Archive for the ‘Arrangers’ Category

[Arranging] Getting Past the Roadblock

Friday, March 7th, 2008

I can’t even begin to list the arrangements I’ve started and never finished… usually because I decided the song wasn’t the right choice for my group.  Every once in a while, though, there’s a song that I really want to work, if I could just get past that huge roadblock staring me down and get the vision in my head down on paper in a way that will work for the singers.

Deke Sharon, founder of CASA and originally introduced to me as “Mr. A Cappella”, shares a few tips on how to get past “arranger’s block”.  Some tips include listening to the original while you’re focusing on something else like cleaning or work, soliciting advice from seasoned arrangers you know, and re-vamping your entire arranging process.

What do you do to overcome “arranger’s block”?  Let us know in the comments.

CASA: Arrangers Block by Deke Sharon