Voice Combinatoins

[Arnak]

Hi,

I have been looking into voice combinations but did not find much.

However, I did find this orchestral voice list of combinations that I find helpful, so I thought I should share it.

I hope someone finds it useful.

Martin



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[rattley]

Hello,

What a great find!  When composing and playing music the orchestration is very important.  Instruments should complement each other and not clash.  Your list does a nice job explaining how to mix voices.  The correct harmonics can make or break a good melody or harmony.  I have often disagreed with many of Yamaha's OTS choices on past PSR and Tyros models. Maybe Yamaha should study that list!  My Genos seems better with the voices Yamaha chose for the OTS.  I don't seem to have to change as many voices as in past keyboards.  Thanks!    -charley

[EileenL]

Try the Ensemble voices on your Genos. There are some very good mixes there.

[Arnak]

Hi,

I'm glad it was useful....

Martin

[Denn]

Thanks Martin, will keep it on hand. Regards, Denn.

[andyg]

Very useful for classical orchestral sounds and, to some extent, light orchestral works and music from musicals, movies etc.

It would be nice if we also had something more appropriate to the kind of things that most of us do on keyboard when playing MOR and popular repertoire. How saxes, clarinets and brass mix together in a big band scenario, or how instruments in a smaller jazz ensemble fit together. I haven't come across anything yet, but will have a look around.

It's nice to see that Yamaha have included a lot of combination sounds now, which is very useful in the PSR-S series where you only have R1 and R2 to play with. Well worth exploring these and don't forget Legacy>Strings, where you'll find mixes of strings with flute, oboe or horns.

Bottom line when 'rolling your own' is to experiment, and make notes of the combinations you like and the balances between them. You can always store anything really useful in a registration memory and save in a bank for later use! Your ears will tell you what sounds good and what doesn't!

[Arnak]

Hi Andy,

I fully agree with you!

Having tried for some time to find a good reference to voicing for keyboards I have to admit that I have not come across one yet.

Walter Strony's book is very useful so you may want to get a copy of that.

Of course, even that book is not really up to date when it comes to all the extra voices that we have on modern arrangers so I'll have to keep looking.

Martin

[panos]

I am just uploading the same file by Arnak in pdf format  for those who don't have Ms office installed and don't know how to open and read the document.


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[andyg]

Walter Strony's book is very useful so you may want to get a copy of that.

Of course, even that book is not really up to date when it comes to all the extra voices that we have on modern arrangers so I'll have to keep looking.

Walt's book is a very good one, but he's a theatre organist and that's what his book is about. I haven't got a copy, but as I was already playing theatre organ back when he started, I think I sort of know what's what! 

So you can't really apply the arts of mixing tibias, string celestes and kinuras etc to a Genos or Tyros - unless you're making theatre organ sounds, of course! (and if you do, you'll be surprised just how 'theatre-ish' it can get!)

There is a book by Janet Dowsett called 'Registration Magic' that, although intended for the orchestral type home organ, also works for keyboards. After all, keyboards are the grandkids of the home organ! The book is out of print, I think, but is found on ebay from time to time.

[Arnak]

Hi,

That sounds like a book to look out for.

Thanks for that tip!

** Update **

I found it on Ebay and brought it.

Still, 2 left....

Martin

[frozzers]

I got it too ...

Thanks AndyG.

Chris

[Seagull29]

Hi,
very interesting for classical composition or arrange a song and choose the good efficient combinations.Thanks for sharing.

Regards

Seagull29