Arranging 1: Rhythm Section
Arranging 1: Rhythm Section explores all aspects of writing and arranging for the rhythm section. Part of Berklee’s required core curriculum, this music arrangement course will teach you how to write for the rhythm section (drums, bass, guitar, and keyboards) and create killer arrangements that really groove. This music arrangement course also directs you on everything you’ll need to create an effective arrangement; including rhythm section notation, adaptation of the melody and chords, intros and endings, articulations and dynamics, and how to create an emotional contour throughout the arrangement. Arranging 1: Rhythm Section is essential learning for anyone interested in arranging music for a band, you’ll discover how to pick and choose the techniques that work best for you, and how to put them all together in a way that will get everyone moving!
By the end of this course, you will:
- Know the parts of a song and be able to analyze a lead sheet
- Understand drum notation
- Understand bass notation in Swing, Bossa Nova, Samba, Latin, Pop/Rock and Funk styles
- Understand guitar and keyboard notation
Syllabus
Lesson 1 Parts of a Song
Lesson 2 Adapt Your Lead Sheet
Lesson 3 Drum Notation
Lesson 4 A Closer Look at Drum Notation
Lesson 5 Bass Notation
Lesson 6 Bass in Pop/Rock, Funk, and Fusion
Lesson 7 Introductions, Endings, Articulations, and Dynamics
Lesson 8 Guitar Notation
Lesson 9 Guitar Notation Continued
Lesson 10 Keyboard Notation
Lesson 11 Keyboard and Guitar
Lesson 12 Final Review
Requirements
Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Completion of Music Notation and Score Preparation Using Finale or Music Notation Using Sibelius and Music Theory 101 or equivalent knowledge and experience is required. Recommended experience in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) of choice.
Students should be able to:
- understand music theory, including intervals, chords, major and minor scales, and key signatures
- read both treble and bass clef notation
- notate music and create MIDI or audio files
Students will be required to submit both scores (PDF format) and recordings (MP3 of MIDI) of their assignments and will have a few different options for submitting the recordings. If using a notation program such as Finale or Sibelius to create their scores, students can save and submit them as MIDI files. Alternatively, students can record live musicians playing their scores and submit them as MP3 files, using audio recording software such as Audacity. As a third option, students can sequence their scores in a program like Reason, Cakewalk by BandLab, Digital Performer, etc., and submit them as MIDI or MP3 files.
Required Textbook(s)
- None required
Software Requirements
- Finale (full version), or Sibelius (full version) Note that Finale Notepad, PrintMusic, and Finale Guitar are not sufficient for use in the course.
Hardware Requirements
- A printer is recommended, so that you can print out scores used in the course
General Course Requirements
Instructors
Author
Suzanne Dean is an arranger, composer, keyboardist, guitarist, vocalist and educator.
In addition to releasing two albums on Nova Records, she worked as an orchestrator on the television series Jake and the Fatman, and taught at Berklee College of Music from 1997-2017. Her new EP Come To Paradise, was released in April of 2016. One of Suzanne’s songs, Ngizohmaba, was nominated for Best World Traditional Song by her Independent Music Awards fans, for 2016.
Suzanne received an Associate’s Degree in music from the University of Maine in Augusta, after which she spent some years performing and was the leader of her own jazz quartet. She then attended Berklee College of Music and received a Bachelor’s of Music in Film Scoring. After a move to LA, and releasing her first two albums, she attended the Master’s program in music composition at California State University in Northridge, California.
Suzanne released her first album on Nova Records in 1987, entitled Dreams Come True. Her second album was released in 1991, entitled I Wonder. These albums featured some of L.A.’s finest studio musicians, such as contemporary jazz greats John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Peter Erskine. These recordings received worldwide distribution and continue to receive airplay in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. The writing and arranging vary from acoustic jazz to fusion and incorporate orchestral elements. In addition to composing and arranging music on the albums, she also served as the keyboardist and vocalist on several of the tracks.
Suzanne’s newest CD Come to Paradise, features well-known LA session musicians including saxophonist Bob Sheppard and guitarist Dean Parks. The music is eclectic but this time consists entirely of original songs for which she wrote both the music and lyrics, with the exception of one song, which was co-written. For this new CD, Suzanne features Nicole Zuraitis, a New York based vocalist versed in a multitude of styles. Suzanne adds some vocals on a few tracks and plays 8 string ukulele on the title track.
Suzanne recently retired as Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music in the Contemporary Writing and Production Department. She taught Music Application and Theory, Arranging 1, Harmony 2, The Music of Laurel Canyon, Women Songwriters of the 20th Century, Artistry Creativity and Inquiry and Arranging for Songwriters. She also authored and teaches Arranging 1: Rhythm Section, for Berklee online. Read Less
Instructor
Dan Moretti is an American Saxophonist, Recording Artist, Composer, Producer and Educator. He has been on the faculty at Berklee College of Music in Boston since 1996 and currently is holding a full timeposition as Professor intheCWP (Contemporary Writing and Production)department. He was given the school’s “CurriculumDevelopment Award” for his popular on-campus course “Groove Writing”. At Berklee Online the course is called “Arranging Contemporary Styles.” In 2008, his book “Producing and Mixing Contemporary Jazz”was released on Hal Leonard-Berklee Press. In 2010 Dan collaborated with Matthew Nichol and Oscar Stagnaro on the book “Essential Grooves”for Sher Music, which is required for Arranging Contemporary Styles.
Dan has 18 recordings released worldwide. His newest “Invoke” is on the label Dodicliune. From 2000 until the present, Dan has also been active in Europe and America performing his music at festivals and presenting seminars in Italy, Turkey, England, Belgium, Holland, France, Switzerland, Ireland, Africa, Ecuador and Gibraltar as-well-as being a sideman with artists like Nile Rodgers and Chic. Some of the performers he played with are Robert Plant, Stevie Nicks, Chaka Khan, Kid Rock, George Duke, Solomon Burke, and Steve Winwood, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Robert Plant, Kid Rock, Cornell Dupree, Jerry Jemmott, The Temptations, Mike Stern, Omar Hakim, Jimmy Cobb, Dave Samuels, Dave Liebman, Marvin Stamm, Nat Adderly, and The Crusaders. Read Less
Instructor
Bassist, arranger, and composer Mark Poniatowski is an assistant professor in the Contemporary Writing and Production department at Berklee College of Music. His extensive performing experience includes the Bruce Katz Band, Kenny Hadley Big Band, Soul Kitchen, Floyd Dixon, Junior Watson, Janiva Magness, and Kid Ramos. His performances throughout the United States and Europe include the Boston Globe Jazz Festival, Orange County Blues Festival, The River Festival, The Natt Jazz Festival in Norway, and at the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Austria. His recordings include Mississippi Moan, Something Like That, It’s About the Blues, Radio Fusion Radio, and More Than Live. Poniatowski holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Berklee College of Music and a Master of Music from New England Conservatory.
What’s Next?
When taken for credit, Arranging 1: Rhythm Section can be applied towards these associated programs:
Associated Certificate Programs
- General Music Studies Professional Certificate
- General Music Studies Advanced Professional Certificate
- Arranging Professional Certificate
- Writing and Producing Music Advanced Professional Certificate
Associated Degree Majors
- Bachelor’s Degree in Music Production
- Bachelor’s Degree in Music Business
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Music Production and Sound Design
- Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Music Studies (Create Your Own Major)
- Bachelor’s Degree in Songwriting
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