122 !!Chapter 6
String Combinations for the Studio
Since it is unusual to have a budget large enough to hire a full string sec-
tion for a commercial, low-budget film, industrial film, and so on,
arrangers must have options. The choice of instruments usually depends
on the demands of the arrangement. Following are some suggestions.
Six first violins, five second violins, four violas, two celli, and one
double bass (if needed) is a large string section for a commercial.The
budget infrequently allows for a section this large.
Eight violins, two violas, and two celli will sound full in the studio
as long as the violin parts are not written too high.Experimentation and
experience help arrangers learn which studio combinations sound best for
certain arranging styles.
Some arrangers might use only violins, violas, or celli.In the heyday
of disco, almost all the records had live violin parts. Many arrangers only
used six or eight live violins augmented by synthesizers.
There are several nontraditional uses of strings. The fiddle (violin) has
been a mainstay of country, bluegrass, and Irish music for many years. The
playing style is specialized. Many fiddle players cannot read music but
improvise in the authentic musical style.
The solo violin has also been popular as a jazz solo instrument. The
solo cello is used in rock-and-roll bands as well as in pop and folk groups.
Arrangers should be aware of the various styles and techniques used
in multiple musical styles. Although many of the styles mentioned are
based on improvisation, arrangers guide the performers.
The Brass Section
In popular music, brass plays many roles. Brass (and woodwinds) was
used for accents and thematic unison melodic lines in old-school rhythm-
and-blues tracks. Highlighting tracks with a surprise ‘‘blast’’ or long
countermelodies is a trademark of rhythm and blues. Intricate brass and
tasty ensemble parts have always been popular in traditional and commer-
cial jazz arrangements.
Rhythm-and-blues horn sections are usually small and consist of brass
and saxophone combinations. A typical section is two trumpets, one tenor
saxophone, one trombone, and a baritone saxophone. To strengthen the
sound in a recording studio, many producers double the horn parts.
The use of brass by master arranger Nelson Riddle in Frank Sinatra
recordings is a fine example of how to incorporate brass in a commercial
jazz style. The availability of mutes and plungers offers arrangers an array
of tonal colors to choose from.
The most popular brass instruments in popular music are trumpets,
trombones, French horns, and tubas. Throughout musical history, there