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Challenge your ears

Gh0stwrit3r · August 15, 2019

This is a serious ear challenge 🙂 Can you recognise the orchestral instruments from the three examples I prepared for this video? Try it and share your scores with us in the comments (here or on Youtube)!

Don’t forget to hit that like button if you appreciate this video. And sub to my channel if you’re interested in how to write music for film, tv and games. Or have an interest in sounddesign and sound recording.

Why a listening challenge?

In the first video about orchestration I mentioned transcribing film scores. A great activity to boost your knowledge and skills on orchestration. But I know it is also a difficult and hard one.

Transcribing scores all start with the capability of recognising the orchestral instruments within a music track. Which instruments are playing? What are the doing? Do they play a melody line, or chords, rhythmic stuff, bass lines or textures.

So I thought an ear challenge would be nice to start with. I prepared three examples and I challenge you: are you able to recognise all the instruments? We do a solo instrument, doubles and triples!

What will I learn?

This ‘simple’ listening challenge is more about listening alone. Yes, you train your ears and the more you do this, the better you’ll be at this. But it also gives you valuable insight of which combination of instruments work out well.

For example, think in terms of complementary to each other or creating contrast. If you know the combinations, you can use that in your composition and benefit from it!

Tips to get better in orchestration

  • listen to a lot of orchestral film music (preferably John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith or Alexandre Desplat …)
  • listen and study work from Pjotr Iljitsj Tsjajkovski, Ravel and Stravinsky
  • let your composition be played by real instruments (maybe you know some people)
  • transcribe, transcribe, transcribe!

Buy the book Principles of Orchestration from Rimsky Korsakov on Amazon.

Download scores for free on: https://imslp.org

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Filed Under: Orchestration Tagged With: four families of musical instruments, gh0stwrit3r, gh0stwrit3r Music, instrument families of the orchestra string woodwind brass & percussion, instruments of the orchestra, instruments of the orchestra for kids, instruments of the orchestra listening test, introduction to the orchestra, orchestral instruments, orchestral instruments quiz, orchestral instruments sounds, orchestral music, orchestration, orchestration lesson, orchestration tips

Patrons have access to short scores and mockups

If you support me on Patreon for only 1 dollar (ex. VAT) a month, you’ll get access to the orchestral sketches. And of course you can download my music tracks for personal listening too! I guess a no-brainer … lots of detailed information and joy for the price of a cup of coffee!

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If you support me on Patreon for only 1 dollar (ex. VAT) a month, you’ll get access to the orchestral sketches. And of course you can download my music tracks for personal listening too! I guess a no-brainer … lots of detailed information and joy for the price of a cup of coffee!

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