Arrangeur/Arrangeurin

Media related to this profession includes the Initiative Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft der Bundesregierung, musiconn - für vernetzte Musikwissenschaft, Musik der Zeit, musiker online, musikexpress, and MusikWoche.

Artificial intelligence (AI) in music is a growing trend. Software is now available that composes music using AI technology, producing music pieces, soundscapes, and background music for computer games, among other things. This software is based on deep learning, which allows it to decipher patterns in music compositions and reproduce them in various forms. It can also manage music collections, categorizing and compiling them by genre, tempo, and key. Professionals and executives in the music or gaming industry should familiarize themselves with this technology and explore its potential applications.

Arrangers usually work in recording studios, in office and meeting rooms. They may also work from home or remotely.

Core competencies generally required in this profession include instrumental music, interpretation, and composition. Other competencies that may be significant for practicing this profession include recording technology, brass band, choir, jazz, musical, opera, operetta, orchestral music, pop music, rhythm, rock music, salon orchestra, sound mixing, sound engineering, and copyright. The competency groups "Musical Instruments" and "Music Genres" are also relevant.

Arrangers work in their (own) recording studio, where they create so-called "Midi-arrangements" using a keyboard, for example. Computers and modern notation software are also available for classical arranging. Production and performance deadlines can lead to time pressure, and working hours may extend into evenings and weekends. Arrangers process existing musical pieces or compose new ones with musical expertise and creativity. They coordinate with composers, interpreters, or producers, and with directors when arranging film music. This requires persuasiveness and occasionally assertiveness. In classical arranging, arrangers develop the complete score, which demands endurance and concentration. If they are involved in computer-aided music production, they work at the computer and define artistically.

Arrangers can become self-employed, for example, by starting an event agency.

Salary information varies; please check BERUFENET.

Arrangers can find employment in arts, culture, museums, music composition and arrangement, other performing arts (e.g., pop/folk singers), orchestras, choirs, and other musicians. They may also work in live music venues, opera and musicals, theater and musical theater venues, concert organizers, film/video/audio production, post-production and other film techniques (e.g., film music), vlog production, radio, television, and other media broadcasting, radio broadcasters and audio content distribution (e.g., radio orchestras, radio plays), television broadcasters and video content distribution (e.g., film music), publishing of music recordings (labels), and music publishing houses.

Employers often expect an Ausbildung (vocational training) or Studium (university degree) in music or audio design.

Relevant study fields include Early Music (undergraduate and postgraduate), Audio/Sound Design (undergraduate and postgraduate), Instrumental Music (undergraduate and postgraduate), Jazz/Popular Music (undergraduate and postgraduate), Church Music (undergraduate and postgraduate), Composition (undergraduate and postgraduate), Accompaniment/Lied Interpretation (undergraduate and postgraduate), and New and Contemporary Music (postgraduate).

Arrangers can be employed by music groups, composers, concert organizers, film/video or audio production companies, broadcasting corporations, and music publishers.

The German job title is Arrangeur/Arrangeurin. The French equivalent is Arrangeur/Arrangeuse.

Arrangers determine the instrumentation for new compositions or adapt existing musical pieces.

Bühnenjobs.de, Jobworknmz.de, StagePool, VioWorld.

BV POP Bundesverband Popularmusik e.V., Deutscher Musikrat e.V. gGmbH, Deutsches Musikinformationszentrum Deutscher Musikrat gGmbH, Genossenschaft Deutscher Bühnen-Angehöriger (GDBA), Künstlervermittlung der Zentralen Auslands- und Fachvermittlung (ZAV), ver.di - Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft, Verband Deutscher Musikschaffender (VDM).

Screen work (e.g., editing musical pieces on the computer using notation software), working with technical devices, machines, and systems (e.g., mixing consoles), working in studios (e.g., sound studios), customer contact (e.g., creating musical pieces in consultation with composers, musicians, and producers).

Devices and accessories (e.g.: keyboards, sound reproduction systems, mixing consoles, microphones, music stands), documents (e.g.: lyric and sheet music, scores), office equipment and software (e.g.: PC, music software, notation software).

Arrangers rework musical pieces so that they can be played by a different musical ensemble. For example, in film music, they arrange compositions for film orchestras or adapt them to the rest of the film score. They also arrange the instrumentation for new pop or rock songs where only the melody and guitar accompaniment exist. In doing so, they consider which instruments or voices are best suited and best capture the character of a composition. Arrangers record this in scores, which they often create on a PC using music software. Furthermore, they also compose their own musical works.

Suitable entry professions for this role include Audiodesigner/Audiodesignerin - Music (Ausbildung), Musiker/Musikerin - Church Music (Ausbildung), or Musiker/Musikerin - Pop/Rock/Jazz (Ausbildung).

Professional adaptation training helps to keep professional knowledge current and to adapt to new developments (e.g., in the fields of music and multimedia production). Furthermore, the trend of using artificial intelligence in music can become an important continuing education topic for arrangers.

Further professional and career opportunities open up, depending on professional background, through an undergraduate (grundständiges Studium) or postgraduate (weiterführendes Studium) degree (e.g., in Composition or Musicology). Under certain conditions, it is also possible to study without a general higher education entrance qualification (schulische Hochschulzugangsberechtigung). More information: Access to higher education in the individual German states (Bundesland).

Arrangers make existing musical pieces playable for different ensembles or create new pieces. For example, they rework pieces written for big bands for smaller jazz combos. They arrange musical pieces for use in films, television productions, series, or computer games. They compose new pieces based on their own ideas or client wishes, instrumenting new compositions and determining the parts for individual vocalists and instruments. They prepare sheet music from which musicians can record pieces. They modify and reharmonize parts of existing songs without changing the overall character of the piece. They make agreements with composers, for instance.

The following lists professions or activities that show similarities to the original profession. These professions represent a possible alternative for applicants. Furthermore, employers can consider individuals from these professions as alternatives for filling a position in the original profession. Some alternative professions only encompass partial activities of the original profession, while others require an induction period, which can vary in length in individual cases. The following immediate employment and staffing alternatives are available for the profession of arranger: Job and staffing alternatives for the overall activity (usually short induction): Composer. A list of all possible degrees of relatedness can be found here: Explanations of the individual degrees of relatedness.