# Typical Mancini orchestration



## wonshu (Sep 8, 2010)

Hey guys,

what is "the typical" Mancini orchestration technique? In general for the "normal" medium tempo "jazz" songs. Not the Peter Gunn theme.

I know that these are things that are not set in stone and that a lot depended on how the players performed the music.

Thanks and best
Hans


----------



## DeactivatedAcc (Sep 8, 2010)

I've analyzed a lot of Mancini's tunes. His orchestration techniques are infinite. 

A lot of the time he has the band (drums, bass, guitar, perhaps piano) keeping the accompaniment and has a rich string line leading the theme- often vln1 + vln1 in unison, sometimes vln1+vln2+violas+celli unison. Then, for a change of flavor, after the melody has gone through he has all sections go into divisi - vln 1 div. a & b, vln 2 div. a & b, violas div. a &b, and celli div. a & b. He will have a four-note *closely-voiced *moving chord with the violins (four voices) which is unison doubled an octave below by the violas and celli. For instance, vln 1 div. a on B4, vln 1 div. b on G4, vln 2 div. a on E4, and vln 2 div. b on C4. Below that: violas div. a on B3, violas div. b on G3... etc. This is a very rich technique and he uses it fairly sparingly, and always in good taste. Furthermore, the string sections aren't that big and one can often hear the individual strings. It still is the arranging techniques that make it lush. 

If you want to hear this technique: all section are unison doubled at 1:15. Then at 1:36 he brings in the 8-voice octave string technique I was talking about.

See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbEPZRPFehc


----------



## wonshu (Sep 8, 2010)

That is a great answer!!!! Thank you!

So there's generally no doubling the lines with the woodwinds but more or less just the octave technique?

I have to produce a song that'll sound like Mancini and I need to tell the contractor roughly how many players I'll need.

Thanks again for what is really rare in forum land: a straight forward answer!

Best
Hans


----------



## DeactivatedAcc (Sep 8, 2010)

You're welcome, Hans.

I didn't get to woodwinds or brass yet. As far as doubling techniques between orchestral sections: a great technique he uses is with small choir ensembles. He will combine the choir singing "oo" with the trombones or horns in the pp-p area. This can be done any number of ways. He usually has four trombones or horns spread out in very close voicing for this type of thing. These could be in the C3-C4 area doubled by tenors and altos in divisi - so four parts. The sopranos can come in for more climactic parts doubling [w/ "oo"] an octave above the top line. In this technique the brass is playing non-vib. and the choir is using some vibrato and a prominent portamento. The brass has got to be playing pp though, if possible, and must be a really mellow sound. So depending on what sounds best to you, trombones can be alternated with horns. The voices - for this particular technique - must be doing "oo," not another syllable, because this syllable blends really well with the particular brass instrumentation [in non-vib, very soft dynamic]. The brass is adding a real warmth and girth to the voices.

--

*Updated post*: As orchestration within the voices: often he has the tenors in their range and they are doubled in unison an octave above with the altos - "oo" syllable. Let's take a listen to this wonderful Breakfast At Tiffany's cue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9l_srPp ... re=related

00:00 to 00:43 we have the tenors/altos in "oo" octave doubling - no brass. at 00:43 we have the 8-voice octave strings technique that I have been talking about. Then at 1:00 we have four trombones in the close voicing technique, molto slide vibrato at a soft dynamic range.

*2nd post update*: If you want to hear the choir-trombone combination in action - listen to this piece from the film Natalie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYaQO7g0cOc Listen carefully at 1:30. This is a prime example of how affective this technique can be in this setting.

I forgot to mention that you can use that "8-voice octave doubling below in unison" string technique with the piano as well and it is very effective. Go to "The Brothers go to Mother's," a beautiful cue from Peter Gunn. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elkdQG8RcDA At 00:30 we have the 8-voice octave technique and the top line is given more girth with the jazz guitar and vibraphone.

--

As far as the number of players, I think you'd be fine with 20 [no less] anywhere up to maybe 30 _string players,_ but you want to make sure you have a large brass section and band instruments as well. Leave out the contrabasses - Mancini doesn't use them (from what I've heard of his, and I've heard a lot). Having four bones, four horns, and 4 trumpets is a good plan. A good selection of saxes of course: alto, tenor, and baritone. With woodwinds, having a couple piccolo, you can leave out the C flutes and have three or so alto flutes and a bass flute, then a Bb clarinet and bass clarinet, and then an oboe, as well as a bassoon. You should be set with that. Then rhythm guitar, bass, drums, piano, maybe organ, and marimba.

The instrumentation could be in all anywhere from 40 to 65 or so, completely up to your choice of instrumentation & budget.


----------



## autopilot (Sep 8, 2010)

Have you found Mancini's book on orchestration? "Sounds and Scores" - awesome - comes with a set of 45s to let you hear his examples.


----------



## DeactivatedAcc (Sep 8, 2010)

That's a good book. Just as easily, listen to a lot of Mancini's tunes and with critical listening and good audio system you can pull the orchestration techniques out by ear.


----------



## David Story (Sep 8, 2010)

Japer Blunk did a great job of detailing Mancini's "typical" sound. Thanks!
I've been asked to emulate HM, and big band + divisi strings gets you far. 
7th chords in Horns p is characteristic.

Adding the choir, woodwinds and jazz percussion really makes it sound like him, imo
You can do without the choir, and overdub the strings if you're on a budget. 

It's touches like this, that made him beloved. And a remarkable gift for melody:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xNgBLCfmpg
This is just for fun.


----------



## g.c. (Sep 10, 2010)

Reiterating a response further down the page, his book "SOUNDS 7 SCORES" not only comes with sounds but also a lot of score excerpts. 
g.c.


----------



## EwigWanderer (Sep 13, 2010)

Tank you Jasper! =) Great info!


----------



## Gary Eskow (Sep 27, 2010)

What a fabulous thread! Has anyone done a mock up of "Lujon?" Does Mancini notate that wonderful string gliss into the middle 8 as a gliss or individual notes?


----------



## DeactivatedAcc (Sep 27, 2010)

Lujon is a wonderful piece. Gary, I'm not sure how Mancini notated it - It could be difficult to know without seeing the score (I'd love to see his scores). I'd say that it's probably notated as individual notes, although of the reduced scores of Mancini's that I've seen it is notated as a gliss. But for the studio parts it'd probably be different.

I'm sure LASS would be a great candidate for the task of mocking up Lujon.


----------

