A question for musicians (note: the conductor is HAWT!)
I just moved this from GD.
Legend of Zelda in concert
I'm a musical newb. I can play a cheap stereo but that's about all.
How long would it take to make such a piece ready for concert, assuming you had the basic theme? How many takes, etc? Would the separate sections (voice, woodwind, brass, percussion, et al) assemble separately to reherse, or do they all get together at once?
How long would it take to make such a piece ready for concert, assuming you had the basic theme?
The music will most likely be completely composed and arranged before the musicians begin rehearsal, so they will go in with more than just a basic theme. The composer will spend a great deal of time notating parts for each section and for solo instruments, as well as creating a complete score for the conductor. How long this process takes really depends on the methodology of the composer.
Would the separate sections (voice, woodwind, brass, percussion, et al) assemble separately to reherse, or do they all get together at once?
Both. Once the orchestra is assembled, the conductor will shape the music's ultimate outcome.
How many takes, etc?
This depends. Studio time is very expensive, and the time of the musicians, engineers, techs, etc. is very valuable. Only the most consistent, reliable, and talented people make it into the recording session business. Many musicians have the ability to sight read and flawlessly complete a piece on the first take. However, the conductor may continue to guide the orchestra throughout the session, making minor adjustments over the course of several takes. Technical adjustments, like the changing of mic placement or tweaking of headphone mixes can also force the ensemble to do additional takes.
ETA: The best parts of the recording session can also be edited together in post production. What sounds like a seamless piece of music might actually be several takes copied and pasted into one mix.
If this is the first performance of a new piece, the orchestra will do a run-through to find any wrong notes. That’s pretty common with a new piece. The entire score is already written out, though.
The conductor will have studied the score and decided on his or her interpretation. If the composer is available, he’ll consult with the conductor on interpretation, tempo, etc.
Musicians in an orchestra like that can play anything you put in front of them, usually the first time. Some composers write music that’s more difficult than others. Henry Mancini was famous for writing scores that were very easy to play. Twice through and the orchestra had it down perfectly.
Playing in an orchestra like that one is a fantastic experience, but you won’t get the chance unless you have the chops. You have to be able to read anything in any key and time signature, follow the conductor and your section leader and play perfectly in tune. And you have to play musically. That means getting the volume exactly right, getting on and off notes exactly right, knowing that C# isn’t the same pitch in the key of A as it is in the key of D and lots of other subtle things you learn only through long experience.
