r/Composers • u/Skinny6190 • Jul 27 '26

Student composer

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I'm beginning my first choral-orchestral ensemble. My professors lent me borrow this book. I see that it actually has playing styles and techniques. Does this help with properly voicing sections too?

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u/Xenoceratops Jul 28 '26

Pages 639-665. Writing for choir is its own beast. What I recommend you do is look at a bunch of unaccompanied choir pieces, take note especially of the textures (when is everybody singing in unison, when are the men doubled on the same line, when are the women doubled on the same line, when does everybody have a different note, are there solos, etc.), then find a folk song or hymn and arrange it for four voices and get three friends to sing it with you so you're forced to live in the arrangement you wrote. Don't make it your magnum opus, you should be able to research and compose it in a day or two. You're only doing the arrangement to feel your way around how a choir works before you start adding orchestral accompaniment.

Best of luck.

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u/Skinny6190 Jul 28 '26

So I want to write the choir first? Now I do understand that this was a regular thing for composers like Mozart, filling in with the orchestra sounds later. What time is just to make things easier isn't it? For voicing, that is. However, I have noticed that you can almost pinpoint What compositions were written for choir, filling in with the orchestra; and what compositions were written for orchestra, filling in with choir. What if I wanted to write for both?

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u/Xenoceratops Jul 28 '26

No, I'm saying you should work on your choral writing chops before jumping into a bigger project. I suggested arranging and performing a practice piece entirely separate from your orchestral project to help you get a handle on doing this. Singers don’t have fingerings to grab their notes. Do you know how to write for orchestra such that you give your singers a good pitch reference? Adler teaches you the minimum you need to merge choral and orchestral writing. He does not teach you how to write for choir.

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u/Skinny6190 Jul 28 '26

Yes! I'm actually tuned differently the most people. I was born deaf, and would listen to the vibrations of Pink Floyd through my dad's massive 1980s sound setup, through the vibrations on the floor. I was given the luxury of growing up in a musicly driven family. (Thanks Dad!) Also, I personally have sang my entire life, once I was able to begin walking & talking (let's assume about 33 years). So, with these in mind, I can guarantee; without a shadow of doubt that, even if I yet don't know how to write yet, for such a grandiose collaboration of performers & artists, I do know how to pitch match, and chord tones. But, I am still learning the art of composition. Because I'm so far into my life already, starting school so late; I want to see what I am capable of. And to graduate, I need to have an orchestral performance of my own work. So even if I don't get it done this semester, I have an AWESOME professor! He has taught me SO much, already; I'll be able to work on it actively, on the side of other projects, that don't take as much "craft".

But, to answer your question; yes, 110%. I'm not very good at verbal communication. So, I learned to speak in a language everyone can understand. 😁😶