Steinberg HALion Symphonic Orchestra Operation Manual
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ENGLISH HALion Symphonic Orchestra 101 Range for the bass clarinet: C2-D5 (sounds major 9th lower). Registers for the bass clarinet: Deep/rich, clear/bright, expressive/bright, shrill/thin. Brass The second loudest section after the percussion section is the brass section. It consists of four types of instruments: horns, trumpets, trom- bones and tuba. At a low level of loudness the overall sound of the brass section is low without much overtones; becoming louder the overtones come out more and more, until the highest dynamic point is reached with the brightest and most powerful sound of the orchestra. The brass instruments blend very well within their section, but the or- chestrator has to take care not to drown out the rest of the orchestra. The reason for the different timbres found in the brass section lies in the different shapes of the mouthpieces. For horns, it is funnel-shaped, while for trumpets and trombones the mouthpiece is shaped like a cup. The tuba has a mouthpiece between these two shapes. Horn (F) Transposing: Yes Range: C2 to D5 Register: 3; low, middle, upper Agility: good Description: The horn is the bridge between soft sounding woodwind and bright sounding brass instruments. For this reason the horn ap- pears before the trumpet in the score order, even though the trumpet is the higher instrument. The soft and lyric piano sound, suitable for solo work and for soft horn pads reaches from the low to the high register.
HALion Symphonic Orchestra 102 Combinations: The horn is often found as a guest member of the woodwinds family, where it blends very well with clarinet in soprano and bassoon in the bass register. In the brass section it adds the more mellow sounds, reducing the sharpness of the trumpets and trom- bones. The interaction between horns and strings is harmonic; the strings get a deeper sound intensified by the horns. Range for the horn (F): C2-D5 (sounds a 5th lower). Registers for the horn: Dark/solemn, warm/round. Registers for the horn: Exciting/bright. Trumpet (Bb) Transposing: Yes Range: G2 to E5 Register: 3; low, middle, high Agility: good Description: The trumpet’s character is powerful, brilliant and pro- nounced. It gives contour even to lines in the highest voices. In the low register, the trumpet can sound mysterious and soft when played piano. Combinations: The trumpet is the soprano instrument of the brass sec- tion contributing the clear, beaming power of the higher frequencies. When trumpets play together unisono, the sound gets intense and full. Trumpets mix well with woodwinds, but the woodwinds have to play very loud, or an octave higher, to compete with the trumpets. A trumpet combined with a clarinet gives a clearer and brighter result than any other combination. A perfect blend is possible between trumpet and vi- ola, while the other strings still underline the trumpet’s brilliance.
ENGLISH HALion Symphonic Orchestra 103 Range for the trumpet (Bb): G2-E5 (sounds a major 2nd lower). Registers for the trumpet: Dark/weak, dark/stronger, bright/majestic, brilliant/ grating. Trombone Transposing: No Range: E0 to D4 Register: 3; low, middle, high (pedal tones) Description: The trombone extends the trumpet’s timbre to the lower frequency regions. Unlike the trumpet, the trombone has no valves, but a slide to alter pitch. The tone of the trombone is much more fo- cussed and present than the round, indirect tone of the French horn. Trombones at ff or fff are very aggressive, but not as heroic as the horns. Trombones in p written with wide spaces within the voicing give a solemn and serious impression. The trombone in HALion Sym- phonic Orchestra is a combination of a tenor trombone and a bass trombone, so you only have to load one instrument for both purposes. Combinations: Good reinforcements of sound result from trombones supported by a bassoon and from trombones assisted by low strings. Blending higher woodwinds and trombone does not work. Range for the trombone: E0-D4.
HALion Symphonic Orchestra 104 Registers for the trombone: Dark/strong, full/solid, powerful/bright. Registers for the trombone: Intense. Tuba Transposing: No Range: E0 to Eb3 Register: 3; low, middle, high (pedal tones) Agility: good Description: The tuba’s sound is round, massive, unfocused and large. Combinations: The tuba produces the bass foundation of the brass section. Because of the good tonal blend, the tuba can serve as a fourth bass horn in the horn section. The same function can be achieved in the trombone section, because the shape of the tuba’s mouthpiece is in the middle of funnel-shaped (horns) and cuplike (trom- bones, trumpets). The tuba also blends well with the double basses. Range for the tuba: E0-Eb3. Registers for the tuba: Dark/weak, dark/stronger, powerful, intense/becoming weaker.
ENGLISH HALion Symphonic Orchestra 105 Percussion The percussion section, which is the loudest section of the orchestra, is divided into Instruments with defined pitch and instruments with un- defined pitch. All pitched and several unpitched percussion instru- ments are played with sticks, mallets or beaters. These are made of wood, plastic or wool, and are essential for the sound. The percussion section provides the orchestra with special effects, with powerful sounds of nature (storm, thunder) and with interesting colors to mix with other instruments. Pitched Percussion: Timpani Transposing: No Range: C1 to F2 Agility: High (mallets), low (pedal) Description: The timpani produce single strokes or rolls from soft rum- bling to powerful thunder. In most cases the player has three timpani in three different pitches, tuned in the keynotes of tonic, subdominant, and dominant. When pedal timpani are used, it is possible to change the pitch of one kettle drum while playing. Combinations: The timpani are the most commonly used percussion instruments. They give an orchestral tutti with tremolo strings tremen- dous power and tension. Played in p or even quieter the timpani pro- vide an interesting base for mystic drones in combination with any other orchestral instrument. The timpani set harmonically defined ac- cents together with cello, double bass or other instruments of the bass register.
HALion Symphonic Orchestra 106 Glockenspiel Transposing: Yes Range: G3 to C6 Agility: High Description: Together with the xylophone the glockenspiel delivers the highest pitches of the whole orchestra. The sound is metallic, bell like and penetrating. Combinations: Melodies of other instruments gain brightness when a glockenspiel is added sounding one or two octaves higher. Typical partners for this purpose are flute, piccolo or harp. In this combination played piano the glockenspiel can have a wispy, childlike character. The glockenspiel in forte combined with snare and gran cassa has a military attitude. Vibraphone Transposing: No Range: F2 to F5 Agility: High Description: The vibraphone produces a vibrating, metallic sound with a reduced overtone structure. Because of its reserved loudness it is only suitable for more quiet passages, supporting drifting, mysterious and glassy moods. Combinations: The vibraphone is a good partner for the clarinet, achieving a good blend in p. Xylophone Transposing: No Range: C3 to C6 Agility: High Description: The xylophone has a short, wooden and penetrating sound. It is played with rolls and single strokes.
ENGLISH HALion Symphonic Orchestra 107 Combinations: Because of its high level of loudness, the xylophone’s task is to support orchestral lines with a sharp contour. When com- bined with a xylophone two octaves higher, runs and tremolos be- come cheeky and lively. Tubular Bells Transposing: No Range: C2 to F3 Description: There is a difference between attack and sustain of a sounding tubular bell. While the attack’s pitch is as scored, the sus- tain sounds one octave deeper. The very long resonance is rich of overtones and evokes a religious or creepy atmosphere. The dynamic range reaches from ppp to fff. Combinations: All cymbals and gongs are a good noise addition to the metallic spectrum of the tubular bell. Because of the metallic over- tone structure, which is different from any other instrument in the or- chestra, tonal blending is not possible. Ranges for pitched percussion: Timpani, C1-F2. Glockenspiel, G3-C6 (sounds two octaves higher). Vibraphone, F2-F5.
HALion Symphonic Orchestra 108 Xylophone, C3-C6. Tubular bells, C2-F3. Unpitched Percussion: HALion Symphonic Orchestra includes a lot of different unpitched percussion sounds to create rhythmical patterns or noisy textures with an interesting and multifarious sound. The most common instruments are the snare drum, the gran cassa and the different cymbals, includ- ing piatti a due. If the snare drum, with its intensified mid-range rolls, flams and power- ful single hits is used too often, a military attitude will emerge quickly. If this is not intended, it is better to use it more sparingly. The gran cassa is capable of a mighty, roaring sound, perfect for low and loud impacts. Be careful with the loudness, a gran cassa in fff can trigger a small earthquake. A gran cassa roll combined with low instru- ments of any other section is something very threatening. The cymbals have a metallic spectrum containing high disharmonic frequencies. They can be hit with sticks or mallets (cymbals) or they can be crashed against each other (“piatti a due”). A single hit or crash rounds out the frequency spectrum in the higher regions of an orches- tral tutti hit. Cymbals are also used for surprising moments of unex- pected musical turns. Played tremolo, crescendo or decrescendo, they add metallic glamour to an orchestral tutti, performing a change be- tween two musical situations. Gran cassa, cymbals and piatti are effect sounds for selective use. The same could be said about gongs: compared to the cymbal the tam tam has a more complex overtone structure, making it difficult to hear a certain main frequency.
ENGLISH HALion Symphonic Orchestra 109 The tambourine, finger cymbals and sleigh bells are high frequency percussion instruments suitable for rhythmical accompaniment with a timbre between bell-like and metallic. The tambourine can produce rolls and single shakes in p and f. The finger cymbals evoke an oriental flair, while the sleigh bells have an attitude of winter and Christmas, sounding like Santa Clause’s sledge. The 5 templeblocks produce a mellow wooden and resonant sound with a tonal quality. Of course they are suited for more than just simu- lating a horse’s gallop. Vibraslaps produce an effect like a spring jumping in slow motion, suitable for comedy music or for a “mickey mouse” effect in film music. The triangle plays an important role in orchestral tuttis; together with timpani and gran cassa it adds a rolling, round and metallic sound to a tremolo situation in crescendo and decrescendo. It is also a nice in- gredient for rhythmical patterns with a light and silvery note. The cowbell is hit with a stick and is typical for rhythmical patterns, especially in Afro-Cuban music. The small bell sounds slightly more disharmonic than the glockenspiel and is good for exotic effects. The Campani di Mesa produce a bell-like effect-sound, similar to a door- bell. Strings The violin, viola, cello and double bass belong to the family of stringed instruments, which is the most important part of the orchestra. In most cases the score has five systems divided into first (16 players) and second violins (14 players), violas (12 players), celli (10 players) and Double Basses (8 players). Normally you will find a four voice harmony, with a bass voice played by the cello. The double bass doubles the cello’s bass line one octave lower in cases where a solid and emphasized bass sound is demanded. This is not an absolute rule (double bass and cello can also act inde- pendently), but in most cases this is the way to go. There is no other section with a similar number of articulations and such a perfect blend of timbres. The dynamic range is vast, reaching from pi- anissimo to fortissimo. The partnership between woodwinds and strings is omnipresent and of a high blend level. The woodwinds provide the
HALion Symphonic Orchestra 110 strings with more stability and substance, while the strings add mellow wideness to the sound. It is also a good idea to fade between wood- wind and string chords to produce evolving sound mixtures. The ranges of the various string instruments: Violin, G2-F6. Viola, C2-E5. Cello, C1-A4. Double bass, C1-E4 (sounds one octave lower). Violin Transposing: No Range: G2 to F6 Register: Four strings: G2, D3, A3, E4 Agility: High Description: The violin appears in two staves, one for the first and one for the second violin. Normally the first violin has the leading melody, while the second fills the harmony. Being useful for soprano and tenor tasks the violin has a very warm timbre in the lower ranges gaining in- tensity the higher the notes are played. The g string is the thickest, with the most resonant, dark and sonorous sound. The d string sounds more neutral than the other strings but is also mellow and full sounding. The a string is more mellow, with lyrical quality. The highest intensity, especially when played with vibrato, is achieved with the e string, the most brilliant of them all.