I’m writing a piece for wind band where some of the group will be singing a melody. I’m now tasked with the question: Do I notate the singing in sounding pitch (making it easier for them to find their pitches) or in transposing pitch (witch could work as a backup to have them play the melody instead of singing)?
Or both? (How would I do that…?)
I’m also thinking of writing it in transposing pitch and providing a separate “Choir” part for those bars, giving me the option to have it either as one single melody or as 3 or 4 part choir… And the conductor could assign whoever he wants to being a singer at that point…
The standard for a “band vocal” is just to leave it in the same transposition as the instrument they are playing. That way they can always just play through it at rehearsal to hear the pitches. If it’s a true double, like a trumpet player putting down the trumpet and going up to the mic to sing with a trio or quartet, then sure, switch to concert pitch.
To give some more information, this will be some type of hymn, where at some point the main theme will be sung (or rather hummed) by most of the people; with tubas, some low brass and percussion building the harmonic and rhythmic foundation.
I think I would be inclined to leave it as transposed pitches. Most “band vocals” are pretty short though. If it’s extended for a long period of time, or the musicians are trained vocalists, then I’d switch to concert. Probably a bit of a judgement call.
I’ve had to do something like this a couple of times (as an engraver, not composer). In each case the feedback from the performers was to write the sung lines untransposed. This opinion could be different in different ensembles, genres, countries etc.
Maybe it would make sense to use an ossia staff for the untransposed sung bits. You could even then leave the same material transposed in the instrument staff if there is a chance it might need to be played.
I’d be curious to hear back what you decide on.
Thanks for you answer!
Ossia staves are an interesting idea… Never had to use them before, but I’ll think about it. As you say, it would provide a way to have the sung part in an ossia staff above, and something else (can be the transposed melody, but could actually be something more rhythmical) in the main staff… Interesting, thanks!
Obviously, you’ll have to deal with changing the key sig if you switch from transposed to concert too. (Unless it’s open key which might make it even more confusing.) Here’s how I’ve usually encountered it with short little “band vocals.”
I guess it also depends on the level of the band/musicians but I’d be inclined to leave the vocal parts transposed, for the same reasons @FredGUnn mentioned. Writing at sounding pitch will also require players of transposing instruments to make that mental switch, and if it’s an amateur band that might be a stretch. I’m playing a piece with a community band where an almost tutti vocal passage is included but where the incomprehensible engraving decision was made to 1. notate the vocals untransposed while 2. not mentioning that anywhere and 3. not changing the key sig even though the piece is not keyless. Needless to say, that became a total clusterf chaos. Truly the work of a madman.
So if you’re going with sounding pitch, be sure to make that clear.
