Chapter Summary 

 
Orchestration is what gives life to music - the conversations that takes place amongst the 
notes are what the listener is able to relate to. The struggle with most musicians is getting 
out of the habit of always playing every note simultaneously. You want to reach a point 
where all of the notes you play are saying something to one another. Whether it’s a call and 
response from something a different note said or harmonizing - whatever the method is, 
the goal is for the notes to be in conversation with one another. Using techniques like 
counterpoint, tension/release, and chord resolution, this chapter teaches you how to 
develop your playing and writing into a more orchestrated approach.  
 
 
Study Guide 
 
1. Create a simple 2 to 4 chord progression. Create a melody using that progression. 
 
2. Play the melody you’ve created in your top (soprano) voice. Use the alto voice create 
a countermelody to accompany the soprano voice. Use techniques like 
counterpoint, sustain, harmonizing in 6ths or 3rds etc.   
 
3. Take the same process from step 2 and create a countermelody in the tenor voice to 
accompany the soprano voice. Be sure that your tenor melody also compliments the 
alto melody. 
 
4. Take the same process from step 3 and create a countermelody in the bass voice to 
accompany the soprano voice. Be sure that your tenor melody also compliments the 
alto and tenor melody. 
 
5. Take the melodies and chord progression from step 3 and apply counterpoint, 
tension/release, and chord resolution.