Do you worry about players being bored

The title isn't very good, what I mean is when composing, do you make sure each part plays enough so that they don't get bored?

Do you care if horn 4 has more rests than notes for example?

Or if the cello plays straight quarters for a really long time?

I do. Sometimes I play test all my parts (or at least the ones I can play the instruments well enough for) and if I find them not too interesting to play, I give them something else to do or add another section just for them if I feel they're being neglected way too much.

Obviously the whole "make it interesting for everyone" concept should be taken in moderation - you're limiting yourself if you force every part to be equally interesting. I however personally like to keep the boredness level in check and balance interesting parts between different instruments, and I even try to put more emphasis on the lesser appreciated instruments - oboes & bassoon in band, the cor anglais, bass and alto clarinets, alto flute, tuba, horns, etc.

I don't think it's necessary to accommodate the fact that a musician might get bored playing a piece. I remember in when I was in band waiting for 24 measures of rest (or more) , or get stuck playing some monotonous rhythm over and over again, though I liked the song. I think yes, players might get bored, but it's important a song is constructed based on how you want it to sound and not adding a flute because they didn't play for a few measures and are probably getting bored by now. But if the entire band is bored then you have issues.

The title isn't very good, what I mean is when composing, do you make sure each part plays enough so that they don't get bored?

Do you care if horn 4 has more rests than notes for example?

Or if the cello plays straight quarters for a really long time?

Nope.

I do care about the winds being able to breathe and stuff, but besides life-support issues, I don't really care if the horn section only plays 1 note in 50 hours of music.

I do care...but often I can't do anything about it.

I will consciously try and make sure everyone gets some juicy bits - so long as it serves the music. If the piece doesn't want another note in the voicing or for the second tenor sax to have a moving line, then tough noogies, they don't get it.

I usually apologize and promise them a hipper part in the next chart. ;)

Even as a violinist, I remember getting really bored sometimes when I was in Youth Symphony - like during the pizzicato section in the opening of William Tell Overture - I think the most boring parts aren't the parts where you AREN'T playing, because then you can just tune out until you can play again, but rather the parts where you have a slow / repetitive / intermittent part so that you have to pay attention, but there is really nothing happening.

Having said that, I think it's generally a mark of good orchestration skills to have each musician, when they are playing, at least, be contributing something that isn't completely monotonous. I don't think there is anything wrong with extended tacet though. I'm pretty guilty of writing really boring inner harmony parts.

Nope.

I do care about the winds being able to breathe and stuff, but besides life-support issues, I don't really care if the horn section only plays 1 note in 50 hours of music.

Yes, especially when writing for live performers. Another problem is that players don't usually see the whole score, so they may not "feel" where the piece is going, which could adversely affect their playing when they think they are playing a pointless part, even if they are playing a vital part of a chord.

I think, however, that would be a poor use of your fictitious horn section. A good orchestrator, when faced with such a situation, would re-think and possibly eliminate that horn section... or give it more to do, since it's a waste of resources.

How about if I really, really, really, want that one note, that one time? I mean, they can read a book or something until their cue is up~

I may not be a "good orchestrator" then, but does it look like I care? I want my idea as best as it can be put into reality as possible, and if that involves such a case, then so be it.

On the practical side, the problem is that you've made your piece uneconomical to play. On the artistic side, if you can justify it, more power to you.

Agree with Flint here. When dealing with live performers, you do your best to make them happy, usually (in my case) because you aren't paying them. When people aren't getting paid, it's very easy for them to decide they have better things to do than show up to your rehearsal to play 1 passage. Now, if that passage is absolutely vital, and there is no other instrument that could do it justice, then by all means, let them know that and pad their ego a bit. On the other hand, even paid instrumentalists don't enjoy sitting around for hours at rehearsal reading a book. Not to mention a waste of your money paying them to sit there.

I think in many cases you can't worry about whether they get bored though, to agree with gamma, the end product of how you want the piece to sound is what is absolutely most important. I play percussion mainly for band, and when those Sousa marches roll around, I already know what my part is, even if I have never played the piece before. I'm gonna be on crash cymbals, bass drum, or snare playing quarter notes. The same goes for all of the tenor and bass instruments. The boom-chick accompaniment will apply to basically everyone but the very top voices and a few in the middle, otherwise you play quarter notes the whole song. Do you question Sousa, no. His work is timeless, though he bores 3/4 of each band around in the country at least.

Basically, approach it with an open mind. I personally will just change a rhythm or make a walking bass ascend a few times, instead of descend, just if I get bored of quarter notes. Often, too, if I write quarter notes in the basses for an entire song, it will begin to drone to me, and my ears will become deaf to it, but the 'noise' will remain, in which case, I'm listening to a very weak, unsupported melody and harmony voicing that has no foundation, and what's the buzzing noise I hear in the background?? But that's just me...

Do you question Sousa, no. His work is virtually unheard off outside the US...

Corrected. That's mostly the reason nobody says anything too, he's kind of only relevant to a very small group of people in a very specific context. That kind "acceptance because he's famous" thing is kind of annoying but it doesn't carry over to people who have nothing to do with that tradition.

Then again I think that his music is an abomination so maybe I'm a tiny bit biased.

I don't think it's a small group of people, considering his music is created for those who serve the military. If you count the veterans and those who are serving now, relatives of the veterans you get quite a big group. But then again, I suppose on large scale of international matter, it would be a small group because it is only for the US if that's what you mean.

I don't think it's a small group of people, considering his music is created for those who serve the military. If you count the veterans and those who are serving now, relatives of the veterans you get quite a big group. But then again, I suppose on large scale of international matter, it would be a small group because it is only for the US if that's what you mean.

... International scale includes the rest of the world. So yep, as big as the US military may be, it's still a tiny portion of people and probably even comparing to the rest of the musical world/musicians/etc everywhere. Since I'm not from the US and the only reason I know of Sousa is because of the famous "stars and stripes" which I think I first heard in Back to the future, that goes to show what reach it may have. Probably a lot of people are aware of stuff like that, but I bet none even know who wrote it.

Only children get bored, just don't let children play your music.

Only children get bored, just don't let children play your music.

Fine. Sousa isn't international. Let's talk about bass clef whole notes in Handle's Messiah. Or the fact it calls for 2 timpani, meaning a timpanist will be at all rehearsals, and all performances. But the timpani plays in, I think, 5 movements total in the entire messiah. And many people, at least in the US, don't do the entire 3-1/2 hour work, so sometimes he does even less. I'm sure an extremely high percentile of major, paid instrumentalists and singers will do the work at least once a year unless they intentionally avoid doing it. Orchestra gets bored, timpanist especially. The chorus part has maybe 15 melodies total, not counting solos and recits. And several of these are repeated in multiple movements with different lyrics. So the choir can most certainly be bored after they have sang it once or twice. And the organist and harpsichor players, though not cursed with a boring part, may be bored by sheer number of times they'll be required to play it. I personally know 6 organists and 1 harpsichord player(6 are friends/teachers in different parts of the US, and 1 lived in Germany forever and now is a teacher in US) who have each played it over 50 times. One of whom is only 23. And 2 of whom, much older, who have played it over 200 times. It's a US christmas tradition, so this is understandable, but I know this is certainly an often performed piece on an 'international scale'.

The title isn't very good, what I mean is when composing, do you make sure each part plays enough so that they don't get bored?

Do you care if horn 4 has more rests than notes for example?

Or if the cello plays straight quarters for a really long time?

Pomp and Circumstance, the bass parts play quarter notes throughout the piece...and its boring!:w00t:

He obviously didnt worry about the bass players. :laugh:

Ugh, I don't like pomp and circumstance anymore, had to play it for graduations and we had to do the repeat at least 20 times while the graduates arrive. By that time your jaw is about to fall off. (Referring to the Processional)

Ugh, I don't like pomp and circumstance anymore, had to play it for graduations and we had to do the repeat at least 20 times while the graduates arrive. By that time your jaw is about to fall off. (Referring to the Processional)

Yeah, I know what you mean. That is why I will not have my band play it when I am a band director, I will choose a different piece. =P

Well, I try to, but usually, I end up having cello/bass doing a lot of drones or repeted notes. :(

That's crap, even professionals get bored. Stop talking out of your donkey. You think orchestra musicians don't get bored play the same 100~ or so piece every 3-4 years? I know for a fact that they do.

Better to talk out of my donkey than other things

I'm just going to say that as a percussionist, anyone who isn't and complains about not playing or what they're playing can shove it. :D

Better to talk out of my donkey than other things

What the [explative]? Other things? Like your mouth perhaps? Or were you saying that's a good thing to have come out of your donkey? Either way I think you're wrong.

What the [explative]? Other things? Like your mouth perhaps? Or were you saying that's a good thing to have come out of your donkey? Either way I think you're wrong.

Oi! Let's not get too far off topic here.

To Jamie: I am not sure exactly what you meant... maybe someone can shed light on my lack of understanding.