# What does the frequency graph look like for well arranged strings?



## mopsiflopsi (Nov 30, 2020)

Hi, first post here. 

I'm extremely new to orchestral music and have been trying to teach myself proper voicing for string parts. I'm slowly coming to grips with four part harmony and I understand that the goal is to have a balance between lower and higher ranges in order to produce this effect of fullness of sound. When I isolate and play voices of my arrangement, I can observe the main frequencies and overtones in the EQ going up and down as I hit the notes.

So my questions are:
- In reading discussions about arrangements, I've seen people use phrases like "feels thin at the top/bottom/middle". Are they referring to activity at various frequency bands?
- If I do a good job with voicing strings, should I be able to observe this balance in the EQ graph (prior to any mixing alterations) when I play the arrangement?
- Should it look like the bars are more or less level across the frequency spectrum at all times?
- Am I completely misunderstanding this?

Thanks in advance for your help!


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## Dave Connor (Nov 30, 2020)

Kent Kennan’s book on orchestration addresses this very well. That is: what are solid structures in strings when close together (in their respective ranges of course - which dictates the answer to your question fundamentally) and what are solid stuctures when the strings are expanded upward/downward and or divided (thickened) etc.

Although your viewing of strings et.al., as _frequency bands _is certainly a valid one it isn’t particularly necessary to keep it in the front of your mind. By necessity you are dealing with a full range of frequencies when dealing with a string section. Understanding the organizing of those strings is essentially understanding frequency distribution.

I would look at any Haydn Symphony or Faure’s Peleas et Melisandre for something more Modern.


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## JJP (Nov 30, 2020)

Trying to learn harmony and arranging by equating it to frequency bands in an EQ will lead to a lot of tail-chasing. The answers you seek in creating a good arrangement won't be found there.

Stick to learning how to structure a chord and how to have each of the voices move logically to the next chord. There are plenty of books and online resources that can give you the basics.


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## mopsiflopsi (Nov 30, 2020)

Thank you both for your answers. One more question: I've looked at multiple tutorials online about voice leading with strings, but I have not seen anything that takes into account different articulations. And looking at the frequency distributions I can see for instance that pizzicato produces a different frequency distribution than tremolo or col legno. Do composers take these differences into account when they arrange voices? Should I?


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## Dave Connor (Nov 30, 2020)

mopsiflopsi said:


> Thank you both for your answers. One more question: I've looked at multiple tutorials online about voice leading with strings, but I have not seen anything that takes into account different articulations. And looking at the frequency distributions I can see for instance that pizzicato produces a different frequency distribution than tremolo or col legno. Do composers take these differences into account when they arrange voices? Should I?


The short answer is no. Voice leading is universal for the most part and not generally thought of as unique in strings or other groups. If you can achieve good voice leading (in the context of solid harmonic movement - weak harmonic movement will not be fixed by anything including good voice leading) on simple piano chords or 4 voice choir, you will have the foundation of string writing which tends to be a more animated treatment of that texture. Understanding solid 4 voice writing will also allow you to understand or analyze how Haydn, Mozart and co., are connecting their string parts so well and so idiomatically. That is ultimately your goal: writing well for strings. So, study the best. Directly and in text books.


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