Rock, Jazz and Pop Arranging: Paperback Book

Runswick writes from the trenches. He doesn't theorize about arranging; he troubleshoots the actual problems you face when balancing a horn section, voicing keyboards, or building an arrangement that works on a real stage. The reference format means you'll keep returning to this book across years of projects.

Imagine sitting down with an experienced arranger over coffee who answers your questions directly and never patronizes you. The book reads conversationally but with the precision of someone who's had to make every note count in a professional recording session. You'll encounter specifics about what works and why, not generalizations.

This is for anyone writing arrangements in rock, jazz, or pop contexts. Whether you're a band director building charts for your groups, a jazz educator teaching orchestration, or a musician developing arranging skills, you'll find concrete, usable guidance for every instrument family you're likely to encounter.

• Use the instrument-specific sections as quick reference when you hit a wall in your own arranging work; each section distills common mistakes and practical fixes
• Study the chord symbols appendix before you start voicing anything; getting the shorthand right prevents confusion during rehearsals
• Keep the time-saving shortcuts appendix visible during the writing process; these are tricks from someone who arranges professionally and can't waste hours on notation

Keep this on your desk during rehearsal season. Use it as the foundation for a unit on arranging fundamentals, or assign chapters to students who are developing their own charts. Directors building a program's first big jazz or contemporary pop arrangement will find it indispensable for avoiding the common missteps that undermine otherwise strong ideas.

• voice leading for horns, strings, and mixed instrumental combinations
• lead sheet notation and conversion to full score
• idiomatic writing for keyboards, guitar, and bass in contemporary styles
• drum chart construction and percussion orchestration
• chord symbol conventions and harmonic analysis
• practical orchestration for a cappella and small ensemble contexts