Arranging
Resources
Welcome, my name’s Toshi and I have been an arranger for over a decade now. When I got started I didn’t really know what I was doing and just followed what my teacher’s told me. Through many years of trial and error I found methods which worked for me and as a result I’ve been able to earn a living through arranging. I want others to have this experience too, and part of that is sharing the knowledge I’ve found valuable. So as a result, I’ve decided to create online resources that anyone can read.
These resources don’t cover every facet of arranging and are specifically the techniques I use most often. My approach may not allign with yours, which is totally fine, this is just what works for me. I hope you enjoy the resources and if you want to know more on a particular topic or have specific questions, feel free to reach out via the email form at the bottom of the page.
I regularly am adding to this page so if you’d like to be alerted when I’ve added a new resource submit your email address below.
Planning & Development
How To Start An Arrangement & Deal With Writer’s Block
Knowing what to write may be the hardest part of arranging. Fortunately there’s a tool which can help jump start our creativity. Learn more…
Harmony
How Intervals Create Emotion
Intervals are the foundation for Western music. They create tension and resolution, and most importantly they can be combined together to make more complex colors. Learn more…
The Trick to Writing a Functional Chord Progression
What’s something that Mozart, Taylor Swift, Stevie Wonder and Sinatra have in common? All of their chord progressions function using the same set of rules. Learn more…
Harmony Techniques That Arrangers Often Forget About
What can you do when you’re faced with adding color to a chord progression but the context means you can’t rely on your usual tricks? Use lesser known techniques such as modal interchange and functional substitution. Learn more…
How To Write Memorable Harmonic Moments
When the music gets stale it can be hard to know what to do. It’s in these moments that modulation can breathe new air into an arrangement and create wonderful new feelings. Learn more…
How To Make Any Chord Progression Sound “Jazzy”
When we think of Jazz, we typically think of complex chords and rich harmony. The first step to achieving that in our own writing is by adding extensions and alterations. Learn more…
A Game Changing Substitution Technique
Jazz is home to a number of amazing reharmonization techniques. However not many are aware of how you can substitute a dominant 7th chord through symmetry. Learn more…
What To Do With Non-Chord Tones
Voicing out notes with a given chord symbol makes sense, but what happens if the note doesn’t work with the chord? In jazz there are five go-to techniques all arrangers use to deal with non-chord tones. Learn more…
Voicings & Orchestration
The Key to Writing For Any Instrument
When we arrange it is essential to understand the instruments we are writing for. Otherwise we could potentially create a chart which is unplayable. Learn more…
Everything You Need to Know About 2-5 Horn Voicings
If you plan to write for more than one instrument it might be a good idea to know a little bit about voicings. From closed voicings to quartal stacks to drop 2 and more, find out when and why to use each method. Learn more…
A Crash Course In Big Band Voicings & The Rhythm Section
Writing for a combo is one thing but as soon as we look at a big band it changes which voicings we should and shouldn’t use. On top of that, there’s a number of rhythm section conventions we need to be aware of too. Learn more…
Composition
How To Craft Melodies & Countermelodies
Composing can feel like one of the hardest aspects of arranging. However there are a number of tecniques that can help us create unique lines even when we hit a creative wall. Learn more…