Portamental is dedicated to the exploration of music in all its forms and the promotion of musical understanding for all. Contributors include:
Pianist, instrumentalist, vocalist, arranger, molecular biologist and music theorist. Former Music Director of the Achordants. For arranging services, see Broze Brothers Music; for performing and lessons, see Yuri Broze.com.
Accomplished guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and photographer.
Composer, arranger, double bassist, writer, and didgeridoo builder. Music Director of Brandeis University's Rather Be Giraffes. For arrangement and other sundry music services, check out MusicaRanger.
We like InterCaps.
This expands far beyond “Clocks” by Coldplay — thank goodness. Bell chords are used by all kinds of groups in all kinds of different situations, and are not limited to those in which a pop piano accompaniment must be imitated. Let’s take a good look at the different ways these can turn out, and when [...]
FAQ Style, everyone’s favorite! How do I get started? Figure out the key, time signature, and how many staves you want. Listen to the general structure of the song so you get a feel for the arc of the entire song, as well as the important themes. Jot that down, be you at a keyboard [...]
While arranging music for any a cappella group requires musical sensibility–not necessarily training, but sensibility–arranging music for an all-female group requires particular dexterity. It is a socially challenging activity, especially at an 18% Greek liberal arts school when you’re asking hot, cool girls to sing nonsense syllables. More often than not, collegiate a cappella groups [...]
This case study is on subdivision in parts, both within the bass and the upper voices. Additionally, we’ll touch on a few other techniques, such as accommodating vocal backup parts within your arrangement, changing the feel of a tune, and arranging from memory instead of from a recording. Let’s shall, yes? The tune of the [...]
A Notre Dame conductus from sometime around 1200. I’m worn out from writing admissions essays. If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe. This is haunting — only the most perfect consonances were treated as [...]
The goodness just keeps coming. Here’s more Stevie, live in his youth: If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe. More tongue-clicking at 1:29! And he looks like he’s sitting particularly low at the keyboard; [...]
Live at Montreaux in 2001. A fantastic job by these guys, who also had a remarkable duet album. If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe.
Another one already, you say? Sounds great. This track was inspired in a large way by the Ben Folds Live CD — the excitement of the crowd in singing the descant part along. This is a strong arrangement, and takes a very different tack than Don’t Stop Me now. Here, the parts aren’t as difficult [...]
This is a delightful track that bears closer scrutiny. It begins in an ambiguous 6/8 and 3/4 that also has an overriding 4/2 feel in the vocals that combines two measures at once. This is already incredibly clever, but at 0:38, suddenly we’re thrown for a loop into 4/4, with syncopated melody. Then, there’s a [...]
From time to time, I’ll be posting arrangements from the Broze Brothers collection, along with in-depth descriptions of the techniques used and why. Take them as arranging tutorials. Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen. TTBB, as sung by The Achordants. A firey and energetic song, to say the least! This arrangement is challenging but rewarding, [...]
