Hello!
Thanks everyone for your wonderful contributions to the first task!
Second task: what do you think are the components of the sound world for RnB/Pop/Soul60s/70s ? What instruments and musical stamps do we need to include so that a piece feels like it sends a nod to that world?
If you want to send in sketches or develop material I’ll send you a link to dropox where you can hear/read ideas and develop in anyway you wish.
Deadline: 26th October 2018.
Any questions drop me an email.
All best wishes,
Bobbie
There’s a couple of instruments that I’d like to mention. I hope they don’t seem trivial, but I can’t get them out of my head! Rather than being at the core of the orchestration, they’re like sonic highlights that add sparkle (if you think in painterly terms, they’re like how John Constable adds touches of highlights to the leaves of dense trees to bring them to life, c.f. The Haywain). They are; the vibraphone, and tambourine. Both are percussion, the former melodic, and it must have been used a lot as you can see it in the video with Paul Riser showing the Motown studio; it has a place of its own, just like the piano and drums. I also mentioned when I wrote about ‘Reach Out, I’ll Be There’ how the tambourine was struck with a timpani mallet, not shaken.
Looking at the studio (as seen in the Paul Riser video) it’s quite shocking how small it is. With everyone packed in, playing the songs live as they recorded, that has to be taken into consideration when paying tribute to that sound – I think, anyway 🙂
Here’s the link to the Motown studio tour with Paul Riser again: https://youtu.be/_EYDu7d2Mj8
I hope this is useful. I’d also like to see what there is I might be able to contribute musically via the Dropbox link .
Hey Ian! Love it and thanks for the video! Vibraphone is something I have noticed and included in my sketch. Tambourine is also a good call! Nice! I listened to ‘You’ve lost that Loving Feeling’ with arrangements by Gene Page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOnYY9Mw2Fg – and vibes and tambourine feature nicely! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOnYY9Mw2Fg
I feel like the ensemble should be comprised of rhythm section: bass, guitar, piano and drum kit. Bongos/vibes. String and horn section. In the video you shared, Paul Riser mentioned the horns being: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 2 saxes (tenor and baritone). He said they always used a combination of 6! I suppose we aren’t trying to make a carbon copy of the sound world but make it clear we have an appreciation for this sound world. In the Red Bull interview with Riser – and in the section about Barry White (with Gene Page as scribe) these phenomenal orchestrators are always looking for new ways to develop the sound… “Barry’s ears went to harpsichords, French horns, flutes, mandolins”. http://rcmmusic.blogspot.com/
Like the use of glockenspiel and french horn in this piece arranged by Gene Page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rQ-p0WnGd8
So far with the sketches – I have uploaded Ales’ as well I’ve created some moody chords that can be bounced off/tweaked.
Great stuff! I’ll retrieve what you and Ales have uploaded and see what occurs.
I like everything I am hearing here. I would agree with Ian that vibraphone would be an outstanding addition to the orchestration. I would want to see both electric bass and stand up bass incorporated into the rhythm section. Bongos of course there as well and I know that it is out of the scope maybe but the Tabla would be an amazing instrument similar to the bongo to add to the mix.