| I am often available to offer my skills as a composer, arranger or orchestrator. I have worked as an orchestrator for singers, poets and as a copyist for other composers who are just too busy, or are not comfortable with Finale. These services are not cheap, I am sorry to say, but if you want something done the way you want it and in a timely matter, you'll be lucky if you can find a professional composer to do such services. |
| Listed below are the most common services that I perform. Due to the nature of the work involved, most of my prices are done through direct negotiation as every project that I have come across is so different. I have however given a general price range for common projects. Canadian Prices are in parenthesis. Copyist / Engraver $30 per part + $20 per extra hour each part takes - prices are negotiable What does a Copyist / Engraver do? As a copyist my job is to simply take your ideas, plug them into Finale and print off the score and parts for you. Normally you, the composer hands me rough drafts (can be hand written or computer generated) and I take care of them. A Copyist is not an arranger, or orchestrator. If you hire me as a Copyist, then ask me to orchestrate, you will be charged an orchestration fee of $100.00, on top of a $50.00 and hour salary for orchestrating, on top of the standard copyist fee, and by law, I must be credited on the copyright as an orchestrator and am then awarded part ownership of the piece and must be compensated in the form of royalties *A note about pricing of parts* Lets pretend that you hire me to engrave a hand written score for string quartet. 4 parts at $30 per part comes to $120 Now say the piece is a bit long and it takes me 4 hours to complete the 2nd Violin part. That would be priced as follows. $30 for that first hour and $20 for each additional hour, totalling $90. If all the parts took me that long (4 hours each), your total for the string quartet would be $340 - for 16 hours of work. For long projects, we will negotiate a salary See some examples of engraving work that I have done for Imagine Music Publishing Arranger Jazz Combo $200 up to 6 parts, $10 for every part extra Pop Tune $50 ($60) For a standard length pop tune (3 - 6 minutes) Full Size Big Band - Negotiated What does and Arranger do? Very few people seem to know or even care about the differences between and Orchestrator and an Arranger. Basically an Arranger has less creative involvement than an Orchestrator. A composer gives his song idea to the Arranger, tells the arranger what he wants each player to basically do, and he tells the arranger what the overall orchestration needs to sound like. The Arranger then takes these directions and creates the score, complete with transpositions. By law the Arranger must be credited in the copyright and is usually compensated with dividends from royalties, but this is negotiable. Orchestrator All Projects involving a Orchestrator are completely negotiated in every aspect from pay to creative license. What does an Orchestrator do? An Orchestrator is the composer's right and left arm. An Orchestrator works directly with the composer throughout the entire realization of the piece. The biggest difference between and Arranger and Orchestrator is that an Arranger is told what to do, an Orchestrator decides what to do. In other words, the composer will come up with a melody and have an Orchestrator decide what is the best instrument and voicing to use. An Arranger is told what instrument gets the melody, although an Arranger would decide on voicing if an orchestration problem arises that the composer can not solve. Generally the composer and Orchestrator act as equal partners and often, but not always become equal owners of the copyright. Rogers and Hammerstein II are the quintessential example of a Composer / Orchestrator relationship, see also Howard Ashman / Alan Menken or Sir Elton John / Tim Rice as other examples. |
| Commission Of course any composer will gladly score an original work for you. Typically, most people only commission a composer for major events such as Presidential Inaugurations, Ascensions to the Throne and that sort. However I would be honored to compose your wedding music, general celebratory music, or if you just and plain ordinary guy who wants a Symphony composed for your truck. Prices are negotiated for each individual project, as no two will be alike. So..... How does it work? First, you must contact me. Then I'd prefer if we got a chance to meet in person. it is my belief that If I know and have a real friendship with a client, the happier that client will be with the outcome. The better I know you, the more I can tailor your piece to your personality and for your occasion. Then you describe to me what you want the music to sound like. How long you need it to be, and what musicians will be performing it. Then I go to work. A note to doting brides, I understand the need for the perfect music for the biggest day of your life, and you will get just that, the perfect music. Just bear in mind that composing music is very time consuming. A piece could easily take months to complete depending on what your specifications are. So please plan accordingly and give me ample time to do the job well. Feel free to contact me about anything! My email is davidangelo@cherryblossomoverture.com |
| Composer for Hire |
