Reviews: TopDots Orchestrations

With the ever-growing need to include repertoire that is diverse, flexible and popular with pupils in our day-to-day teaching, TopDots offers a service that might be just what you are searching for.

The concept is to provide professional-standard flexible notation of popular songs and jazz tunes in a selection of keys that would suit most vocalists. The standard arrangements are for pop band with horn section, featuring a line-up of four ‘rhythm’ (guitar, bass, drums, keyboard), four ‘horns’ (alto, tenor, trumpet, trombone) and vocals (lead or group, where appropriate). There are also options for big band and reduced big band. Most of the arrangements are around £22, so reasonably affordable.

The most obvious use for these arrangements would seem to be for professional and semi-pro gigging bands, but they could be a very useful resource for coaching school ensembles. It is more important than ever to offer our pupils opportunities to perform pop and rock music, and I can see that these arrangements could be beneficial for young musicians who need ‘proper’ notation for GCSE and A Level ensemble and solo performances.

Importantly, all the tunes are correctly licensed through the original publishers. The website explains: ‘Often this involves a lengthy quality-control processes to ensure our arrangements pass the extremely high standards required. Scores and audio recordings are often submitted, and after they are examined we are granted a license. Not only does this mean a percentage of the selling price is paid back to the writers of the original song, customers know their music is ‘legal’ and has achieved the highest-quality levels, which can be confirmed by listening to our various example pieces.’

The notation is beautifully put together; we have all seen the rich selection of scribbled parts that exist for pop songs, but these are a joy to read! Real thought has been given to clarity and quality. The parts are not always easy, as they are faithful to the original recorded parts, but nothing is out of the ordinary for a Grade 5-plus pupil. The arrangements would provide a good challenge from an ensemble perspective and good practice for aspiring musicians who wish to gain experience in professional band playing. The full scores are detailed and helpful for tutors who might be coaching these groups.

The ‘Xtra Packs’ are where these packages really come into their own in an educational setting. Fairly priced at £4.95, these offer a variety of additional parts for strings, brass or woodwind, depending on the arrangement. There is always an option for a front-line instrument to play the melody if you don't have a vocalist or wish to feature a particular instrumental star in your line-up. I was particularly impressed by the scope and quality of the extra parts, including optional front-line instruments, strings, and alternatives to woodwind doubles. There are even tablature parts for guitarists who might not read traditional notation.

The website is neat, easy to use and browse quickly – important for busy teachers! There are several useful features, such as music samples in different keys, so that your vocalist can check the range before you make a purchase. There is also a TopDots YouTube channel, showcasing many arrangements, which I urge you to check out straightaway.

If I had one criticism, I'd say the current catalogue is on the small side; however, there are some excellent choices with enough music to progress a growing band over time. I would love to see some more ‘current’ pop songs that pupils would instantly recognise, alongside the classics. There is some Amy Winehouse and the jazz is on the more popular end of the spectrum, but the bulk of the material is from the more ‘classic’ soul and pop repertoire.

TopDots feels like it is just at the start of something; I will certainly be checking back in the future to see how they are expanding their catalogue and what features might be on offer.

top-dots.com