How to orchestrate

[monchdv]

I am a pianist and will be performing a piece of recorded music that has strings throughout the piece.

What I would like to know is how I would determine which stringed instruments I would choose to perform it live.

If I have 5 string people available is there a standard .. ie: 2 violin, 1 viola etc

Help !

[John Watt]

Hmmm! Is this going to be your orchestration?
Are you going to choose the best musicians available,
or are you going to choose instruments to satisfy pre-determined parts?
Maybe you can buy a synthesizer so an electric guitarist can sound like,
uh, any string or organ type, if a guitarist is one of the better musicians around you.
More than tasteful posting, or reading books, maybe you should get some charts.
Jus'relayin'.
If you weren't in musical instruments, I wouldn't be commenting.
If you were in the orchestration forum, I wouldn't be commenting.

[wljmrbill]

in your case..sounds like 2 violins, i viola, 1 cello and 1 string bass might be best ( might not need the bass if the bass part is strong in the piano It would depend a great deal on the piece..Are you arranging it? or is it piblished already?; if so that will answer your question.

[pioudine]

Well orchestration is a real job. Don't really think make an orchestration without perfectly handling the individual instrument techniques.
Concerning the string instruments, a cello and a violin are not written the same way, and a string quintett orchestration is differently voiced than a string ensemble.

The choice of instruments depends on the key, the range, the sound, the playing techniques of your music. If you really need to use strings instruments, I made 2 video tutorials about violin and alto violin. It could help you. But orchestration is not only transposing a piano piece to orchestra, it is also the art of mixing sounds and instruments together, and ear experience is essential ..