122 thoughts on “Ask Richard”
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I watched your interview on your step-father Jessy Lasky jr and read his book on Hollywood. I was wondering why Jessy Jr called his mother Bess throughout the book yet he called his father “dad” or “father.” It seems a strange dichotomy.
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She disliked being called Mother and preferred her children to call her Bess.
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Thanks so much.
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Richard,
I wrote a classical piece, and while I wrote the melody, it is the arranger/Orchestrator who made it magnificent. I read where you feel arrangers and orchestrators are not compensated enough. while they are not on the copyrights, are they entitled to a percentage of royalties. I believe this to be fair and just if their arrangement and orchestration is used say in film or TV music. In Denmark I believe they receive 16% of royalties. What do you say about this?-
When you are talking about a piece of music, the melody is just one element. Arrangers add counter-melody, harmony, rhythm, structure. If you feel that it was “the arranger/Orchestrator who made it magnificent”, you should give them co-writing credit, 50%. If you only willing to credit them as arranger, I think a 16% royalty is the minimum they deserve to be financially compensated.
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Sorry for the late reply. All my thoughts are in my book The Invisible Artist. In short, arrangers get a one-off fee. In many cases this is not fair and it should not be the law that arrangers have no intellectual property rights. Composres can grant them rights if they wish.
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It depends on the input of the arranger. Sometimes the arranger is doing a purely technical job. But when the arranger writes melodies, themes, countermelodies, they become a co-composer and should be compensated with a fair percentage and credited as such.
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Hi Richard.
Trying to get into writing for tv and musicals.
After hearing the work you did on slave to the rhythm. i feel i have a long way to go..sh^t. here are a couple of demo,s i wrote. any advice?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8CF8zxivG0&t=16s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhAZDLA9pxYsuccess
Topper.-
Get my book “Adventures in Arranging”. Read the great reviews from successful writers. This will give you the necessary skills in a concise package. You have to write A LOT to become a great writer. And you have toe write FOR INSTRUMENTS> So get the book and start writing! Thanks!
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Hi Richard. I tried to send you an email after ten years but the address isn’t active any more. Any alternative ones? Thanks.
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You can email me through this website. R
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Hi Richard! I’m a jazz student and this is my last year of the degree. I’ve decided to write my final paper about the strings arrangements of the 60s and 70s soul and funk songs.
I found your thesis The Invisible Artist (which has been so helpful) and it’s wonderful. I would like to know other arrangers specialized in strings like Paul Riser or Gene Page for researching their work.Thank you very much and congratulations for your work,
Greetings
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So many! Lots of people I didn’t have time to include. Apart from those mentioned in the book. Paul Buckmaster. Research all the disco guys. And of course look at the older people of the 40s & 50s.
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And by the way, I do teach! So contact me for lessons in arranging & composition! Thanks, Richard
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Hi Richard,
Really enjoyed your short interview from Lyle Mays. When was it produced? I know it came after the Pat Metheny Group’s last album. I would love to hear more of this interview or any past interview you have of him? He is really the most fascinating of musicians to me and I am sure of the world.Best – David
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The text of the interview tells you it was done for the BBC in 2007.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Please subscribe to Radio Richard to not miss more great interviews.
Thanks
Richard -
2007. Sadly it is all I have. But subscribe to my YouTube channel and there are so many great interviews with incredible artists, including LOTS with Pat Metheny, Mark Egan, Danny Gottlieb and Mike Stern. And please spread the word about the channel so I can keep bringing out this powerful stuff.
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Hey Richard,
I’m running live streamed concerts with no audience from St Mary’s in Perivale.
It’s a charity and we are paying musicians to play.
Gary Husband started our test show in December.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjrY7PfPMJc
I have John Law lined up for the next performance on Friday the 22nd January.
Would you like to help support jazz in the uk during covid?
If you would like to offer any contact for people you think would like to play in the uk. Or further the word for me.
Would be most appreciated. you can contact me on the email supplied.
You old engineer Rob -
Dear Mr Niles,
We are going to perform your song „Tame thy pen“ next sunday with a singer.
Can you tell me, who wrote the lyrics (as performed by Katharine Gang)?Thank you very much & greetings from Regensburg/germany
Hubert-
ME! Thanks for doing it! Good luck!
Post the performance!
Richard-
Hi. Richard
Andy Gillespie suggested that I get in touch with you regarding an arrangement I’m trying to get to get together piano and strings
-
I have sent you an email.
R
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Hey! Just a quick question. I am a professional musician. Keyboardist. I can read music. I know music theory. My problem is that when I try to arrange something, either a film score piece or some stings over my piano pieces, it’s just hunt and peck to try to find the right things. I don’t know how to approach arranging. I’ve bought countless books on arranging and still not much help. Does your book help someone like me? Thanks for any and all info!
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Thanks for the message, Brian! My book is exactly what you need. It lays ALL the information you need right in front of you in a concise manner. The best review I have says: “I have most of the other books on arranging (Groves, Dobbins Berklee etc.)
What I find unique about yours is how succinct it is. You have cut the fat and distilled the process to its essence.Your teaching reminds of Charlie Banacos’ lessons – those single pages with a couple of ideas to work on turned out to be musical sequoia seeds. Well done ! I am excited about cracking into your exercises.” COLIN CARROL (musician)
This will tell you EXACTLY how to plan, begin and finish an arrangement, with every technique you could possibly want. Let me know how you get on with it! Richard -
The book is designed for exactly someone like you!
The reaction to this book has been fantastic and people tell me that they like my step-by-step approach and they now feel confident to arrange.
Do let me know how you progress.
Best
Richard
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122 thoughts on “Ask Richard”
I watched your interview on your step-father Jessy Lasky jr and read his book on Hollywood. I was wondering why Jessy Jr called his mother Bess throughout the book yet he called his father “dad” or “father.” It seems a strange dichotomy.
She disliked being called Mother and preferred her children to call her Bess.
Thanks so much.
Richard,
I wrote a classical piece, and while I wrote the melody, it is the arranger/Orchestrator who made it magnificent. I read where you feel arrangers and orchestrators are not compensated enough. while they are not on the copyrights, are they entitled to a percentage of royalties. I believe this to be fair and just if their arrangement and orchestration is used say in film or TV music. In Denmark I believe they receive 16% of royalties. What do you say about this?
When you are talking about a piece of music, the melody is just one element. Arrangers add counter-melody, harmony, rhythm, structure. If you feel that it was “the arranger/Orchestrator who made it magnificent”, you should give them co-writing credit, 50%. If you only willing to credit them as arranger, I think a 16% royalty is the minimum they deserve to be financially compensated.
Sorry for the late reply. All my thoughts are in my book The Invisible Artist. In short, arrangers get a one-off fee. In many cases this is not fair and it should not be the law that arrangers have no intellectual property rights. Composres can grant them rights if they wish.
It depends on the input of the arranger. Sometimes the arranger is doing a purely technical job. But when the arranger writes melodies, themes, countermelodies, they become a co-composer and should be compensated with a fair percentage and credited as such.
Hi Richard.
Trying to get into writing for tv and musicals.
After hearing the work you did on slave to the rhythm. i feel i have a long way to go..sh^t. here are a couple of demo,s i wrote. any advice?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8CF8zxivG0&t=16s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhAZDLA9pxY
success
Topper.
Get my book “Adventures in Arranging”. Read the great reviews from successful writers. This will give you the necessary skills in a concise package. You have to write A LOT to become a great writer. And you have toe write FOR INSTRUMENTS> So get the book and start writing! Thanks!
Hi Richard. I tried to send you an email after ten years but the address isn’t active any more. Any alternative ones? Thanks.
You can email me through this website. R
Hi Richard! I’m a jazz student and this is my last year of the degree. I’ve decided to write my final paper about the strings arrangements of the 60s and 70s soul and funk songs.
I found your thesis The Invisible Artist (which has been so helpful) and it’s wonderful. I would like to know other arrangers specialized in strings like Paul Riser or Gene Page for researching their work.
Thank you very much and congratulations for your work,
Greetings
So many! Lots of people I didn’t have time to include. Apart from those mentioned in the book. Paul Buckmaster. Research all the disco guys. And of course look at the older people of the 40s & 50s.
And by the way, I do teach! So contact me for lessons in arranging & composition! Thanks, Richard
Hi Richard,
Really enjoyed your short interview from Lyle Mays. When was it produced? I know it came after the Pat Metheny Group’s last album. I would love to hear more of this interview or any past interview you have of him? He is really the most fascinating of musicians to me and I am sure of the world.
Best – David
The text of the interview tells you it was done for the BBC in 2007.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Please subscribe to Radio Richard to not miss more great interviews.
Thanks
Richard
2007. Sadly it is all I have. But subscribe to my YouTube channel and there are so many great interviews with incredible artists, including LOTS with Pat Metheny, Mark Egan, Danny Gottlieb and Mike Stern. And please spread the word about the channel so I can keep bringing out this powerful stuff.
Hey Richard,
I’m running live streamed concerts with no audience from St Mary’s in Perivale.
It’s a charity and we are paying musicians to play.
Gary Husband started our test show in December.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjrY7PfPMJc
I have John Law lined up for the next performance on Friday the 22nd January.
Would you like to help support jazz in the uk during covid?
If you would like to offer any contact for people you think would like to play in the uk. Or further the word for me.
Would be most appreciated. you can contact me on the email supplied.
You old engineer Rob
Dear Mr Niles,
We are going to perform your song „Tame thy pen“ next sunday with a singer.
Can you tell me, who wrote the lyrics (as performed by Katharine Gang)?
Thank you very much & greetings from Regensburg/germany
Hubert
ME! Thanks for doing it! Good luck!
Post the performance!
Richard
Hi. Richard
Andy Gillespie suggested that I get in touch with you regarding an arrangement I’m trying to get to get together piano and strings
I have sent you an email.
R
Hey! Just a quick question. I am a professional musician. Keyboardist. I can read music. I know music theory. My problem is that when I try to arrange something, either a film score piece or some stings over my piano pieces, it’s just hunt and peck to try to find the right things. I don’t know how to approach arranging. I’ve bought countless books on arranging and still not much help. Does your book help someone like me? Thanks for any and all info!
Thanks for the message, Brian! My book is exactly what you need. It lays ALL the information you need right in front of you in a concise manner. The best review I have says: “I have most of the other books on arranging (Groves, Dobbins Berklee etc.)
What I find unique about yours is how succinct it is. You have cut the fat and distilled the process to its essence.Your teaching reminds of Charlie Banacos’ lessons – those single pages with a couple of ideas to work on turned out to be musical sequoia seeds. Well done ! I am excited about cracking into your exercises.” COLIN CARROL (musician)
This will tell you EXACTLY how to plan, begin and finish an arrangement, with every technique you could possibly want. Let me know how you get on with it! Richard
The book is designed for exactly someone like you!
The reaction to this book has been fantastic and people tell me that they like my step-by-step approach and they now feel confident to arrange.
Do let me know how you progress.
Best
Richard