Blog Post Ten
How to write better arrangements
Thanks for stopping by, and welcome to my blog! I hope you had a fantastic holiday week. I had a nice break with my family and got to recharge and prepare for 2026. In this week’s blog post, I will be discussing how to write better arrangements. After 25 years of writing exceptional arrangements for professional ensembles, university music professors, and some outstanding military band quartets, quintets, and large chamber ensembles, I decided to write down a few of my thoughts on what makes a good arranger. This blog will cover three main points on how to write better arrangements. What is your biggest concern about arrangements? What do you like most about your favorite arrangements? Tell me about it in the comments below.
Let’s start this week’s blog post with a few music trivia questions; I will reveal the answers towards the end of this blog post. First, which composer was known as “the Red Priest”? Second, which 18th-century composer, considered the "Black Mozart," was also known as one of Europe's best swordsmen? And third, which composer never married but did own quite a few Siamese cats? Tell me your answers in the comments below, or feel free to share any other interesting musical facts you might know about these three composers. Now, on to the topic at hand.
Man completing a checklist
First, what is one way to become a better arranger? Make sure you have a keen attention to detail.
An arranger should have a keen attention to detail. One of the things that sets a great arranger apart from an average arranger is the level of detail in their work. There are multiple items arrangers should check before publishing, including basic compositional inputs like embellishments, dynamics, articulations, roadmaps (D.C., repart signs, Codas, etc.), as well as formatting and layout. If you sign up for my email newsletter (below), you will be redirected to a free PDF, my CMP Music Publisher’s Checklist, with all of my tips on music publishing. Remember, every time you publish a piece of music, it is your reputation on the line. Make sure you are publishing your best possible work: something you are quite proud of. If not, keep working on it. We all make mistakes; we are all human. Just try to minimize the mistakes and always put your best foot forward.
Second, what’s another way to become a better arranger? Make sure you have a good “lab band.”
Many arrangers are still learning their craft, and that is okay. But one way to become a better arranger is to collaborate with a professional ensemble (a “lab band”) that performs the type of music that you are currently writing. For example, if you specialize in music for a woodwind quintet, you should try to collaborate with a professional quintet in your area. A local group would be ideal, as that would allow you to attend rehearsals and/or concerts. However, if you live remotely, you could still collaborate with a group through technology: hold a Zoom meeting (or Skype, FaceTime, etc.) during their rehearsals, and/or have them record their rehearsals or recitals for you. You must find an ensemble that plays the type/genre of music you write, and also an ensemble that you would be proud to have represent your arrangements. Also important is a group that offers constructive criticism.
To accomplish this, you could approach an ensemble and offer them some of your arrangements for free in exchange for their honest, constructive criticism of your work, and possibly, permission to use their recordings or rehearsals as advertisements for your arrangements. Honestly, it is a win-win situation for all. You would be offering the ensemble free music, which is always great (assuming it is of good quality), and arrangements that improve in quality over time as you receive their constructive criticism. You, in turn, would learn how to write better arrangements based on their critical inputs, and would have high-quality examples of your work from a professional ensemble to use in advertising it.
Man ignoring criticism - this is NOT how to accept criticism professionally
What’s a third way to become a better arranger? Learn how to listen to and accept criticism.
Constructive criticism is important in becoming a better arranger. Do not ignore it. However, one important point to remember: the criticism must be constructive, not subjective. If a group or even just one person does not like one of your arrangements, try not to take it personally. That specific arrangement may not be to their taste. That is okay. That does not mean it is a bad arrangement. But remember that you will not hit it out of the park every time, and that is okay too. We can learn more from our failures than from our successes. If you ask for brutally honest feedback and truly listen to the responses, take notes, and ask questions to clarify any confusing responses, you will become a better arranger. Just put your personal feelings aside and listen to the honest, critical feedback you receive from your collaborators. Also, it never hurts to get feedback from individual players on a specific part. Ask them whether a specific part is playable or sounds good on their horn? But ask this last question while you’re arranging a piece, not once it is ready for sight reading.
Professional musicians are trained to be highly critical of their own work, but they can also be highly critical of others. Know when they are offering constructive criticism and when they are merely being subjective. The former is helpful; the latter is not. Be very open to constructive criticism—really listen to what they are saying, but take individual criticisms with a grain of salt. When you have written a bad part, you need to know that, but find out WHY it is a bad part – not just because “the player doesn’t like it” or “I’m not getting enough melody”, etc. Personal taste is subjective, but often irrelevant when it comes to arranging. You might also seek out the advice and feedback from former colleagues, music teachers, and other musicians that you respect. Ask them to give you an honest, unbiased appraisal of your work. Listen carefully to what they say and heed their advice. Learning to accept and apply constructive criticism will make you a better arranger, and in turn, your collaborators will receive better arrangements.
OK. Here are the answers to the music trivia questions I posted at the beginning of the blog.
First, which composer was known as “the Red Priest”?
Italian composer, violinist, and impresario Antonio Vivaldi
Second, which 18th-century composer, considered the "Black Mozart," was also known as one of Europe's best swordsmen?
French violinist, composer, conductor, and soldier Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges
And third, which composer never married but did own quite a few Siamese cats?
French composer, pianist, and conductor Maurice Ravel
To briefly recap, writing better arrangements depends on 1) having a keen attention to detail, 2) doing collabs/having a good “lab band,” and 3) learning how to listen to and accept criticism. If you follow these three points, you will become a better arranger. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read my blog. I hope you enjoyed my musings on music. I’ll be back next week with more anecdotes, memories, and passions for music.
In the meantime, you can listen to an excerpt from my latest arrangement for clarinet choir, a five-movement suite, “Selections from Carmen,” from Georges Bizet’s fiery and dynamic opera Carmen, by clicking on the MP3 player below. Then click here to purchase it from my Shop. What are your experiences with arranging? What type of ensemble are you writing for? Tell me all about it in the comments below. I’d love to hear your experiences with arranging. Thanks for stopping by. See you in my next blog!
2 January 2026
Bizet: Selections from Carmen - Arranged for Clarinet Choir - cover art
