Soundtrack.net POTC: World's End previews

[Ollie 1,375]

But Rabin's music is very similar to Zimmer's stable of composers.

[robthehand 3]

Only blander.

[Morlock 12]

Every single film of his since 1990 fits that bill

That's not correct. National Treasure, Bad Company, Armageddon, Remember the Titans, ... were scored by Trevor Rabin, who isn't and was never a member of Hans Zimmer's Remote Control studios.

Technically he isn't, but he is a friend of Zimmer's, has composed in the MV system and with MV composers, and certainly has an MV sensibility.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

A Van Helsing style Silvestri score for PoTC would rock.

[Morlock 12]

What? All that noise? With all due respect to the Van Helsing score (And I am a big fan of it), it could not possibly work in a half-way decent film (which Van Helsing decidedly was not). Only in a film as terrible as Van Helsing would such a propesterously loud and fun score work.

[John Crichton 4]

but he's better than anyone else recording out there right now.

Better than Bruce Botnick? Nah.

Ah, finally, something we agree on.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

but he's better than anyone else recording out there right now.

Better than Bruce Botnick? Nah.

Ah, finally, something we agree on.

It's not my fault you usually have ridiculous views.

half-way decent film

Eh that's a stretch, it's the tired plot of the original Star Wars trilogy applied to the seas. Guy and rebellious smuggler type guy rescue high-class lady, come next movie, everything goes bad and the smuggler type goes missing and it's up to everyone else to rescue him. PotC is 70% popcorn, 30% Johnny Depp. The only superiority it has to VH the movie is Jack Sparrow and his entrances.

[bondo 33]

But Rabin's music is very similar to Zimmer's stable of composers.

I guess so.... if you're totally unfamiliar with Rabin's work and the MediaVentures' people's works, and have no way of picking out a composer's "sound". Sure, yeah

[Morlock 12]

Bullshit. I know MV and I know Rabin, and the basic stereotypical sound is the same.

[Ollie 1,375]

Morlock beat me to it but I agree.

Which is a shame because I've seen a recording session and heard some of Rabin's music with just the orchestra and it's actually decent and doesn't require a bunch of crappy synth overlay.

[Morlock 12]

Indeed. I am far more lenient on synths than many others here, but I do know that so many scores are cheapened by unnecessary synths.

[robthehand 3]

I've got no problem with synths when they're used as an instrument in their own right. I just don't like it much when synths double up for other instruments, or are just used as "noise" to make the music louder.

[Morlock 12]

I have no set rules...but often I hear synths and think 'Why on earth could this not be done live?'. I have very little respect for Randy Edelman because of that. Many great tunes, some terrifc film music there. But so many of them are cheapened by the synths. As good as Gettysburg or Dragonheart are, the synths bother me every time. I'm happy that many MV composers, Zimmer included, are using synths far more sparingly than they used to.

[A24 5,156]

Synths rule! Samples suck (unless it's meant to sound samply).

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

The sample sound sounds fantastic on a good speaker rig.

[Mr. Breathmask 624]

So does a live orchestra.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

So does a live orchestra.

But the highs and mids in live orchestras can get very tiring very fast on the ears, which is why I think a lot of the louder sampled music should stick to being sampled.  

[bondo 33]

Bullshit. I know MV and I know Rabin, and the basic stereotypical sound is the same.

As long as you acknowledge the difference between "I don't like their sound" and "they all sound alike," then we're in agreement.

[Morlock 12]

I do like their sound, and, in a lot of things, they all sound alike.

Morlock- who has a well-established record as an MV-apologist.

[Ollie 1,375]

Morlock- who has a well-established record as an MV-apologist.

Yes.

[Morlock 12]

AND I'M DAMN PROUD OF IT!!!

[Neimoidian 15]

I have no set rules...but often I hear synths and think 'Why on earth could this not be done live?'. I have very little respect for Randy Edelman because of that. Many great tunes, some terrifc film music there. But so many of them are cheapened by the synths. As good as Gettysburg or Dragonheart are, the synths bother me every time. I'm happy that many MV composers, Zimmer included, are using synths far more sparingly than they used to.

Is "Dragonheart" that replete with synths? I listened to it a few days ago and don't remember any (maybe I didn't pay much attention to it). On the other hand "Gettysburg" is indeed fully performed on synths. But it is still a decent score.

I personally don't enjoy Craig Armstrong's approach to synths. I bought myself his "Film Works 1995-2005" cd and noticed he often uses that kind of electronic percussion that is appropriate for pop songs only, but not the choral piece for example (see "Escape" from "Pluncket and MacLeane"). If the track is composed in a pop song manner (see "This Love" from "Cruel Intentions" performed bautifully by Elisabeth Fraser) it doesn't bother me much, but when I listen to a choral piece, it really annoys me.

[Morlock 12]

Is "Dragonheart" that replete with synths? I listened to it a few days ago and don't remember any (maybe I didn't pay much attention to it).

Oh, it sounds incredibly synthetic to me.

[Trent B 354]

I'll take live orchestra over synth any day...

[King Mark 3,975]

Is "Dragonheart" that replete with synths? I listened to it a few days ago and don't remember any (maybe I didn't pay much attention to it).

Oh, it sounds incredibly synthetic to me.

I remember that beeing a turn off for that perticular score.

But MV composers turning there bland,noisy and incoherent style to more orchestral scores isn't much better.I just listened to John Powell's X-Men 3 and I wasn't too impressed.Same thing with Narnia...etc...

[Morlock 12]

Well, X3 is bit of a mess, but it's got 3 terrific themes to ground it. Action music is good. Narnia I never liked. Kingdom of Heaven and Sinbad...those are real scores.

[Mr. Breathmask 624]

X3 is awesome. And it's miles and miles removed from MV stuff like The Rock, Crimson Tide or Backdraft.

[Ollie 1,375]

Which isn't that difficult to accomplish.

Personally I enjoyed Chicken Run and Shrek, even with the Deep Blue Sea theft.

Powell's absence is really felt in Shrek 2.

[Mr. Breathmask 624]

I haven't heard the Shrek scores outside of the films, but I was listening to Chicken Run again the other day and couldn't get over how excellent it was. It's a really cool score.

[Ollie 1,375]

Shrek is fun because it also includes some of the little fun songs from the film. The second one seems to lack the energy the first score has.

[Morlock 12]

But the unoriginality of the two biggest themes in it detracted from it for me. The second one had a bit more spirit. A slight, but entertaining, comedy score.