Short answer is, yes! One thing that sets Palmetto Strings apart from the others is the ability to arrange just about any song you would like, for any instrumentation. As the arranger and composer for Palmetto Strings, I enjoy adapting rock, pop, or my favorite, EDM (Electronic Dance Music) songs for our String Quartet, sometimes Trio. There are many string quartet arrangements to purchase online, but it’s important to note – most of those were arranged by a piano/keyboard player, not a strings player, and the quality of those arrangements isn’t there. The sound the group makes is determined by the skill of the players, but just as much, the notes on the page.
Below are questions we think are helpful to get a sense of what we think about when arranging music for our weddings and events.
What songs sound the best when adapted for Strings?
Any song with a nice sung melody works best. Classic rock, electronic pop, jazz and anything in between is great for strings. The only genres that are difficult or impossible to pull off with just stringed instruments is hip hop and rap, as those are spoken word, hence no melody that the instruments can play. If you find stringed instruments playing hip hop, they are playing along with the words using backing tracks.
Which instruments work best for my song?
We arrange for string ensemble, piano, guitar, violin + piano, violin + guitar, harp… you get the idea. We arrange primarily for string quartet or trio, and guitar + violin duo.
How long does it take you to arrange most songs?
The time and work put into each song varies, so it just depends on number of instruments in the group, and how long the song is.
What’s your favorite song(s) you’ve arranged?
I can’t nail it down to just one song, but the songs I enjoy playing are the same ones I enjoy arranging. Anything with a good ‘beat’ or groove, that isn’t just a 3 chord song, is what I enjoy.