Inside The Arrangement

From the First Melody to the Full Big Band Sound

A step-by-step journey into the art of professional Big Band arranging.

What does it take to transform a simple musical idea into a complete Big Band arrangement?

In Inside The Arrangement, composer, arranger, and conductor Rolf J. Becker takes you behind the scenes of the creative process, drawing on decades of professional experience.

Using his original composition Just Take It Easy as a practical example, each chapter explores an essential aspect of arranging—from developing the melody and rhythm section to instrumental writing, orchestration, and beyond.

Through musical examples, audio demonstrations, and practical explanations, discover how an arrangement develops from its first idea into a complete musical production.

Explore the chapters below and follow the journey from beginning to end—or jump directly to the topics that interest you most.

Explore the Chapters

CHAPTER 01

Melody, Chords & Groove

Discover how a simple musical idea becomes the foundation of a complete Big Band arrangement.

CHAPTER 03

What Do the Piano & Guitar Players Do?

Discover how piano and guitar contribute harmony, rhythmic accompaniment, and musical texture to a professional Big Band arrangement.

CHAPTER 04

The Drums: Beyond the Slash Marks

Discover how to write effective drum parts for Big Band, from rhythmic notation and accents to fills, articulations, and the drummer's essential role in shaping the arrangement.

CHAPTER 05

Brass & Woodwinds: What Can They Really Play?

Explore the capabilities of brass and woodwind instruments, including their ranges, registers, characteristic sounds, instrumental combinations, and mutes—essential knowledge for writing effective Big Band arrangements.

CHAPTER 06

Orchestration: Giving the Music Its Colors

Discover how instrumental combinations, unison and octave doubling, sustained backgrounds, rhythmic accents, and complementary counterlines bring a Big Band arrangement to life. Featuring nine practical audio examples from Just Take It Easy.

CHAPTER 07

Notation, Transposition & Instrumental Ranges

Learn how professional arrangers handle written versus concert pitch, instrument transposition, practical brass and woodwind ranges, and clear, professional score preparation.