How To Turn a Piano Sketch Into a Full String Arrangement

Hey composers! Today's video is a highly-requested one: string arranging! Please enjoy my take on the process, and my workflow when it comes to this style of music.

SOCIALS:

[CurtisSchweitzer]

I'm very impressed at your ability to keep your chord voicings memorized as you input them-- I *have* to look at the score in order to balance the chords. This is a lovely little harmonic progression, by the way-- would love to hear this with more passing tones especially in the low strings to get that classic string chorale sound. Great video!

[AllyKerrmusic]

Really worthwhile 30 minutes, thanks for sharing your insights. Look forward to checking out more of your tutorials. I love writing emotional orchestrated music so I'm pleased to have discovered your channel. Best wishes from Scotland.

[PrincessAdobo]

Although I'm a Nurse, I kind of want to study composition.. but now I'm thinking I can just stay subscribed to you! This is so helpful. Thank you

[femifakoya]

Christopher, this PURE GOLD!!! I have searched for this everywhere.

[metaepitome]

Very helpful video. Thanks Christopher!

[GreenHope]

Thanks for the great tutorial. It's good to see how you turn a piano sketch into strings/orchestra.

[armanseason]

Thx u.. your lesson so easy.. and clearly

[revengeVS]

Excelente video, hermano. Muchas gracias!!!

[RamizST]

This channel is a GOLDMINE of knowledge. Just saying.)

[ScoreHeroMusic]

Great job! Gotta love that CLEAN CLEAN Logic interface :)

[zaharishtonov]

Always enjoy your tutorials! Makes it hard to follow when listening on studio monitors as your voice is much louder than Logic's audio output (*Tip: compression/limiting ;)). Thank you though for the shared knowledge!

[AbriElMusic]

So wonderful tutorial and amazng workChristopher!

[vaiman]

Total gold here folks! Well explained and perfectly executed dude

[lonelyseaproductions]

Hi Christopher. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos. I was wondering if you could make one on Harp &/or Piccolo runs like the ones you have in Chief of the Sky.

[DavidKudellMusic]

Hi Christopher, very nice easy to understand tutorial on writing for string parts! I love the CSS library, and own it myself. I was wondering if you considered layering the CSS solo strings or ever do so in your composing. I’m considering picking up the solo strings for that reason.

[DMTCOMPOSER]

GREAT video tutorial Christopher! Thanks for making it! Blessings :-)

[youpi]

Great ! Thanks a lot ☺️. Is it possible to dowload just the midi file please ?

[austintaylor]

It seems like it would be really hard to keep track of voice leading doing orchestration from piano in Logic. I like to write from a piano sketch too and then orchestrate but find it much easier to orchestrate in notation software like Sibelius where I can see everything at the same time. This is what has been working best for me. Do you have any feedback on your experience in notation software vs DAW for orchestration? I have been trying out orchestrating in Sibelius and then importing into Logic as a midi file. Then I tweak from there and record mod wheel, etc. Interested to hear your feedback coming from formal music study..

[endagallery]

Great video bro! One tiny question - What is the mod wheel affecting? Thank you and great work!

[d_lydian]

Geeat job, thanks!!! What Mac do you have?