Film Music Competition

Timpani, without pedals, are able to be tuned, believe it or not. The pegs around the edge of each drum can be turned to tighten or loosen the skin, the cover of the drum. This changes what pitch the drum is.

And, as I stated in my previous post, C-G or D-A are the usual notes composers used, back in the day before pedal timpani were invented. So, in turn, it is to the composer's discretion exactly what notes the timpani have to be tuned to. Also, I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think tuning of timpani is really feasible or acceptable in the middle of a piece, so whatever notes you pick, you must stick to. The general range of timpani(if one is large and one is medium sized, which is generally the case), is low E(one line below F clef) to probably Bb(second to lowest line on F clef), for the bigger one, and C to G for the smaller one. Or, these will probably end up being the safest, if not the most accurate, notes that non-pedal timpani should be tuned to.

But is it possible for us to use different notes for this purpose?

Yes. ... I think you posted right before I was finished with my last post...

Here's a pretty dumb question. There's only one percussionist. Is this percussionist ALSO the timpanist? I assume so, but that is an important thing to realize.

No - there is one percussionist and one timpanist (two different people!)

As regards percussion (I've been asked by many people about this): there is a drumkit (i.e. snare and bass, high hat, etc). However, I would recommend you notate each part separately, or suggest a beat (i.e. jazz beat, upbeat tempo) I'm sure the percussionist would be able to handle that. We have more or less the usual percussion instruments (triangle, woodblock, tambourine etc). We've actually come across a large single cymbal that when hit, sounds very much like a gong (it's really, really cool :shifty:). Maybe you might be interested in using that? We have chimes, though I think it's only those small ones and there's a range of around middle C to the C above that. They can be used to great affect in atmospheric sections.

I've asked around here and am glad to say, you can add a pianist to your score. But please, don't take this opportunity to make it a piano concerto! Thanks!

Also, I'm truly amazed at how quickly this competition has taken off. I was only expecting a trickle of interest. But sure, keep the word posted around.

When you mean not very strong players are you referring to that the musicains are not very good?

They're reasonably alright but strength is not great (i.e. how loud they can get). I think we have a few more violins coming along which may be able to boost their section - I hope this will please a few of you!

IN the orch. is it 18 people?

*EDIT*

Do you have to use the Alto Saxes?

Is that a must?

You must use everyone listed in the ensemble, which now includes a piano. So yes, Alto Saxes must be used. Suggestion: Treat them as if they were french horns!

What you can do, if you want, is write an oboe line and then transpose it out for alto sax if that makes it any easier.

As regards number, we have *thinks* just over 30 people I'd say in the orchestra.

You must use everyone listed in the ensemble, which now includes a piano. So yes, Alto Saxes must be used. Suggestion: Treat them as if they were french horns!

Man, I mean you guys can't just put anything you want :P

btw. do I need to use 2 saxes???

Man, I mean you guys can't just put anything you want

We're being really mean aren't we :P?

The altos, you can write one or two lines. Whatever you feel like.

...I kind of like the alto sax sound in a small orchestra like this. so far, I'm treating them like much more agile horns!

Anyone into their pieces? Don't give away a lot of details, but updates might be nice from the composers, here and there.

Me? I've got a good introduction. I'm doing a suite, in a certain movie music style.

You must use everyone listed in the ensemble, which now includes a piano. So yes, Alto Saxes must be used.

I don't think I can add percussion and piano without making the work I intended to use sound silly.

I could have pulled it off as it was and with a timpani, but not piano and percussion. I think I may have to sit this one out. You can leave my name up as an entry, but I may not submit a work now.

I will NOT be writing for piano. If it is necessary to add one, you can remove me from the competition.

Closed-minded, non-adventurous traditionalists...*mumbles* :)

I don't think this will be possible at all, but I decided that I would ask it:

Do you guys have a keyboard with a Harp patch that I could subsitute the piano for? If not, I could just use the piano for it, but I think it's purpose would be better served with something that sounds more like a harp.

The problem I imagined, at first, with the limitations of the orchestra and the fact that it should be film-music based was: No brass, no low woodwinds, no piano, and no harp. But piano was added, which I figured could add to the lack of bass sound in the orchestra. And then I realized, I can work around not having exactly what instruments I wanted, and even writing for instruments I didn't necessarily want to write for. I don't understand why people are willing to quit just because there is a new instrument in the ensemble to write for, or because they're not getting everything they wanted.

To Calehay: Many a time, piano has substitued for harp in orchestral scores, and it sounds pretty much the same, done correctly. I heard Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker with piano replacing harp, in that one movement, whatever it is... And it sounded pretty spot-on.

I simply do not write well for piano. I'm simply awful at it, and just have so many problems doing it. The main problem is that I write heavily for brass and strings, but show neglect to the woodwinds. I figured I could give it a shot without the brass, but now if you're adding parts to the score, I just won't be able to do it. I'd like to apply for a competition sometime, but this one just doesn't seem like my forte.

Well, I have PMed Thomas to see if it would be alright for composers to omit, if desirable, percussion and piano, and possibly the saxophones.

But, you should really try to learn to write for piano! :) It might be useful, down the proverbial road, like if a famous pianist tries to comission a concerto from you, and you have to say no because you always shyed away from writing for piano! :P

P.S. You seem to view your compositional problems as things that can be stepped around, or hidden, which is usually not really conducive to bettering your compositional skills. I say if you have trouble writing for a particular instrument, write only for that instrument for a period of time, to widen your knowledge by application. Just a suggestion, of course.

Uh, how many violas?

Man, my piece got screwed up because of those damn Alto saxes. I mean so goddamn frustratin when you just add instr just like that!

Well, never mind, It'll just be more challenging.

I don't know about you guys but no it doesn't feel like I'm compsing. I feel that I'm wrting music just to get all those instr.

Anybody having that feeling?

Btw a question.

I've so many instr that It doesnt fit into the papers sheer, it looks really wierd, since an orchestra might play my piece it is important that the score is readable.

"Well, I have PMed Thomas to see if it would be alright for composers to omit, if desirable, percussion and piano, and possibly the saxophones."

I can work around the percussion and saxes, I'm just awful at keyboard notation.

"But, you should really try to learn to write for piano! :laugh: It might be useful, down the proverbial road, like if a famous pianist tries to comission a concerto from you, and you have to say no because you always shyed away from writing for piano! ;)"

I can't imagine a known pianist would ever comission a piano piece from me KNOWING that I have trouble writing for the piano.

"P.S. You seem to view your compositional problems as things that can be stepped around, or hidden, which is usually not really conducive to bettering your compositional skills. I say if you have trouble writing for a particular instrument, write only for that instrument for a period of time, to widen your knowledge by application. Just a suggestion, of course."

I will be taking advanced theory classes in composition and orchestral arranging soon, and I'll be able to hash out many of my problems at that point. However, I will not have figured out my technique in keyboard writing for quite sometime, and I really don't want to experiment with it on a competition I intend to win. I won't make a fool of myself by turning in anything that isn't my best work.

I'm back again :mellow: I'll just go through yes's and no's.

YES, you can have a keyboard (harp sound or whatever you want)

YES, you do have to the alto saxes

NO, you don't have to have a piano

NO, you don't have to use percussion (one of the percussion players can play flute)

Hope that clears everything up. (and the violas? not strong as there's only two! sorry, if that's caused any trouble)

And scores, I'll comment on those when I recieve them! Any more problems, just shout.

I'm back again :mellow: I'll just go through yes's and no's.

YES, you can have a keyboard (harp sound or whatever you want)

YES, you do have to the alto saxes

NO, you don't have to have a piano

NO, you don't have to use percussion (one of the percussion players can play flute)

Hope that clears everything up. (and the violas? not strong as there's only two! sorry, if that's caused any trouble)

And scores, I'll comment on those when I recieve them! Any more problems, just shout.

Only two?

How many "altys" (alot saxes) Are there in the orchestra?

Can the timpanist also play other percussion?

Can I have the timpanist play timpani and then

move to play triangle or something else if I

have the other percussionist already playing?