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Orchestration Recipes Discussion Thread

Didn't find anything against it in the Commercial Announcements guideline post and I think it's quite common to assemble and collect material about the product in its announcement post. I don't have a strong opinion about it, though :) The spotlight should be on the developer (Philip in this case), for sure!
 
When I get in a slump or hit a creative brick wall I take a break by working on a Recipe that at first look had not piqued my interest, a Recipe I doubted I would have much use for.

And, of course, by trekking unfamiliar ground I learn some things that i can apply to other work. I get both a distraction and an education.

On my first pass through OrchRecipes I "cherry-picked" so that left lots of recipes for followup.

This works for me because I'm a hobbyist with no deadlines.

Orchestration Recipes is a great resource at a great price.
 
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I see this as like the difference between A) tasting a dish and thinking, "Heck yeah, I want to mimic that" (similar to listening to other music for inspiration) and B) someone taking the time to remind you of the purpose of each spice (Orchestration Recipes).

In fact, this is far more detailed than most food recipe sites, which typically give you the instructions but don't explain why each component is important. "Ingredient X will balance out the sharpness of Ingredient Y and give the dish a slightly sweeter taste."
 
Evans said:
In fact, this is far more detailed than most food recipe sites, which typically give you the instructions but don't explain why each component is important. "Ingredient X will balance out the sharpness of Ingredient Y and give the dish a slightly sweeter taste."
Click to expand...
Something a bit like this? :grin:

Recipe 01 - Heroic choral bisque with infused pianoforte

The choir uses a mixture of syncopated notes and dissonant harmonies to create a dark, dramatic and driving effect. The upper voices are replicated in the lower voices to re-enforce the effect, By keeping the voice ranges in their mid-registers they give the vocals a powerful, almost elemental quality.

The underlying fast piano arpeggios lend an unsettling and insistent quality to the piece. The bass notes provide a strong accent that emphasises the first and third beat of each measure, adding a solid pulse that anchors and provides a stable foundation for the other rhythms.

The upper strings double the voices, replicating the vocal rhythm to make them even more insistent. They use a similar register, subtly emphasising the dark nature of the vocals.

Finally, the French Horns supply a slower melodic counterpoint. It adds to the drama through the use of long, swelling notes creating a strong sense of progression. Once again, they play in a darker, yet rich register that provides a contrast from the insistent rhythms.
 
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rudi said:
Something a bit like this? :grin:

Recipe 01 - Heroic choral bisque with infused pianoforte

The choir uses a mixture of syncopated notes and dissonant harmonies to create a dark, dramatic and driving effect. The upper voices are replicated in the lower voices to re-enforce the effect, By keeping the vocal ranges in their mid-registers they give the vocals a powerful, alsmost elemental quality.
Click to expand...
Yes!

You have succinctly captured the depth and breadth of emotion and detail that lives within 8 bars of music.

On one hand this overwhelms me as a midi music hobbyist. On the other hand it encourages me to explore and experiment within those 8 bars to the full extent of my limited abilities, I'm compelled to learn more.
 
I just purchased both sets. I really enjoy the layout, and all the cooking references. This is great for someone like me who struggles with the actual orchestration part of composing. Well done!
 
Had to buy these too (as famous inventor of this concept).

Philip must be a real chef, as the chef terminology is not layman terms. The chef terminology is Chef de Partie or above. Just to make that clear. Fu.k it, many Chef De Partie may even loose pace.

Great details anyway, with score sheets and explanations! Even example two! Midi files, as mentioned in ground invention, yes.

Lot of work put in, Philip could have started with throwing kitchen porter pizzas on special price with frozen shrimp and dried oregano, it would have sold, but he starts with real mozzarella and fresh basil! Consomme egyptian! Voila!
 
I made another hands-on with one of the new vol 2 recipes that Philip made available for free on Youtube. This one shows a more mellow/melancholic/nostalgic quality of the recipes as opposed to the heroic and majestic one. Super great to see the variety of styles that volume 2 offers! Hope this helps those who are still on the fence. This "course" is a gold mine.

Little disclaimer: These videos are created with Philip's permission (and appreciation! :D), as I use those recipes that are visible on Youtube for free anyway.

 
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I have been thinking about ways to use this format/idea for the “development” of musical themes/ideas … more than getting them started. I’m not sure how it would go exactly. But I’d like to have an index of interesting key transitions or mnemonics for borrowed chords and interesting harmonic moves (e.g., various common tone modulations). All of them would have clever names and clear concise instructions like these recipes.
(It wouldn’t have to be limited to harmonic moves. Could be things like rhythmic diminution and augmentation, but I’ve already memorized many of them. It’s the harmonic stuff that’s so rich that I need help remembering and exercising.)
Right now these techniques are scattered around my brain and I don't always recall them when I want them. I’ve been wanting a compendium of these for a while. Some of them have recognizable names already and others have more obscure theory names that I tend to forget.
(I could add some video examples but this is a commercial thread so I won’t.)
 
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