If you are just beginning to compose music and want to learn how to make instrumentals, there are specific theories that will help you expand what you want to do.
Knowing these theories will broaden your skills and help you offer new melodies for the world to hear.
1.
Pick out your instruments.
It is better to start with just a couple if you are a beginner.
Writing duets or quartets will help you learn to piece together different instrument combos so you can learn how to put the right things together.
2.
You need to know your ranges.
For every type of instrument chosen for your piece, there are also four different ranges that are used.
For example, the violin quartet will a low range from the bass, two high ranges coming from the violins, and a medium range from the viola.
These all need to work in unison to make the best sound and create an arrangement that sounds right.
3.
Establish you time signature.
You will want to do this before writing any notes to paper.
You need to have an idea of how fast you want your piece to go, whether you want it slow, fast or moderate.
You also need to know where to place the emphasis for the beat.
For example if you have a time signature with 4 beats, then the accent will be every fourth beat.
4.
Now you want to pick a key signature.
You start by naming it major or minor.
You then figure out how many sharps or flats you want in the key signature.
You will need a concert pitch, which is a main key signature for the instruments you have chosen to work with.
Other instruments can change key in order to stay in the same sound because of the notes they play.
You can check a range and key signature guide so you can find the correct starting point.
5.
Now you can write out your melody.
Begin with one instrument to carry the melody exactly how you want it to sound.
It is easier to use the instrument with the highest range because this provides a better sound for the rest of the instruments to follow.
6.
Next comes putting together the chord structure.
Once you have the melody, the chord structure can be written in underneath it.
Usually, you will want to match the chords with the notes that are moving in the melody, as well as staying in the key you have chosen to use.
Using the lowest instrument for this will give a strong basis and thus make a better sound.
For example, if you have a melody line that is in the C key and goes through C, E, F and G, you can put a C as the bass structure beneath this.
This provides a certain harmony and will support the way in which the melody is going.
7.
The last step is to harmonize with the melody and chords.
All of the other instruments that are added in will give you a harmony that supports the melody.
You need to make sure that these come at differing intervals so that they can help the melody stand out better.
For example, if the melody is in a trumpet and is moving C, D, E, F, you can put a harmony a third below it with a trombone, moving A, B, C, D.
This will allow the melody to be supported and give a better blend with the other instrumentation