Arrangers are also called music editors. In the early years, there was no such profession and name as arranger. It has to be said that the word "arrangement" originated in Japan. Early arrangements were not called arrangements but called adaptations or secondary creations. Most of the current arrangements are to organize the thinking of the composer and lyricist to complete the maximum structure of the work. Arranging requires the same complex knowledge of music theory as composing, and at the same time, it requires an aesthetic point of view that is in line with the public. A good songwriter can build the soul of the entire song, and a good arrangement can give the entire soul a big skeleton. What the arranger needs to do at this stage is to re-arrange and construct new harmonic linking rules after the composer gives the main melody and the harmonic texture, and install different styles and types to add unique orchestration, etc.! The current orientation and requirements make an arranger and producer infinitely closer to the music producer industry. The prerequisite for being a music producer is to know a series of tasks including composing, arranging, mixing, recording, etc.!
If we want to learn arranging from scratch, the first thing we need to learn is the operation of the host software and basic music theory and harmony. So what is a host? The host is also the arranging software, a tool used for arranging. It gets rid of the embarrassing situation in the old days where one could only rely on actual recordings of musical instruments to complete composition creation. So what are the arranging software? How to choose and use? In fact, there are many types of arrangement software on the market, such as Flstudio software, Cuabse, and Logic Pro produced by MAC, which are all popular arrangement software on the market.
Yes, after learning the use and operation of the software, you also need basic music theory knowledge. Of course, basic music theory knowledge cannot be learned by reading books. It is very simple to understand literally. The key is that you can practice it in practice. To use it in singing and playing, you need to be able to respond quickly. It doesn't matter whether you are in the first key or fixed key. In addition to sight-singing and sight-reading training, knowledge on intervals and chords, for example, also needs to be supplemented with a small number of exercises to assist learning and test the learning effect. Basic music should be fully mastered!
Learning to arrange music requires a lot of analysis of songs. Form analysis is usually the first step in music analysis, and other more specific analyzes must be carried out based on the structure of the song. We need to listen to a song and be able to accurately divide the various paragraphs and write the structure of the song. Get the sheet music of a song and clearly divide the various paragraphs and phrases. Of course, basic music theory knowledge forms the foundation for our learning. If we want to learn arrangement more comprehensively, we also need to learn harmony. Harmony is the pitch organization form of multi-part music and one of the basic means of expression of music. As far as the general concept of composition theory is concerned, harmony is the technical category corresponding to counterpoint (that is, commonly known as "polyphony"). In music practice for more than a hundred years before the 19th century, harmony has always been regarded as the basis of counterpoint.
The application of harmony in song writing and arrangement mainly starts with harmonizing the melody, starting with the harmonious arrangement of a single instrument, and then considering the relationship between the parts of multiple instruments. Moreover, after learning harmony, you can develop your sense of music, that is, your musicality. The knowledge system of harmony is relatively complex and is an independent subject. It is recommended to start learning after you have fully mastered basic music theory and practiced sight-singing and ear training for a period of time. There are a large number of notation examples in harmony textbooks that you need to play on the keyboard, hear the actual sound of the sound, and rely on your auditory sense to understand them. Nowadays, the digital age has made our learning more convenient. Now, learning to arrange music only requires a computer with good configuration.
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Zhu Xian San Tan Music Education is a professional music education institution under Xi'an Zhu Xian San Tan Records Co., Ltd. It has been engaged in music production education for 6 years and is an earlier MIDI music production education institution in China. Zhu Xian Santan Music has powerful teaching resources, teachers and a complete curriculum system, giving you a systematic and comprehensive learning plan to help you become a qualified music producer!