Can I have two different instruments play the same melody at the same octave?

Question

I am writing an orchestral track and so far I have written the melody of strings (violins and such) and I want to add trumpets and here are 3 things I consider.1) Have the trumpets play the same melody as the violins at the exact same octave, is there any reason I should consider this?2) Have the trumpets play a counter melody to the violins, 3) Have the trumpets play the same melody of the violins an octave apart.Does 1 sound good at all?Which of the above generally will give the best result?

Answer 1

Like Buzz mentioned earlier, there are a lot of answers to your question that really depend on the context and the style of music. Also as mentioned, orchestration books are the key to understanding all of this! I also use the Alfred Blatter Instrumentation and Orchestration book, as well as any others I can get my hands on.

To answer directly your three questions (without context of the actual music itself):

1. As a general rule, any instrument can double any other on the same note, with varying degrees of success. A violin section and a trumpet can sound quite wonderful, depending on the phrasing, dynamics, and the range and register for both instruments.
2. Counter melodies can sound quiet wonderful, but again, depends heavily on the context and the style of playing. I would say that trumpets below violins tends to be more prevalent, if for no other reason than because of their note ranges and registers.
3. Similar to (2), trumpets below violins works well! Above violins can work well too, but you have to keep register of the trumpets in mind a lot more than if they were below.

To really drive Buzz's point home, orchestration books are AWESOME resources! And, while you are at it, I highly recommend either trying out some doublings live (if possible), or using a sequencer if you don't have any friends who play the instruments you want to try out.

Good luck, and have fun with it! Please feel free to add a comment if you would like more information or would like to clarify anything.

Answer 2

This is not really a question that can be answered without hearing the piece. What is the genre? How about the mood you are going for? Are the lines legato? Staccato? Phrasing? There are too many factors that need to be considered when orchestrating. Is a real orchestra performing this or are you doing a midi arrangement using samples? Orchestration is a very involved subject. You should pick up some books on it such as Techniques of Orchestration or something similar. If you are arranging for/orchestrating for modern or popular music, the Henry Mancini book is essential.

I know this doesn't help you much but again there are too many unknown factors involved.

Best of luck