The Quick Question Thread

[Smeagol 0]

Hmm.. this might not be such a quick question but maybe someone can help.

I'm slowly starting to get hardware and software for my home recording studio, and am ready to start spending some money on more hardware. I already have some sample libraries (GPO and Stormdrum) and as well a couple of audio workstations (Adobe Audition, and should be receiving Cubase some time this week).

I am in general very illiterate in terms of the technology involved, I'm slowly learning through a lot of reading/research on the web, and the next thing I am reading everywhere that I should get is a sound card. So for those of you with a studio, could you explain me the advantages of buying one and what exactly it would be useful for? Perhaps the composers around here could give me a hand or point me in the right direction to find more info about this subject.

Thanks

[Wojo 2,458]

I took the 1997 SE discs of SW and just hacked the last track of disc 1 apart, leaving me Binary Sunset (alternate) and a bunch of alternate main titles, called precisely by their takes. The two minutes of silence is not necessary. I just haven't converted them to MP3 and FLAC yet.

[Richard P 5,302]

Here's my first one:

In Independence Day, there's a point in the film where they are launching the final assault on the mothership and all those little ships come out and start blowing up all those vehicles and equipment on the tarmac at the base and everyone starts rushing inside. It's accompanied by what I remember as a very fast brass passage. Does someone who knows the boot well know if this part is on there, and which track if it is?

[Trent B 354]

Here's my first one:

In Independence Day, there's a point in the film where they are launching the final assault on the mothership and all those little ships come out and start blowing up all those vehicles and equipment on the tarmac at the base and everyone starts rushing inside. It's accompanied by what I remember as a very fast brass passage. Does someone who knows the boot well know if this part is on there, and which track if it is?

Unfortunately the film version of 'The Finale Battle' is not on the boot at all. I wish it was, it is an awesome piece and also too there was some tracking going on in that latter half.

[Andy 7,728]

Quick Question: While listening to Goldsmith's Alternates for The Enterprise, Leaving Drydock, and Spock's Arrival, I began to wonder just how this "B" theme that is prevalent in all three cues relates to the Main Title we all know and love. Did Goldsmith write these cues first and then revise them after settling on the Main Title? Or did he write the Main Title first and develop these cues afterwards? Anyone know the story? (They're all magnificent, by the way, and are far too grand to be hidden away in deep dark corners of the internet.)

[Nick Parker 3,049]

I once saw a very humorous picture of John Williams giving a "thumbs-up" signal, and I need to find it for a project, but alas, I cannot. Does anyone know what photograph I am referring to?

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I know what you're talking about. I don't have it at hand though.

[Ollie 1,375]

Yes I do.

[Datameister 2,586]

Not sure where I found it, but I saved it to my computer when I did. Guess it's a good thing I did!

[Nick Parker 3,049]

There we are! Thanks, Joe, my English project is now complete!

[Delorean90 47]

Here's my first one:

In Independence Day, there's a point in the film where they are launching the final assault on the mothership and all those little ships come out and start blowing up all those vehicles and equipment on the tarmac at the base and everyone starts rushing inside. It's accompanied by what I remember as a very fast brass passage. Does someone who knows the boot well know if this part is on there, and which track if it is?

Unfortunately the film version of 'The Finale Battle' is not on the boot at all. I wish it was, it is an awesome piece and also too there was some tracking going on in that latter half.

Speaking of the final battle, does anyone have any idea as to how the end of "The Day We Fight Back" was supposed to fit onto the film? I think the grand statement of Cates' theme is a better and more appropriate piece of music for the overall scene, but the actual scene (the explosion of the ship and brief celebration) seems too long for this. Were they originally planning to have that scene shorter and the ending of the OST track (4:07-end) is the result of that scoring attempt, or what?

[Ollie 1,375]

I'm not a 100% sure but I believe the final battle was to be a tad bit shorter and completely different, as shown by that stupid bi-plane sequence originally filmed for Randy Quaid's demise.

Fortunately someone realized how silly that scene looked and re-did the final battle, extending the scene a bit. Arnold ended up re-scoring the sequence. If you watch the film it sounds like there is a bit of tracked/looped material in the final battle.

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

Quick Question: While listening to Goldsmith's Alternates for The Enterprise, Leaving Drydock, and Spock's Arrival, I began to wonder just how this "B" theme that is prevalent in all three cues relates to the Main Title we all know and love. Did Goldsmith write these cues first and then revise them after settling on the Main Title? Or did he write the Main Title first and develop these cues afterwards? Anyone know the story? (They're all magnificent, by the way, and are far too grand to be hidden away in deep dark corners of the internet.)

From what I've read, it seems the alternates were written before Goldsmith came up with the "full" main theme very late in the process, and he then rewrote those cues to include it.

[Richard P 5,302]

On the subject of Goldsmith, I got hold of the R1 Mummy DVD, the one with the isolated score that plays during the languages menu.

My question is: does anyone know which vob file contains this stream? I'm close to ripping every file except the movie ones and I can't find it... I know you can record the audio through the line in, but I wasn't planning to do that.

[Luke Skywalker 2,383]

Not sure where I found it, but I saved it to my computer when I did. Guess it's a good thing I did!

thats a very funny foto

[Ollie 1,375]

Marian is correct, Goldsmith composed those cues before he came up with a full theme. Robert Wise wasn't satisfied with them and the general consensus was that the cues were lacking a theme. So Goldsmith went back and came up with the theme and re-wrote the cues.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

"It sounds like sailing ships!"

Which is interesting considering how nautical Meyer went in the next one...

[Wojo 2,458]

Can anybody recommend (or provide, yay) a good recording of "The Sinfonians" by Clifton Williams? We're playing it this summer in my community band, and I'd like to hear how the piccolo solo goes so I can play it better. Thanks!

[Andy 7,728]

Marian is correct, Goldsmith composed those cues before he came up with a full theme. Robert Wise wasn't satisfied with them and the general consensus was that the cues were lacking a theme. So Goldsmith went back and came up with the theme and re-wrote the cues.

So interesting. Although the theme and revised cues are absolutely wonderful, the original cues' theme is quite soaring and feels very liberated and fee to roam. Hearing those alternates for the first time was definitely one of my "Oh My God" moments in film music enjoyment. So frustrating that this is not legitimately available.

[Nick Parker 3,049]

While listening to The Fury, I was reading the CD booklet and noticed that the film was based on a book. Which led me to this question:

Just how many novel adaptations did John Williams score?

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Just how many novel adaptations did John Williams score?

Munich

War of the Worlds

Memoirs of a Geisha

Harry Potter

Minority Repor

Angela's Ashes

Seven Years In Tibet

Sleepers

Schindler's List

Jurassic Park

The Lost World

Hook

Empire of the Sun

Dracula

The Fury

Black Sunday

Jane Eyre

Family Plot

Jaws

The Eiger Sanction

The Cowboys

The Long Goodbye

Goodbye Mr Chips

The Reivers

Heidi

I probably missed a few.

[Nick Parker 3,049]

You are correct, you did miss some. Catch Me If You Can was based on a book, and Minority Report and A.I. were based on short stories, I believe. I have a feeling that the list is still not complete....

I would not really consider Hook a novel adaptation, though.

[Red 75]

A.I. is partly based on Pinocchio, but not on any specific short story that I'm aware of. Hook sort of counts.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

AI is based on a Brian Aldiss short story called 'Supertoys Last All Summer Long' or something along those lines.

I think you're right Nick, Minority Report was a short story rather than a novel. But it's still, well, an adaptation. Then again, so is Superman.

[Nick Parker 3,049]

Also novel adaptations:

Tom Sawyer

The Towering Inferno

SpaceCamp

The Witches of Eastwick

Born on the Fourth of July

Stanley and Iris

Presumed Innocent

What would Superman and The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn be considered?

[Red 75]

AI is based on a Brian Aldiss short story called 'Supertoys Last All Summer Long' or something along those lines.

That's right, I forgot about that. I should have remembered though since all of Kubrick's work was based on novels or short stories.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Also novel adaptations:

Tom Sawyer

The Towering Inferno

SpaceCamp

The Witches of Eastwick

Born on the Fourth of July

Stanley and Iris

Presumed Innocent

What would Superman and The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn be considered?

Graphic novel/comic book adaptations. Tintin would be more graphic novel, as I believe those were released as actual books instead of serialized.

[Nick Parker 3,049]

I would imagine you are right. And the amount of adaptations John Williams has scored is disturbing....

[Nick Parker 3,049]

Why is Carrie Goldsmith given thanks in the Grim Fandango credits?

EDIT: Never mind, the person in question is "Claude Goldsmith". Is there any relation to Jerry Goldsmith?

[Mr. Breathmask 624]

Graphic novel/comic book adaptations. Tintin would be more graphic novel, as I believe those were released as actual books instead of serialized.

Tintin first appeared in Le Petit XXième, a small local magazine. I believe it later became a newspaper magazine, before eventually being published in Tintin magazine.

Unlike American serialized comics (like Watchmen or V for Vendetta), most European graphic novels first appear in weekly or bi-weekly comic magzines like the old Tintin or Spirou (which is still being published). Two, three or four pages are printed at a time, meaning subscribers to the magazine get to read a new story spread over about 11 weeks (assuming it's a standard 44-page story published at 4 pages a week). The entire story is then later bundled into an album and released for sale. The magazines are basically a way for a publisher to hook readers on new series.

Another option is for a comic to first appear in newspapers (like Suske en Wiske, one of Belgium's biggest-selling comics) and then to be published in an album. These will often be published only one or two bands (two bands = half a page) at a time. When reading the album, you'll find the page divided into four equally sized bands and only rarely is the layout of the entire page taken into consideration (due to the initial publishing method).

[Josh500 1,620]

Is the volume output of that album slightly lower than those of Episode I and III?

I'm listening to this on my computer, but since I couldn't rip it (because of that stupid protection-thing) I got the files from somebody else. And when I compare the first tracks, I notice that the Main Title from Episode II is slightly lower in volume than the other two. Now, I'm wondering whether it's the album itself, or the files...

(I don't have a CD player at the moment, otherwise I would check it myself!)

[Ollie 1,375]

I know it's a tad bit muddy sounding at time. But I think the volume is the same.

[John Crichton 4]

The Episode II CD has one of the worst mixes of all time. Period. It's like Shawn Murphy didn't clean his ears out for a year.

[The Dark Trilogy 40]

I'm listening to this on my computer, but since I couldn't rip it (because of that stupid protection-thing)

Take my advice: Buy the australian version. I have it, and it has no copy protection.

[Josh500 1,620]

I'm listening to this on my computer, but since I couldn't rip it (because of that stupid protection-thing)

Take my advice: Buy the australian version. I have it, and it has no copy protection.

I'm in Europe. How the heck do I get the Australian version?

[The Dark Trilogy 40]

I'm listening to this on my computer, but since I couldn't rip it (because of that stupid protection-thing)

Take my advice: Buy the australian version. I have it, and it has no copy protection.

I'm in Europe. How the heck do I get the Australian version?

I'm from Europe, too (Germany). I've bought it from Amazon.de-Marketplace.

Here is the link: http://www.amazon.de/Star-Wars-Episode-2-S...6848&sr=1-9

[Greg1138 3]

Episode II copy protection can be bypassed - if you import it using an external DVD-RAM.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Huh. My UK copy rips perfectly fine. At least I think it's a UK copy.

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

Episode II copy protection can be bypassed - if you import it using an external DVD-RAM.

I never even noticed any of these copy protections. Under Linux, that is.

[Richard P 5,302]

Here's a very subjective one - There's one track in Rupert Gregson-Williams' Bedtime Stories that I love - The Legend of Skeetacus, and the reason I love it is because of the mini-melodies that get stuck in your head, but especially the one at 1:37 because of how positive it sounds, and the 'major' note at 1:42 (the second to last note in that falling brass motif).

So my question is, where else can I find constructs like this, where a major note appears where you don't expect it to and just makes the melody so much 'happier'?

And I'm now officially a fan of this guy's adventure music

[Quintus 6,494]

Interesting how it's always a brass note that stimulates the sensation you speak of. I'm sure ID4 is full of 'em.

[Greg1138 3]

Huh. My UK copy rips perfectly fine. At least I think it's a UK copy.

I never even noticed any of these copy protections. Under Linux, that is.

Despite the cover stating "Will not play on PC/Mac" for those of us that bought it when it came out, only Windows seems to have a problem with it. As far as I know, no Linux user ever had a problem with it either. It also depends on the age and setup of your PC (Windows98 never had an issue with it). But in general it can easily be bypassed as I said...

....as an aside, I think Sony got rapped on the knuckles for including this protection on several of their CD's (including the Spider-Man soundtrack) at the time.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Whatever happened to those who ordered the last batch of Varese Clubs? I recall they shipped on April 6th. Anyone get Howard's Russkies? I want to know what you think.

[Nick Parker 3,049]

What exactly is a "4B" pencil? I cannot find a satisfactory answer anywhere....

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Don't those numbers/letters just refer to the type of lead in the pencil?

[Ollie 1,375]

I believe so.

[Andy 7,728]

I think it has something to do with the softness of the graphite in the pencil. I believe the lower the number, the softer the graphite. You would use low numbers for shading and high numbers for detail.

At least, I think that's what it means.

[Ollie 1,375]

I remember we always had to have a #2 pencil for tests in elementary and jr. high.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Which was complete bs, as long as you didn't use a pen you were fine.

[Nick Parker 3,049]

Thanks!