The Basic Orchestration Process

1 2 3 4 5 6

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Piano Reduction / Composition Sketch

Step • Generate ideas and compose

• The ‘Composition Stage’

1 • Simple melody, chords/harmony, rhythm etc.

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Example of Composition Sketch

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy
Example of Piano Reduction

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

From full
orchestral
score:

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

Reduced to piano form:

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

 Thinking and Planning

• Same as any composition – what to do with your

Step composition sketch?

2
• Consider many things:
• Instruments? (In our case, which orchestral
sections/instruments?)
• How best to convey your ideas or emotion/mood

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 Thematic Material

Step • Easiest to start off dealing with the thematic material

(the main theme or idea)

3 • This could be melody, a specific motif etc.

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 Countermelodies

Step • Any other melodies, voices, melodic/rhythmic figures

4
• These are designed to play against or counter-
balance the main melody or theme

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

Harmony, Chords, Accompaniment

Step • Lastly work out the underlying background

harmony, chords or accompaniment

5
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 Create the Orchestral Work!

• Manifest your Orchestral piece by:

Step • Writing a full orchestral score

• Producing your orchestral work

6 • Before this, you can also

• Sketch out the rough orchestration – (multiples
times too)
• Highly recommended – less daunting, baby steps

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Compose Plan Melody Counter Harmony Manifest

• We will be learning very thoroughly, steps 2-6

• This is what Orchestration is!

• Orchestration process requires:

• Careful thinking, consideration and planning
• Thorough knowledge of the instruments to be used

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

So we will learn A LOT and PRACTICE a lot of

these mental processes needed for Orchestration

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 The Most Important
Orchestration Concept

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy
Let’s look at our Step 1: Composition sketch (Piano reduction)

Orchestration Step 2: Thinking and planning (initial considerations)

Process Steps: Step 3: Deal with thematic material (melody, theme etc.)

Step 4: Countermelodies

Step 5: Background harmony, chords, accompaniment

Step 6: Create the orchestral work

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

Let’s look at our Step 1: Composition sketch (Piano reduction)

Orchestration Step 2: Thinking and planning (initial considerations)

Process Steps: Step 3: Deal with thematic material (melody, theme etc.)

Step 4: Countermelodies

Step 5: Background harmony, chords, accompaniment

Step 6: Create the orchestral work

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

Let’s look at our Orchestration Process Steps:
• Step 1: Composition sketch (piano reduction)
• Step 2: Thinking and planning (initial considerations)
• Step 3: Deal with thematic material (melody, theme etc.)
• Step 4: Countermelodies
• Step 5: Background harmony, chords, accompaniment
• Step 6: Create the orchestral work

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

Let’s look at our Orchestration Process Steps:
• Step 1: Composition sketch (piano reduction)
• Step 2: Thinking and planning (initial considerations)
• Step 3: Deal with thematic material (melody, theme etc.)
• Step 4: Countermelodies
• Step 5: Background harmony, chords, accompaniment
• Step 6: Create the orchestral work

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy
© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy
? Melody

? Countermelody

? Chords, Harmony

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 Melody

Countermelody

Chords, Harmony

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

 First Challenge Task!

• Look at the picture

• What is equivalent to the melody, the countermelody, the

background chords, harmony and accompaniment?

• The 3 layers are organised by WHAT GRABS YOUR

ATTENTION FIRST

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy
 4. Clouds, sky and rest of the ocean = 3. Wave = Countermelody
Background harmony, chords

2. Person in water = Melody 2 or countermelody 1. Surfer = Melody

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy
One of the most important things in
orchestration is…

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 Background

Middleground

Foreground
© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy
 The 3 Important Layers of Orchestration

• Foreground – thematic material, melody, main theme

• Middleground – countermelodies, fragments and figures to

balance the melody, theme

• Background – harmony, chords and accompaniment

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy

 How to use the 3-Layer Model

• Use the characteristics of the instrument to your ADVANTAGE

• Foreground – uses the instrument’s strongest/loudest register

• Middleground – does not interfere with foreground material

• Background – use instrument’s weakest/softest techniques,

register, tone or timbre

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Piano Reduction Listening Exercise

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 Piano Reduction - Greensleeves

Listen for:

• Melody (foreground)

• Countermelody/melody support (middleground)

• Chords (background)

© by Karleen Heong for Orchestration Course on Udemy