Arragning a peice...

[FockerTheLopper]

First off I don't know if this belongs here, but I'd like to arrange Metallicas - Master of Puppets into a marching band peice. I have an idea of how I want to do it but being that I'm a susaphone/guitar(and drummer but that isn't relavant) that only reads bass clef I'm going to have a slight problem putting the octaves right. The main point of this thread though is just for little tips and tricks and maybe some cool harmonies for the band.
Thanks!

[FRUGiHOYi]

I can't help you, but if you can record the band playing it, post it here!

[FockerTheLopper]

I can't help you, but if you can record the band playing it, post it here!

Will do, it might be a while since I didn't get started yet but we will get it recorded because we're going to give it in to the flag girls so they can come up with something so it will be recorded.

[kingurth]

If you know how to read bass clef, it's easy to read treble clef. Just lower everything two steps. For example, the C space on bass clef becomes the A on treble.

Or you can remember that treble clef spaces spell "FACE"

[Trigger_003]

Or just think up a line and a space from what you're used to.

What kind of theory knowledge do you have man?

Most important tip possible: Remember to transpose for your different pitched instruments, haha. It'll sound pretty interesting if you don't, to say the least. Do you know about how to do that?

[the_uber_penguin]

The easiest way to arrange a piece for another band is simply to assign an instrument to each part...assign the trumpets 1st guitar, saxaphones 2nd guitar, tuba bass, etc...

That can get a little dull for the musicians though, and quite often you'll need a few of them all playing different notes to voice chords. It's worth trying to mix parts through the band to give everyone a go at different parts: for example, the sax's start with the riff while trumpets play chords, and then change round during the drum fill, or something.

[FockerTheLopper]

If you know how to read bass clef, it's easy to read treble clef. Just lower everything two steps. For example, the C space on bass clef becomes the A on treble.

Or you can remember that treble clef spaces spell "FACE"

No, I know how to read(I'm learning clarinet and everyone knows the basics) I just need to know how to transcribe(make into concert pitch) as well as the range of the instruments.

As to the other comment no, I would directly translate but I'm adding alot. I'm going to keep the basics on top but I'm adding harmonies(in weird places) I'm going to keep chords in the but I'm going to arpegiate them and make try to make them inversions.

I have a pretty decent knowledge of theory. I'm only in highschool but I know everything that the teacher taught(I studied on musictheory.net as well as with a private teacher who taught me some things that helped me figure out stuff and I also talked some of my guitarists friends who accually know theory and helped me learn the scales and the key signatures), the only thing I can't do(that I see important) is being able to know the chords for the scale and the scales for the chords. I don't know advanced chords either like C9(b7) or something like that.

I decided to make this into a concert band peice since I'm going to put alot of harmonies and alot of variation into it. Since its going to be a peice I'm also going to put more metallica songs that I know front and back and I have some ideas already. I'm after I fully do master of puppets I'm going to do fade to black where the brass hold out a chord for the intro(if you guys can give me ideas for cool chords, or even a moving chord where its not too big a deal and tell me what the chord/chords are made out of that would rock[unless its a really simple chord]) then the saxes are going to play the rhythm while the clarinets have a HUGE soli that is the exact guitar solo and flutes are going to do a trill thing up many octaves during the held notes.

This morning I did master of puppets up the chorus on tuba, its pretty cool, has 2 harmonies so far and has some lead parts. If I keep it up and finish I'm going to be VERY proud of myself.
Please, wish me luck and help me out! You guys are great

[FockerTheLopper]

Sorry for double post but the other one is too long and if some people might not read it and this is a fairly important question...

I came up with 2 harmonies for the same part, will it work if they play them over each other?

[the_uber_penguin]

It can work, but doesn't always.

For example, if you're using parallell harmonies, and you harmonise one is thirds, and one in fifths...then they will work played over each other. If one is in fourths and the other in thirds, then they'll clash horribly.

[FockerTheLopper]

It can work, but doesn't always.

For example, if you're using parallell harmonies, and you harmonise one is thirds, and one in fifths...then they will work played over each other. If one is in fourths and the other in thirds, then they'll clash horribly.

Ah okay. I'll tell you what I did so you can check it(and I'll try to check myself now). The notes are[all concert pitch] E D Db C(desending), thats the basic. The first harmony I added was E C Bb F(all desending then F higher). The next harmony I came up with was E Gb(F#) G E(the first 3 ascend then the E is the same as the first)...
E E E, is first harmony, that works. We will say that the first note is the root. We have D C Gb, thats a I bVII III or I III bVII, which I believe is a 7 chord. The next is Db Bb G, that is I VI bV or I bV VI, and I don't believe that this is a commond chord, maybe it would be a Db6(b5) but I'm not sure. The last one is C F E that is I IV III or I III IV so I'm taking a wild guess that that is a Csus4(add E). I would really appreciate any help by fixing the mistakes

[the_uber_penguin]

The only real way of telling is to play the harmonies (use Powertabs or similar to help, you can't finger them on the guitar) yourself.

Remember that octaves are important...2nds sound dissonant, but 9th sound sweet, and both are a C-D interval. All the intervals you name there could work, but could not work as well depending on this.

For D C Gb (which I would write as F# really) is D7, and I suggest voicing it (low-to-high) D F# C.

Db Bb G sounds dissonant however I voice it on my guitar...(it is a Db- chord, by the way...pronounced Db diminished...that means it is a Db with a minor third and flattened V).

C F E isn't a common chord...I'd write that one as C/F (voiced F C E) C E F also seems to work. I'm not sure how exacly I'd write that one down...possibly C (x5), where the "x" means "double flat".


I should add...and this is the important bit...while all of this was guided by a knowledge of theory, for all of these what I wrote down I tested on my guitar by playing each trio of notes, and trying swapping one or two notes up or down the octave, and using different bass notes, etc...etc...
I highly recommend that you download powertabs (google it, it will be one of the top two links) and experiment with different voicings and harmonies in that.

Otherwise, keep up the good work.

[FockerTheLopper]

Alright man thanks for the ecouragement and help. I got powertabs but I can't really trust it, I like to play the harmonies on a keyboard I have downstairs but when I do get to play it someone is ussually in the room so I can't play it.

[the_uber_penguin]

Just play it.

Make them listen to your harmonies!

The only thing that stops my singing (read: "trying to sing") is when people actually throw hard things at me.

[FockerTheLopper]

Just play it.

Make them listen to your harmonies!

The only thing that stops my singing (read: "trying to sing") is when people actually throw hard things at me.

Oh. Well no I hear the harmonies in my head(for the most parts that how I come up with them, I have one harmony that is only fifths(but lowered)) so when I mix them I don't know how to sound, plus I like to know the chords I'm playing.