Orchestral Arrangement Class
A Small Group Music Mentorship Program (MMP)
taught by Eric Owyoung
Join the exciting new class on orchestral arrangement and experience the magic of creating powerful musical moments. If you love orchestral instruments as a songwriter/producer or simply are passionate about music, this class is designed for you. Spanning multiple genres such as pop, rock, classical or church music you'll find a place to grow and learn in this class. While there are no rigid formulas, Eric has developed effective tools and frameworks to guide you through the process of compelling orchestration.
This is an exclusive opportunity as Eric has never offered this class before.
Apply today and secure your seat in this unique orchestral arrangement class. Don't miss out on being part of the inaugural experience!
Course Overview
In this class, you will learn how to add depth and richness to your music by incorporating instruments such as strings, brass, winds, harp, choir, orchestral percussion, and many more. The focus is on helping artists enhance their songs with orchestral arrangements that elevate the overall sound and emotional impact.
Eric's Involvement
This class is solely led by Eric Owyoung and all teaching and feedback will be from him personally. Once students upload their tracks and parts, Eric will provide guidance and hands-on assistance to each student's work. This mentorship approach ensures that you receive interactive feedback to help you refine your orchestral composition skills.
PREREQUISITE AND Application
Please note that this is NOT a standard orchestration class that teaches scoring fundamentals (theory, notation, or orchestra techniques). This mentorship class presumes some familiarity working with orchestra samples or virtual instruments (for students composing with MIDI) or written notation for recording orchestra. Notation experience is NOT needed for students working with virtual instruments. Students must already have basic skills in general audio and midi instrument recording. While the class may start with some brief lessons, it mainly focuses on the creative approach to orchestration through critique and demonstration. An application process is required to ensure that students have the general skills and experience to benefit fully from the course.
Class SIZE AND Format
To maintain a high level of interaction and personalized attention, the class is limited to five students. The class is structured as a hands-on experience, working in real-time with students' original compositions. Each student will select a song they wish to orchestrate and will apply the techniques discussed in class to create an orchestral arrangement for their chosen piece.
Topics Covered
Concept Development: You will learn how to conceptualize an arrangement that complements your original piece, keeping in mind the mood and style you want to convey.
Instrumentation: Navigating various instruments can be complex. This class will guide you through the process of choosing and utilizing instruments effectively to achieve the desired sonic palette.
Voicing: Multi-part arrangements (four-part strings, four-part choir, three-part brass, etc) can be confusing to even the well seasoned producer/composer. Eric will help give you develop simple guidelines on how to approach a complex problem.
Virtual Instrument Techniques: Although recording live orchestra is ideal for high budgets, most musicians find themselves utilizing the power of sample based orchestral instruments. You will learn the few but vital keys to making virtual instruments reflect the expressive nature of live performed recordings.
Mixing Techniques: Mixing orchestral recordings requires specific skills to blend acoustic and electronic elements seamlessly. You will explore mixing strategies tailored to orchestral arrangements.
When and Where
Dates: The week of Oct 9 thru the week of Nov 13 (date and time TBA)*
Duration: 6 weeks 1.5 hour online video workshop
*The exact day and time will be determined by a survey of interested applicants and we will select the time that works for the majority of the accepted students. To make the most of this program, each student will need to put in several hours worth of work each week outside of class.