Question: Is a bigger band always better?
Answer: Almost always.
A larger band is generally more musically flexible and has a more impressive stage presence. In jazz and big band swing music most of the songs are composed for around 20-30 musicians so a larger ensemble is going to sound more authentic, but also requires musicians with even greater skill to execute the music with pristine synchronicity.
Some genres or styles of music have common instrumentation within that idiom. Here are some generic instrumentations for different styles of music.
Country:
Vocalist
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitar
Slide Guitar
Banjo
Fiddle
Bass
Drums
Big Band Swing:
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
4 Trumpets
3 Tenor Trombones
Bass Trombone
Vocalist
Piano
Guitar
Bass
Drums
While much big band music is only written for the above instrumentation most original recordings by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Michael Bublé, and the like usually have an additional string orchestra and often other orchestral wind instruments such as flute, French horn, clarinet, and auxiliary percussion.
Many of our original arrangements of popular songs have well over 40 instrument parts with some written for over 100 musicians. Sometimes this is referred to in the publishing industry as an augmented big band or a full orchestra. Our band can expand to and beyond something similar to the following:
The Matt McCallie Orchestra:
Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
English Horn
Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
4 French Horns
4 Trumpets
3 Tenor Trombones
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Lead Vocalist
Choir
Lead Guitar
Rhythm Guitar
Harp
Piano
Keyboard
4 Violins
2 Violas
2 Cellos
Upright Bass
Electric Bass
Drums
Auxiliary Percussionists
And here are some examples of other ensembles we are often requested to provide:
String Quartet:
2 Violins
Viola
Cello
Rock Band:
Vocalist
Lead Guitar
Rhythm Guitar
Keyboard
Bass
Drums
Motown Band:
Vocalist
Background Vocalists
Lead Guitar
Rhythm Guitar
Trumpets
Saxophones
Trombones
Strings
Keyboard
Bass
Drums
Auxiliary Percussionists
Funk Band:
Vocalist
Background Vocalists
Lead Guitar
Rhythm Guitar
Trumpet
Saxophone
Trombone
Keyboard
Bass
Drums
Folk Band:
Vocalist
Acoustic Lead Guitar
Acoustic Rhythm Guitar
Bass
Drums
Compact Dance Band:
Vocalist
Guitar
Keyboard
Violin
Sax
Trumpet
Trombone
Bass
Drums
We can customize any of our instrumentations by making them smaller or larger and mixing instruments for something truly unique.
