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The Composer's Thread


Justin

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Simon, what kind of reverb do you usually use on the orchestra?

On all of these, I used Waves IR-1 with a Sydney Opera House impulse.

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Thank You, Simon.

I have a question for you. I think that you already work with a real orchestra. So do you find, like me, that is very difficult to recreate the depth of the orchestra. Another thing is the symphaty between the instruments. It is really difficult for you to think the dynamic like a real orchestra when you orchestrate on your midi system?

I am very sorry if my question is confuse...English is a little nightmare for me....

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Thank You, Simon.

I have a question for you. I think that you already work with a real orchestra. So do you find, like me, that is very difficult to recreate the depth of the orchestra. Another thing is the symphaty between the instruments. It is really difficult for you to think the dynamic like a real orchestra when you orchestrate on your midi system?

I am very sorry if my question is confuse...English is a little nightmare for me....

It's ok. Well yes it isn't an easy thing to do, but like so many things, with years and years of practice your learn to get better:) And some knowledge about orchestras and instruments is very helpful as well. I have never recorded any of my stuff with an orchestra, but I did record my own samples. Of course I would prefer to get all my stuff recorded by a real orchestra - any day - no matter how good a MIDI version you do, the real thing will always have something extra. At least if you get a decent orchestra to play.

Also, the composition, orchestration and balancing means 90% - the technical stuff is only the last 10% of the realism. If your stuff is bad, you can't make it sound good/real.

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Very nice music, Simon! :D

Just curious, what kind of film is that for which you wrote the first 4 tracks? Sounds a bit like a scary/horror-drama or something *g*

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Absolutely Amazing! You are truly Talented :D

Is that the VSL? ( Sounds like it to me ;) )

If so, What package do you have and what sort of PC do you have? Also, do you use GigaStudio with Cubase?

Thanks :)

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Absolutely Amazing! You are truly Talented :D

Is that the VSL? ( Sounds like it to me ;) )

If so, What package do you have and what sort of PC do you have? Also, do you use GigaStudio with Cubase?

Thanks :)

Thanks. No, not much VSL, if anything. Solo woodwinds are sometimes VSL, but violins + cellos are my own private samples. The rest of the strings are Sonic Implants, the brass is SAM and Sonic Implants, the percussion EWQLSO, maybe with some SAM True Strike.

I have 7 PC's... Used 4 on this one. One for controlling it all/sequencing using Logic, 3 running GigaStudio and one running the picture.

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Very nice music, Simon! :D  

Just curious, what kind of film is that for which you wrote the first 4 tracks? Sounds a bit like a scary/horror-drama or something *g*

Thanks. It is for a H.C. Andersen story called "The Story About a Mother" - it IS about life and death/good and evil to some extent yes.

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Absolutely Amazing! You are truly Talented :)

Is that the VSL? ( Sounds like it to me :P )

If so, What package do you have and what sort of PC do you have? Also, do you use GigaStudio with Cubase?

Thanks ;)

Thanks. No, not much VSL, if anything. Solo woodwinds are sometimes VSL, but violins + cellos are my own private samples. The rest of the strings are Sonic Implants, the brass is SAM and Sonic Implants, the percussion EWQLSO, maybe with some SAM True Strike.

I have 7 PC's... Used 4 on this one. One for controlling it all/sequencing using Logic, 3 running GigaStudio.

Er. OK :D

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Simon, did you never recorded with real orchestra because the budgets were too small?

I think, you could find some good works orchestra for a small budget. I have just finished a production for a french movie. The global budget for the music was not too expensive.

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Hey Guys!

Here is an atmospheric piece that I have just written, inspired by the images that I've seen of the Lava Planet Mustafar (ROTS) -- picture the lava planet while you listen to it :mrgreen:

http://www.jcxp.net/jack/compositions/Mustafar.mp3

Tell me what y'all think! :P

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Cool! Let's post it on TheForce.net or someplace and say it's leaked score.  :mrgreen:

LOL

I'll take that as a compliment :P

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Here is a little video from a recording sessions done at Angel Studio in London with the London Philarmonia Orchestra. I wrote this music, with ten other pieces in a romantic style, for a library CD edited by Kosinus.

I keep coming back to this. I love it. What's the title of the piece?

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Simon, did you never recorded with real orchestra because the budgets were too small?

I think, you could find some good works orchestra for a small budget. I have just finished a production for a french movie. The global budget for the music was not too expensive.

Well if you do a film trailer for $1000-$2000 you can't record anything for that:) And if you do a feature film with a small budget you can't either. Hiring an orchestrator + recording in Prague with a 70+ members orchestra is still gonna set you back at least $15.000-$20.000 - and thats for production costs alone...

Your real orch. stuff sounds good btw! :mrgreen:

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Simon, yes you're right for the cost. I just come from Bratislava where we recorded the music for the French movie. The composer is François Peyrony, I just did the production manager and the orchestration. The cost is incredibly inexpensive less than in london. I hope this low cost can help the young composer to see there music recorded by real musicians. I really think that is a real value for productions and comosers.

Tanks you Simon, did you listened my demo with samples?

I keep coming back to this. I love it. What's the title of the piece?

We don't have name for the moment. The names will be given by my editor, he usually do this part of the job. He follow a global concept for each CD of his collection. This music was written for a library CD. The challenge was to write 11 pieces who works in 3 formats, piano solo, strings alone and tutti in a romantic mood. We record the piano and the orchestra separatly. I alaways can listen this music, this is the first time for me. :mrgreen:

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Hey I finished a final mix of Aurora. Yay! (i fixed the balances). i have a question tho. i can't seem to get rid of blips (yes i cut here and there but i don't know how to fade them together after you cut out .03 seconds. anyone know how?

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Probably no one cares but I just got an A (highest score possible) in my Foundamentals of Music class. I was rather astounded at how well I did I figured I'd get a B at best I guess I aced the final exam. Yowza!

The class covered stuff from simple and compound rythmn to intervals and minor scales. (Also the teacher was very demanding and he used the 7-point grading scale as well. :P )

Justin - Pleased. :P

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Congratulations, Justin.

And, Tony, I can't wait to hear this new, fixed version of Aurora. I was humming that melody the other day, lol. You know you've done your job as a composer, when you've got someone else humming your songs.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Can anyone suggest some good pieces with GREAT slooow, long lines/melodies. John Williams is great for orchestration and fragmentable themes, but I need some suggestions on pieces, like most of Mahler, whose music can teach me how to come up with evolutionary, long lines! This is my biggest problem I face. Extending and evolving ideas, particularly melodies themselves.

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Mahler - 5th Symphony, 4. Mvt. (Adagietto)

Barber - Adagio for Strings ;)

Barber - 2nd Symphony, 2. Mvt. ("Night Flight")

Korngold - Symphony, 2. Mvt.

Ravel - Piano Concerto in G, 2nd Mvt. !! (Gorgeous, evolving from a very simple piano solo "waltz")

Studying Goldenthal's slow "movements" (Alien3 - Adagio, Titus - Finale, etc.) could help you also, he's very good at such things getting them evolve gradually over the course of several minutes)

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Hey,

I've just made my first real piece using Opus 1.. It took a while to put together and the performance still isn't perfect (Still learning...) but I'm quite happy with the result... For any of you who are curious, it uses the following articulations:

Violins (Performance Legato, sus, trem, pfp, legato runs)

Viola (Performance Legato, Portamento, sus, trem, pfp)

Cello (sus, pfp)

Double Bass (sus, pfp)

Flute (Performance Legato, pfp, stac)

Clarinet (Performance Legato, pfp)

Trumpet (Performance Legato, pfp)

Tam-tam (Reiben scrape)

Timpani (normal hit, trem, trem cresc)

Horns (sus, pfp, cresc)

Bass Drum

Harp

http://www.jcxp.net/jack/compositions/Opus%201.mp3

You'll notice the John Williams quote near the end :wave:

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Simon what type of VST's do you use? Gigastudio ESQ and your own private sample, do you use cubase to produce it or logic...Sorry if this was asked already, my work comp is not showing me the previous threads. Do you use Vienna Symphony?

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Fellow composers of jwfan.net

First, let me present you with my last score for a short film which was recently completed. The director has given me permission to post the video online, so that will be forthcoming.

I had posted this in another thread a few months ago, but I thought this was the more appropriate place. Feedback or criticism is welcome and appreciated! Click to download:

http://www.composerarts.com/toolshedscorem...emp3version.mp3

In addition, I would like to say that I am starting a board for composers and those in search of composers which is at the following address. This is not the full unveiling of my site, ComposerArts.com, which is an extension of the idea I had last year called "The League of Filmmakers and Composers for Orchestral Scores."

I will keep you updated as to when the main page is updated, but in the meantime, feel free to begin chat on the official ComposerArts forum, where you will find discussion boards, as well as Composer Wanted boards where I will invite directors and students to post their needs for composers. This will allow composers greater power in seeking collaborators who they deem worthy of their aesthetic and artistic goals.

But more importantly, for the first time that I've seen, there is a board for composers to submit requests for orchestral performances and also for directors who share their mindset when it comes to the musical aspects of film.

in the future, I hope this will be a great resource for composers as well as those in need of composers.

I thought of having a JW section, but decided best to keep this the home base. However, feel free to discuss anything you'd like about JW in the main forum. Discussion of religion and politics will be allowed there, but will be moved to "Other Topics" if the discussion strays too far from music.

I look forward to seeing you all there! And it would be nice if you kept your screen-names the same as here so we could recognise each other!

Enter ComposerArts.com Forum:

http://www.composerarts.com/boards

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I have a question... Some of you guys seem to have actual scoring projects. Where can I get started? I'm really keen and very eager to score something, anything... I'll work for free even.. Ive looked for student movies and everything... Any Help? :D

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I have a question... Some of you guys seem to have actual scoring projects. Where can I get started? I'm really keen and very eager to score something, anything... I'll work for free even.. Ive looked for student movies and everything... Any Help?

Jack, You can post on my board to look for directors and opportunities. I just opened it today, and I'll be luring directors and film students there.

http://www.composerarts.com/boards

But I'll PM you a good opportunity to do music that gets exposure. If you're willing to write Hip-Hop and 70's rhythm section mixed with a little jazzy orchestral, you should take it up. Money's little, but still good exposure.

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I have a question... Some of you guys seem to have actual scoring projects. Where can I get started? I'm really keen and very eager to score something, anything... I'll work for free even.. Ive looked for student movies and everything... Any Help?

Jack, You can post on my board to look for directors and opportunities. I just opened it today, and I'll be luring directors and film students there.

http://www.composerarts.com/boards

But I'll PM you a good opportunity to do music that gets exposure. If you're willing to write Hip-Hop and 70's rhythm section mixed with a little jazzy orchestral, you should take it up. Money's little, but still good exposure.

Cool, I'll register there :D

And thanks for the PM ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay. Jack. That was excellent! Yes, you've obviously got some nifty-sounding tools at your disposal, but it's also quite obvious that there is genuine talent lurking beneath, and sporadically leaping out in its glory.

I am desperate to try out what you guys have got! Anyone know the best place to "acquire" certain programs or sound libraries etc? I want to see what I can come up with (PM me if possible). The brass in that piece Jack sounded so inspiring.

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Jack, I think that’s fantastic. I heard the beginning over at my board, now its great to hear the whole thing. Sounds like you might be using eastwest, but until I can listen at home, I can’t be sure.

Some of it seemed to be suspense music, like someone was going to perish. The tremelo held notes, and then the low string patterns were effective. The french horn articulation could have been better handled, but I liked what you wrote for them.

My main website has a new piece called “Death” which you can listen to there.

14-i-am-death.jpg

http://hopkins.composerarts.com/audiodownl...loads/Death.mp3

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My contribution: two MIDI files I submitted earlier for two JWFan composition contests. I don't have any samples so sound quality and 'performance' is quite bad, but you get an idea of what I write. I wrote better things nonetheless :angry:.

[links don't work, will post them soon]

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  • 2 weeks later...

Jack, Opus 1 is really great. Somewhat like The Cloud from Star Trek: The Motion Picture or the LucasArts score to The Dig. You really have some wonderful synths at your disposal. (Jealous? Why in the world would I be jealous? That's just silly....)

Wind Band has some wonderful harmonies in it very SPR or Amistadish. :mrgreen:

Opus 1 Action is a very effective action cue. Although I remember hearing it before.

Justin

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Jack: Great stuff !!!

ok,

here is something newer from me.

I'ts not quite finished yet, but you'll get the idea. Made entirely with the VSL Opus 1 lib.

It's a teaser score for a star wars related sci-fi flick from germany.

http://www.marcelschweder.com/mox1/Minions Of Xendor - Teaser .mp3

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I'd love to upload my composition of the First Task from GoF, but it's an inferior MIDI file. If someone could sample it up a bit if they wanted to, that'd be just great!

Beam it over to me -- jack@jcxp.net :mrgreen:

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Jack, that's great stuff!  I can hear some Williams influences in your style.  Very nice.

heh, thanks :)

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Was just trying out some of the new samples that I got today... VSL Percussion (From the Symphonic Edition), and I've really been digging around the library that came with Native Instruments Komplete 2 (The Kompakt libraries) .. and there's some really neat synths and loops and really great sounds... I even found a waterphone sample! YAY :nod:

Here's me playing around with 'em ... :

Heart Thump

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^Those are some nifty sound effects. I need to try some o' that.

And I nearly fell on the floor when that last note played. Mind you, I had headphones on, and wasn't expecting such a percussive hit, lol.

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^Those are some nifty sound effects.  I need to try some o' that.  

And I nearly fell on the floor when that last note played.  Mind you, I had headphones on, and wasn't expecting such a percussive hit, lol.

LOL!!

That's what I was going for :music:

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