Full Orchestration
Reed 1: Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Eb Clarinet (or Bb Clarinet), Soprano Saxophone & Alto Saxophone
Reed 2: Flute (or Clarinet), Piccolo (or Clarinet), Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone & Alto Saxophone
Reed 3: Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone & Tenor Saxophone
Reed 4: Bassoon (or Bass Clarinet), Clarinet & Baritone Saxophone
Reed 5: Oboe & English Horn
Horn
Trumpet 1 &2 (1st doubling Flugelhorn)
Trombone 1 (Tenor, doubling Baritone or Euphonium)
Trombone 2 (Bass)
Percussion:
Bass Drum, Snare Drum, 2 Tom-toms, Floor Tom, High Bongo, Hi-Hat, Suspended Cymbals (Small, Chinese, Top, Crash, Ride), Cowbell, 2 Wood Blocks, 2 Temple Blocks, Timpani (2 drums), Bells, Xylophone, Triangle, Ratchet, Bird Whistle & Siren Whistle
Guitar/Banjo
Synthesizer: Registrations for Accordion, Celeste, String Pad, Harp, Pipe Organ, Pedal Steel Guitar (with various pitch wheel settings) & optional Cash Register SFX
Piano
Violin 1 & 2 (3 stands)
Cello (1 stand)
Bass
Stage Band Tenor Saxophone [cued in Reed III part]
Stage Band Trombone [cued in Trombone I part]
Stage Band Piano (doubling Accordion) [cued in Piano and Synthesizer parts, respectively]
Stage Band Percussion [cued in Percussion part]: Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Tom-tom, Hi-Hat, Suspended Cymbal, Cowbell & Wood Block
Flexible Combo (Flexbo) InstrumentationThe Flexbo is the best way to have the advantage of orchestral writing while using a smaller ensemble. The foundation of a Broadway orchestration is the rhythm section: Piano, Bass and Drums. The remainder of the orchestra — woodwinds, brass and strings — are the “melodic” parts added to provide richness, depth and tonal color. The number of players required for these added parts may be as few as nine and more often twenty to twenty-five. The four Flexbo parts, A, B, C and D, contain the essential musical lines heard from the “melodic” instruments in the full orchestration. While the best results will be achieved using all four Flexbo parts, they have been cued so that even fewer of them can be used.
1 Flexbo A: Trumpet, doubling Flugelhorn
1 Flexbo B: Alto Saxophone, Clarinet & optional Flute
1 Flexbo C: Tenor Saxophone & Clarinet
1 Flexbo D: Trombone with optional Bass trigger
1 Percussion:
Bass Drum, Snare Drum, 2 To-toms, Floor Tom, High Bongo, Hi-Hat, Suspended Cymbals (Small, Chinese, Top, Crash, Ride), Cowbell, 2 Wood Blocks, 2 Temple Blocks, Timpani (2 drums), Bells, Xylophone, Triangle, Ratchet, Bird Whistle & Siren Whistle
1 Guitar/Banjo
1 Synthesizer: Registrations for Accordion, Celeste, String Pad, Harp, Pipe Organ, Pedal Steel Guitar (with various pitch wheel settings) & optional Cash Register SFX
1 Piano (playing from the Piano-Conductor’s Score)
1 Bass
The Flexbo arrangement has been designed to sound complete when played by Piano only, or with the addition of one to eight players. The Piano is essential and must use the Piano-Conductor’s Score.
Parts A, B, C and D must be added in alphabetical order. (Part B may not be used without Part A, etc.)
The rhythm section players may be added to the Piano in any sequence, although Bass and one Percussion (on trap set) are more valuable than the three remaining parts: the Guitar, the Synthesizer and the second Percussion (on mallet instruments).
All Stage Band music is included in the following parts:
Stage Band Tenor Saxophone [cued in Flexbo B]
Stage Band Trombone [cued in Flexbo A]
Stage Band Piano (doubling Accordion): Piano-Conductor’s Score [Accordion also cued in Synthesizer part]
Stage Band Percussion [cued in Percussion part]