The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

Brass:
Trumpet (first, second, and third), trombone (first, second, and
third), tuba
◆
Percussion:
Timpani, percussion (including snare drum, bass drum,
marimba, and so on)
◆
Harp
◆
Piano
◆
Strings:
Violin (first and second), viola, cello, double bass
As with big band scores, you can create orchestral scores in either concert key
or transposed keys—whichever works better for you.
Because most orchestral pieces are fairly long, it’s important to include proper
road mapping in your scores. Number each measure, and designate each section
with a new letter. This way musicians (and the conductor!) can easily find their
places during the starting and stopping of the rehearsal process—or if they hap-
pen to fall asleep during a long rest in a live performance!
Use the Computer
In the old days, it was a real pain in the rear to create scores for large ensem-
bles. Every part had to be written separately, by hand, and transposed as neces-
sary. That was a lot of writing, and didn’t always result in the most readable
pieces of music—especially if your handwriting is as bad as mine!
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You also can cre-
ate a 
condensed
score,
in which
individual parts are
collapsed into single
staves. This type of score
is easier to read, even
though it doesn’t contain
the part detail necessary
for initial rehearsals.
Tip
You have the option
of cutting down the
number of staves in
the score during
long sections of music
where fewer instruments
are playing.
Tip

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Chapter 19:
Lead Sheets and Scores
Today, thanks to computer technology, a lot of this notation process can be auto-
mated. Music notation software, available for both Windows and Macintosh
operating systems, enables you to create a complete piece of music—including
full orchestral scores—from your computer keyboard. The result is a professional-
looking piece of music, complete with proper note spacing and notation marks.
All music notation programs let you enter notes on the page with either your
mouse or computer keyboard. All you have to do is click a position on the
staff, and a note appears.
Many of these programs also let you connect a 
MIDI
keyboard and input
music directly from the keyboard to your computer. The notation program
translates the notes you play on the keyboard into corresponding notes on a
staff. You can then fine-tune the music onscreen as necessary.
There are all different types of music notation programs, although they all per-
form the same basic functions. Some programs let you include more parts than
others, though, and some include more professional notation features. So when
you’re shopping for a music notation program, here are some things to look for:
◆
The number of individual staves (instrumental and voice) you can create
for a piece of music.
◆
The quality of the printed music. (Look especially for proper note spac-
ing, full extension of note stems, and the automatic avoidance of note col-
lisions, in which a note or marking from one staff overlaps a similar note
or marking on another staff.)
◆
The capability to extract individual parts from a score.
◆
The capability to automatically transpose parts.
◆
The capability to include lyrics.
◆
The capability to include guitar tabs.
◆
The capability to write in standard percussion notation.
◆
The inclusion of advanced notation markings and the flexibility to place
them wherever you want in the score.
◆
The capability to create notation based on MIDI keyboard input.
The two most popular music notation programs today are Finale (www.codamusic.
com) and Sibelius (www.sibelius.com). Both programs work in similar fashion,
and both cost around $600 for the full package. Fortunately for cost-conscious
or outright starving musicians, both programs are also available in lower-priced
and/or student versions, so you can get similar (but not identical) functionality
at a bargain price. (Finale even offers a free version, called Finale Notepad, that
you can download from their website.)
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MIDI
stands for
musical instrument digital
interface, and is a com-
puter protocol for passing
audio information digitally
from one electronic device
to another.