Garrett Breeze

Show Choir Arrangers You Should Know (Tyler Henderson)

Tyler is the founder of Tyler Henderson Arrangements and current director of choirs at Sullivan HS in Illinois.  Previously he served as the combo director of the Crete-Monee High School “Cavaliers” in Crete-Monee, IL and served as director of “Girls in Heels” at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, IL.  He has a BM in Vocal Music Education from Millikin University.

1. Please describe your basic setup.  (Your technical setup as well as the physical space that you work in.)
I live in a 2 bedroom apartment in Decatur, IL, so one of my bedrooms has become my office space. I have an iMac Computer with a second monitor attached, so I can play originals to songs and watch what I’ve written so I can easily figure out if I need to change anything. Also connected to the iMac is a Behringer U-Phoria UMC202HD Audio Interface to connect two microphones when recording, as well as I have two JBL 305P MkII 5” Studio Monitors with built in subwoofer connected to a that give me a great sound when mixing tracks. The software I use to arrange is Sibelius, and the software I use to mix full performance tracks is Logic Pro. Lastly, I have an M-Audio Oxygen 48 keyboard that plugs into the iMac and can help me plug in notes faster on Sibelius. 
2. What is your process for brainstorming or inspiration-seeking as you start a new arrangement?

I listen to the originals a bunch of times and each time I try and come up with something new I could write, maybe a new horn lick, or a harmony part. Then I go and try to find covers of the song, to see maybe someone else’s point of view and how they interpreted it to see if I like any of their interpretations. But mostly it’s just me listening to the song over and over and memorizing it before I write it.

3. What is your go-to snack and/or drink when arranging?

 I cannot eat when I arrange, I would get so off track so easily. I usually just have a glass of water next to me to stay hydrated.

4. What is one thing you wish you would have known when you started arranging?
One thing I wish I would have known is you never know how busy you are going to get from summer to summer, so budget your time so you can get everything done by the time the director needs it. 
5. What is your favorite shortcut or time-saving trick in your notation software?

 I cannot take full credit in finding this myself, Brock Keiper showed me this, but in Sibelius, if you type an A, it will play input an A, might not be the right octave, but you can click command up arrow, or command down arrow to put it in the right octave. So I guess that’s two. Here’s a third, if you have a note highlighted, you can press any number and it will put that interval above the note. So if you have a middle C highlighted and press the number 3, an E will appear above the middle C.

6. What is a favorite arrangement of yours?
My favorite upbeat arrangement probably has to be my SSA arrangement of Perfect Day by Hoku from Legally Blonde. My favorite ballad probably has to be my SAB arrangement of Heart of Stone from Six the Musical. They will be uploaded to my website very shortly for listening and purchase!  
7. How can people get ahold of you?
You can head to my website, www.thendersonarr.com where you can view my entire catalog of over 200 charts, or email me at tyler@thendersonarr.com

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Garrett Breeze

COMPOSER, ARRANGER

Garrett Breeze is a composer, arranger, and orchestrator whose credits include film, television, video games, Broadway stars, major classical artists, and many of the top school music programs in the U.S.

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