The Technique Of Orchestration Kent Kennan Pdf May 2026

Week 1 — Instrument basics: Learn ranges, transpositions, and characteristic timbres for woodwinds and brass. Score short 8-bar solos for each instrument to test idiomatic writing.

Week 2 — Strings & harp: Practice writing legato lines, divisi, pizzicato, harmonics, and harp pedaling for simple textures (16–32 bars).

Week 3 — Combined textures: Create duos/trios (wind + strings), exploring doubling and blending; focus on balance and register choices. The Technique Of Orchestration Kent Kennan Pdf

Week 4 — Articulations & effects: Score passages using mutes, extended techniques (where relevant), and percussion colors; note practical constraints.

Week 5 — Full ensemble: Orchestrate a short piano piece (32–64 bars) for chamber orchestra, apply reduction and re-orchestration techniques. Week 1 — Instrument basics: Learn ranges, transpositions,

Week 6 — Revision & mockup: Revise score based on playback and/or reading session with live players; refine voicings, dynamics, and cueing.

Modern editions of the book come with a CD (or digital audio files). The PDF version is often useless without these examples. Kennan famously chose excerpts from Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, and Copland’s Appalachian Spring to demonstrate specific effects. If you find a PDF, ensure it includes the listening guide. Week 3 — Combined textures: Create duos/trios (wind

In an age of Virtual Studio Technology (VST) and sampled orchestras, some might argue that a book written decades ago is obsolete. The opposite is true. Sample libraries are getting better at mimicking reality, but knowing how to write for a real instrument prevents your sampled mockups from sounding synthetic.

Kennan’s writing style is succinct and unpretentious. He doesn't dazzle you with flowery language; he gives you the tools you need to write idiomatically. He covers the nuances of bowing, breathing, and embouchure that computer programs often ignore.