5 scoring tips using Cremona Quartet Ensemble

Scoring strings takes careful work. Sure, it’s not so hard to come up with a few chords. But getting your arrangement to really shine takes good technique and some clever scoring tricks. Instrument ranges, articulations, mixing, and more – there are a lot of aspects to consider. In this article, we’ll walk you through some helpful tips for getting your string scores to sound the best they can.

Each tip will be demonstrated with screenshots and audio examples from Cremona Quartet Ensemble, an ideal instrument for composing with strings. It brings together four solo VSTs that sample extraordinary-sounding string instruments from the 16th and 17th Century. Combined in one interface, with over a dozen articulations and a handy Auto Divisi feature, the Cremona Quartet is a no-brainer for anyone wanting to take their string scores to the next level.

Jump to these sections:

• How do you write a string section?
• How are strings arranged?
• 5 scoring tips using Cremona Quartet Ensemble
  • 1. Use the full range of the ensemble
  • 2. Bring your score to life with articulations
  • 3. Use Unison for emphasis
  • 4. Give each instrument its moment
  • 5. The right mix will help your strings shine
• Start writing your own string scores

Follow along with this tutorial using Cremona Quartet Ensemble.

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How do you write a string section?

To write a string section, you’ll need to start with a sampled string instrument (such as Cremona Quartet Ensemble), music composition software (like a DAW), and probably a MIDI keyboard for playing in your parts.

Get familiar with your sampled instrument, including the range of each string instrument it contains and the available articulations (such as marcato or pizzicato). The basics of music theory will help too. Play around on your MIDI keyboard until you start to find sounds and combinations of notes that are appealing to you.

Keep your compositional goal in mind. Are you writing backing chords for a pop ballad? Keep the notes long and slow, and consider using a minor key. If you’re scoring strings for a chase scene, quick, dissonant pizzicato notes could work well. When you have something you like, use the keyboard to record the idea into your DAW where you can edit and refine it further.

From there, numerous arrangement tricks and other techniques will help your string arrangement sound polished and professional. We’ll get into some tips below.

How are strings arranged?

Strings are arranged by following a series of creative steps based on the aspects of arrangement: rhythm, harmony, instrumentation, and form. Once you have the basic idea for your string section, go through each of these aspects in turn, deciding how to approach them based on the kind of string composition you want to make.

Rhythm (when notes happen in time) and harmony (how the pitches of the notes combine to create chords) are the building blocks of a musical arrangement. Complex rhythms will create more energy and excitement than simple ones. Major harmonies will sound more uplifting, minor harmonies more sombre, and dissonances (clashing notes) can create tension.

Instrumentation means deciding which string instruments should play which notes in your score. There are many smart ways to use instrumentation to get the best out of your string ensemble – we’ll get into some below.

Finally, form means deciding what structure your string arrangement should have. Are there two different melodies that happen one after the other? Is there a repeating chorus with verses in between? When you’re happy with the previous steps, move the MIDI material around in your DAW to create the form that sounds best to you.

5 scoring tips using Cremona Quartet Ensemble

1. Use the full range of the ensemble

If you’re scoring strings with a computer, you probably use a MIDI keyboard to input notes and test ideas. This useful tool can also be a trap. It’s tempting to create parts that fall naturally under your hands, but the range of a string ensemble is much broader: from a C2 (the lowest note on the cello) right up to around A7 (the shrill high notes on the violin).

Sometimes close voicings work fine, but when overused they can sound cramped and unexciting. To get the most out of your string arrangement, make sure to write parts that use the full range of the ensemble. This might mean first writing the parts with narrower voicings, then adjusting the octave of some parts on the piano roll in your DAW.

Cremona Quartet Ensemble makes it easy for you to exploit the full range of the string quartet. The Auto Divisi feature naturally distributes notes between the four instruments as you play, meaning you can explore the full range of your keyboard while maintaining a naturalistic sound.

Here’s a string passage written on a MIDI keyboard. All four instruments are clustered in the middle range. This could work well in some situations, but we can heighten the impact by engaging those rich cello lows and piercing violin highs.

Here’s the same part arranged to use the full expanse of the quartet. To do this, we simply shifted the MIDI part for the cello down an octave, and the violins up. It sounds much more dramatic.

2. Bring your score to life with articulations

Articulations breathe life into your score. They unlock the full expressive range of an instrument, giving your music different moods and energies. When composing with strings, you have a particularly broad range of articulations to explore, from the light pluck of pizzicato to full-bodied vibrato and eerie special techniques like sul pont.

Consider which articulations might best suit your score. The same notes and rhythms will sound very different depending on the articulation you choose. In the previous section, we shared a short passage performed with a firm marcato articulation. Here’s how the same passage sounds with a rapid tremolo and then harmonics. Notice how the tremolo version sounds suspenseful, while the harmonics give the passage a strange, ghostly feel.

Cremona Quartet Ensemble lets you choose between 14 different articulations for each instrument so you can find the perfect sound for your string arrangement. Articulations can be chosen from a menu on the interface, and changed on the fly using key switches.

Want to take your scoring further? Things get really interesting when you start to mix and match articulations within a musical passage. Try having your strings switch between complementary articulations to create complex textures. Or you can juxtapose contrasting articulations for dramatic effect.

In this example, we’ve livened up our string passage by varying the articulations throughout (we added a bit of expression control too). We used lighter articulations such as pizzicato and spiccato at the start, before progressing towards a strong marcato sound.

3. Use Unison for emphasis

Composing with strings can feel like solving a complex puzzle. Each instrument finds its place in an interlocking pattern, creating a musical whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts. But scoring strings doesn’t always need to be complicated. In fact, a string quartet arrangement that always has four equally busy voices can start to sound boring. Sometimes, simpler is better.

Don’t be afraid to make your instruments play in unison sometimes. When different string instruments play the same notes, it creates a rich sound that can catch the listener’s ear and help emphasize important passages. This is easy to do in Cremona Quartet Ensemble. Just engage Unison mode and all four instruments will play as one.

The unison trick works particularly well for highlighting a particular melody or theme. In this example, the string quartet plays the main theme together, before splitting apart to harmonize it. The result is a pleasing call-and-response effect.

4. Give each instrument its moment

We often think of a string ensemble as having a strict hierarchy. The lead violin is the star of the show, playing the topline melodies, while the lower instruments are supporting actors. But sticking too firmly to this hierarchy can make for dull string writing. The best string arrangements create a lively interplay between the instruments, letting each show its strengths.

This is particularly worthwhile when you’re working with world-class instruments. The instruments sampled in Cremona Quartet Ensemble have stellar reputations dating back centuries – and the sound to match. Whether it’s the rich, resonant Stradivari cello or the buttery tone of the 16th Century Amati viola, each instrument has an exquisite tone worthy of the limelight. So why not give them their moment to shine?

Try shuffling the hierarchy around every now and then, or passing the main melody between instruments. Cremona Quartet Ensemble’s Divisi Mode makes this effortless: you write the parts, and the VST will automatically assign them to the most appropriate instrument.

In this passage, the instruments in the quartet pass a mournful melody between them, with each getting its moment in the limelight.

5. The right mix will help your strings shine

When composing with strings, you’re mostly focussed on the notes. Pitch, rhythm, and instrumentation are the building blocks of a good string arrangement. But you shouldn’t neglect other aspects that can help convey your desired mood or atmosphere.

Most modern scoring tools let you tweak the mix of your strings, choosing different mic positions, panning your instruments, and perhaps adding effects such as reverb. Use these options to heighten the effect of your string score. Have you written a melancholic passage? A completely dry mix might not serve it best. If you want a panoramic sound, consider adjusting the panning to broaden the soundstage of your strings.

On its Mixer page, Cremona Quartet Ensemble offers two mic positions – mid and far – plus volume and panning controls for each instrument. In the below example, we made the mix more reverberant to complement the score’s sad tone. We did this by boosting the volume of the  “far” microphones and bringing down the “near” mics. We also increased the extremity of the panning for added width.

Start writing your own string scores

Now you’re acquainted with string scoring, from the basics to the subtler tricks of the trade, it’s time to start using this knowledge in your own music. Modern string scoring starts with a professional grade string VST, and Cremona Quartet Ensemble is ideal for the purpose. Whether you’re writing pop backings or complex film scores, its luscious sound and ease of use will take your compositions up a notch.

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