# Spectrotone Charts?



## schatzus (Feb 15, 2010)

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts on these charts?

http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/Products/Spectrotone-Chart-Download__Spec-01-Download.aspx (http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/Prod ... nload.aspx)

Peter,
How big can these be printed out or are they available as a "poster size"?

Just curious and thanks in advance for any feedback.


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## synthetic (Feb 16, 2010)

I have it. I want to learn how to use it better, it seems like a good tool. I haven't gone through all of the exercises. It's not just a poster, there are at least 50 pages of exercises that come with it (44 PDF files). 

I printed mine on 13x19 paper (Epson 3800 inkjet) and it looked great. The chart doesn't have markings for octaves, just notes at the bottom, so I added my own scale with pencil and ruler. I also found that there is a bit of overlap in the description chart -- 7 out of 10 of them are described as "resonant." I didn't notice anything that told you which ranges were generally recommended over others. Yes, low trumpets may an interesting sound but it's usually weak and inappropriate. Maybe I haven't found this section yet. 

There is a 14-page "Working with SC" document that you should read through when you get it. It shows how to use the chart to select complementary tone colors. I haven't tried this yet but it seems interesting. 

I recently orchestrated a piece with a violin melody that seemed thin to me. I looked at the chart to see what the recommended accompaniment would be. My violin line was in the green zone (E5 and higher), and the complimentary color is orange. Instruments with orange in their range would be high trombones, mid trumpets, mid saxophone, xylophone. I'm not sure if this is recommended blending for a double of the melody or for an accompaniment. I did have brass in this section, I could try transposing some of the parts to see if it makes a difference. 

Does that answer your question at all? Not much of a review good or bad but maybe explains the chart a bit better. Maybe Peter can chime in and answer some of my questions and add suggestions on how to use this resource.


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## andreasOL (Feb 16, 2010)

synthetic @ Tue 16 Feb said:


> I have it. I want to learn how to use it better, it seems like a good tool. I haven't gone through all of the exercises. It's not just a poster, there are at least 50 pages of exercises that come with it (44 PDF files).
> ...



Is this an advanced version of the Spectrotone chart? I bought it from Alexander Publishing in December when it was released and it was accompanied by the 14-page document you also mentioned. Is your version with the 50 exercise pages the new "2010 Professional Mentor For Volume 1" or is it just newer version of the "Spectrotone Chart Download"?

regards,
Andreas


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## Peter Alexander (Feb 22, 2010)

synthetic @ Tue Feb 16 said:


> I got a pre-release copy of the product. It included the chart, Range Sheets ("Start Here"), Recording Lab Overview, Pro Orch Score Analysis, Starting Work with the Spectrotone Chart, and then one sheet for each of the instruments. It looks like a version of the product for teaching in a classroom.
> 
> The main piece you need is "Starting Work with the Spec Chart." The rest are worksheets for classroom use.



To quickly answer your questions.

1. The Spectrotone Chart is redesigned to be printed on standard poster size paper which is 18 x 24, but you can print it out with whatever home color printer you have. I have a small 8.5 x 11 I use because it's compact and convenient. In the U.S. you can print them out at a Staples which so far, for us, has the best print out.

2. There are two booklets that come with the Spectrotone Chart. The Range Sheets are part of the Professional Orchestration Home Study Program and are used in our recording training. 

SEE:
http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/Departments/Professional-Orchestration/Professional-Orchestration-Home-Study-Bundles.aspx (http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/Depa ... ndles.aspx)

On any bundle, click on TAB 4 to see a comparison chart.

There's additional info on the Spectrotone Chart colors here - 
http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/Products/Spectrotone-Chart-Download__Spec-01-Download.aspx (http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/Prod ... nload.aspx)

As for the violin sounding "thin" in green, I'm not following this. The color green in the Spectrotone Chart is on the A string for pitches A4 (A above middle C) to D#4. This is the Medium register. Violin sounds don't "thin" until above the staff. 

What Jeff received was the 2010 Professional Mentor which includes the Spectrotone Chart and matching Range Sheets for EITHER home or class study which is part of our recording instruction training for MIDI mock-ups.. 

A sound can be "resonant" in multiple registers.

Thanks for asking and I hope this helps. The Spectrotone Chart teaches both beginning and advanced orchestration combination techniques which is why I've integrated it into the whole home-study curriculum."

If you have more questions, feel free to post them at the Spectrotone Chart or Professional Orchestration forum at www.alexanderpublishing.com.


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## Peter Alexander (Feb 22, 2010)

andreasOL @ Tue Feb 16 said:


> synthetic @ Tue 16 Feb said:
> 
> 
> > I have it. I want to learn how to use it better, it seems like a good tool. I haven't gone through all of the exercises. It's not just a poster, there are at least 50 pages of exercises that come with it (44 PDF files).
> ...



Andreas, I added a second PDF document. Send me your email.

Peter


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## dimtsak (Jul 16, 2014)

I purchased the spectrotone chart and i printed it at 18x24.
It looks great.

I started orchestrating a song today to learn how to use the chart.
I cannot understand some basic things.

If for example i have a melody in the orange area of the oboe,
i cannot use french horn at its purple or brown area?

Is the main thought that in every part of the composition,
the instruments that sound together must be perfect or close combinations?

I know that there is the spectrotone course,
but i can't buy it right now.

I have also read the pdf files that came with the chart.


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## The Darris (Jul 16, 2014)

The spectrotone chart works best if you use it along side their Visual Orchestra series. It is a great learning tool to get you started with orchestrating via instrument timbres and ranges. Again, just having it isn't going to make you better, you need to take the time and study how to use it. Again, this works really well with the Visual Orchestra series that I highly recommend if you are knew to virtual orchestras or just want to learn some new techniques that are proven to work.


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## Peter Alexander (Jul 16, 2014)

dimtsak @ Wed Jul 16 said:


> I purchased the spectrotone chart and i printed it at 18x24.
> It looks great.
> 
> I started orchestrating a song today to learn how to use the chart.
> ...



It means that within the register you're writing you have two contrasting colors that will both speak independently.


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## dimtsak (Jul 17, 2014)

Thank you for the answers.

Peter, if i decide to buy one of your packages, would you also suggest to choose 
visual orchestration 1?


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## clarkus (Jul 17, 2014)

The green is money spent on sample libraries.


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## Peter Alexander (Jul 17, 2014)

dimtsak @ Thu Jul 17 said:


> Thank you for the answers.
> 
> Peter, if i decide to buy one of your packages, would you also suggest to choose
> visual orchestration 1?



Yes. The beginning.


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## JimmyPoppa (Jul 17, 2014)

I have the Spectrotone chart posted on my studio wall. Peter, didn't you sell poster sized versions of this back in the day? That's the one I have and I'm pretty sure I got from you that way. It looks to be about 18x24(?). I didn't get any of the exercise pages though, just the 28 page pdf booklet that explains how the chart is used.

schatzus: If your goal is to get a better understanding of what works well together and/or expand your combinations/colors palette may I also suggest you consider:

These two focus very specifically on combinations and techniques and how they sound together. The first is an alternate theory to the spectrotone approach>

http://www.amazon.com/Textures-Timbres-Orchestrator-rsquo-Handbook/dp/0825868270 (http://www.amazon.com/Textures-Timbres- ... 0825868270)

http://www.musicnewapproach.com/#!digit ... oads/c1cxo


These are encyclopedic lists of all the orchestral combinations that have been used by composers up to the time of the writing. Valuable but in order to hear them you have to find the recordings and/or scores, or mockup the various combinations, which will sound different than they do with live musicians. Still, tons of good stuff:

http://www.amazon.com/Orchestral-Combinations-Science-Instrumental-Tone-Color/dp/0810848147/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405627178&sr=1-1&keywords=orchestral+combinations (http://www.amazon.com/Orchestral-Combin ... mbinations)

http://www.amazon.com/Thesaurus-Orchestral-Devices-Gardner-Read/dp/0837118840/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405627391&sr=1-1&keywords=thesaurus+of+orchestral+devices (http://www.amazon.com/Thesaurus-Orchest ... al+devices)


These are old school, harder for us moderns to read, and all about orchestral combinations and colors and what works well with what:

http://www.amazon.com/ART-ORCHESTRATION-PRINCIPLES-SCORING-Eastman/dp/B000ON33S4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405626718&sr=1-1&keywords=bernard+rogers+the+art+of+orchestration (http://www.amazon.com/ART-ORCHESTRATION ... hestration)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486428516/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1NV71XD960NV05SK015N&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/048642 ... d_i=507846)

I have all of these and think they all have their uses. IMO, the more different ways you can have of looking at things the better. 

You might want to keep in mind that all of these approaches are based on how _live instruments_ and how they sound together, mostly in the concert environment. The thing that differentiates the Spectrotone chart is that the originator, Arthur Lange, was a film/TV guy and had lots of experience with how _recorded_ instruments sound in combinations. And even that is different from how sampled instruments sound in combination for a whole bunch of reasons that have been discussed before.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Be Well,

Jimmy


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## Peter Alexander (Jul 17, 2014)

Hi Jimmy,

We have a newly designed Spectrotone Chart (compared to the original) that's designed in standard poster format, 18 x 24. I've always had separate PDFs that come with it, not a single booklet. And I've never had exercises with it. 

Also - many of the combinations listed in A Thesaurus of Orchestral Devices are illustrated in Professional Orchestration v1.

Someone going through Spectratone Chart training will pick up on Brant's book more easily. I have that book, and it's great.

I also have the other two books you listed, Rogers and Prout. The Rogers book is only available used and Prout is a Dover book. There's great information in both works. I don't know I would say that they are old school, but some of the information is old re: instrument ranges, improved musicianship, but the concepts are solid. Prout is the hardest to read because it's more academically written and therefore has a few unnecessary multi-syllabic words in their for this American's skill in reading British academic writing!


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## JimmyPoppa (Jul 17, 2014)

Hey Peter,

Yes, I agree with your assessment of the books. Good material in all, each in a different style.

I have all your Pro Orchestration books so far as well as a bunch of your other courses including even your older version of Practical Orchestration which is fantastic. As I mentioned, besides the standards of writing for live orchestra, all your material specifically deals with Film/TV and mockup situations, including the different sizes of orchestras you have to deal with in those worlds. A lot of the others don't. They sort of assume you will have a full sized orchestra available.

Anyway, hope this is helping the O.P.

Be Well,

Jimmy


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## Peter Alexander (Jul 17, 2014)

Thanks for your observation on my books. I learned this the hard way - post school (as always!) when I had to write half a show with a community orchestra that wasn't as big as Mahler! Once you have that experience, looking at Mozart takes on a whole new meaning!


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## Connor (Aug 8, 2014)

Gardner Read's 600+ page book is decent. You should know that it's public domain now though, no need for spending 80 dollars and a badly worn copy when you can get it here:

https://ia601705.us.archive.org/8/items ... 00read.pdf


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## GULL (Apr 2, 2017)

synthetic said:


> there are at least 50 pages of exercises that come with it (44 PDF files).



I just bought it. There is no exercise. Am I missing something? 



Peter Alexander said:


> .


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