Solos, Duos, Trios?
Planning an event that needs music? Confused about what types of ensembles even exist? We’re here to help! In this month’s Music Notes we explain all of the different types of
common chamber ensembles including solo instruments, duos, trios, quartets, and more!
Let’s talk about timbre...
Timbre, pronounced “tam-ber”, is the quality of a sound without regard to its pitch or intensity. So what does that mean? Timbre is basically what a sound sounds like. Think of it this way: when you are with a group of people you know really well, you can usually tell one person from the next just by hearing their voice. That is because each voicet has a different timbre. Musical instruments work the same way. Why am I telling you all this? Because one of the most important things you need to think about when picking music for an event is how you want the overall atmosphere to sound, which means you have to consider instrumental and vocal timbre. Almost all ensembles can play any style of music; the real difference between ensembles is the overall characteristics of their timbre. For example, a saxophone quartet has a totally different characteristic sound than a string quartet, just like your five-year-old nephew’s voice sounds nothing like your grandma’s.
Music ensembles are also characterized by the number of people in them. So let’s start with an ensemble of one, which is simply called a solo.
Solo
While all instruments can play by themselves, here is a list of some of the common instruments we often see requested for solo performance at special events:
Piano Guitar Trumpet Organ Violin Voice Harp
Duos
Groups with two instruments are called duos, and the music they play are called duets. Duos can consist of two instruments which play only one note at a time (such as trumpet, saxophone, trombone, flute, or voice) or they can be made up of instruments that can play chords and melody (such as piano, violin, organ, guitar). Duos can be slightly challenging to find music for unless you have music custom written for your event. If you plan to hire only two musicians, be sure to give them plenty of time to prepare their music. While there are endless combinations of instruments, here is a list of the most frequently requested duos:
Trios
Violin and piano Voice and guitar Flute and clarinet
Two trumpets
Voice and piano Upright bass and piano
Trios are made of three musicians, and composers often write music for these ensembles that is intended to stand on its own. Here are some common trio groupings:
Brass trio (trumpet, French horn, trombone) String trio (violin, viola, cello)
Woodwind trio (instrumentation varies) Piano, voice, and violin
Three trumpets
Jazz trio (piano, bass, saxophone or trumpet)
Quartets
Ensembles containing four musicians are called quartets. This is one of the most popular chamber ensembles. Having four musicians allows your ensemble more flexibility with the music they can play and will add depth and complexity to the sound. Common quartets include:
Woodwind quartet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon)
Brass quartet (2 trumpets, French horn or trombone, trombone or tuba)
String quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Saxophone quartet (soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax) Jazz quartet (drums, bass, keyboard or guitar, trumpet or saxophone)
Quintets
Quintets are another popular chamber ensemble choice and have risen in popularity over the last 60 years. Hiring a quintet to perform at your event will really elevate the day. Because composers have written a lot of music for quintets over the years (and continue to do so), you’ll have plenty of options for music. Our most requested quintets include:
String quintet (2 violins, 2 violas, cello)
Brass quintet (2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba)
Woodwind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon)
Saxophone quintet (instrumentation varies)
Jazz quintet (instrumentation varies, usually drums, bass, keyboard, saxophone, trumpet)
Sextets and Beyond
Ensembles over five are not commonly requested for weddings and special events, although they do exist! Ensembles with more than twelve musicians are often called a choir when made of all the same type of instrument or a band or an orchestra.
Thing to think about when choosing musicians or a musical ensemble
Remember to consider the timbre of the ensemble and how it matches your overall vision and aesthetic of your wedding. All of the ensembles listed above can play basically any style of music. What they can’t do is change what their instruments sound like. A woodwind quintet will always sound like a woodwind quintet just as a brass trio will always sound like a brass trio. Once you have a concept of what you want your day to sound like, start looking for ensembles by listening to their recordings. Look for groups that are able to play in a variety of styles, have quality recordings of their work, and who match your vision for your event.
Additionally, while we have listed some of the most common ensembles, there really is no limit to what grouping of instruments you can have. However, the more you vary from common instrumentation the more difficult it will be to find existing music, but you can always have music custom written for your day to make sure everything sounds exactly the way you want it to.
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