Ron Hess is proud to announce “The Chart Doctor: Volume 1 – The First 40 Articles from Film Music Magazine”, featuring a revised and expanded compilation of his popular articles exploring the arts and crafts of orchestration, arranging, conducting, music preparation, and much more.

In this new eBook, veteran Hollywood “hired gun” Ron Hess explores the world of “getting the job done” for you or your client in the various post-production arenas of orchestration, arranging, conducting, music prep, notation technology, scoring supervision, proofreading, and ear development. 

Whether you work with MIDI samplers, live musicians, or both, this eBook features detailed articles that deliver practical experience, specific techniques, and general savviness that can be used today to improve the workflow, execution, and artistry of your projects, including:

•    Saving session time by producing more readable and playable parts

•    Better, more commanding and effective conducting
•    Working smartly with notation software, including Finale
•    On-the-scene musical management of efficient and profitable scoring sessions
•    MIDI transcription issues
•    Finding, evaluating, and working with good collaborators (orchestrators, copyists, scoring supervisors, conductors, contractors, etc.)
•    Common and not-so-common notation problems and how to avoid them
•    Client service and career strategy
•    Practical, systematic approaches to score proofreading, complex takedowns, ear development, and music reproduction and binding
•    And much more

Order your copy today and create your own prescription for success from The Chart Doctor!


THE CHART DOCTOR: VOLUME 1 – COMPLETE CONTENTS

Opening Thoughts
Who’s On Your Team?
Fun With Finale
Finding And Working With Your Conductor
Music Prep Strategies: Help Your Players Help You
Conduct Yourself Accordingly:  Improve Your Technique
Four Steps To A Perfect Score
Conduct Yourself Accordingly: Let Your Gestures Do The Talking
Do You Know Any Standards?
Takedowns:  They’re Not Just For Wrestlers Anymore
Professional And Affordable Score And Part Printing
Don’t Get Caught In A Bind
On Hiring A Lifesaver
On Being A Lifesaver
From Actuality To Immortality
The Devil (And The Salvation) Is In The Details
Finding And Working With A Quality Orchestrator
Harp Notation Basics
Score No-No’s: Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Finale:  Dealing With The Score/Parts Link
Conduct Yourself Accordingly, Part 3: Podium Strategy
Trap Set Notation Basics: Give Your Drummer A Break
Power Resting
A Path To Quick And Reliable
Some Random Thoughts, Er, Some Thoughts On Random
Slip Slidin’ Away...
When Great Is The Enemy Of Good
Keeping The “Orchestra” In “Orchestration”
Taking A Button And Sewing A Vest On It
Music Prep Strategies:  Not-So-Common Courtesy
What The Computer Has Done To This Generation Of Composers
Notating Without Thinking, Or What Computers Can Do For This Generation Of Composers
When And Where To Optimize
Conduct Yourself Accordingly: Last-Minute Podium Strategy
Music Prep Strategies:  Words Ain’t Cheap
Midi Transcription: A Workable, Systematic Method

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ron Hess began his professional career as a trombonist in San Diego rock bands, even playing at his own senior prom.  As each band’s ”chart doctor,“ he transcribed and notated all the arrangements, normally yeoman’s duty but which yielded two long-term benefits:  good ears and notation chops.  This was followed by a Bachelor of Music degree from San Diego State University, a Master of Music degree from Boston’s prestigious New England Conservatory, and later a diploma from U.C.L.A. Extension’s Films Scoring program.

After Boston, his passion for film music drew him to Los Angeles, finding his first work as a music copyist, back in the old ink-and-vellum days,  From the consequent snail’s-pace journey through thousands of scores, he learned every element of good score format and practice, as well as orchestration theory and arranging.  Additionally, many years of counting voluminous rests while seated in symphonic trombone sections allowed him up-close-and-personal study of the technique and style of hundreds of conductors, as well as the sound and science of great composition and orchestration, perhaps the finest education in such disciplines available.  As an orchestrator and librarian, his presence at sessions led to developing his own strategies for effective scoring supervision and client service.

All of this, plus his mania for finding better ways to get things done (especially through technology) rounded out Ron’s evolution toward his ultimate career as a composer’s go-to hired gun.  Further, a kind invitation from Film Music Magazine has allowed him to share his eclectic insights with readers worldwide as “The Chart Doctor.”

Ron lives and works in Southern California with his wife Dee Dee and their 3-pound killer Chihuahua, Bambi.