Strings in Rock

 One of the most overlooked components of rock to date are the strings. While some bands have used strings on the side, others have even had a dedicated string section - or at least usage of a Melotron, for the strings, which leads to the genre of Symphonic Rock.

The Moody Blues

Though they bega as an RnB band playing poppy rock, their 1967 album, Days of Future Past shows a significant change. Incorporating strings and woodwinds, the album paved the way to several more albums in the future. The Moodies hit their peak in 1972 with Seventh Sojurm, before going synth-pop for the 80s, but have since made a return to their signature, symphonic sound.

Electric Light Orchestra

Another band from Birmingham, ELO are notorious for including strings in many of their songs. In fact, their name came from the combination of "electric rock," with a light orchestra. Their logo even resembles that of General Electric. 

ELO first broke through with their cover of Chuck Berry's Roll Over Beethoven in 1973. This led to album's such as 1975's Face the Music, and 1976's A New World Recrd. ELO hit their peak in the early 1980s with their collaboration with Olivia Newton-John on Xamadu.

Paul Buckmaster

The late-great Paul Buckmaster has done his share of orchestrations for renowned rockstars such as David Bowie, Elton John, and even the Rolling Stones. Some of his most noteable arrangements include hits like Elton John's Tiny Dancer and Levon, as well as David Bowie's 1969 debut Space Odity.

Buckmaster has even worked with other contemporary artists such as Stevie Nicks, Celline Dion, Train, Heart, and...Taylor Swift!

George Martin

A figure most associated with the Fab-Four, the late-great George Martin was responsible for many of the Beatles' arrangement, including strings. String-wise, he recorded the orchestration for their 1964 hit Yesterday and their 1966 hit Elenoar Rigby. In the latter half of their career, Martin added other woodwind instruments as can be heard on the 1967 LPs Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and The Magical Mystery Tour, and on 1968's The White Album.

Dee Palmer

Born David Palmer in 1937, Dee Palmer, as she is known today, has been responsible for many of the orchestrations on Jethro Tull's records, starting with 1969's Stand Up. In 1976, she joined Tull as a secondary keyboardist to supplement than keyboardist John Evan. Palmer made all three album's of the folk rock trilogy by Jethro Tull, 1977's Songs from the Wood, 1978's Heavy Horses, and 1979's Stormwatch. In 1980, Ian Anderson announced plans to record his first solo album, A, which thanks to record company pressure, became the thirteenth Jethro Tull album. 

Since Anderson wanted to work with different musicians, most of the band, including Palmer, was let go. Still, Palmer continued to make orchestral arrangements in the 80s and 90s mostly for prog artists. Her most noteable release during this time is 1993's Symphonic Yes.

Palmer underwent sex surgery in 2002 and and transitioned into a female. 

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THere have been many more examples of string arrangements throughout the years. With the 1980s, synthesizers egan to replace strings, and even in the 70s, models like the ARP String Ensamble were very widely used, most noteably by Pink Floyd's Richard Wright on 1975's Wish You Were Here and 1977's Animals.