Tutorial No 2.
Two parallel scales a third apart, then
octave doublings.
The woodwind section is the least powerful of the orchestra, next come the
strings, and the most powerful is the brass by a handsome margin. Within
the woodwinds, this example plays a scale on the Bb clarinet, doubled one third
above on the oboe. This demonstrates how the piercing tone of the oboe tends to
dominate the blend, especially as it is also the higher part. Then we add flutes
doubling the clarinet at one octave and two octaves higher. The
oboe part still tends to shine through, despite two flutes above it. Finally we
add massed violins doubling the clarinet at one octave. This then dominates the
blend, and we hear the violins and flutes above the oboe.
- Open the Diatonic and Chromatic Scale Generator from the main
MENU
Create -> Scales and
Passages -> Scales and Arpeggios.
- Under Key, set the drop-down box to Bb, and leave the option button
at Major.
- Under Instrument Family set the drop-down box to Woodwind,
then set the instrument to Clarinet. Set Octave to 3 so the clarinet will
start on the Bb below middle C. Set Time Signature to 4/4.
- Click the green button Play
Scale at the foot of the screen, to hear this scale on the
clarinet.
- Click the orange button Save
as fragment for use in composing board.
- A fragment name dialog box will appear, filled with "ScaleBb
major". Type a 1 at the end of this, (because all saved fragments must
have unique names), and type "Clarinet" in
the description, then click OK.
Listen to the result by using the playbar.
- Repeat steps 2 to 6, with oboe as the instrument, and Start on which
degree = 3, and name the fragment "Oboe doubling at third"
- Repeat steps 2 to 6, with flute as the instrument, and octave = 4,
and Start on which degree = 1, and name the fragment "Flute
doubling at octave"
- Repeat steps 2 to 6, with flute as the instrument, and octave = 5,
and Start on which degree = 1, and name the fragment "Flute
doubling at two octaves"
- Repeat steps 2 to 6, with strings as the instrument, and octave =
4, and Start on which degree = 1, and name the fragment "Violins
doubling at octave".
- Open the Musical Discovery Composing Board from the main MENU :-
Create -> Compositions -> Composing Board.
There should be five icons at the foot of the screen with your descriptions
listed. Listen to each fragment separately,
by right-clicking each icon to bring up a dialog box with information
about the fragment, then click the green
button Play fragment (all tracks).
- Try various dragging combinations of these fragments, arranged vertically
in the first column of the composing board, and click the orange button
Assemble
fragments on the board into a new tune, then click the Play button to hear the blended effect.
Note especially the combinations described at the top of this tutorial,
and how the oboe tends to dominate until the strings are added.