Richard Niles

Adventures In

Arranging

“My professional life has been amazing because I understood that the only difference between a job and an adventure was attitude.”

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Composer/Arranger/Producer Dr. Richard Niles has had musical adventures with some of the world’s most successful and acclaimed artists from Paul McCartney to Pat Metheny, James Brown to Randy Brecker, Tina Turner to Michael McDonald, Ray Charles to the Pet Shop Boys.

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“My professional life has been amazing because I understood that the only difference between a job and an adventure was attitude.”

His unique method of teaching not only delivers essential tools, but encourages you to think, explore, and discover your own inner voice to develop a personal style. The exercises stress that there is more than one way to solve a musical challenge, demonstrating that orchestration, voicings, harmonic and melodic techniques are, like a piano, only an instrument to express your ideas. Beyond a host of arranging techniques and analysis, Niles gives inspiring real-word advice and insider tips from 45 years on the ‘killing floor’ of the recording studio - how to work with record companies, songwriters, artists, managers and producers.

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To go to the page with 35 musical examples audio files that can be streamed

"Richard Niles is a great arranger and musician and was a great pleasure to work with.”
- Paul McCartney
"When you are talking musical pedagogy, Richard Niles is the daddy. He explains the mechanics of music better than anyone else…Not only does Niles know what he’s talking about, he imparts his knowledge with clarity and certainty."
- The Times (London)
“A must for every aspiring arranger and a very useful resource for anyone already advanced in this field.”
- Chris Walden (5x Grammy Nominated Composer/arranger)
“Witty, informative and packed with insights into his arranging methods!”
- JOHN ALTMAN (Emmy & BAFTA Winning Composer/Arranger)
“A book about how you arrange - easy to read, full of humor and informed by Niles’ vast and rich experience.”
- DON PEAKE (Wrecking Crew Guitarist/Film & TV composer)
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“Niles’ career, ability and experience enables him to write for anything - expertly! A must read for arrangers and orchestrators in modern recorded music. The anecdotal passages are heart-warming and full of humor. But the academic sections are very, very special. This is a text book that should be in the libraries of every college music department in the world!“
- TONY VISCONTI (Arranger/Producer David Bowie)
“After a lifetime of hits, Richard Niles shows you just how to do it. Theories are useful but the practical application shown in this book is of immeasurable value.”
- SYLVESTER RIVERS (Arranger/ Producer)
"Reading Dr. Richard Niles' latest book, ADVENTURES IN ARRANGING, I am so very impressed and inspired. I love the way he breaks down the Orchestration chapters for the instruments individually, rather than speaking in broader terms, as do many other books on this vast subject. There are voicing techniques, arranging tools and concepts galore, and SO much more! He makes it easy to understand with wonderful humor.

I assumed this book would be all text, however there are many wonderful photos, some I've never seen before.

If you refer to yourself as a 'Musician', I strongly suggest adding this treasure trove of musical knowledge to your library, So much musical information harvested during decades of experience by one of our most celebrated and respected musical arrangers."
-DANN GLENN (Composer, Author, Guitarist)
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"What a rollicking good read this is!! Richard Niles combines technical insights with anecdotal evidence to unite the work required for understanding with the fun to be had as a consequence. I have to confess some bias here as Richard and I worked on a number of productions, the string arrangement on Heather Small's 'Proud' for example. Check his arrangement on the Peter Cox cover of 'What a Fool Believes' that I produced - in my view, sublime. Now I'm off to attempt the exercise on page 64 - transcribing a Duke Ellington composition for 5 chromatic harmonicas. I'll be back in touch in 2086. Love you Rich! xx"
-PETER-JOHN VETESSE (composer/producer/keyboard genius)
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)

SOME ARRANGEMENTS BY RICHARD NILES

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