
The Art of String Arrangements in Modern Music: Insights from Stevie Blacke
Abigail abi@safaripedals.comShare
Hey y’all!
I've been on a string kick lately, diving into tons of classical music and having Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major on repeat (my classy girl era has officially arrived! hehe). It’s got me thinking a lot about string arrangements and their place in modern music. So, I thought it would be vibe-ullar to dedicate this week's blog to the art of string slay.
On that fabulous note, I caught up with engineer and master string arranger Stevie Blacke (Chappell Roan, Snoop Dogg, P!nk) to get his take.
What Makes a Great String Arrangement?
I asked him: “What separates a good string arrangement from a great one? What do you think truly sets them apart?”
He said: “What makes a great string arrangement? Well first of all great playing in a great song. It really comes down to what works best in the song. You want the strings to lift the song when it needs to be lifted. Strings need to be laid out when not needed. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a keyboard player gives me their “ideas” and it’s like super layered/stacked more than an orchestra would normally play. For me it’s mostly about counter melodies, harmonies, mood notes where needed, and strings that enhance rather than get in the way of the main melody.”
The Discipline Behind a Great String Arrangement
I thoroughly enjoyed Stevie’s response. I love how his approach to arrangement is all about serving the song- enhancing, uplifting, and adding “mood” notes only when needed, while staying out of the way of the main melody. As producers/engineers/muscians, it’s so easy to get caught up adding ALL the cool and fun elements (guilty of this myself hehe). But having the discipline to tone down the ear candy and focus on serving the song is such an important skill. This was a great reminder to keep this principle front and center!
Thanks so much Stevie for your insightful answer!
Catch y’all in the next blog!