Instrumentation - Color Me a Song

[Meteo Xavier]

This topic exists for three purposes:

1. Because Ocremix is my only source of human interaction right now.

2. Because this could help me out if it draws some conversation.

3. Because I'm genuinely curious and it sounds like a fun topic.

So because 80% of us are either musicians or budding musicians (or failed musicians for that matter), I often wonder if anyone else tries to color their songs as they work on them.

You don't just choose instruments by random to cover chords and leads and where, you try to, and forgive my artistic faggotry here, you try to paint a picture with music here. If you want music to sound like Autumn, you get a couple guitars, an oboe/flute a bass/cello and fiddle. If you want music to sound like Winter, you use wind sounds, twinkly leads, sleigh bells and low bass vibrations. If you want a lake, you use a piano and warm pad, etc.

So here's what I've come up with, based on little else than nothing and the General MIDI map, and I wonder if anyone else can contribute.

Redish: Oboe, Taiko Drum, Sitar, Drawbar Organ, Reed Organ

Orange: Most brass, Church Organ, Harpsichord, some synth bass, Bassoon, Acoustic Guitar

Yellow: Banjo, Shamisen, Clavicle, Fiddle, English Horn

Green: Nature sound effects, Steel Drum, Agogo, Synth Drum, Synth String 1, Orch. Hit

Blue: Square Wave, most flutes, most choirs, Electric Piano, harp

Purple: Hazy B3 Organ, some distortion guitars, Bandneon,

Brown: Slap Bass, Acoustic Bass, Xylophone, Koto, Kalimba, Pizzicato

Black: Distortion guitar chords, sub bass, Timpani, low piano

White: Saw Wave, String Ensemble, High Piano, Celeste, Violin (Greenish White)

.

.

.

.

[SLyGeN]

In guitar pro, my piano staves are blue and navy (darker colors in the bass), drums are black, choir ahhs are purple, and saw waves are green.

Bells are yellow.

Funny, I never thought that other people saw their instruments this way.

[Moseph]

Strings are blues and purples. Brass instruments are yellows, oranges, and browns. Woodwinds are greens and yellows. Piano, in the context of an orchestra, is gray.