the best orchestration book?

Question

I'm trying to study orchestration by myself but don't know what book I should choose.
If u have any book to recommend, plz let me know.

Answer 1

The Adler book is one of the best I have come across. Great sections on the instruments' capabilities and idiomatic uses. Great section in the appendix about ranges and transposition for folks like me who have faulty memories. Berlioz is a bit dated -- instruments and techniques have changed since then. He has a long discussion about clarinet mouthpieces that today seems pointless. Rimsky is useless -- all the examples are of his own music. It's a study in narcisism. Piston's is definitive, but dry. And I haven't read the Strauss, so no opinion there.

I am a lousy orchestrator. All those books don't help. Study scores and listen a lot. Then, as Mamianka says, take up brain surgery.

Answer 2

Orchestration Book

Answer 3

Good question. There are several sources that I know of although I am no expert. Korsakov, Berlioz, Adler, Forsyth. There will always be a biased based upon author so read and learn but keep your mind open. I would not solely focus on one book just like a theorist would never only learn Schenker. I agree with Mamianka in the fact that one should really go back to the primary source: the scores (and of course, recordings along with that). Read about what the geniuses did to approach it and what they believe and then listen and learn. Good for you learning orchestration. To me this is very difficult because you must be familiar with every instrument and its role. Good luck! ~Lisa

Answer 4

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RE:
the best orchestration book?
I'm trying to study orchestration by myself but don't know what book I should choose.
If u have any book to recommend, plz let me know.

Answer 5

Berlioz or Strauss, if you are writing for a traditional symphony orchestra. And nothing beats score-reading - the books came later, as a directory if *what works*. I hope you know *instrumentation* before you try orchestration - many people confuse the two.

Are you also going to try to teach yourself brain surgery, by yourself? Might be easier . .

Answer 6

Try "Study of Orchestration" by Samuel Adler, Adler has been teaching orchestration since 1966. It's expensive, but it comes with CD's and software.

Rimsky-Korsakov also wrote one that's kind of a standard, it *does not* give a lot of "how-to" technique, it's more of a philosophical approach, how to obtain certain effects etc and he uses examples from a lot of his own music.