Download Free Arrangements and Parts for Brass and Woodwinds

Download Down Yonder Trio

At this point in time there are only a few arrangements and parts for Brass and Woodwinds. Be sure to check back from time to time as new parts are added. If you are interested in creating your own arrangements for brass, woodwinds or other instruments, please read the Arrangement Suggestions below.

Arrangement Suggestions

First, listen to the midi (mp3) arrangement of Down Yonder . It is arranged for the following instruments: piano, flute, and violin/fiddle. Notice how the instruments in this arrangement take turns playing one of 3 roles: melody, harmony and accompaniment. When arranging a tune it is always a good rule of thumb to give every instrument an “equal opportunity” to play the melody or harmony so that no instrument is relegated to accompaniment only. With the Down Yonder arrangement notice what each instrument does when it is not playing a melody or harmony. There are a lot of options when it comes to accompaniment.

Second, since this website cannot provide arrangements of every tune for every possible combination of instruments, it is imperative that you become the arranger. Let's say that you have a group of musicians (in your family, at school, with your co-workers) that consists of the following instruments:

Piano, Trumpet, Bass (4-string electric) and Mandolin.

This would be a very eclectic ensemble. There is nothing wrong with such an ensemble. Any grouping of instruments is fine, but some adjusting may need to take place in order for the ensemble to sound good. For example, Down Yonder is traditionally played in the key of G. The trumpet player must read music in the key of A in order to “sound” in the key of G (that's just how the instrument works), but trumpet players are not very fond of reading in the key of A (3 sharps)—they prefer reading in keys that contain flats rather than sharps. Therefore, you may wish to compromise and change the key to a flat key like Bb—this is exactly what happened in the Down Yonder example (above). Speaking of keys, here's something you should know about keys and instruments in general:

• Fiddlers (and violinists) like to play in the sharp keys (A, D, G, and E); and in the keys of C and F.*

• Brass/Woodwind players like the flat keys (F, Eb, Bb, Ab).*

• Guitar players like the keys of G and C, but can play in any key (especially with a capo).

• Banjo players like the key of G, but can use a capo to play in any key.

• Beginner/intermediate piano players prefer using mostly “white keys:” C, G, F.

*Consider arranging using more than one key. For example, you could begin in the key of A (which would make fiddlers, violinists and mandolin players happy), and eventually modulate to the key of Bb (which would make brass/woodwind players happy).

What if your bass player does not read notation? You could give him the chord chart instead. With the chart in hand he could make up his own accompaniment part. If he is an ear-trained player, he may wish to hear you play the melody in order to learn it and create his own version of the melody. The same goes for mandolin player—unless the mandolin player reads notation or tablature—in which case you would have already handed over the sheet music.

The pianist may be concerned about what to do when it comes time to play something other than the written part. This is where you truly begin the process of arranging. Have the pianist get a pencil ready and start marking the music with notes and arrows that describe where to go after a certain part is completed.

If you wish to create a harmony simply follow the basic harmony rule: Move the melody up one third . See the Down Yonder trio arrangement for an example of harmony (in the flute part beginning on measure 42. To move the melody up one third, simply look at the melody one-note-at-a-time. If the first note is a D, the harmony will play an F (or F#). As you work through this process you will find that some notes in the harmony will not sound good one third up from the melody. Some notes will need to reside one fourth or one fifth up from the melody while others will sound best “closer” to the melody. Ultimately, you will start to hear when a note sounds good or bad. “Trial and Error” is the most trustworthy tool at your disposal.

In the end, you will want to achieve the ability to play a tune in an arranged form that you enjoy. It can be simple or it can be complex. Your first arrangement should be simple. Have one instrument play melody while all other instruments accompany. Don't worry about including harmony until you feel that you have become somewhat comfortable with the process of arranging.