Big Band Songwriting Advice

You want a chart that slaps in the room. You want horn lines that punch like an espresso shot. You want a head melody that people whistle in the shower and a shout chorus that makes the trombone section grin like they just found a twenty. This guide gives you brutal honest advice, practical templates, and exercises you can use right now to write killer big band music.

Everything here is written for busy composers and arrangers who want results without the fluff. Expect actionable voicings, notation tips, rehearsal hacks, and a no nonsense approach to writing for horns, reeds, brass, and rhythm. We will explain terms so you know what the hell we are talking about. If an acronym appears we will define it so you do not have to look it up while procrastinating on social media.

What Is a Big Band

A big band is a large ensemble built around sections. Typical sections are saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. The rhythm section usually includes piano, bass, drums, and often guitar. Big band music can swing, funk, Latin, pop, or any style you want to shove through a horn front line. In practical terms, a big band chart is the written music copy read by players. That written music is called a chart or a score. A score shows all parts together. A part is the single player sheet that they actually read in rehearsal.

Basic Instrumentation and Roles

If you are arranging for the classic modern big band here is the usual lineup.

• Saxophones: five players. Usually two altos, two tenors, and one baritone. Each plays a saxophone which is a woodwind instrument. Do not assume all sax players read at the same level. Some are monsters. Others are learning to read fast. Label tricky rhythms clearly.
• Trumpets: four players. High range and bright attack. Trumpets cut through the mix and often carry fanfares, stabs, and high harmonies.
• Trombones: four players. Including bass trombone sometimes. Trombones provide weight, slide effects, and warm chordal support.
• Rhythm section: piano, bass, drums, guitar. Piano supplies harmony and fills. Bass holds the groove with walking or locked patterns. Drums drive time and texture. Guitar comping adds rhythmic slice and color.

Explain acronyms you might see. For example V7 is shorthand for a dominant seventh chord which often resolves to I or to minor. And ii V I is the progression built from the second degree, the fifth degree, and the tonic of a key. Saying ii V I out loud is the jazz way of saying two five one. It is the most common harmonic motion in jazz and big band writing.

Start With the Idea Not the Score

Do not open your notation software and hope for something divine to fall out. Start with a concept. A mood, a hook, a rhythmic cell, a lyric phrase, or even a single instrument groove. The concept is your North Star. It keeps the chart from becoming a random parade of clever things that do not belong together.

Real life example. You are writing a danceable swing chart for a wedding band that also wants to please parents. Concept: upbeat party swing with a singable head and a shout chorus that doubles as a dance break. Keep the chorus simple so guests can clap. That concept decides everything from instrumentation to the number of solos and the ending type.

Head Melody First Or Last

Both methods work. If you have the head melody first you will build arrangements that serve that melody. If you start with a groove you can write a melody that fits the pocket. If you care about memorable tunes write the melody first more often than not. If you are producing a vibe for a commercial gig start with groove and textural choices so the head slides into place.

Melody checklist

• A clear opening phrase that states the main interval or rhythmic motif.
• Contrast between phrase one and phrase two so the head feels like a small story not a loop.
• A hook or tag that is easy for non players to hum. Think five to eight notes maximum if you want a crowd to join.
• Strong ending. A cadence that either resolves to home or sets up a shout chorus or solo section.

Writing for Sections

Big band arranging is about putting sections to work. Sections can play the melody, provide background, create a riff bed, or trade with the rhythm section. Here are common section functions and how to write them.

Unison lines

Unison across a section means all instruments play the same line. It is powerful for clarity. Unison across different instruments gives a unique timbre. For example saxes in unison with trumpet one an octave higher gives clarity and sheen. Use unison for hooks and shout lines.

Harmony stacks

Divide a melody across the section into chords. Keep spacing sensible. If you stack five notes in the saxes do not place every interval too wide. Use close harmony in the upper voice cluster and spread in the lower voices for weight. Explain common voicing terms. A block voicing is when the section plays vertical harmonies together. A spread voicing means you space chord tones across octaves for a wider sound.

Riffs

A riff is a repeated melodic or rhythmic figure. Riffs are golden in big band writing because they anchor the groove and give players something to bite on. Riffs can be passed between sections. A trumpet riff answered by a sax riff is classic. Write riffs that are simple to read and fun to play. Repetition is your friend but change one bar later to keep things interesting.

Voicings That Work

Voicings are how you place chord tones across players. Here are practical voicing approaches you can use immediately.

Four part sax voicing

Use the five sax players flexibly. A common approach is to have the five saxes cover four voice parts with one player doubling or adding color. Example stack from top to bottom: alto one, alto two, tenor one, tenor two, baritone. If you need block chords do not forget the baritone is there to anchor the bottom. Spread the baritone down an octave when you want thunder.

Trumpet and trombone voicings

Trumpets are brilliant on top. Use them for high tension notes, fanfare intervals, and bright voicings. Trombones provide weight and mid range power. When writing tenors for brass think about the physicality of the instruments. Trombones can create slide effects and fat low notes. Trumpets can play in close, bright harmony. When you want smooth blend place trumpets in simple thirds and write the trombones in root position a little lower.

Rootless voicings explained

Rootless voicings are voicings of a chord that omit the root. The bass typically plays the root so the harmony still reads to the ear. Rootless voicings create smoother four part chords and make voice leading cleaner. Example: for a C7 chord you might write E, Bb, D, A which is the third, seventh, ninth, and thirteenth. The bass plays C. If you do not know these extensions start small. Use rootless voicings where the piano and guitar can handle inner movement while horns sing the melody line.

Harmony and Reharmonization

Harmony in big band writing can be straightforward or wild. The job is to support the melody and create movement between sections.

Basic reharmonization moves

• ii V I: The classic movement. In the key of C that is D minor, G7, C major. Use this to create strong cadences for the head or solos.
• Secondary dominants: Temporary dominants that lead into a chord. For instance A7 leads to D minor. These add forward motion and tension.
• Modal interchange: Borrow a chord from the parallel minor or major. In C major you might borrow Eb major from C minor for color. That creates surprise without breaking the tune.
• Chromatic planing: Move a chord shape up or down chromatically while keeping the chord quality. This makes a modern sounding progression that can be used in shout choruses.

Explain ii V I again in plain language. It is a common three chord motion that makes music feel like it is moving somewhere. Use it to signal endings and transitions. If you want to sound smart sprinkle ii V I into a bridge and suddenly listeners will assume you sweat jazz theory in your sleep.

Rhythm Section Tips

Rhythm section is the engine. Tell them what lane to ride in. Experiment with different textures for different sections of the chart.

• Piano comping: Short chords on beats that support the horns. Use rhythmic stabs or walking fills. If the piano is doing a lot, leave space for the horns.
• Bass: Decide walking bass for swing or locked groove for funk. If working with a bass player who needs charted lines write a bass part. Otherwise provide a bass guide or lead sheet with a feel note.
• Drums: Indicate ride patterns and breaks. If you want brushes write that. If you want a four on the floor state it. Drummers appreciate clear instructions more than passive aggression.
• Guitar: Use chord symbols for comp. A clear voicing instruction like mild comping with muted eighths can keep the pocket stable.

Writing Solos and Solo Spaces

Solo space is a gift. Give the soloist a clear harmonic map and a clear form. Players read chord symbols from charts. If you want solos to be free for hours do not expect a rehearsal to not explode into chaos.

Guidelines for solos

• Decide how long. Two choruses for a typical club set. Three choruses for featured players. Six choruses if the singer is fine with a long vamp and the wedding guests are dancing.
• Provide a solo guide. At minimum supply chord symbols and the key. For more control write out a suggested lick or motif that the soloist can use to start.
• Back off the arrangement under solos. Reduce dense horn textures to sparse hits or pads so the solo sits in the pocket. You do not want a soloist fighting text fails while trying to sound like they are in a haunted stadium.

Shout Chorus and Climaxes

A shout chorus is the moment the band says everything at once. It is usually the loudest and most arranged section. It can be a place for maximal voicings, rhythmic hooks, and riffs traded between sections.

How to build a shout chorus

1. Start by writing a short powerful riff for the full band. Think of a sentence you want the band to scream back at the audience.
2. Layer countermelodies. The trombones can hold a sustained block while trumpets play short accents and saxes run a descending line.
3. Use dynamics. Make a bar or two of hushed tension and then drop into the full scream. That contrast amplifies impact.
4. Include a rhythmic break or hit before the final phrase so the ending lands like a hammer.

Practical Notation and Charting Tips

Charts are not artworks for museums. They are tools for humans who are often sleep deprived. Make them readable. Here is a checklist that will keep your charts from being cursed in rehearsal.

• Clear transpositions. Trumpets and altos are transposing instruments. Label parts with their transpositions and clefs. A trumpet part in Bb should show the notes that the player reads, not the concert pitch. If you do not know transposition basics learn them now. It saves time and makes you less annoying.
• Tempo and feel. Mark the exact tempo number and also describe the feel. Example: quarter note equals 120, swing feel. If the feel is straight, write straight eighths. If it is Latin, name the Latin style.
• Rehearsal letters and bar numbers. Use rehearsal letters A B C and bar numbers every four or eight bars. Players use these to talk about the music. Without them rehearsals look like interpretive dance of suffering.
• Dynamics and articulation. Notate accents, slurs, staccato, and dynamics. Players will interpret unless told otherwise.
• Cueing. When an instrument is tacet or has a long rest give cues from other parts so the player knows when to come in. Players love being told where to listen.
• Print parts clearly. Use readable fonts and avoid tiny measures packed with notes. Spread things out. Players will thank you with better performances not backhanded compliments.

Working With Singers

Writing for a vocalist in a big band is a special skill. The vocalist needs space to own the melody. Horns should support and color not drown.

• Arrange smaller voicings under verses. Use brushes in the drums. Place the singer between two and six feet away from the trumpet blasts metaphorically and literally.
• Create horn responses. Horn hits after the singer phrases function like punctuation. Use short riffs that answer the lyric like a witty friend.
• Leave room for breath and phrasing. Do not write continuous horn lines under sung lines that end up breathing for the singer. If a singer needs more support write pad like sustained chords in the saxes.

Budget and Band Size Realities

Not every gig has sixteen players and a bus to haul them. Here is how to write big band style on a budget.

• Write for five horns and a rhythm section and use players who double. Example: three trumpets, two trombones, four saxes where a sax player doubles on clarinet when needed. Use economical voicings that still sound full.
• Use rhythm section textures to plug holes. A Rhodes or electric piano can thicken the rhythm section and provide harmonic body so you can reduce brass.
• Create click charts. For studio or backing track situations prepare a conductor chart with cues and a click track. It keeps the band tight even with fewer players.

Mixing Arrangement With Production

Big band music now often lives in recordings and streaming. You want your chart to translate to recorded format. Think about balance.

• Keep lead lines clear. If a sax melody competes with a vocal double in the chorus decide which one is primary. Use mixing to support the primary voice not arrangement gymnastics.
• Use reverb and space tastefully. Big band recorded live benefits from a realistic room reverb. Do not drown players in ambient sauce.
• Record multiple takes of shout chorus sections. Sometimes the best energy comes from comping the best bars from different takes.

Exercises and Drills

You will not get better by reading platitudes. Try these practical drills.

The Riff Ladder

1. Write a two bar riff for trumpets. Make it rhythmically catchy.
2. Pass that riff to the saxes two bars later and harmonize it. Keep the original trumpet riff repeating under as an ostinato if possible.
3. Change one note every four bars to escalate tension and release.

The Voicing Stack Drill

1. Pick a simple chord like C major 7.
2. Write five different voicings for that chord across the sax section using different spacing and doubling options.
3. Play them in sequence and choose the one with the best color. Keep the others as backups for other sections of the chart.

The Solo Map

1. Take your chorus and map the chord changes across eight bars.
2. Write three suggested phrases for the soloist based on the chord tones. These are seeds not chains.
3. Use these seeds to begin the solo and then let the player fly.

Common Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

We all make dumb choices. The goal is fewer dumb choices.

• Too many notes. If the band sounds like a busy farmer market cut. Remove inner voices and give space.
• Ignoring transposition. Double check every part for transposition errors before rehearsal. The trumpet in Bb reads differently than concert pitch. Fix it before you watch players suffer.
• Overwriting the solo. If your chart keeps the band playing full volume under a solo the soloist will struggle to breathe. Reduce density during solos.
• No clear form. Provide a chart map at the top with forms like AABA or 32 bar or 12 bar blues. Players will stop asking where the bridge is.

Real World Scenarios and Solutions

Scenario 1: The College Band With Limited Reads

You are writing for a college ensemble where reading is uneven and time is tight. Solution: Make readable parts. Use repeated patterns and simple rhythms. Avoid extreme ranges. Write riffs that lock with the rhythm section and give the band a sense of success early. If you want sophistication add a few inner voice leading moves in the saxes that the director can coach slowly.

Scenario 2: Club Gig With One Hour Load In

You have one hour to rehearse and sound check. Solution: Keep charts simple. Pre mark rehearsal letters and starting cues. Use a confident shout chorus that requires little rehearsal because it is rhythmically obvious. Let the band feed off the crowd energy and do not try to teach a complex metric modulation during sound check.

Scenario 3: Recording With a Featured Vocalist

The vocalist wants to ad lib at the end of the tune. Solution: Arrange a vamp tag with harmonic simplicity like a two chord vamp. Provide a planned moment for the ad lib and mark it clearly in the score. Use mutes or softer voicings so the singer can be the center of attention. Record a guide vocal for the band so timing is clear.

Tools And Software

Notation software will not make you a genius but it will make your parts legible. Popular options include Sibelius, Finale, and Dorico. Dorico is praised for modern engraving and workflow. Make sure you learn proper transposition settings and part extraction features so you do not spend hours copying notes and creating chaos.

Use a digital audio workstation or DAW like Ableton Live or Pro Tools to mock up arrangements and to test balances. A simple mock up with virtual instruments helps players understand vibe before rehearsal and saves precious time.

How To Get Better Fast

Write every week and finish something. Short forms are fine. A three minute chart that actually gets played teaches you more than an epic 20 minute suite that sits on your hard drive. Get feedback from musicians you trust. Pay attention to what players struggle to read and what they love to play. Those two things tell you where your strengths and blind spots are.

Listen with active ears. Take apart records by ear and transcribe riffs, voicings, and hits. If a horn section sounds great in a record transcribe one bar and then try to recreate the color with your ensemble. You will learn faster by copying then by theory alone.

Big Band Songwriting FAQ

What is the best instrumentation for a modern big band

Classic instrumentation is five saxes, four trumpets, four trombones, and a rhythm section of piano, bass, drums, and guitar. Modern bands vary. You can add electric keys, vibes, or strings depending on the project. Start with the classic template and add colors you need.

How do I write a shout chorus

Start with a powerful two or four bar riff. Layer countermelodies in different sections. Use block voicings for weight and add rhythmic hits and a break before the final statement. Make sure dynamics push from quiet to loud for impact.

What are lead sheets and charts and how are they different

A lead sheet is a simplified score that shows melody, chord symbols, and lyrics. It is used by small combos and jazz players for improvisation. A chart or full score contains all parts written out for each instrument. Use lead sheets when you want improvisation and charts when you want control.

How do I handle transposition for horn players

Transposing means writing music in the key the instrument reads. Trumpet and tenor sax are in Bb which means written C sounds as concert Bb. Alto sax is in Eb which means written C sounds as concert Eb. Learn the basic rules for common instruments or use notation software set to the correct instrument and it will handle it for you. Always double check parts before rehearsal.

How can I make a melody memorable

Keep the melody clear and singable. Use a strong opening interval, a simple rhythmic motif, and a repeated hook. Limit leaps unless they serve dramatic moments. Match lyric phrases to the natural rhythm of speech if you have lyrics.

How do I write for a singer with limited range

Know the singer's comfortable range and write the melody within it. Use transposition to move the chart up or down without changing the instrumental voicings when possible. Consider writing smaller interval jumps and give the singer space for phrasing and breath.

What are rootless voicings and when should I use them

Rootless voicings omit the root of the chord because the bass usually plays that note. They create smoother four part chords and allow for better voice leading. Use rootless voicings for piano and horn section pads when the bass is handling the low end.

How long should solos be in a big band arrangement

Solo length depends on context. Two choruses is a common length for club gigs. For features or recordings allow three to four choruses. Always provide cues to end solos. Too long and the energy can stall. Too short and the soloist may feel rushed.

Can I arrange pop songs for big band

Yes. Pop songs translate well when you reimagine the chordal and rhythmic textures for horns and rhythm section. Keep the essence of the song and use big band colors like brass stabs, sax pads, and shout choruses to elevate it.

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