Cues for Conducting an Orchestra : How to Code Orchestral Score

Color-coding an orchestral score can be a big help in conducting. Learn tips for conducting an orchestra in this free conducting lesson from an experienced conductor.

Expert: Brandon Archer
Bio: Brandon Archer has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Wheaton Conservatory of Music. He has more than five years of teaching experience conducting bands and orchestras.
Filmmaker: MAKE | MEDIA

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• classical
• music
• orchestra
• conducting
• conductor
• symphony
• opera
• ballet
• free
• how
• to
• Expert
• Village

[MCTrumpetAce21]

if you can't see THAT much red -- if all that crayon doesn't "catch your eye" -- then you're colorblind, dude! part of score-reading is LEARNING THE SCORE. if you don't automatically see the entrance after the rest WITHOUT a big honkin' yellow star, then you need to look for another profession...

These videos should absolutely NOT be used for educational purposes, except as a model of what NOT to do.

[NateMelo614]

I think its beneficial...no matter how good you are, why not be prepared to screw up...? you should be able to do whatever helps, conducting is an art form, as is music...each conductor is different...a piece conducted by 2 different people will never sound the same...its only natural..I say go for color coding to help in getting out what the editor/composer wished!

[ninjakid165]

visual learner obviously.cmon guys

[gaemp]

it looks like an ART ATTACK on Disney Channel.... just incredible that people like him talk about music!!!!

[musiced29]

Have you ever seen a score Gustav Mahler conducted? Look at Mengelberg's scores. They where full with cues, codes, tempo markings, etc. If you conduct an orchestra/chorus or whatever, you shopuld know your score, but it doesn't matter at all HOW you study the score. Do whatever works for you. I once conducted Strawinsky's Psalm Symphony and the score was full with makings and colors, it helped me to find the structure of the piece.

[jumpdookie]

Many great conductors marked their scores with colors. Ormandy truly led the way on this and many other followed suit. Yes it is important to study the score. It is the most important aspect of conducting! However, how the score is studied is up to the conductor. This is less of a way to conduct and more of a way to study and rehearse

[EbonHawkProductions]

This is absolutely ridiculous! I don't think he needs to colour code his score if he can't read the music corectly, i think he needs glasses! After conducting Les Toreadors from Carmen i know where the woodwind should enter and where the violins should drop to p: simply by studying the music and by listening to other orchestras play it

[weatherreport82]

color coding? is this guy straight out of kindergarden? oh wait...yes

[1401JSC]

Oh dear!

A conductor should KNOW his score.

You learn it by reading what's there, not by pretty coloured marks!

Who would colour a poem in order to learn it?

[LandownerRecords]

He can't see, at a glance, where the violins, viola, and cello come in!? It's where you see a whole bunch of those little black things on them lines.

[Evextonn]

mein gott... why cant u just print the whole score in different colors, c soft = light blue , c forte = light red and also have different colors for different notes... oh i forgot we can have different colors for the lines on the staves tooo .. it would help in case we forgot... and we could also write Treble clef next to the Treble clef in flourescent...

as MCTrumpetAce21 said "These videos should absolutely NOT be used for educational purposes, except as a model of what NOT to do. "