Lessons Learned

During the process of getting a piece performed, be it on a recital or any event; what lessons have you learned about composing, music layout,notating music, and/or mic. things such as program notes, stage directing, ect?

Have you changed how you notate music since your first, second, and so on performance?

What have you learned about the performers' skills and/or instruments that surrounds you?

Please include when, where, and why about the piece that was performed.

I learned that if the ensemble is too small you need to reorchestrate everything.

notation issues mainly... (not many but nevertheless enough).

also at some point I did provide a clarinet in Bb part which was made in Finale 2000 (back then) and transposed a "second" (diatonic, NOT chromatic) which pretty much screwed the whole score!

1.) I've learned the orchestra loses confidence in your skill after about the first (or second if they are really lenient) mistake in the score.

2.) It is important you believe in yourself and your musical inventions.

3.) What an instrument can do and what it sounds good doing are not the same thing. It is very important to understand every instrument's tessitura.

4.) The scariest sound in the world is the sound of an orchestra grumbling over something you've asked them to do that they don't like.

5.) The best feeling is when an orchestra is moved, touched, or connects with something you wrote.

6.) This might sound obvious, but REALLY know your score. My first few pieces, when asked a question from a performer, I wasn't sure what the answer was without taking a lot of time to think.

One thing that I learned is that the larger the ensemble, the harder it is to get the performance you want. And that if one should attempt to program a large ensemble prepare to have some one not show up for the actually performance.

I learned this the hard way at the NACUSA conference when I tried to have at 8 piece women's choir and two of the them either forgot that we were performing that day or had to work. Luckily I had doubled all the parts so it wasnt bad.

Don't screw up

Don't screw up

can you elaborate?

1.) I've learned the orchestra loses confidence in your skill after about the first (or second if they are really lenient) mistake in the score.

YES. I left out so much crap from my first score that got performed live, I think the performers would have beaten me if they were professionals and not out camp ensemble...

The below is drawn from a reading of an orchestral piece last week, and a performance of a concert band piece a few years ago.

I've learned not to write so low for timpani (some of the drums HAVE to be high in most timpani sets, since they ARE smaller)

I've learned to use treble clef for viola more often because violists hate ledger lines in alto clef (in my experience)

I've learned to give tuba parts to enthusiastic trombonists when in absence of a tuba. It's so fun to watch!

I've learned that string sections don't understand the idea of a powerful pizzicato.

I've learned that when in doubt, my orchestral piece will be read with three times the clarinets I intended, no matter how many I called for. (our clarinet section that day outnumbered our full brass section)

I've learned that even advanced bassists really dig simple, effective parts.

I've learned that percussionists can't be trusted to learn rhythms or tune timpani without intervention.

I've learned that young horn players don't like playing syncopations in the space between hits from the rest of the band. You don't get "ZZZIING!"; you get "blwuh-awww...?"

I've learned that no matter how obvious the part indicates "FULL-BOW" you still need to instruct them orally. Multiple times.

GENERAL -

1) Take your time to learn your craft - start with solo works for a variety of instruments, then chamber music and finally orchestral works

2) Work with pop and jazz singers to really learn text setting and good musical flow of text. They have no problem correcting faults in these areas and you learn much more than with some classical singers whose may read exactly what you wrote and then ask what you want. I am not discounting this approach but hearing a solution is better than searching the words for one.

2) Clarity and conciseness is required from you and your scores.

3) To increase the probability of a successful performance, collaborate with performers as often as possible. Ask them for guidance when you are working on a piece. This will prepare you when you are at a rehearsal for a major performance of a work for small ensemble or orchestra.

4) Let go of perfection. At best your music moves players and listeners to serious reflection, at worst you learn what works and doesn't and will rewrite it or write another piece.

SPECIFIC -

1) Most Wind players hate being told to play without vibrato - better to use "pale" or "white tone"

2) Snap pizzes on single notes that are either on an open string or the first three positions will work best as you will have more string to snap against the board. Snap pizzes + multiple stops are usually not effective unless you THOROUGHLY investigate the multiple stops ensuring they follow the guidelines for single notes. If you don't, the snap pizz will sound extremely underwhelming (unless that IS what you want though a good ole pizz would be best)

3) It has been said in the orchestration masterclass but really - do not ask a horn player to jump to its high tessitura (eg a melody that starts the B above middle C for a Horn in F part) after an extended rest or at the start of a piece - It is possible and can be done with a little practice but the initial intonation of the attack risks being a little dodgy.

4) There is a subtle timbral difference between a Clarinet in B flat and Clarinet in A. The B flat will have a more brilliant sound while the A will be a little darker.

5) Pianist tire easily of Alberti basses, both hands playing scales, arpeggios and octaves up and down the keyboard. Please don't do this - we have enough Czerny, Hanon, Burgmuller and other such studies that do this already! Also the LEFT HAND can have the melody or a great countermelody. And please explore interesting sounds possible from the pedals and striking the keys (harmonics, various halos, una corda pedal down while playing something loud).

6) Clarinet is one of the easiest solo instruments to write due to its wide range (for B flat D below middle C to the third G above middle C on the piano), incredible flexibility to change register, variety of timbre and sound qualities, as well as it can hold its own in all of its registers in most ensembles. In fact, most beginners UNDERESTIMATE its abilities.

7) The harp has some great sonic resources that ought to be explored more - Strumming/striking the strings near the lower baseboards, certain pedal effects that create sonic halos of prior chords ( a little like the piano but far more effective), unusual plucking techniques, unusual tremelos, percussive effects, etc. It does more than play gigantic arpeggios.

8) In string quartets I found writing creatively for the viola can be difficult - good voice leading, spacing and appropriate doublings are required if you want it to be heard prominently. One doubling to be careful with is 2nd violin and viola - they can sound dull and better doublings may be available. Also, PLEASE allow the lower string to cross the upper strings and other possible assortments.

9) For sopranos any text sung above the second G above middle C will be unintelligible - acoustically at that point the singer changes most vowels to a type of "ah" sound. So you are wasting your time if you set an important word of the lyric immediately on a G or higher - the audience won't understand it. You can set the word at a lower pitch - say below the C above middle C and have it reach at and above the second G above middle C but be careful.

10) For songwriting, text setting is too often neglected or underprepared - I know I am guilty of this - but "a", "the" "that" "and" should not fall on a strong beat in general - unless you want a special effect or style of delivery. Go through the text to determine the word stress before writing anything. Your music will be MUCH better.

11) I have learned from writing for sextets that as the number of players multiply - the number of independent voices usually gravitates to 3 -4 (occasionally 5 but not for long) and they should not be playing together for extended periods. This is obvious to many BUT it came home to me when I attempted to write a five voice canon with strings in the low or mid register - it was one of the darkest, murky scary 30 seconds I ever wrote.

The below is drawn from a reading of an orchestral piece last week, and a performance of a concert band piece a few years ago.

I've learned not to write so low for timpani (some of the drums HAVE to be high in most timpani sets, since they ARE smaller)

I've learned to use treble clef for viola more often because violists hate ledger lines in alto clef (in my experience)

I've learned to give tuba parts to enthusiastic trombonists when in absence of a tuba. It's so fun to watch!

I've learned that string sections don't understand the idea of a powerful pizzicato.

I've learned that when in doubt, my orchestral piece will be read with three times the clarinets I intended, no matter how many I called for. (our clarinet section that day outnumbered our full brass section)

I've learned that even advanced bassists really dig simple, effective parts.

I've learned that percussionists can't be trusted to learn rhythms or tune timpani without intervention.

I've learned that young horn players don't like playing syncopations in the space between hits from the rest of the band. You don't get "ZZZIING!"; you get "blwuh-awww...?"

I've learned that no matter how obvious the part indicates "FULL-BOW" you still need to instruct them orally. Multiple times.

Some of this is specific to your orchestra. When we do readings, we always use the exact parts called for. Our percussionists usually have to sightread, but if we get the parts earlier we usually practice them.

The low timpani note is a good one though. If you write a low timpani note, know that it will be really flappy sounding, usually.

This is really a great thread. I haven't got much to add, but i enjoy reading it!

I think one of my most important lessons as a composers trying to get things read or performed is that dont rely on your performers telling you what they can or can not do and to always double check your performers schedules yourself if you can.

I learned this the hard way time and time again. I have put music in front of performers that was clearly too difficult for them but they didnt say anything or told me that they could do it without a problem. I have also had performers tell me that they can perform on a certain date only to find out a week before that they cant.