Instrumentation recognition help thread

[SlowPokemon]

Beginning - you're mostly right, but in addition to the two violins, there is also a cello underneath everything--listen closely.
1:00 - it's two violins.
1:07 - two violins and one viola--one violin playing melody, the other violin and viola playing the rhythmic bass melody. The cello is still there, also playing the rhythmic sections.
2:00 - still two violins, one playing harmony notes below the other one.

[Jompa]

I'm not at home for the weekend, but I'll help later:)

[Jompa]

Slow's right.

[FireArrow]

Lets try this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO7OiXpMLL8

I don't need to know what the instruments are per say, but how many are playing at any given time.

Thanks!

[Ricky]

Alright, thanks guys. So it's basically a string quartet (but maybe with more than one player in each part so more like a string orchestra without double basses) plus piano and timpani.

[Ricky]

Lets try this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO7OiXpMLL8

I don't need to know what the instruments are per say, but how many are playing at any given time.

Thanks!

I would be able to help some but I'm not sure why it's important for you to know how many instruments are playing at a given time and what exactly you mean by that. Do you mean like if it's lets say one oboe or two oboes playing the same part or if lets say 5 different instruments (or parts) are being played at the same time? Basically, make things clearer.

Either way, I want to double check (if I have guessed things correctly) this one:

- So in the beginning there's just the piano playing.
- At 0:20 the male voices enter (bass and tenor).
- At 0:39 the female voices enter (alto and soprano) forming a full SATB.
- At 0:57 it's a flute.
- At 1:35 the flute stops playing and the voices (SATB) re-enter.

Ofc the piano is playing throughout the whole piece.

Edit: at 0:57 the part has both flute and clarinet it seems.

Edit 2: It's the clarinet that enters. Is there even a flute there or is the sound of the high clarinet so much different from the low clarinet sound? I'm confused.

[FireArrow]

I would be able to help some but I'm not sure why it's important for you to know how many instruments are playing at a given time and what exactly you mean by that. Do you mean like if it's lets say one oboe or two oboes playing the same part or if lets say 5 different instruments (or parts) are being played at the same time? Basically, make things clearer.

The 5 instruments and what they are and when they play (ironically, this song as 5 tracks.) The reason is because I'm trying to transcribe every voice, but according to olimar I'm still missing some, so if I know what instrument to look for, then I should be able to hear it.

~Sorry for being vague.

[Ricky]

The 5 instruments and what they are and when they play (ironically, this song as 5 tracks.) The reason is because I'm trying to transcribe every voice, but according to olimar I'm still missing some, so if I know what instrument to look for, then I should be able to hear it.

~Sorry for being vague.

Ah ok, so there are only max 5 instruments playing at the same time in this piece (quite a coincidence I said 5 then)? I will try to help later.

[FireArrow]

Ah ok, so there are only max 5 instruments playing at the same time in this piece (quite a coincidence I said 5 then)? I will try to help later.

I'm gonna try to help you (take this with a grain of salt.)

I play the flute, and I really don't hear one at all in that, I think it's just a clarinet (some reed instrument.)

[SlowPokemon]

Ricky's piece "Greede the Capital of Freedom" from White Knight Chronicles Ancient Heartbeat

0:00 - Piano
0:20 - Two male voices, bass and tenor
0:39 - Two female voices, alto and soprano

• In addition, what sounds like a low timpani (or perhaps bass drum?) appears here. It does not play very often, only playing again at 0:48. Not sure if you're ignoring it because it's such a minor part (I think I'd probably omit it) or just didn't hear it.

0:57 - Clarinet enters--there is no flute in this piece.
1:35 - Repeats back to 0:39, with all four voices singing and that percussive instrument playing that one beat again.

[FireArrow]

i feel smart now

[Ricky]

In addition, what sounds like a low timpani (or perhaps bass drum?) appears here. It does not play very often, only playing again at 0:48. Not sure if you're ignoring it because it's such a minor part (I think I'd probably omit it) or just didn't hear it.

I didn't hear it. Anyways, thanks!

@FireArrow, thanks! Now here's my attempt to help you (I might be quite wrong but it's a good practice to try):

- In general the sounds seem to be quite synthy I believe but either way in the beginning we have a xylophone (?) & synthy instrument playing the melody in unison (?), an organ (or something like that, it sounds very synthy) (?), bass guitar (entering a few seconds after it begins or maybe even directly), snare drum entering at 0:02.
- At around 0:04 (except for a wierd synthy effect that starts that part, edit: in fact it's there from the start, it's the thing doing the crescendo) there's still a bass guitar, xylophone & synth, the synthy organ (?) playing some harmonies and answering the xylophone, now we also have a drumset. And I think it's about the same instrumentation till about 0:11.
- At around 0:11 we have a trumpet, bass guitar, xylophone, tuba (? or maybe just the bass guitar dunno), drum kit, possibly still the organ or some other instrument playing a "whiny" (it sounds like that to me) part.
- At around 0:15 we have the xylophone, snare drum, organ, drum kit, bass guitar. The snare drum becomes more clear in a few seconds.
- At around 0:18 we have bass guitar, the wierd synthy effect which appeared in the beginning, snare drum, drum kit, the synth (or whatever it is) playing the melody, organ or some other instrument playing higher notes (?).
- At around 0:26 we have a bass guitar, xylophone, synth, drum kit and organ.
- At around 0:30 we have xylophone, bass guitar, drum kit, organ and the synth (?).
- At around 0:34 we have a clear snare drum, organ, bass guitar, xylophone and synth plus possibly some other instrument doing that wierd thing at 0:36.
- At around 0:40 we have the xylophone, snare drum, some wierd synth effect, organ & bass guitar.
- At around 0:46 we have a bass guitar, organ, bass drum, the wierd synth sound that I've mentioned in the beginning, some kind of percussive instrument playing at the same time as the organ.
- At around 0:54 we have organ, snare drum, synth playing the melody (now when I think about it, it kinda sounds like a trumpet).
- At around 0:58 it's the synthy trumpet or whatever, xylophone, organ, snare drum (more specifically at 1:01 there is another instrument playing a very short part) and the bass guitar seems to be playing repeated notes.
- At around 1:02 the wierd synth effect that was in the beginning enters, the bass guitar is alot clearer now, xylophone, synth, snare drum.
And the second half is a repetition of the first half?

Anyways, that was my (messy) attempt to help.

[FireArrow]

Woah, thanks a ton! I don't think I'm hearing everything you are, but hopefully it'll come around. Thanks again.

[Ricky]

Woah, thanks a ton! I don't think I'm hearing everything you are, but hopefully it'll come around. Thanks again.

Have you tried using headphones?

[FireArrow]

Have you tried using headphones?

Yeah, ever since olimar told me too. It makes a huge difference, but my ears are still not that great.