Instrumentation recognition help thread

[Ricky]

Yeah, ever since olimar told me too. It makes a huge difference, but my ears are still not that great.

What I did basically was listen to the different parts of the piece several times and write down the different instruments (which might be incorrect) that I've heard gradually. Then I was checking if it was right or if I missed something etc. A good idea is to think high, low and middle.

But on the other hand I've done much practice at instrument recognition recently by checking out videos about different instruments on Youtube and also by score reading (which I'm really bad at but already much better than I was, in some cases it was more of just active listening and trying to follow what happens (without much notice of the actual pitches and harmonies etc.)) so don't worry, you will get (much) better with practice.

[Ricky]

In "Greede the Capital of Freedom" I have trouble figuring out the voice parts (especially as the voice lines seem so fluid) so I need some help. For now I will just ask one question to feel more certain: At about 0:20 the tenor and bass part starts. My question/s is/are if the tenor starts the part with singing an F below middle C and if the bass comes in on the second beat and sings a C below middle C?

Some info that might be useful: It seems like the piece is in 4/4. The key signature has 3 flats (Bb, Eb & Ab) in the start and a Db appears later on. The piece starts on F which seems to be its' tonic which means the piece at least in the start is in F Dorian (whether the Db is to be interpreted as some kind of modulation or if it's a switch to the parallell aeolian is something I haven't figured out yet).

[Brassman388]

There are only three voices from what I can tell. You can have the bass and the tenor parts labeled as Baritone or something like that. As far as I know, there are only three.

I hope this answers your question.

[Ricky]

There are only three voices from what I can tell. You can have the bass and the tenor parts labeled as Baritone or something like that. As far as I know, there are only three.

I hope this answers your question.

That would make things easier.

Can anyone here confirm this?

[Brassman388]

Old Gregorian Chants didn't use the SATB notation. They used an entire different notation all together. However, for our purposes I'm saying use Soprano, Alto, and Baritone. I believe a Baritone can hit a low A in the Bass Clef range and a Low D in the Treble Clef range.

This should accomplish what you want.

[Ricky]

Old Gregorian Chants didn't use the SATB notation. They used an entire different notation all together. However, for our purposes I'm saying use Soprano, Alto, and Baritone. I believe a Baritone can hit a low A in the Bass Clef range and a Low D in the Treble Clef range.

This should accomplish what you want.

I don't see how this can be compared to an old gregorian chant. Gregorian chants are monophonic, this obviously isn't. Do you refer to medieval music in general or so? Then it might be truer (although women's voices weren't used at first at least).

[Brassman388]

The style of the piece is what I'm talking about. My goodness, everyone has to be so specific.

Anyways, that's my advice.

[Ricky]

So, back to Greede, at 2:07 to 2:10 for example (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9tTSx5SI6A) isn't it tenor voices over the bass voice? To me it sounds like high male voices rather than low female voices.

[Jompa]

I think they ound like low female voices.

[Ricky]

Alright, thanks!