Music Arranging
- Arrangements of songs, hymns and other types of music for the specific instrumentation mix, including small- and medium-sized ensembles, whether instrumental or/and vocal. Examples:
- vocal lead or congregation accompanied by piano, string bass and drums, and/or adding 3-part orchestral instruments, or bigger (e.g. two trumpets and trombone; woodwinds; strings)
- vocal lead accompanied by organ, brass quintet and percussion, with or without violins
- vocal solo accompanied by small chamber ensemble such as an oboe, violin and cello
- SATB choir or small vocal ensemble, whether or not accompanied by instruments
- Transcription of music from a recording
- Harmonize a hymn or song for SATB ensemble or other combinations
Consulting
- Discuss in person or remotely (e.g., phone, email, Zoom, Messenger) your music needs to recommend improvements and/or alternatives.
- Free initial consultation if done remotely or if in person within 10 miles of my office. Follow-up meetings charged at $10 per half-hour. Transportation to your site charged at $0.585 per mile (IRS allowance for 2022).
Free Scores and Parts
- As a ministry to churches, the following scores are available at no cost whatsoever only to churches in my interest of enabling churches to grow their music ministries. These are arrangements that I have used myself in my own church and so they have been well tested. I make them available as PDF files with the score and the instruments’ parts. In most cases, an mp3 audio file of the score is also included, which you may use to practice the song.
- I make available for free the score and parts as they currently exist. If you would desire me to rewrite a score to substitute instruments, then charges would apply according to the cost code indicated and the rates listed below. For example, many of the songs are scored for a base of piano, chords and bass, plus three brass instruments, usually two trumpets and French horn or trombone, and one or two violins. (Most songs would also use a drums set.) If you wanted me to rewrite the brass parts for, say, two saxophones instead of the trumpets, charges would apply.
Pricing for Modifying a Score and New Arrangements
- Price code for rewriting a score:
- A = easier or simple score to write, $20
- B = medium-level of complexity in scoring and/or instrumentation, $40
- C = highest complexity and/or original words and/or music, $60
- Pricing of custom-made arrangements:
- A musical score is priced based on the number of measures written. The rate for foundation parts bundled together is $2.00 per measure written, and the rate for each staff for instrumental parts is $1.00 per measure written. The foundation is the basic chords and rhythm structure of a song, typically lasting the whole or most of a composition. The foundation is usually taken to be one or a combination of these or similar instruments:
- keyboard (i.e. piano, organ) or guitar providing the basic chord sound foundation
- bass line (e.g. electric or acoustic bass)
- drum set and/or percussion instruments
- melody voice line with the lyrics written and chord symbols
- SATB harmony with written lyrics, if that is the only music provided. If SATB is provided in addition to foundation parts, then normally SA is written in one staff and TB in another, each staff counting as separate staves or parts.
- A musical score is priced based on the number of measures written. The rate for foundation parts bundled together is $2.00 per measure written, and the rate for each staff for instrumental parts is $1.00 per measure written. The foundation is the basic chords and rhythm structure of a song, typically lasting the whole or most of a composition. The foundation is usually taken to be one or a combination of these or similar instruments:
About Copyright
J.A.Cross Music, a business registered in Maryland, U.S.A., owns the copyright of its original music and of arrangements of music which is in the public domain. Churches that use Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI)-protected songs in their worship services may readily use any arrangement of those songs that may available from J.A.Cross Music as long as the song is used as allowable by the church’s CCLI license.
J.A.Cross Music 