SmarterGuide to A Cappella Arranging

i. Introduction

ii. About the Authors

I. Prologue: Enrichment as Purpose

II. First Principles

Setting the Stage
Composition and Notation
Voice Parts and Ranges
Syllables
Dynamics and Articulation
Breathing and Phrasing
Texture

III. Advanced Explorations

The Art of Song Selection 1: Genre and Audience
The Art of Song Selection 2: Mechanics and Logistics
Arranging for Co-Ed Groups 0: Before You Begin
Arranging for Co-Ed Groups 1: Range + Voicings
Arranging for Women’s Voices 0: Before You Begin
Arranging for Women’s Voices 1: Range Limits
Arranging for Women’s Voices 2: Range Compensation
Arranging for Women’s Voices 3: Common Challenges
Arranging for Small Groups 0: Before You Begin
Arranging for Small Groups 1: Consovowels and Suggestion
Arranging for Small Groups 2: Handling Harmonies
Case Study 1: Subdivision, Basslines, and Memory in “Get Ready”
Case Study 2: The Power of the Bassline to Establish Style
Arranger’s Toolbox 1: Bell Chords to Try
Arranger’s Toolbox 2: Bell Chords in Transcriptions
Arranger’s Toolbox 3: Bell Chords to Embellish
Arranger’s Toolbox 4: Vocal Percussion
Arranger’s Toolbox 5: Non-traditional Notation

IV. Arranging Step-By-Step

The Quick and Dirty 10-Step Guide
Arranging Walk-Through: Happy Birthday

V. Deconstructed (Free) Arrangements

TTBB – Army – Ben Folds Five – arr. Yuri Broze
TTBB – Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen – arr. Yuri Broze
Other Free Arrangements from the Broze Brothers

Introduction

Welcome to the SmarterGuide to A Cappella Arranging, constantly in progress. Expect to find here a thorough working-out of all the concepts and skills you’ll need in order to do a bang-up job at arranging for a cappella, all written within the hands-on explorimental SmarterMusic concept of education. We’ll take on the easy and hard topics, and commit ourselves to Duke Ellington’s grand philosophy of music:

“If it sounds good, it is good.”

—Duke Ellington

That is, we are not dogmatists and not prescriptivists; our aim is to explore which techniques produce which results and not to stipulate any best way. After all, if it weren’t for variety and freedom of choice, there would be no art!

The guide is split into five parts: Prologue, First Principles, Advanced Explorations, Arranging Step-By-Step, and Deconstructed (Free) Arrangements. If you’re new to the idea of a cappella arranging, the posts in First Principles will help acquaint you with the types of things you should be thinking about, and prepare you with a general outline of the process. Second, the Advanced Explorations consists of topically-arranged articles, each with different ideas, information, and analysis. Then, Step-By-Step arranging procedures will be explored to help show how the process might play out in real life. Finally, Deconstructed Arrangements will provide full retrospective analyses of completed arrangements, including scores and audio samples. Learn as much as you wish about anything and everything, and don’t be afraid to let us know what you think — questions, comments, insights, and insults are all appreciated.

We’ll be slowly constructing this guide in the coming months — please share any feedback you’d like. For custom arrangements from Yuri, please visit the Broze Brothers, or from Dan, visit MusicaRanger.