Instrumentation (music)

Instrumentation (music)

In music, the word "instrumentation" is used to refer to the particular combination of musical instruments employed in a composition, and to the properties of those instruments individually. Instrumentation is also sometimes used as a synonym for orchestration, which more properly refers to an orchestrator's, composer's or (arranger's) craft of employing instruments in varying combinations.

Instrumental properties

Writing for any instrument requires a composer or arranger to know the instrument's properties, such as:
* the instrument's particular timbre, or range of timbres;
* the range pitches available on the instrument, as well as its dynamic range;
* the constraints of playing technique, such as length of breath, possible fingerings, or the average player's stamina;
* the relative difficulty of particular music on that instrument (for example, repeated notes are much easier to play on the violin than on the piano; while trills are relatively easy on the flute, but extremely difficult on the trombone);
* the availability of special effects or extended techniques, such as col legno playing, fluttertounge, or glissando;
* the notation conventions for the instrument.

ee also

*Orchestra
*String section
*Orchestration
*Arrangement
*Hornbostel-Sachs instrument classification system

References

*Randel, Don (1986). "The New Harvard Dictionary of Music", pp. 397, 575-577. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-61525-5 (hc)

Further reading

*Treatise on Instrumentation by Hector Berlioz and Richard Strauss
*Instrumentation by J. Addler


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Instrumentation (disambiguation) — Instrumentation may mean:*Instrumentation, the art and science of measurement and control **Virtual instrumentation **Instrumentation amplifier, an integrated circuit sometimes used in measurement instruments. *Instrumentation (music)… …   Wikipedia

  • Music genre — A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music. It is to be distinguished from musical form and… …   Wikipedia

  • Music for the Royal Fireworks — The Music for the Royal Fireworks (HWV 351) is a wind band suite composed by George Frideric Handel in 1749 under contract of George II of Great Britain for the fireworks in London s Green Park on 27 April 1749. It was to celebrate the end of the …   Wikipedia

  • music — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Organized sound Nouns 1. music; classical, semiclassical, or popular music, rock [& roll] music, country [and western] music, world music; acid, punk, hard metal, hard, or soft rock; soul [music], blues; …   English dictionary for students

  • Music of Hungary — Music of Hungary: Topics verbunkos táncház csárdás nóta History: (Samples) Genres Classical Folk Hardcor …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Martinique — General topics Related articles Genres Biguine Mini jazz Chouval bwa Jump up Kadans Zouk …   Wikipedia

  • Music from the Unrealized Film Script, Dusk at Cubist Castle — Studio album by The Olivia Tremor Control …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Cuba — General topics Related articles Genres Batá and yuka Bolero Chachachá Changui Charanga …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Finland — Karelia Sami music Humppa Kantele Genres Folk Pop Opera Rock (Suomirock) Hip hop Trance …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Louisiana — Music of the United States AK AL AR AS AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA GU HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”