# Orchestration - Golden Combinations



## mcalis (May 25, 2017)

Hello there VI-control!

I've been meaning to start this thread for a while. I would like to start a thread where people list quick 'n dirty combinations of instruments that give a very specific texture or mood (or just general quick orchestration tips). Just like how we know that basil and tomato work nicely together, only then for the orchestra!

I'll start by giving some of my favority combinations:

1. For a suspenseful shimmer: Flutter tongueing flutes + tremolo violas. (stolen from Jerry Goldsmith)
2. For nasty hits: short, muted low brass accenting low drum hits.
3. For a flowing legato line: bassoon and cello doubling each other.
4. For moving, shimmering high string chords: 1st violins harmonics + 2nd violins flautando + violas tremolo.

I have some more combis that I like to use, but I'd like to hear what other people have come up with over time!


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## David Story (May 25, 2017)

I'll play -
Warm chords: French Horns and Violas
Humorous tunes: Piccolo and Bassoon
Dominating Guitar: Saturate and Distort HF
Modern Tremolo: Add bidirectional arps
I have a thousand favorites


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## Saxer (May 25, 2017)

Dreamy high four voice chords: Divisi violins and harp
Fresh trumpet chords: doubled by three flutes (one of them picc) 8va
Soft low end: Tuba and contrabassoon plus basses pizz
Low sustained chords with attack: Basses, celli and violas long notes with short trombones accents


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## AlexanderSchiborr (May 26, 2017)

One of my playful textures and favourites:

For texture:

- Lower Open Voicings (e.g. F Mj) arpeggiated by the Cellos with the third in the highest note.
- followed by Violas arpeggiating middle close voicing (F Mj)
- Trombones doubling the Cellos as Pads.

Optional for more impact:

- Added Harp arpeggiating over the whole range
- High Flutes doing practically the same like the Cellos / Vloas but in their higher ranges

Melody:

Just Violins playing soaring lines in octaves

Is not the same with virtual instruments:


But shines totally when using a live orchestra.


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## mikeh-375 (May 26, 2017)

A good book on this...
https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Orchestral_Combinations.html?id=-csYAQAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y


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## jonathanparham (May 26, 2017)

mikeh-375 said:


> A good book on this...
> https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Orchestral_Combinations.html?id=-csYAQAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y


this an academic book? It's like $132 on amazon


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## Fab (May 26, 2017)

Here are a few perc focused ones I picked up fairly recently that I like, nothing groundbreaking I'm sure.

1.Timpani doubling up the notes played by low pizzicato strings > has a nice weight to it, useful for slowish-medium tempo stuff.
2.Piatti, tams and timpani doing one hit (with optional low sub) > for a big finish type thing.
3.snares and buckets soft rolls + timpani soft low rolls > adds nice airy texture for loads of different applications but you don't really hear it in the mix.


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## g.c. (May 26, 2017)

mikeh-375 said:


> A good book on this...
> https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Orchestral_Combinations.html?id=-csYAQAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y


Also, consider the Henry Brandt Timbres-Textures" on Amazon for $35.00


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## mikeh-375 (May 27, 2017)

Jonathan,
I can't explain the price, it is high. The one fault with this book is that it has virtually no score examples, but just refers to existing repertoire. It does have brief comments on the combinations mentioned which are sometimes illuminating. Unless you have access to a vast amount of scores, it is probably not worth the price tag. GC mentions the Brandt above, I reckon that'd be a better buy, although I haven't seen it, it does look promising-perhaps someone could chime in with more info on that.


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## jonathanparham (May 27, 2017)

mikeh-375 said:


> Jonathan,
> I can't explain the price, it is high. The one fault with this book is that it has virtually no score examples, but just refers to existing repertoire. It does have brief comments on the combinations mentioned which are sometimes illuminating. Unless you have access to a vast amount of scores, it is probably not worth the price tag. GC mentions the Brandt above, I reckon that'd be a better buy, although I haven't seen it, it does look promising-perhaps someone could chime in with more info on that.


gotcha


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## mikeh-375 (May 28, 2017)

Doug,
I too am a text book junkie and have been eyeing that book up for a while, so thanks for the info - I'll probably get it now to add to the collection.


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## wst3 (May 30, 2017)

One of the few purchases I've made recently where I was pound wise and penny foolish... the Spectratone chart is really very clever. I bought the PDF version, and one of these days I'm either going to buy the real deal or go to a printer and have my printed and laminated.

It is a great tool!


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## fixxer49 (May 30, 2017)

mcalis said:


> I have some more combis that I like to use, but I'd like to hear what other people have come up with over time!



Orchestral Chimes… w/ anything


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## Parsifal666 (May 30, 2017)

For Super Balls: Combine contrabassoons with Low Brass and Strings. Rugged as heck, and as-mean-as-ya-want-it.


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## Parsifal666 (May 30, 2017)

Beg or borrow Adler's Orchestration book. The Forsythe and Rimsky-Korsakov are very good too. You might prefer the last mentioned for combinations best though.


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## MichaelM (May 30, 2017)

I like the combo of Celesta/Harp/piccolo. Where the Celesta is doubling the piccolo over a light Harp gliss. Can convey a nice dreamy texture. Substitute the piccolo for a flute if needed.


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## Rohann (May 30, 2017)

Fab said:


> Here are a few perc focused ones I picked up fairly recently that I like, nothing groundbreaking I'm sure.
> 
> 1.Timpani doubling up the notes played by low pizzicato strings > has a nice weight to it, useful for slowish-medium tempo stuff.


Great point! Recreating a simple string piece I realized a quiet timpani hit emphasizing the start of each line help put a bit of gentle weight to the string swells.


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## mcalis (Jun 18, 2017)

Here's another one which I "discovered" today and quite like: at the end of a legato line on strings, overlaying a quiet sul pont note at the end of the phrase gives it a nice dramatic edge. I haven't tried yet, but I am guessing that cleverly overlaying some sul pont playing with regular arco playing will work just as well and gives a little "edge" to the phrase.


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## mcalis (Jun 18, 2017)

Also: I find this piece from John Williams quite inspiring in regard to orchestration. If I hadn't seen this I would have never even gone looking for Rain Sheets/Metal Sheets in the libraries I own. They're quite useful for transitions where I might otherwise reach for a cymbal.



There's a tonne of interesting stuff going on in that piece (which I have to thank Mike Verta for mentioning in one of his classes, or I wouldn't have come across it!).


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## ctsai89 (Jun 18, 2017)

Parsifal666 said:


> Beg or borrow Adler's Orchestration book. The Forsythe and Rimsky-Korsakov are very good too. You might prefer the last mentioned for combinations best though.



I will say "in my opinion" because I don't want to offend anyone but to me, Rimsky-Korsakov > Adler.


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## emasters (Jun 18, 2017)

g.c. said:


> Also, consider the Henry Brandt Timbres-Textures" on Amazon for $35.00



I just purchased and find this to be a very helpful book on the subject. Thanks for the suggestion - well worth the $35 investment on Amazon.


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## mikehamm123 (Jul 4, 2017)

This is my humble experiment with orchestration--something I did with GarageBand and will have to finish someday. The idea was to explore every pallete I could think of.

[soundcloud url="" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]


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