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Instrumentation recognition help thread

Started by Ricky, May 29, 2013, 10:58:04 AM

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Ricky

This could be a general thread for instrumentation recognition "issues" so feel free to stick it if you think it's proper.

Either way, I'm posting it because I need some help. I know it's probably not crucial to recognize all the instruments in a piece to make a piano arrangement but my approach is to transcribe all the instrument parts seperately anyways and I think it's a good practice. So, anyways, I want some help with this piece:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt4EtG0Q40M

- So in the beginning at least there's some kind of drum being played offbeat. Any idea what kind of drum this might be?
- At 00:04 and 00:08 the last beat (in 3/4 time) seems to be accented with some kind of string instrument/s, possibly played pizzicato or played as staccato with bow. My guess is that it's a viola but could be wrong.
- At 00:09 a melody part starts. My guess is that it's some kind of mallet instrument playing. My guess is that it's a vibraphone. I don't think it's a xylophone or marimba because the decay on these is shorter.
- At 00:23 onwards, is it still one guitar playing or does a second guitar appear?
- At 00:45 there's a woodwind instrument playing the part. The question is which one. It seems to be too low for a flute and possibly too low for an oboe too. So a clarinet seems about right? Also, is it a triangle being played?
- At 00:54 there's another woodwind playing. Which one?
- At 01:02 there seems to be a mallet instrument playing. The same as before or is it maybe another one? Also there seem to be singing voices a few seconds later. I think I can hear tenor and alto voices.
- At 01:40 it seems to be a piano played with pedal. Right?

Anyways, that's it for now, I know it's detailed but help with whatever you can/want.

Jompa

This could be fun:)
Quote- So in the beginning at least there's some kind of drum being played offbeat. Any idea what kind of drum this might be?
I am no percussionist, but I guess it could either be a bongo, or some kinda woodblock.
Quote- At 00:04 and 00:08 the last beat (in 3/4 time) seems to be accented with some kind of string instrument/s, possibly played pizzicato or played as staccato with bow. My guess is that it's a viola but could be wrong.
That is a bigger string ensemble doing a pizzicato on the same note.
Quote- At 00:09 a melody part starts. My guess is that it's some kind of mallet instrument playing. My guess is that it's a vibraphone. I don't think it's a xylophone or marimba because the decay on these is shorter.
I believe that is marimba. Vibraphone doesn't sound like that.
Quote- At 00:23 onwards, is it still one guitar playing or does a second guitar appear?
I'm pretty sure it still only is one guitar. (But for all we know there could be like four guitars.)
Quote- At 00:45 there's a woodwind instrument playing the part. The question is which one. It seems to be too low for a flute and possibly too low for an oboe too. So a clarinet seems about right? Also, is it a triangle being played?
That is an oboe! However, if you are arranging this, and you find out that that part is going below middle C, then you know it's not an oboe anymore - if so, then it's a cor anglais. And yes, there is a triangle being played.
Quote- At 00:54 there's another woodwind playing. Which one?
The instrument that joins is a clarinet.
Quote- At 01:02 there seems to be a mallet instrument playing. The same as before or is it maybe another one? Also there seem to be singing voices a few seconds later. I think I can hear tenor and alto voices.
The mallet instrument is not the same. This time it is a glockenspiel. And there are some weird synth voices in the background.
Quote- At 01:40 it seems to be a piano played with pedal. Right?
I don't see why there is pedal here, but there is this weird effect going on - not pedal, though.
Birdo for Smash

Ricky

Alright, thank you for clearing that up. :)

Ricky

Ok, I'm having some trouble at 0:27 and 0:32. At 0:27 are there so kind of harmonic intervals played with the marimba (I'm referring to the two quarter notes played on the same pitch). The previous phrase with the marimba has eight notes at D, C# and then two quarter notes at E lower. This one seems to be the same but with something added below (E played in octaves?). At 0:32 I hear it's a marimba roll but I have trouble figuring out what kind of roll that is. The first marimba phrase which is similar to this one, except the roll, ends on a long C# note.

Jompa

At 0:27 the harmonics go D with a B under, C with an A under, and then the two E with B under (this is called parallel fourths and is a quite recognizable effect). The chords in this measure go Bm to E9.
The marimba roll is just C# and B.
Birdo for Smash

Ricky

At 0:54 when the clarinet comes in, does it play in unison with the oboe? I've notated it and listened to it in Sibelius (using the 30 day trial atm) and I'm pretty sure that the unison playing is the only that makes sense. A confirmation would be nice. Also at 1:10 (at the first beat of the bar) there's a wierd sound made with either triangle (more probable I think) or glockenspiel. Any idea what it could be?

Jompa

That is not unison. Unison means that they enharmonically play the same thing, both rhythmically and tonally. And they aren't playing the same tones at all, the clarinet is playing harmonies under the oboe.

And that weird sound is some kinda percussion. I don't know what, and it is hard to identify, but could it be something like this?
Birdo for Smash

Ricky

Quote from: Jompa on June 04, 2013, 02:07:33 PMThat is not unison. Unison means that they enharmonically play the same thing, both rhythmically and tonally. And they aren't playing the same tones at all, the clarinet is playing harmonies under the oboe.
Ah you're right. I even notated that oboe phrase even before I started notating the clarinet phrase and before I wondered how the interaction between the clarinet and oboe looked. I somehow missed it/didn't think about it. Either way the phrase starts on D in the oboe part and B in the clarinet part so indeed the clarinet is playing harmonies below. The rhythm in that phrase seems to be the same or almost the same for the oboe and it seems like they are moving in parallell thirds for the most part in that phrase.

Quote from: Jompa on June 04, 2013, 02:07:33 PMAnd that weird sound is some kinda percussion. I don't know what, and it is hard to identify, but could it be something like this?
Yes, something like that. With percussion instruments (at least the indefinitely pitched ones) there are really many options.

Ricky

#8
I have trouble figuring out the guitar note (if there is one) at 0:13 when the pizzicato strings play F# (on the last beat of the bar). Edit: Marimba plays D E (eight notes).

Jompa

It is an F# - the same note as the pizzicato strings.
Birdo for Smash

Ricky


Ricky

At 0:27 (the first beat of the bar) there is a kind of bright percussion sound. Any idea what it could be (first and foremost I want to be sure it's not a glockenspiel and if it is I want to know what is played because I honestly have no idea)?

Jompa

Birdo for Smash

Ricky


Ricky

I'm not done with that piece yet (it takes very long but it's a good practice, maybe things will go quicker with the one I will arrange) but I've decided that I will try to get into this piece (Demon's Souls- The One Who Craves Souls): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ESqvGzdnvs

So once again I wonder about the instruments. This time it's way easier I think. So here's what I think (correct me if I'm wrong):

- In the beginning you can hear a piano, timpani and probably either two violin parts or one violin and a viola. Does this seem correct or am I missing something?
- At 0:46 (after the climax) there seem to be two string instruments: A clear violin melody and something else underneath, another violin part or viola maybe?
- At 1:00 when the timpani returns is it a violin or viola? And also, is there another string instrument playing?
- At 1:07 it seems like the violin is playing the melody and maybe a viola playing the more rhythmic part?
- 2:00, a single viola part or does it seem to be more parts (except the obvious piano ofc)?

Some parts are later repeated but overall does this seem correct?