Jazz Quintet Instrumentation

[GKinsey]

I am making a jazz quintet to perform a song or two at a Highschool concert. I think I am going to go with a skilled alto sax for a second horn player, however am interested in playing trumpet/tenor songs. I know Tenor usually plays 8vb trumpet to give a certain color, and was wondering if that is applicable to alto sax. If not, what interval should there be between alto and trumpet?

[kehaulani]

Trumpet on lead, alto below, usually a 6th. If the trumpet gets too low for that harmonization, then a third below, or next chord tone. If the 3rd or 6th won't fit, find a neighboring note that does.

Keep in mind, the passing notes don't have to be chord tones but they should fit the scale of the chord.

First, write the harmonies conservatively, but then you might want to change some if those notes around for color, but don't overdo it. Stay close to the original.

With two winds it's a good opportunity for a lot of contrapuntal writing.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

YTR-8310Z II Bobby Shew
Getzen Capri Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[savannasanders]

[kehaulani]

The OP has a total of one post and that was 05 Apr 2023.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

YTR-8310Z II Bobby Shew
Getzen Capri Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[Jerry]

[Cg1231]

Listen to recordings that use your instrumentation, and try to do what they do. There isn’t really a rule that says what intervals you should have between parts in combo writing, it should be fluid and you should write parts that serve the music best, not parts that fit some rule.

Recordings of Miles and Bird would be a great place to start!

[Man Of Constant Sorrow]