Arranging Chords for Strings Explained

Description

“Arranging Chords for Strings Explained®” focuses on turning chord progressions into expressive, realistic string arrangements. Instructor Stephen O’Connell guides beginning arrangers through a clear process for building strong harmonic foundations and shaping them into musically flowing parts for a full string ensemble. The course begins with core chord theory concepts, including intervals, triads, and inversions, providing the tools needed to construct solid progressions. You’ll then explore functional harmony to better understand how chords relate to one another and how to create movement with intention. From there, the training shifts to voice leading, demonstrating how individual lines connect smoothly from chord to chord to create lyrical, horizontal motion. Finally, you’ll apply these concepts across the full string ensemble, dividing parts between sections, refining voicings for clarity and balance, and adding realism through MIDI CC expression and dynamics programming. By the end, you’ll be able to transform simple chord ideas into cohesive, cinematic-style string arrangements ready for your own productions.