A Strange Arrangement

Ray McGale is a fingerstyle guitarist from Long Island, NY, who has written dozens of guitar covers, which he performs frequently - how perfect for a podcast! On this episode Ray talks about his approach to arranging, and all the techniques he throws into his arrangement of Danny Boy.   Find Ray Here: https://www.youtube.com/@RayMcGaleAcoustic   Visit our Website asamusicpodcast.com

Finally a vibraphone episode! Nathan Dufresne is a solo percussionist and a member of the Columbia Orchestra.  Today he talks about arranging a jazz standard ("Ain't Misbehavin'") for solo vibraphone, and how he overcomes the challenge of condensing multiple parts to be played wth just 4 mallets.     find Nathan on TikTok at @dufresne_percussion find Nathan on Youtube: Nathan Dufresne Percussion   Other Audio: "Ain't Misbehavin'" by Fats Waller   visit our website asamusicpodcast.com

Ryan Muns is the composer and operator of Eyes on the Moon Studios, specializing in custom music for TTRPGs and Fantasy settings.  Ryan took the time this week to arrange a celtic tune, "The Parting Glass" into a full blown rocking orchestral arrangement.  He takes the time to talk about orchestration, embellishments, modes, and most importantly, naming musical instruments.    find his music here: https://www.youtube.com/user/DarthRaith Eyes on the Moon Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EyesOnTheMoonStudios   visit our website: http://www.asamusicpodcast.com/

Celia Tewey is a multi-instrumentalist who practices "genre-flipping" classic songs, putting them in a new musical style.  On this episode, she takes the Debussy's "Clair de Lune" and puts it in a funky, jazzier setting.  We talk about rhythmic and harmonic changes, as well as the journey of going from classical to jazz piano playing.   find her music here: https://celiatewey.com/music visit our website asamusicpodcast.com

Lasya is a Bansuri player and producer from New Delhi. She fuses eclectic music styles and draws influences from genres spanning classical, Indian folk, experimental, hip-hop and avant-garde.  In this episode she arranges Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" for her instrument, talking about her vision for the arrangement and the steps taken to make that vision happen.   find her music here: https://lasya.bandcamp.com/album/monsoon   visit our website asamusicpodcast.com      

Let's use the Phrygian mode to make the new year song sound sinister (mmm. that alliteration though).   Use the code ARRANGEMENT to get a free download of James Fernando's Hot Cross Buns pdf! http://www.jamesfernando.com/sheet-music/hot-cross-buns   Hey ya'll, Rob here again.  This episode will be it for a few months because of a few life events (all good!) going on that require more attention, and I only want to put these episodes out if I feel it will be a good job.  More coming soon! And thank you for listening thus far!   For more good stuff: https://linktr.ee/Strangearrangement    

Our guest from Season 1, James Fernando, sent me his arrangement of Hot Cross Buns, one day, and we need to talk about it, and before you get all "Pff...Hot Cross Buns? Really?" Trust me, you want to hear this.  James joins me and a rambunctious baby at my favorite local haunt to talk shop again.   Check Out James's new album, Piano Poetry, out now! http://www.jamesfernando.com/   Feauring clips from: 12 Variations on "Ah, vous dirai-je maman" by Mozart, performed by Stefano Ligoratti -  Prelude and Fugue in F Minor by J. S. Bach, performed by Peter Bradley-Fulgoni

We've taken all the guest arrangements of Auld Lang Syne and put them on Spotify for you to enjoy!   A Strange Arrangement presents: Auld Lang Syne, the album https://open.spotify.com/artist/45kPB64L5sPp9zH45YpphV?si=4MrMx6t8SJaKYXmiWuMCsQ

I talk about putting a song into the dorian mode, the chord changes we can do with that, and I get all bent out of shape over trying to choose what to put down.  Enjoy!

  Denis Viel is a blues guitar player and singer from Quebec City, who has developed his sound into a strong, soulful performance that easily commands the room. On this episode, we talk about what makes an effective arrangement and performance of a song, and why a musician might want to "save the candies for later."   Other Audio: Amazing Grace performed by the Blind Boys of Alabama

DAMOYEE is an award-winning multi-hyphenate music artist (composer, musician, singer, songwriter, producer, arranger and recording artist) from Dallas, Texas.  In this episode she arranges one of her favorite songs: "Fair Chance" by Thundercat, talks about using her voice as an instrument, and describes how she makes a space-y song even space-y-er...spacier?    Featuring audio of: "Fair Chance" by Thundercat, featuring Ty$ and Lil B 2020, Brainfeeder 

In this episode, I dig into a topic that always eluded me learning music: modes.  Focusing on the Lydian Mode, I rearrange two songs into this mode.   0:00 - Intro 0:55 - Disclaimer 1:35 - Modes 3:28 - Lydian  4:56 - Frere Jacques / Are You Sleeping 8:14 - When the Saints Go Marching In   Helpful Resources: Book: Twentieth-Century Harmony, by Vincent Persichetti Videos: Modes, Explained Visually What Modes Really Sound Like How to Use the LYDIAN Mode

Ari Voxx is a 2022 Wammie finalist and DC-native who's been performing and writing music for years. Previously known for her jazz and neo-soul vocals, she now focuses on writing music that is authentically her, transcending genres, with influences like Cocteau Twins, The Cure, Soundgarden, and Imogen Heap. Now featuring her 4 piece band, The Sad Lads, Ari's sound is dreamy, indie, and melancholic.   In this episode, Ari talks to us about how she transformed her song "With Me", switching from acoustic instruments to an electronica setup with loop pedals and synth pads, and how the change reflects the song's message   find Ari's website here

Andy Statler is the Pianist and bandleader for the Blue Dot Jazz Troupe, a piano trio that performs all over the DMV area.  In this episode, Andy talks about two arrangements he made with two different songs, how he pulls influences from across genre's, and how to make a new song work in the middle of a gig. Find the Blue Dot Jazz Troupe here. check out our website asamusicpodcast.com

Anh Phung is an accomplished classical & jazz flautist, who for the past several years has been plugging her instrument into guitar pedals. The resulting sounds have been featured with performing groups such as Twisted Pine, and Tullstars, as well as on her popular social media pages.  In this episode, Anh helps break down how the use of electronic effects plays into music composition, and exploring and getting used to technology drives her creative process.   Pedals: MTL Assembly: Count to 5  Neunaber: Immerse Reverberator  Chase Bliss Audio: MOOD Hotone: Wally Digitech: Whammy       Additional Music:    Flute Concerto in G Major, Mozart Orchestre National de France Antal Dorati - Conductor Jean-Pierre Rampal - Flute     Anh's Groups: Tullstars Twisted Pine

This fall, we return with more artists and more songs.   Check out our website at asamusicpodcast.com

In this episode we talk to Laura Schwartz about her solo act, Bellwether Bayou, and how she uses her voice, her violin, and two pedals to make rich, textured songs.  In our second video, and our first live recording, we'll see how she builds short loops to create a full arrangement of Auld Lang Syne. 

Hailed as a “prodigiously gifted composer and virtuoso pianist,” James Fernando creates music that lies at the intersection of jazz, classical, and electronic music. He relies on his genre-expanding original compositions to deliver thought provoking and exciting performances. He has several releases to his name, including his most recent release: The Grind, a collaboration with saxophonist Matt Lagan.  On this episode, James talks with me about voice leading, musical expression, and how to find what sounds good to you, in my first in-person interview on the show.     Find more about James at: www.jamesfernando.com/     Additional music:     "Immersed" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Introit - Resurrexi et Adhuc Tecum Sum  by The Tudor Consort is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 International License.

When one note vibrates, in gently vibrates adjacent tones as well.  This is called the overtone series, or the harmonic series.  How does this relate to songs and arrangements?  How can we manipulate this series to do something new?   Earl Cutter is a multi-instrumentalist and music educator in Maryland - and a good friend of mine.  In this episode he talks about how the chords in Auld Lang Syne relate to one series of notes, and how he manipulates this series to make his arrangement.    For more information on the harmonic series, I highly recommend this short paper by Mark Petersen: https://amath.colorado.edu/pub/matlab/music/MathMusic.pdf  

How can you trick the listener into hearing one thing, before revealing another?  There are a few ways to do it, and today Rob reveals one of them: by starting with a solo instrument playing a certain rhythm, then introducing another that changes the feel entirely.  

Quick Update regarding our next episodes

The Golub Brothers are a 2 person horns section in New York City.  Although only 2 brothers, they expertly play a multitude of instruments: trumpet, flugelhorn, saxophones, clarinets, flutes and more.  While being able to use all these instruments has been helpful with performing, it has also informed them on the importance of timbre and its effect on arranging.  This episode, the Golub brothers bring in a big arrangement set for multiple wind instruments, and talk about how they sequence each instrument to inform the feel of the arrangement.  

The world of video game music has a rich history of intelligent, emotional writing.  SInce 2016, the 8-Bit Music Theory channel on Youtube has been analyzing the ideas and techniques that make that music so great.  In this episode, 8-Bit shows us, among other things, how focusing on the bass notes can unlock more harmonic ideas.

In this episode I talk about rhythmic changes we can make, and incorporate it into my own arrangement of Auld Lang Syne?  How does a polyrhythm work? How can you change the time signature of a song? What the heck is a vibraphone?

Andrew Breiner is a guitarist for the band Bacchae in Washington D.C., as well as an independent artist.  Bacchae released the album Pleasure Vision in 2020, and are preparing for a tour in 2022.  In this episode, Andrew gives us a lesson in Doom Metal: where it comes from, what it sounds like, and how to adapt an old Scottish ballad to the style.

Priyanka Akhilan is an Indian Carnatic Singer living in Canada. She has garnered a large following on TikTok for her videos demonstrating and analyzing Indian Carnatic music.  Because Carnatic music uses a different methodology than Euro-Centric music, we wanted to see how Auld Lang Syne, a Scottish tune, could be interpreted in an Indian Carnatic style.  Can the dignity and essence of Carnatic style, and the origins of Auld Lang Syne, coexist authentically?  Host: Rob McCarthy Art: Daniel Joel Newman Notes: Elisabeth Staal, Brian Watson, Rob Hom

Laurent Warnier and Rachel Xi Zhang make up Joint Venture Percussion Duo, an award-winning international percussion team.  They are constantly fusing different genres and techniques together to create a unique sound that constantly adds to the contemporary music repertoire.  On marimba and vibraphone, they take our melody and drop it low - meaning, to the bass line - and see what they can build on top of it.  

Fabiola Mendez is a vocalist and cuatrist/guitarist from Puerto Rico.  An award winning cuatro player, she has produced a number of tracks and collaborated with artists such as Danny Rivera, Edwin Colón Zayas, The Puerto Rican Symphony Orchestra, and more. In this episode, Fabiola shows us how to use jazz chords to change the harmony of a tune, and introduces guaracha rhythms to bring a festive liveliness to Auld Lang Syne.   Host: Rob McCarthy We recommend checking out the sheet music for this arrangement at our website: asamusicpodcast.com

In this episode, Kim Chin-Gibbons plays and instrumental rendition of Auld Lang Syne that focuses in on the melody; how can we twist, pull, and push one melody line to make a song feel unique? Host: Rob McCarthy Outro: Our Ending by Kim Chin-Gibbons asamusicpodcast.com

For our first installment of  A Strange Arrangement, I asked Mike Lachance how he would he would prepare Auld Lang Syne if asked to perform it.   In this episode, Mike takes the basic arrangement of the song to a more mournful place that beckons the question: What does this farewell song mean in the time of COVID-19? Host: Rob McCarthy Art: Daniel Joel Newman Outro: "The Great Molasses Flood" asamusicpodcast.com