Jazz Section Arrangement Question

[ruserious]

Hi... I'm new to jazz, and I am trying to arrange a piece of music for a jazz section using a Jazz sample library. I have the following instruments available:

Trumpet
Alt Sax
Tenor Sax
Trombone

Is there a general "standard" configurations and practices for arranging for a jazz section. As in the number of each instruments in a typical section (number of trumpets, number or trombones etc..). And standard arrangment practices, as in the Trumpets play leads, Trombone plays unison, Alt sax plays higher harms, and tenor plays lower harms? anything standard to get me closer to my section sounding authentic?

thanks in advance for your input.

Tracy

[Phil Kelly]

Hi... I'm new to jazz, and I am trying to arrange a piece of music for a jazz section using a Jazz sample library. I have the following instruments available:

Trumpet
Alt Sax
Tenor Sax
Trombone

Is there a general "standard" configurations and practices for arranging for a jazz section. As in the number of each instruments in a typical section (number of trumpets, number or trombones etc..). And standard arrangment practices, as in the Trumpets play leads, Trombone plays unison, Alt sax plays higher harms, and tenor plays lower harms? anything standard to get me closer to my section sounding authentic?

thanks in advance for your input.

Tracy

Tracy:

you need to provide a bit more info as to what you mean by "jazz section "

the above listed instruments are a common core 4 horn section in itself ( sometimes with bari sax added to make 5 horns ) and lots of effective music can be written for this grouping.

However: larger jazz groups employ a number of each instrument in sections:

i.e.:

4 trumpets- ( or 3 or 5 sometimes )
4 trombones - one being a bass tb ( or 3 or 5 sometimes )
5 saxes - two altos, two tenors ,baritone
( sometimes 4 or even 6 may be employed )

Any section can play parts, unisons and octaves. There are many colors possible within this full group depending on the balances you desire:

1. saxes in harmony / brass in octaves

2. Bones in harmony /trumpets and saxes playing in octaves, intervals like thirds and sixths, or in counterpoint.

3. Full brass in harmony /sax counterlines in unison or octaves.

4. full tuti concerted ensemble in harmony -the "shout chorus"

These are only a few possibilities. I suggest you get a good basic arraging text like Sammy Nesticos "complete arranger" or the Don Sebeskey book to obtain muck more information.

good luck!

:cheers :cheers :cheers :cheers


Phil Kelly
www.philkellymusic.com
NW Prevailing Winds
SW Santa Ana Winds
Origin Records

[ruserious]

thank you so much... this is exactly what I was looking for... I guess I'll experiment until I get the right sound I am after... I will check out the book you suggested...

thanks again!

Tracy.

[engelbach]

thank you so much... this is exactly what I was looking for... I guess I'll experiment until I get the right sound I am after... I will check out the book you suggested...

thanks again!

Tracy.

Might I also recommend as an economical alternative The Professional Arranger Composer, by Russell Garcia.

[EdByrne]

Hi... I'm new to jazz, and I am trying to arrange a piece of music for a jazz section using a Jazz sample library. I have the following instruments available:

Trumpet
Alt Sax
Tenor Sax
Trombone

Is there a general "standard" configurations and practices for arranging for a jazz section. As in the number of each instruments in a typical section (number of trumpets, number or trombones etc..). And standard arrangment practices, as in the Trumpets play leads, Trombone plays unison, Alt sax plays higher harms, and tenor plays lower harms? anything standard to get me closer to my section sounding authentic?

thanks in advance for your input.

Tracy

In practice, I've written more for instrumentations such as this than for big bands. It is a little more challenging, perhaps, since you have fewer instruments with which to get a full--or varied--sound.

I learned, initially, by transcribing many Blue Note recordings of different artists. Thus, I have a few observations:

In concerted passages, I prefer the trombone voiced above the tenor sax. It usually goes like this: Either trumpet (more powerful with regard to volume) or alto on the lead, depending on what color you're hearing, then alto, then bone, then tenor on the bottom of the four (but not too low). Stock voicings sound even cornier than in a big band (especially spread voicings), so it is wise to spend the time to create special, often mixed, and rich 4-note voicings for this combination.

Of course you could also have bone and tenor in unison vs. alto and trpt in the background, or any other 2-horn coupling.

You also have the option to pit the two families in opposition, with saxes vs. brass, each family in octave unison or parallel thirds and 6ths.

[Phil Kelly]

another handy rule of thumb with small horn sections:

never use the chordal root ( the bass will take care of that )

also: fourths ,clusters, and drop 2 voicings work quite well in a 3/4/5 horn context.

Bill Dobbins' " Linear Writing" is also a great book for this kind of combination.

[OnyaBirri]

Might I also recommend as an economical alternative The Professional Arranger Composer, by Russell Garcia.

Is this still in print? Russ Garcia is amazing. His album "Fantastica" (Liberty, circa 1959) is one of the greatest of the postwar hi-fi concept albums

[engelbach]

Is this still in print? Russ Garcia is amazing. His album "Fantastica" (Liberty, circa 1959) is one of the greatest of the postwar hi-fi concept albums

Re: The Professional Arranger Composer, by Russell Garcia.

No, it's out of print, but it's available used on amazon for only $14.00. That, I think, is an amazing bargain. I got mine in 1962 for $5.00.

I love the guy. He's non-academic, down to earth, and so easy to understand. And his film music and albums are extraordinary.

Any idea where to find Fantastica?

[OnyaBirri]

Any idea where to find Fantastica?

I sent you a private message.