Writing Sax Quartet Arrangements???

[saxophone_volume1]

ok i know, not as many people visit these forums as there use to be, but i was wondering if anybody knows any info about arranging music for SATB.

I was wanting to do some jazz tunes for this great quartet im in and iv got the lead sheet here but im not as sure as i should be about what each instrument is predominantly best at. For example: i know sop generally plays lead and alto harmonises????? please correct me if im wrong. I would really like to start getting into arranging.

So yeh if anybody knows anything please please please let me know!!!
Thanks in advance!!!

[Walnuts]

For starters, I really recommend getting Finale to compose their arrangements. I've tried quartet music, but it was just too hard for me. i'm sticking to arranging duets for now.

[sax cheese]

a few tips i use in my contemporary jazz ensemble.

-just harmonise the melody using your chords from the lead sheet for the
other 3 saxes
-leave out the fifth
-think melodically for tenor
-anything for bass
-try to get the alto either a 6th or a 3rd below the soprano.
-try not to have too many parralell fifths or octaves but its ok in jazz if for effect.
-if you need a tritone in your chord (dominants, diminished, minor 13th), try and make sure the two notes of the interval are not in the bass/baritone (or whatever your lowest sax is) and soprano.

most important thing in MY opinion is to have invert the chords whenever you need to so that you end up with a tenor line that is equally as melodic as the soprano.

once you've got these kind of harmonic things sorted, try and think of interested textures, eg soprano and bass holding a semibreve while tenor and alto descend chromatically.

finally heres a great tip my composition teacher tought me, and this applies to ANY four-part harmony writing style, whether it be bach chorales, string quartets, jazz quartets or whatever:

LISTEN TO BARBERSHOP MUSIC FOR IDEAS!!!

[Dr G]

Originally Posted by sax cheese

LISTEN TO BARBERSHOP MUSIC FOR IDEAS!!!

... or maybe even listen to sax quartets until you learn what you like to hear and then learn to emulate the arranging style!!!!

I like some arrangements that trade the lead voice as it moves in levels of pitch - the Jean-Yves Fourmeau quartet does this seamlessly (for example on Bozza's "Andante et Scherzo"). Other ideas, although simplistic to talk about, include a lead voice (sop or alto) playing melody, the inner voices (alto and tenor) implying chordal movement, and the bari playing a bass line that pulses time (although not a strict 4/4 oompah kind of thing).

Check out Bill Holcombe for some great jazz arrangements for sax quartet. My quartet just starting reading down his "Three Cities" - not too tough but lots of great swing and nice voice movement. Here's one place to find quartet arrangements:

http://windmusicplus.safeshopper.com/385/cat385.htm?937

[petersax]

Paul Coats has some excellent tips ON THIS VERY WEB SITE!!

See: http://www.saxontheweb.net/Coats/index.html#Misc,
About half-way down on the right side, you'll see the heading:
Sheet Music, Misc.:, and below that, see

Orchestration for Saxophones: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Sax Quartet)


Have fun!!

-Peter

[Harri Rautiainen]

Originally Posted by saxophone_volume1

ok i know, not as many people visit these forums as there use to be, but i was wondering if anybody knows any info about arranging music for SATB.

You know something more than I do. The membership at least of the SOTW Forum is growing at a rteady rate.

Originally Posted by petersax

Paul Coats has some excellent tips ON THIS VERY WEB SITE!! .....Have fun!!
-Peter

Here is the link:
Orchestration for Saxophones: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Sax Quartet)
Articles 1..3 build a foundation for Quartet arranging.

On the SOTW site there is a wealthy of saxophone information by Paul Coats at al. You may wanna check it:
http://www.saxontheweb.net/