A music arranger takes existing music and creates new arrangements for specific groups of musicians to play. They require a solid understanding of music theory and different instruments. Arrangements can be made for all genres and can be personalized for specific groups.
A music arranger takes a piece of music and arranges it, or presents it, for a specific group of musicians to play. An arranger does not create new pieces of music, but he does create new ways of playing old pieces. He works in various places and produces musical arrangements for many different types of musical groups.
Becoming a music arranger requires good music experience. These performers must have a solid understanding of not only how to read and write music, but also how different instruments work together. They must understand how to arrange the notes and volumes of various instruments so that melodies and harmonies best come through. While there are certainly some with natural ability, most arrangers have had some classical training, either through tutoring or formal music education, or both.
Organizing is similar to, and sometimes confused with, orchestration. Orchestration is presenting an existing piece of music to a certain group of musical instruments. The arrangement is a little different as it allows for some creativity in the musical arrangement. Harmonies can be changed and themes changed a bit, rhythms changed, new endings written or the piece can even be combined with another piece for a “mash-up”.
Arrangements can be made for all types of musical genres. Classical, popular, and jazz are among some of the most common genres to use arrangements. Sometimes they intersect, as jazz artists can borrow songs from popular music, or popular songs can borrow from classical music. A well-known example of this is The Beatle’s “With a Little Help From My Friends”, which was an upbeat pop song. A music arranger took the song and arranged it into a much more soulful version a few years later, which was performed by singer Joe Cocker. The two are the same song with completely different rhythms and patterns, a type of arrangement sometimes called a cover song.
Some arrangers work for publishing houses, producing sheet music for single instruments or combinations of instruments. A music arranger can also work to transform pieces of music into arrangements for larger ensembles, such as marching bands or orchestras. Sometimes this is a fixed process, meaning that a general arrangement that should work properly for most bands is created and mass-produced. Other times, arrangers work individually with a group to create a personalized piece of music. This is especially useful when dealing with a band working outside of standard methods or when entering a competition, such as a drum corps competition, where originality is essential.
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