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.

Usually fees for the arrangement are discussed before the hiring. Price may often be the reason why you were chosen, but hopefully you were chosen because of the quality of your work. Fees can vary greatly for a single string arrangement from $500 - $3,000+. Most of this depends on your name value. You can consult many resources for rates.

IMPORTANT: You work for them! - Period!

Now, let’s be straight here. In any collaborative effort there are differences in opinion. That’s just life, and part of the human experience. You as the arranger, are certainly entitled to your own opinion, and I never recommend compromising your work, or yourself, beyond what you can, and still retain your integrity.

But in the final analysis, they (the producer, the artist, whoever is paying you) is the boss!

My preference is to work with an experienced producer rather than the artist. That’s because working directly with the artist can be, well….difficult. Not because they’re difficult people per se, but because if they don’t know what’s involved with strings they tend to complicate the situation.

Result - nothing gets done.

Most of the producers I work with have experience working with string sections and arrangers. The result is that the experienced producer generally understands my needs as an arranger, and once the creative work begins, leaves me alone to do it.

By comparison, the artist (usually being a singer, songwriter) does not have as much experience in this aspect of production. As a result, there can be a tendency to interfere prematurely in your work.

Where it gets tough is when the artist is also the executive producer (the money person). In this situation, and even when working directly with the producer you still have to be a bit of a diplomat!

A little story

Like a lot of arrangers, in my early days, I liked to always have a new idea, or some cool technique, that I could use when I wrote for strings. It could be a clever counterline, a re-harmonization, string effect, whatever.

Many years ago there was an Asian producer for whom I arranged literally hundreds of albums. This producer loved strings. So every album usually had 5-6 songs with a string section.

One evening he called and said he had everything set up for the string date the next morning at 10:00 AM! I freaked! He’d neglected to tell me prior to his call which songs he wanted strings with (as he should have days earlier), and then went ahead and booked the session, players and all!

The first thing I did was to call the contractor (who was also the concertmaster/lead violinist) and try to move the date. She said there was no way it could be moved because she’d already set it up.

So, at about 7:00 PM for a 10:00 AM call - I began arranging all six songs.

Oh, by the way, besides writing the arrangements, I was also responsible for the score and all the parts. I had no time to try out something new. I had to go with my (primarily) first (gut) ideas. Luckily, this string section was violins and cellos only. This let me do a two-stave score (like a piano part - treble and bass clef), then reproduce the score and have the players read directly from it.

NOTE: Please keep in mind, I had no choice here, no copyist was available, etc. I don’t recommend you make a habit of this, strings players can be very brutal. When you can, have separate parts.

I didn’t even use the piano, I sat down and wrote the arrangements while sitting on the sofa! Believe me, I wrote a lot of “pads” (whole notes) and single high lines - keeping it all as simple as possible because (again), there was no time to be innovative!

The next morning, we recorded the songs with me conducting.

After the players left, the producer said, “Ric, let’s go to lunch.” At lunch he said, “Those were the best arrangements you’ve ever done for me.”

I was stunned (and of course, relieved). I had done about 50 songs for him before this. Most were very cool arrangements, and he did like them. BUT…(here’s the moral of the story): this producer loved simplicity. Even though he told me he loved simplicity, I was too young and stubborn to really get it. In this crunch deadline situation I had finally written simple enough for his desire. So…he was right, I was wrong (if you will).

I’ll never forget this experience because it taught me to not be afraid to take a simpler, (more communicative?) approach. Sometimes being innovative or “cool” is, well…not being cool. I like to look at this as God stepping in and forcing a piece of wisdom for me!

After that, he and I did many other projects together.

I don’t mean to belabor this point, but when writing for others, you have to realize that it’s a collaborative effort. We as arrangers aren’t always right and usually don’t have the final say, much like an actor whose best scene ends up on the cutting room floor.

I have, over the years, learned to actually enjoy the collaborative exchange, and I’ve also learned to handle it better.

I close with these final thoughts.

Most of my life I’ve been a work-for-hire arranger. However, since about 1989, I’ve kept my own artist career active to do my music my way. This helps me keep a balance. I encourage you to do the same. Do the work that pays the bills, but also do writing of your own, whether album projects, concert works, whatever, to keep that balance which also leads to a more objective view when doing projects for others.

Also, beware of always writing for other instruments with an instrument.

I’ve written at the piano, the guitar, the computer, MIDI keyboards, and with just pencil and paper - whatever works! However, I do believe that if you write at an instrument for other instruments, your skills (or lack of skills) on the instrument on which you’re writing may get in the way.

Fortunately I studied with “old school” teachers that, as part of my training, had me write away from an instrument in case I needed to. Many great composers worked at a piano, many didn’t. Much depends on the styles you are working with. Obviously, the more advanced the harmonies, the more the tendency to write on the piano (Ravel did).

If you’re tied to writing at an instrument, as an exercise, try writing just at a desk. Then check your work. A quick way to develop this skill is through learning solfege which teaches you to sing lines with comprehension away from the piano.

I usually orchestrate away from an instrument without sample libraries as I like to be clear in my head what I’m doing. I do hope this makes sense. If you’re doing all, or a majority of your orchestration, with sample libraries, again, I encourage you to step away from the technology and develop your inner ear by orchestrating directly to pad.

Ric Flauding

www.ricflauding.com

But string arranging is a specific term applied to someone who creates string (and other instruments) arrangements for recordings (albums), often as a “sweetener” which is a term for recording the strings after the rhythm section (band) has been recorded.

One thing I want to say is that string arranging is a creative work.

It’s not just making the printed “parts” (copying or transcribing) for the players. Arranging (be it strings, or any other instruments) is basically composing, but in a collaborative way. You (as the arranger) are in reality a “co” composer, but, because of the copyright laws, and other things, you’re not usually entitled to royalties for such work. There are always exceptions, and everything can be negotiable, but generally, arranging for recording (as a sweetening arranger) is a work-for-hire task. But, that does not mean it is a less creative task!

I’ve always held the view that arranging is not a lesser skill than composing. In many ways, it’s a skill that requires more knowledge. Most composers throughout history were also arrangers. Many used folk tunes, chant, and other melodies as a starting point.

Just about any composing technique can be used as an arranging technique, of course, depending on the project.

Now, having said the above, let me add: I personally believe an arrangement, even just a string arrangement, can contribute greatly to the success of a song. But, I don’t believe a great arrangement can save a bad song! This is a general statement, but, coming after many years of doing arranging. None the less, unless you’re a big name, you’re hired to add your arrangement and not critique the song (if you want to keep the gig!)

www.ricflauding.com