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STRING ARRANGING - Part 3 - Getting Started

The two big things you need to know right away are:

1) Budget for players/studio/(other)
2) Deadline.

There may be other things to determine before actually writing music, but these are the two big ones.

Budget - The String Section 
I like to know what budget I have for strings so I know what I can write for. Sometimes the ensemble size and make up is pre-determined. Some producers I work for will tell me what section they want. Some will want me to determine it. They just say, “we have this much money, what can we do?” These days with MIDI and samples there are many options.

Given a choice and good budget, I prefer everything “live” (at least in the string section). It’s just easier that way, and sounds better (assuming you have great session players, and for now, I will assume you have great players).

I’ve worked on many “custom” albums (non record label) where I have had to be very creative with the budget. I have done songs with just cellos, a single cello sound is weightier, fuller than a single violin. Don Sebesky, an arranger of many jazz albums has done this effectively on some albums. It’s a bit darker than a section including violins and violas, but only takes 3-4 cellist, or even 1 with 3-4 tracks to overdub. I have also used the string quartet a lot (two violins, one viola, one cello) on a number of projects, and have even suggested it when I could have had a larger section because the intimacy from a string quartet fit the song better, but this tends to work very well in folk based styles, especially alongside acoustic guitars. There has been a new interest in the string quartet the past several years.

Another thing I have done many times, and is quite common these days is blending real strings with MIDI or sampled strings, and I have done the MIDI/sampled strings only. There have been many projects I have been called into to “make up the arrangement” to tape (or digital).

I’m not a great keyboardist, but I am good enough at the arranging to know how to make it sound real enough. I prefer not making it up on the spot, but, much like my story in Part 2, sometimes when a client has had me make it up on the spot, I go for a certain simplicity not achieved if I have time to “write it”, and therefore being “trick”.

The bottom line is to know what you have available before you start writing.
 
Know which strings you will have and how many of them.

A general rule of thumb is this: You need at least three violins to get a decent ensemble unison (one note at a time) sound. Two violas for a decent ensemble unison. A single cello can produce a good unison.

Here are a few ensembles I’ve used a lot from least expensive on up:

1) Cello, or cello‘s only. Economical, but a darker, lower, even heavier
sound. A solo cello is nice also!

2) String Quartet. A very standard string ensemble that works for very intimate songs, folk music and many others. Classical music is rich in literature for the string quartet. Haydn string quartets are a great place to begin your education because the writing is simpler than Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy or Ravel.

3) Violins and Cellos only. No violas. I’ve done this for many albums, particularly pop albums. You can cover a lot of range with violins and cellos.

4) Violins, Violas, Cellos (usually eight-ten violins, 2-3 violas, 2-3 cellos). This is my standard record date section. I like to have one more violin doing the violin 1 part than in the violin 2 section. I also like the warmth the violas add.

5) #4 but with 1-2 double basses. Depending on the song, I like a double bass (acoustic bass).

There are so many combinations that can work, and also many books offering suggestions about combinations. A good standard book for a recording arranger (sweetener emphasis) is Don Sebesky’s The Contemporary Arranger and Peter Alexander’s Professional Orchestration 2A: Orchestrating the Melody Within the String Section. Three other good books for string writing are by Sammy Nestico (The Complete Arranger), Nelson Riddle (Arranged by Nelson Riddle) and Henry Mancini (Sound and Scores).

The Recording Studio
Usually that’s determined by the producer who has hired me.

If it’s my choice, I certainly have my favorites. If it’s your choice, be very careful to hire a studio that’s had real string section recording experience.

The most important thing is having an engineer who knows how strings (real strings) are supposed to sound! Sorry to say this, but many people who sell themselves as engineers do not, and have added to a very bad experience for arrangers. There are many considerations for hiring a studio that can handle a live string date, even such basics as having enough headphones (though many recording string players these days bring their own), but also, things like music stands and many others.

But, the “sound” is what’s most important. Some studios are just plain great at string and orchestral recording.

Another thing: There are a couple engineers I like doing my string dates with because not only do they meet the requirements already mentioned, but also they can “speak string language” to a degree. Professional string players can be very “business”, and not easy to “hang with”. These folks do, and have done much music in their life, and can usually spot an amateur arrangement, arranger, conductor, engineer pretty quick. All considered, that’s good! So, if I have an engineer who not only gets a great sound, but also knows how to work with the players, it adds for a more enjoyable session.

As a simple example.

Most professional string players and sections do not need to run through a piece of music many times, once is often enough if the music is written right. An inexperienced engineer can frustrate the players really fast (and make you look bad in the process) if they’re asked to do so. They may even think you’re doubling, tripling tracks more than they agreed, and get a bit miffed! There are many examples we can address later about these things.

Deadline
You also must know when you are expected to deliver the arrangement.

I’ve had both extremes in my life including full orchestra overnight (one time even being responsible for the “parts” by hand, - pre Finale!).

I like to know my deadline. I like working with a deadline, but preferably, a comfortable, or at least reasonable deadline. I usually like to “plan” 1-2 days per song, but can certainly do it faster if needed, and of course this depends on the style, length and others variables. These days, I do the parts myself, extracted from Finale, so, I allow time for that as well.