Edition: Jazz Paperback Book

Description: 238 Pages

Publisher: Such Sweet Thunder Music

In this book David Berger shows you how to organize your thoughts and your music. The music you will create depends on the music that has influenced you, and your willingness to unhook from your ego and tell the world your absolute truth. Hopefully, you will find this book encouraging in those regards.

Berger focuses on how to write for quartet (1 horn plus rhythm section), quintet (2 horns), sextet (3 horns), and octet (5 horns). He also discusses writing for 4 horns; this is covered in the 5-horn charts and analyses. After you finish reading this book and have a grasp on basic arranging concepts, you may want to read his other two composing and arranging books: Creative Jazz Composing and Arranging, Volume 1 (writing for big band) and Creative Jazz Composing and Arranging, Volume 2: Writing for Singers, which also discusses songwriting. They are a bit more advanced than this book, so you are encouraged to read this one first. Also, writing for smaller groups gives you the ability to be economical, an invaluable skill when writing for larger ensembles. It will lead to leaner and more imaginative scores for big band and orchestra.

Introduction
Definitions: Composing, Arranging, Orchestrating, Transcribing, Extracting
Basic Harmonization, Modulation and Creating a Lead Sheet
Four-Part Harmony
Mary's A Grand Old Name Quartet Arrangement (1 Horn)
Mary's A Grand Old Name Quintet Arrangement (2 Horns)
Mary, Getting Grander Sextet Arrangement (3 Horns)
Mary, Even Grander Than That Octet Arrangement (5 Horns)
The Silver Bullet Octet Arrangement
Silver’s Standard Octet Arrangement
In A Persian Market Octet Arrangement
Careless Love Octet Arrangement
Coda
Acknowledgements
Glossary
Index
About the Author
Other Books and CDs by David Berger
Book Reviews