "Institute for Art Education", No. 3, 2011.http://www.art-education.ru/AE-magazine/archive/nomer-3-2011/podkopaeva-10-09-2011.pdf

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. This - 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 on a guitar in a different position). 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.

Podkopayeva Oksana Alekseevna

Postgraduate student of the Institution of the Russian Academy of Education
"Institute of Art Education",
keyboard synthesizer teacher
GOU SPO Moscow Regional
Music and Pedagogical College, Yegoryevsk

“The development of thinking does not happen by itself, but as a result of purposeful, systematic work. First of all, for the development of thinking, it is important to create conditions that would inevitably require active mental activity from students. The best mode for the development of mental activity and independence is created by creative activity aimed at discovering something new, unknown. This new can be knowledge obtained through independent search, or methods of acquiring knowledge, ”writes E. A. Krasotina. Creative activity, built with students in the lesson on learning to play the keyboard synthesizer, serves as the basis for the development of their musical thinking. Therefore, a competent choice of methods and techniques for working with future music teachers is especially important.
Let's consider some aspects of the intonation-creative activity of a keyboardist with a view to choosing certain methods of work.
Arrangement and performance in the electronic musical instrument class are based on the following types source sound material and, accordingly, creative activity:
- work on a piece of music when playing live in various modes (Normal, Split, Single Finger (Casio Chord), Fingered);
- work in multitrack recording mode;
- playing in an ensemble with an instrument (“minus one” mode), with a teacher or other students;
- selection by ear and design music notation;
- composition and improvisation of music;
- work on sound (editing, creation of original sounds and acoustic space for their deployment).
The work on a piece of music can be conditionally divided into two stages:
I stage. mental reading text: identifying the features of the musical language through the expressive means used by the composer, analyzing the form, texture, genre of the work, etc. On this basis, compiling a holistic impression of the text, its artistic content, style features, including individual ones. At this stage, the teacher needs to use the method of artistic reading of the text, which is characterized by purposeful cognitive activity to comprehend artistic content a piece of music that contributes to the development of not only thinking, but also attention, memory, and imagination. The action of the method of artistic reading of the text begins from the moment the teacher selects artistically significant works for arrangement and performance by students. Before starting work on a musical score, the student must independently get acquainted with the biography and work of the composer, whose work he will arrange in the future.
At this stage of work, it is possible to play music by the student or teacher himself. There are different points of view on this matter: some teachers consider playback undesirable, since it carries a subjective vision of the work; others, on the contrary, consider listening to be an important component at the first stage of work, since it "... helps to perceive the image of the work more deeply, interests, inspires the performer" . However, it cannot be said that there is only one the right way presentation of musical material. To achieve positive motivation, create an atmosphere of "joyful work", it is necessary to combine different approaches when working on musical works. However, it should be clarified that the teacher should play new musical material once in order to avoid meaningless imitation.
At the stage of mental intonation, it is necessary to go from general ideas about the content and form of musical material to the implementation of particular tasks for its scoring, which involves not only working with musical text, but also building a plan for using various means in the process of arranging (including control devices timbres, patterns, other sonic possibilities), based on the available functions of the digital instrument. We are talking about drawing up a project for arranging a musical work (I.M. Krasilnikov), in the process of which the performer not only solves the tasks of translating the composer's idea, but also introduces his own vision of this idea into the sound, which gives originality and originality to the final product of the electronic musician's activity , individuality. All this involves the use of the method of intonation-creative anticipation, when at the moment of posing the questions: “What form should the work be given?”, “What means of expression should be chosen from the ones available on this digital instrument to draw the image?” etc., the keyboard synthesizer performer assumes how the score should be voiced. Such a “representation” (“the term “representation”, in contrast to “representation”, was introduced by B. M. Teplov (1985) to refer to the process of creating an auditory (musical) image) contributes to the development of inner hearing, and consequently, musical thinking, which operates with images, highlighting in them various signs and properties that are significant for a person.
The interpretation of a piece of music depends not only on the subjective vision of the text, but also on the capabilities and sound features of the available digital instrument. So, it's no secret that keyboard synthesizer models purchased at a lower cost are distinguished by weak timbre colors, "electronic" sound, little reminiscent of the sound of traditional instruments, and also have a limited number of built-in functions, which does not allow you to fully and professionally play music. Therefore, it is desirable to learn how to play a keyboard synthesizer, which has a sufficient number of technical parameters in its arsenal.
This method is used in conjunction with the method of intonation-stylistic comprehension of music (the term was proposed by E. D. Kritskaya). “Intonational and stylistic comprehension of music is focused on the personal interpretation of musical speech and involves a targeted selection of works of various individual, national or epochal styles.<…>. Listening, getting used to the musical speech of this or that composer forms the need for knowledge.<…>The style is addressed to hearing in its broad and narrow sense, to musicality as the ability to experience music. Style attribution does not deal with the sum of parts, but with the experience and reproduction of integral "processes-states", which is ensured by the unity of the emotional and logical, intuitive and conscious in its perception. An intonationally tuned ear allows you to directly perceive the semantic characteristics, the conjugation of themes-images, that is, to comprehend the logic of the musical composition. This method is important in working with electronic musicians, since the experience of various emotional states, expressed in sounds by various composers and reflecting the era, styles, etc., in the music of various peoples is more than relevant when learning to play the keyboard synthesizer. A huge number of style patterns built into the memory of a digital instrument and the ability to perform music of various directions when playing in various modes will contribute to achieving positive results in working on musical works. Thus, the potential of the keyboard synthesizer and the competent use of the method of intonational and stylistic comprehension of music will contribute to the development of students' musical thinking.
II stage. Work on a piece of music involves the very process of scoring musical text. At this stage, the performer performs a more detailed analysis of notes, durations, rhythm, harmony, etc., sets specific timbres, playing modes, options for auto-accompanying texture (if the appropriate mode is selected), keyboard split points, etc. In the course of such activity the method of stimulating artistic associativity is used, which is aimed not only at the implementation of the planned project, but also at completion in connection with emerging artistic problems during its presentation. The performer chooses the most accurate means of artistic expression for a given musical image. For example, to create a heroic, militant image, the Trumpet timbre is suitable as the main voice. But sometimes it can seem too harsh, and you have to change it to the timbre of a trombone (Trombone). Often the replacement of one timbre with another occurs due to the unnatural sound of its acoustic original in the context of this arrangement, and it cannot fulfill its expressive function here.
In the process of working on the electronic embodiment of musical works, it is important to use the method of "getting used to the timbre", when the performer needs not only to play the written notes on the electronic keyboard with the selected timbre, but also to try to imagine the acoustic prototype of this instrument and its characteristic method of sound production. So, the timbre of a wind organ (Pipe Organ) taken on a synthesizer - bright, lasting - will be better associated with the original sound if you press the keyboard more fully, heavily, as if we really play this powerful and complex instrument. Variations in the color of the sound of one instrument should also be taken into account. For example, if you use the split mode of the keyboard (Split) and in each of its divided parts expose different kinds organ, then the performer will have the opportunity to feel the technique of playing a two-manual instrument.
In addition, it is necessary to take into account the strokes indicated in the text. So, the staccato timbre of the organ will differ from the staccato performed by the timbre of the piano or trumpet. To achieve staccato on the organ, it is enough just to slightly and somewhat “shorter”, sharper touch the keys of the synthesizer with your fingertip, otherwise the sound will last longer. Another way to play the keys of an electronic instrument is to use the Voice of the Classical Guitar (Guitar). Touching the keys of the synthesizer should take into account the sound production on this instrument (pinch) and the nature of the timbre - chamber, lasting not long. To lead the legato melody (legato) with this voice, the fingers should slide smoothly, softly over the keyboard, and when moving to an abrupt jerky passage, they should play, as if imitating the playing of pizzicato on the strings. If you select a Saxophone Voice (Sax) or other wind instrument, it is necessary to imagine how the performer is gaining breath and trying to distribute it over the entire phrase, playing “on a support”. At the same time, the fingers of the performer on the keyboard synthesizer should move along the keyboard as if on one exhalation, transmitting a soft and at the same time deep sound.
The method of "getting used to the timbre" is most effective if it is constantly applied in the practice of working with students. It helps not only to comprehend the musical text and voice it with the selected timbres, but also to find ways to supply sound in order to form a specific artistic image, as well as to acquaint students with the structure of various musical instruments, ways to extract sound from them.
Showing illustrations, demonstrating works on any audio medium where this instrument is the leading one is also obligatory. In addition, getting used to the image of a performer on another instrument, the student takes on a different role, experiences and emotionally responds to it, and this contributes to his formation as an independent creative person.
Speaking about the nature of sound production on an electronic instrument (electronic carcass), its great diversity should be noted, since there are not only a large number of types of mechanics, types of keyboards, key sizes characteristic of different models of synthesizers, but also a sufficient number of timbres on each of them . This gives rise to an ambiguity in the relationship between muscular efforts and the sound result and does not make it possible to develop a single pattern of performing movements. In this case, “... the solution of specific technical and playing problems that arise for an electronic musician becomes possible only based on the principle of auditory dominance in technical work- the basic principle of the psychotechnical school of piano performance. Game skills are formed only within the framework of learning on this model. keyboard instrument specific arrangement of a particular work - in each new case they will differ significantly from those already known to the student.
Thus, work on articulation on an electronic musical instrument is no less important component of performing activity than on traditional instruments. And this work requires significant mental effort from the performer.
When arranging musical works, an important creative task is to find an organic relationship between the timbre of the melody and the accompaniment pattern. So, when choosing any style of auto accompaniment, the musician has an association with the place and time of the sound of his prototype. For example, when choosing the style "country" (Country), there is an image of the American countryside, cowboys gathered after a hard day's work in a saloon. Perhaps a musician on a small stage will play the harmonica, another will pick up the guitar or banjo, a third will play the violin or an out-of-tune piano. And there will be a whole set of instruments characteristic of this direction of music. A certain genre at the heart of the accompaniment predetermines the features of the metrorhythm of the melody, tempo and other means of musical expression. And it would be out of place in an ensemble of American saloon musicians to hear the timbres of, say, an organ or string quartet, which are associated with classical music played in concert halls. Creative actions related to the ability to competently build a relationship between the accompaniment style and the timbres of the melody in the process of performing electronic arrangement will help to master the method of focusing on the organic interaction musical means. This method, widely manifesting itself in the process of creative activity of an electronic musician, is an active factor in the development of his musical thinking. A particular manifestation of this method can be recognized as the focus of students' attention on "the correlation of patterns and timbres with the nature of the melodic line of the piece being arranged" (IM Krasilnikov) .
Another manifestation of the method of focusing on the organic interaction of musical means in the process of performing electronic arrangement is the task proposed to the student to analyze the relationship between timbre and texture. A performer on a keyboard synthesizer - a multi-timbre instrument - must penetrate the secrets of instrumentation - according to Rimsky-Korsakov, the "soul" of the composition, since instrumentation is directly related to the figurative sphere of the work. Taking as a basis a work, in the score of which there are no references to the performance by a multi-timbre composition, the student must independently select electronic voices that most adequately correspond to the peculiarities of the texture and figurative structure of the original. Similarly, organists work on registering a musical original, in which only the most general timbre reference points of organ sound are given.
Another manifestation of the method of focusing on the organic interaction of musical means is associated with taking into account the composition of the "performers" for which the electronic arrangement is performed. If we want to sound symphony orchestra, the dynamic amplification of which is largely achieved due to the joint play of a large number of musicians and the score is built according to the group principle, it is necessary to use unisons different instruments(i.e., apply such an instrumentation technique as duplication).
During the performance of the musical text, the musician works with such parameters as tempo, agogy, dynamics, articulation, which are regulated both directly in live playing on the keyboard, and with the help of various devices and functions of the instrument. For example, the tempo is both set during the performance of pieces in real time, and is set before the start of the game in interactive mode, and using the Registration Memory function (Regist Memory) allows you to save the necessary settings (as well as other parameters) for each part of the piece. Agogics are adjusted while playing live. The dynamics is built in several ways: 1) the overall volume wheel (Volume), the settings of the main (Main Volume), divided (Split Volume), double voice (Dual or Layer Volume), accompaniment volume (Accomp. Volume); 3) due to the sensitivity of the keyboard (Touch). Articulation (electronic touch), unlike traditional instruments, is controlled digitally not only by the usual strokes (staccato, legato, etc.), but also by changing MIDI messages (vibrato, portamento, etc.).
Adjusting all these parameters contributes to the intellectualization of the performer's activity on the keyboard synthesizer. The development of the relevant components of musical thinking will be facilitated by traditional methods of work in the classroom, such as conversation, storytelling, explanation, explanation, display, demonstration, as well as the creation of problem-search situations that are aimed at stimulating the creative search for performing interpretation expressive means.
No less important for the development of musical thinking is the training of improvisation. The very word improvisation came into the Russian language from Latin and is understood as “suddenly, without any preparation”, i.e. composition “on the go”. This type
The creative activity of a musician is aimed at developing the ability to fantasize, create something original, in turn, develop an ear. But any improvisation is based on the knowledge of certain rhythmic formulas, the structure of a melody, the form of a work, harmonic sequences, etc. Therefore, a musician improvising on any musical instrument composes something new or interprets famous work always relying on their knowledge in the field of musical language. Therefore, the more a person knows, the more interesting and colorful his improvisation will be. Before the start of improvisation, the performer mentally intones within himself, imagining in advance what he will play in the future, and only then proceeds to direct creative work. In other words, good improvisation one that is pre-prepared. Therefore, to conduct this type of creative activity in the classroom, we can offer a method of pedagogical guidance of improvisation. Applying this method in working with students studying in the keyboard synthesizer class, the teacher sets the task of teaching the student to think first “to himself” and then “out loud”.
The development of musical thinking is also facilitated by such a type of intonation-creative activity as playing by ear. This activity can take place in two directions: the selection of music from memory and the selection of a piece heard in the lesson. In both cases, it is advisable to refer to the musical notation of the melody. Correct design musical notation - putting down key signs, meter, prescribing a rhythmic pattern, note durations and their grouping, pauses, counter signs, accompanying chords - helps to structure the melody more clearly, develops coordination of movements between hearing and playing skills. When choosing a children's song, in one lesson you can sing and record a melody in a convenient key. Then - harmony, having issued it with the help of the letter designation of chords (digits). In the next lessons - to explain how the texture of the work is created based on the features of the form, genre, character, tempo and other components of musical formation. In these lessons, you can prescribe the bass part, pedal voices, subvoices, select timbres, effects, etc. Thus, all this work performed over several lessons occurs in the same sequence as when performing a blitz arrangement of a musical work for a synthesizer. This method of temporary dispersal of work on the arrangement helps to understand more deeply and in detail the patterns underlying this activity, and thus contributes to the development of musical thinking of the future teacher.
The final stage of work on a piece of music is sound editing, which includes dynamic balancing of texture voices, panorama building, use of sound engineering effects and sound synthesis tools to transform timbres and the virtual space of their deployment. These types of activities of an electronic musician are very close, as they "work" with the same effects. As a rule, the parameters that are adjusted during the sound engineering process of building up the sound are presented on the display of a keyboard synthesizer in the form of an image of a mixing console with various buttons and sliders controlled from the instrument panel. Thus, the user of a keyboard synthesizer has the opportunity not only to perform and correct musical works in harmony, texture and timbre, but also to try yourself in the role of a real sound engineer at the control panel. Therefore, it would be appropriate at this stage of work on a piece of music to rely on the method of activating subject associations of electronic sound. It will help the student to correctly build his work on the creation of an electro-acoustic space of sound and sound synthesis, linking it with the musical image of electronic arrangement.
Work on the electro-acoustic sound space is associated with the final stage of work on the electronic arrangement of a musical work, often due to the task of creating an original sound field. For example, a recorded piece of music, corrected dynamically, timbre, etc., requires transferring the finished result to certain virtual spatial conditions. To solve this problem, a keyboard synthesizer performer turns to the artistic possibilities of sound engineering tools, which allow, say, to imitate the acoustic space of a concert hall, room or stadium. Consequently, the acoustic features of these sound spaces, their artistic and associative potential and compliance with certain musical genres and styles should become the subject of a special conversation between the teacher and students, guiding them in sound engineering activities.
Using the method of activating the subject associations of electronic sound will introduce students to the various possibilities of musical sound engineering, as well as organize creative work in the classroom that develops the sound engineering abilities of students. This appears to be one of the advantages of using electronic instrument V educational process: after all, not a single performer on a traditional musical instrument can afford to get the opportunity to work at a virtual sound control panel and try to implement new creative ideas related to it. Plunging into the world of electroacoustics, a keyboardist tries to put into practice his experience of living spatial and sound impressions or come up with a new virtual musical image, bring his own individuality into the interpretation of a piece of music. In addition to creating a certain electro-acoustic space, the method of activating the subject associations of electronic sound will help orient the student-performer on the keyboard synthesizer and work on sound synthesis. For example, softening or sharpening its attack, lengthening or shortening the end attenuation, frequency filtering, the use of performance controls in the process of this work - all this radically changes the character of the sound and the associations it evokes. Such associations, linking sound with different mass and volume, material and shape of musical instruments, light or dark color, tension or relaxation of the performer's muscular efforts, as well as the features of virtual sound spaces obtained in the process of sound engineering processing, should be the subject of special discussions. teacher with students.
Thus, we see how intellectually complex work related to sound engineering and sound synthesis is carried out by a performer on a keyboard synthesizer. This requires knowledge about physical nature sound, its associative-pictorial possibilities, including those due to the peculiarities of its amplitude envelope, lightness, the nature of the texture, as well as various acoustic conditions for its deployment.
Summing up, we note that in the synthesizer class, you can perform various types of work: perform musical works live, and record into a sequencer, and perform in an ensemble, and edit sound. In addition, students in given class engaged in the selection by ear and composing music. For each of these types of educational and creative work and its stages, it is necessary to use appropriate methods of work, both traditional and new. The above methods should be applied quite flexibly, in accordance with the pedagogical situation in the lesson. They complement each other, allowing competent guidance in the development of students' musical thinking in the keyboard synthesizer class.
Literature
1. Age and individual characteristics of figurative thinking of students / Ed. I. S. Yakimanskaya; scientific research Institute of General and Pedagogical Psychology of the Academy of Ped. sciences of the USSR. Moscow: Pedagogy, 1989. 224 p.
2. Krasilnikov I. M. Electronic musical creativity with the system of art education. Dubna: Phoenix+, 2007. 496 p.
3. Krasotina E. A. Development of the musical thinking of a part-time student as the basis for professional training / Methods for the formation of musical thinking of part-time students in the learning process / Ed. Matveeva S. Ya. M., MGZPI, 1980. 54 p.
4. Musical education at school: Proc. allowance for students. music fak. and dep. higher and avg. ped. textbook institutions / L. V. Shkolyar, V. A. Shkolyar, E. D. Kritskaya and others; Ed. L. V. Shkolyar. M.: ASADEMA, 2001. 232 p.

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. Adviсe.

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.
Barrel in any contemporary 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 the kick has a pronounced subwoofer part, for example, at 70Hz, then the sub-bass should sound at 50-60Hz or 80-90Hz - you should be guided by this when choosing a kick. 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 you can, for example, this frequency range"score" 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, make sure that each of these basses really performs important role based on 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 concentrates only in the most lower frequencies(up to 100Hz), and above it has only optional overtones, which 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 quality audio from good - 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

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, exclusively creativity to the point, genuine love for music.

It 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 it has to be deleted for the sake of the success 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 notation such as forte, crescendo, piano, etc. In modern templates, as a rule, they are not indicated, so all these elements are complete 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 of modern styles includes 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. Next important group– 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 the 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 as a basis some book template, or better - one that you came up with yourself, and take care of 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 lack of accidental keys on musical staff) 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. Just, 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 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.

All! 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.