This is a huge topic. On the more technical aspects make yourself aware of the ranges of all of the instruments. Also get the band to tell you which ranges to expect from Solo, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd chair players respectively. Writing outside of useable ranges will not bring your music far, unless you are writing for top bands always looking for challenges.
Also make yourself aware which instruments/parts actually are manned, so that important chord notes will not be omitted. Modern competition level scores expect all parts to be played, and all permutations of sub-ensembles are expected to contribute, on their own, to sound variety. Older style scoring sometimes is more like sub-ensembles acting like stacked organ stops with a lot of overlaps between sections. Over a long life with brasses I have played all of the instruments used in brass bands and own one or more samples of each. My sight transposition also is reasonably good. Still I work with the score set to concert pitch when doing the initial scoring. For me it works best when the tenor instruments are shown in the choir tenor treble clef (8vb). Klaus >________________________________ >From: Adam Taylor <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 3:32 AM >Subject: [Finale] Need advice on writing for brass band > >Greetings all! > >I have the opportunity to write for a local community brass band (The >Chester Brass Band in Chester, NS) and I am looking for any advice from >list members who have undertaken such things. THe only person I ever >knew personally that had written for brass band was my old professor, >Dr. Cardy, but he's passed away. > >I have the link to the bandsman.co.uk site on writing for brass bands, >but I am interested in hearing other perspectives and other people's >experiences on the matter. > >Any help would be appreciated. > >Sincerely, >Adam >_______________________________________________ >Finale mailing list >[email protected] >http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale > > > _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
