Any Music Buffs out there (suggestions, please!)

[Linda (Australia)]

I have one child learning flute, one learning piano, one learning clarinet, and my son with a basic knowledge of guitar. We also have singers in the family, and I play the flute as well.

 

Now, what I'd 'like' to find is some music books whereby we can all play together - kind-of a 'band', but just some old favourites, perhaps sing-a-longs, that include music for all the different instruments I've mentioned above. Sheet music - flute part, clarinet part, piano part, etc. I KNOW these things exist, because I grew up playing in a concert band, where we had all the different parts, so they must be 'out there' - but I can't find any!

 

Any ideas or suggestions? It's great having all the different instruments in the house, but would be even better if we can all come together with them at times.

 

Thanks!

[Linda (Australia)]

Me again - in case anyone else was looking for something similar, I found this site, in the UK:

 

http://www.musicbyarrangement.co.uk/index.html

 

Looks interesting! I've downloaded some free samples, and I shall put them all 'to work' in the morning!

[Orthodox6]

The difficulty may lie in the specific mix of instruments you seek: piano, flute, clarinet, and guitar. The guitar is a real "kicker", to start with. The flute and clarinet turn up together in some woodwind ensemble music. Flute and piano scores are easy to find, as are scores for clarinet with piano. You can find chamber music that includes flute, piano, and clarinet [plus additional instrument(s) needed]. Guitar will have, most readily I think, solo music, solo with orchestra, or "guitar ensemble" pieces. One of the compositions I wrote while in high school was for oboe and guitar, and people thought that really strange !

 

Saint-Saens wrote the "Tarantella in a-minor" for flute, clarinet, and piano/orchestra. I don't know if that means a piano transcription of the orchestra part, or something else.

 

http://www.howardblake.com/music/Chamber-Music/Various/223/TRIO-FOR-FLUTE-CLARINET-AND-PIANO.htm

I found that online just now.

 

At any rate, I doubt that you will find music that calls for those four instruments, only, within the same piece.

[JeanM]

I have one child learning flute, one learning piano, one learning clarinet, and my son with a basic knowledge of guitar. We also have singers in the family, and I play the flute as well.

 

Now, what I'd 'like' to find is some music books whereby we can all play together - kind-of a 'band', but just some old favourites, perhaps sing-a-longs, that include music for all the different instruments I've mentioned above. Sheet music - flute part, clarinet part, piano part, etc. I KNOW these things exist, because I grew up playing in a concert band, where we had all the different parts, so they must be 'out there' - but I can't find any!

 

Any ideas or suggestions? It's great having all the different instruments in the house, but would be even better if we can all come together with them at times.

 

Thanks!

 

 

It looks like you've found one possible source. I've had similar difficulties finding music for my family (one cello player, one trumpet player and I can play piano). I've been adapting stuff myself. Like my cello player has music for 2 cellos and piano - so I re-write one of the cello parts so that the trumpet can play it. This isn't always easy due to the difference in range, and also trumpet (and clarinet) are transposing instruments so you have to correct for that as well.

 

Jean

[musicmommy]

Most "pop" type music has the piano accompaniment, guitar chords and a solo line which could easily be played by the flute because it is a C instrument. In order for the clarinet to play though, you'd have to transpose a part as it is a Bb instrument.

 

If you go to http://www.jwpepper.com and type in the instruments to the keywords, there are a few series where you can find the books for each of the instruments. I saw that that there was a Best In Class Christmas book that that would work for.

 

Last time I was at the music store, I did see some music that was for mixed woodwinds with a piano accompaniment and they did have the guitar chords. They were fairly basic though. I'd be happy to check next time I'm there which should be sometime this upcoming week.

[yslek]

Here's a book of flexible Christmas quartets:

 

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Christmas-Quartets-for-All/1440670

 

I think there are some other "Duets for All" "Trios for All" etc. books out there as well. :)

Edited June 15, 2009 by yslek
wrong link

[Suzannah]

I was also going to suggest that since flute (and guitar?) are both C instruments, you can use other parts (oboe, violin, piano) to fill-out your ensemble. I remember once some fellow band friends participated in a clarinet, oboe, french horn ensemble so mixed instrument music is out there, but as someone else said, the specific mix you have may be hard to come by.

 

Were you thinking more pop, classical, jazz, easy listening, etc? There's probably some old band music on Ebay. Ask at your local music store too. And good luck! I hope to one day have a "family band" of my own! :)