Reprise and Coda

General

– a Summary of Principal Concepts and Concluding Thought on How to Approach Orchestration

Changes of Timbre

– Should Happen in Logical and Musical Contexts

– Best Between Phrases of Between Sections (so Not Randomly within a Phrase)

– if you Do it between a Phrase, Do it at a Relevant Point Musically

– it is useful to Underline Motive Changes, Climaxes and Cadences

– Add or Remove Timbers can Create Tension or Relaxation

Use Dynamics

– Add / Layer additional Instruments for Accents where Necessary

– Change Playing Technique or Articulation 

– Maybe Use Staccato Sounds or Double Stops (in String Parts)

– Use Crescendo and Diminuendo (Ramps Up and Down to avoid Stiff Volume)

– Have the Texture get Thicker or Thinner where Necessary (by adding or Removing Instruments)

– Reserve some Orchestral Textures for Big Climaxes 

– in other Words Big Cadences or Big Moments only Happen Once or Twice in a Whole Piece, so those Moments you need additional Elements (don´t use all Tools too Early or at Once)

Maintain Continuity

– Maintain Continuity with Regards to the Degree of Timbral Change

– a Change of Sections needs more Contrast than a New Phrase or Motif (means to stay Consistent and more or less Add One New Instrument to a Phrase whereas in a Section you might Add 2 or more)

– if you Add Whole Lot a New Stuff within a Phrase, you might Confuse the Listener as He/She thinks that is a New Section

– Timber Affects the Perception of Form, so simply think of Timbre Changes as Punctuation where sometimes you just need a Comma or Period and other Times a New Paragraph 

Degrees of Timbre Change 

Mild Contrast

– Move from a Lower Register to a Higher Register of the same Instrument

– Change between Adjacent Members of the String Family (for Example from 1st Violin to 2nd Violin or to Viola)

– Change between Adjacent Brass Sections (for Example from Trumpets to Trombones)

Moderate Contrast

– Change Instruments within the same Family (for Example from Oboe to English Horn)

– Use Extreme Registers in the same Instruments Range

– Change Instruments between Sections (for Example from Bassoons to French Horns)

Strong Contrast

– Change between Instruments that Do Not Blend well together (for Example from a Oboe to a Clarinet)

– Change the different Articulations (for Example Legato to Pizzicato Strings)

– Add Percussion Elements to Double or Add to the Rhythms

Instrument Ranges

– Be Aware of the Ranges of the Instruments as you’re Orchestrating

– Passages, Alone in either the Higher or Lower Range Provide Nice Contrast (means to sometimes Place a Flute in a very High Register or a Trombone in a Very Low instead of the Most Used Registers can be Effective in Contrast)

– Extreme Registers should Not be Used Constantly

– Tutti Passages (the Entire Orchestra together), Should Fill the Whole Range

– You need Less Instruments at the Extreme Ends of the Range to Stand Out in a Tutti (for Example a Piccolo at the High Register is “Better” than 2 or 3 Trombones with French Horns in the Low)

– Temporarily Orchestrating with the Holes in the Middle of the Range can be Effective on Softer Passages (means when  you Harmonize or Spread Out Notes Vertically on the same Plane of Tone, you can Leave some Holes in the Register)

Unison Doubling

– Don’t Overuse “Doubling” and avoid Copy and Paste Contents

– Unison Doubling with the same Instruments adds Volume (Does get Louder but it Does Not Change the Colour of the Sound)

– Unison Doubling with Different Instruments instead, does Change the Colour of the Tone

Balance

– Usually the Top Line Normally Attracts the Most Attention (“Top” means the High Frequency Notes)

– but Movement, when Contrasted to Static Parts Draws the Ear In, regardless of Register (for Example a Bunch of Strings Playing a Static Harmony and you have the Viola Moving around in the Middle of that, the Viola Movement Draws more Attention even though the Violin is Higher)

– too Much Activity, Movement or Counterpoint can be Distracting

– Make Sure there is Contrast of Register, Timber or Rhythm between Planes of Tone (means if you have Background and Foreground Objects, try the Background Objects with more of a Resonance, Dull and Softer Timber versus Foreground Objects with a more Dynamic Part)

– Be Aware of which Planes of Tone are Foreground, Background or which are Meant of an Equal Level