The Quick Question Thread

[Jay 46,244]

Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica!

[Datameister 2,586]

Michael!

Oh, that's funny. Michael!

[Datameister 2,586]

Okay, here's an obscure question. It seems like Conrad Pope tends to write unite instead of unis...but only on the viola parts. Anyone know why this would be the case? I know unis. is perfectly acceptable, too, so I'm not losing any sleep over it, but is there some tradition of writing unite instead for the viola?

[Muad'Dib 2,059]

You should ask him

[Datameister 2,586]

Probably the most direct way to get the information - the only hitch is that I don't know Mr. Pope, and it would be kind of awkward to tell him I've been illegally downloading copies of his manuscripts and had a question about them...

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Isn't there someone here that does know him?

[Jay 46,244]

Just ask him in facebook. You don't have to say you downloaded his work; just say you saw one and was wondering what it meant

[Datameister 2,586]

I sent him a message a year or two ago and never got a reply, but I don't think it was about something small and simple and educational like this...hmmm...maybe I'll give it a shot....

[Muad'Dib 2,059]

It's a matter of luck to get an answer from him. Sometimes he replies and sometimes he doesn't... Again, luck.

[Datameister 2,586]

Gotcha...thanks for the input!

[Wojo 2,458]

Question for the folks that live in the British Isles.

When you eat your fish and chips, what kind of beer, if any, do you enjoy with the dish?

For the last few months, I have been on a serious New Castle Brown Ale kick. It's usually expensive here in the 'States if I buy a bottle, but fortunately, a few local bars carry it in kegs, making their draughts quite affordable. I had the beer with a piece of grilled swordfish, which destroyed the my palate. Each drink of beer tasted like a boat's bilge water, extremely heavy in fishy flavor. Not good.

I was just wondering. The same beer was good with a fried, breaded fish sandwich, making me think it has to do with the presentation of the meal, not necessarily the seafood itself.

[Omen II 1,300]

Question for the folks that live in the British Isles.

When you eat your fish and chips, what kind of beer, if any, do you enjoy with the dish?

I've never had a Newkie Brown with fish and chips (you confirm my suspicion that it could be a little overpowering as an accompaniment), but having said that some of the darker beers are good for making the batter itself, so go figure. When I have fish and chips I tend to pick whatever I happen to have available and whatever takes my fancy; I find that some of the pale ales such as Greene King IPA go well with our national dish. Two of my favourite beers that are widely available in the UK (not sure if you can get them across the pond) are St. Austell's Tribute and Wychwood's Hobgoblin. The former goes with absolutely anything while the latter is so wrong with fish and chips that it somehow works, IMHO. You may find the following links useful:

Greene King IPA

Wychwood Hobgoblin

St. Austell's Tribute

St. Austell's Tribute is one of the major sponsors of the football team I support, while Tribute is also one of the few beers you can buy on trains between London and Devon and Cornwall, so it's a good thing I like it anyway! This might make an interesting thread in the Other Topics bit, as I would be interested to read other people's recommendations.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,025]

I copy what Omen said. Hobgoblin is my absolute favourite beer. With fish 'n' chips, though, I just have water, and keep the beer until after. Have plenty of salt and vinegar (vinegar first, mind!) and if you can, have your fish fried in beer batter. Yum!

[Brónach 1,330]

What exactly is missing fron the Collector's Edition release of Close Encounters?

[Xander Harris 9,677]

For starters, the first conversation with the sentry ships, which is actually really awesome. Williams mentions it in the CE interview (they used an old car horn in conjunction with the orchestra) but it isn't actually featured on the CD. I never got that.

The film version of the finale is on the original album. The SE insert is sort of on the Pops in Space recording, but it might not be the film version and it isn't edited into the score as intended.

[Wojo 2,458]

Thanks Omen II and Richard too. There used to be a thread about frosty beverages, or this could go into the "whatcha eatin" thread.

I don't know if I'd consider a fish sandwich and fries to be fish and chips, because I don't know what the batter was made of, and it was augmented with bread, tomato, lettuce, and tartar sauce (I asked for cocktail, but I was hungry enough to not care). So I know that's not "fish and chips" because I didn't ask for salt and/or vinegar. There is a fast food joint that serves something closer to that classic description, but I don't much care for Long John Silver's.

It may come down to the adage of "you can deep fry anything and it'll taste good." A grilled or blackened piece of sword or tuna may taste terrible with a heavier beer, but fry it, and you won't notice.

I have tried a few ales, even IPA's, and I can't find one I like. I grew up on lagers, so even to consider NCBA to be the only "ale" that I like may be a stretch.

Anyone here ever try a Guinness float as shown on Guy Fieri's show?

[Jim Ware 638]

Goodnight Dune

(Ok, it's not a question, but I felt that only PM'ing Richard and Melange would be selfish.)

That is brilliant!

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

What Vangelis piece is this (at the beginning of the clip):

[Naïve Old Fart 13,025]

What Vangelis piece is this (at the beginning of the clip):

Well, the second selection is "Alpha", and the third selection is "Heaven And Hell Pt. 1", but I'm sure that you already this, Marian. I'm working on the first selection; give me time...

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

Yeah, I know the rest - probably... didn't listen to the whole clip, but I recently re-watched the series. I have all the stuff that stuck out to me, except this bit, which I haven't been able to identify so far.

[ManofDestiny 104]

Again, a question regarding a promo CD I've got on ebay.

As Good As It Gets Promo.

The cover art is the same as the promo showing on soundtrackcollector.com.

It is a pressed CD.

In the back cover it listed 6 tracks.

But when I play the CD, it contain 13 tracks. Including the songs.

Now I wonder if my copy was bootleg.

Can anyone tell me is the real promo included the songs which did not listed on the back cover?

Thank you.

[Muad'Dib 2,059]

Is there a way to get the Hal Leonard tracks withouth the beeping sounds?

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Again, a question regarding a promo CD I've got on ebay.

As Good As It Gets Promo.

The cover art is the same as the promo showing on soundtrackcollector.com.

It is a pressed CD.

In the back cover it listed 6 tracks.

But when I play the CD, it contain 13 tracks. Including the songs.

Now I wonder if my copy was bootleg.

Can anyone tell me is the real promo included the songs which did not listed on the back cover?

Thank you.

Sounds like someone just put the OST into a sleeve that said FYC. A promo for a score will never include songs that weren't originally composed for the film.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

What Vangelis piece is this (at the beginning of the clip):

*Bump*

[Smeagol 0]

This question needs some introduction.

I've never listened to the Titanic soundtrack. Ever. I saw the film once in theaters when it came out and never saw it again. I never owned the soundtrack and never really payed any attention to the film's music.

Until a couple of days ago when I saw the soundtrack in a bargain bin for $1 and thought "why the hell not?".

I get home, put the CD in and...

WTF???

Did Horner really use shitty synth choirs in it? Or did I get a fake version of the score?

Why? Wouldn't the back-then most expensive movie ever made have enough money to hire a choir?

Did he do this on purpose or where they really trying to cut corners?

I'm so confused.

[crocodile 9,724]

I think they made it to feel "timeless" and "new age" (in an Enya kind of way). And yes, this was done on purpose and it is a film version as well.

And yes, it sold 30 million copies and won two Oscars. So what do we know...?

Karol

[Smeagol 0]

So what do we know...?

Karol

Indeed, haha. It was 1997, so I suppose the synth-y quality of it is more noticeable now than it was then.

Still, that was quite a surprise, and it feels so misplaced when you think that the subject matter is a ship that sank in 1912.

I had no idea, hehe.

Oh well. Maybe I can think of it as getting what I paid for?

[crocodile 9,724]

And least you didn't overpay much.

Karol

[Xander Harris 9,677]

Sissel's vocal stuff is beautiful. The synth stuff...yeah. I don't hate it. I probably should. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra attempted a suite from Titanic with a real chorus...interesting to hear, but it just doesn't work. Of course, that was one attempt.

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

I think they made it to feel "timeless" and "new age" (in an Enya kind of way).

And yet the Enya original is much better.

[Datameister 2,586]

I don't have the OST, but I clearly remember that synth choir from the film. It almost works for me...and then it just doesn't. Normally, Horner is better at restraining his New Age influences so that they just enhance his music, but he kinda went overboard here. No pun intended.

EDIT: Oh, right, I had a question, haha! This one may not get an answer...in which case I'll start a thread about it. I've noticed that in Williams' sketches from recent years (and his orchestrators' full scores), he always refers to snare drums simply as "drums", field drums as "deep drums", and tom-toms (etc.) as "tuned drums." This wasn't always the case...I've definitely seen older scores that refer to snare drums as snare drums, for instance. Anyone know why he might do this, and/or if it's a widespread thing in the film scoring world? Seems like it'd make more sense to just say what you mean. As a percussionist myself, I've never been given a part that used this terminology, though I've never worked in the film music industry, either.

[Xander Harris 9,677]

I remember being so enthralled by the movie, and the music was wonderful as well. It fit the movie like a glove. I remember the segue from old Rose describing Titanic to actually seeing it at Southampton. The music there is phenomenal. Then I remember borrowing the soundtrack from a girl in my class and not finding that music anywhere on it.

[Brónach 1,330]

I like the synth in Titanic a lot. I hardly ever listen to stuff like that so it sounds more unique to my ears, I guess.

[Rachael Foley 10,164]

Who composed the music for the 1990 version of the Universal Studios logo? and does anybody else think it sounds like the ending of "Sail Barge Assault"?

[Datameister 2,586]

If I'm thinking of the same logo, that was Horner. It does have some similarities in the way the chords work.

[Rachael Foley 10,164]

and why does Mutt cuss when that ripping sound is heard after he "throws" Indy his knife?

[Xander Harris 9,677]

It's a dumb joke that falls flat. I think the implication is that he rips his jacket, but it's never elaborated on and it isn't even humorous anyway.

[Rachael Foley 10,164]

Yeah it never made any sense

and is there a difference between the concert arrangement "Irina's Theme" and the cue that plays when Irina first appears and attempts to "read" Indy?

[Jay 46,244]

What I remember reading about James Horner and Titanic was: Instead of him receiving a salary and there being a budget for the orchestra/choir, the ENTIRE scoring budget was given to James Horner, and he was allowed to spend what he wanted to spend on the orchestra and choir, and keep the rest for himself. So, by opting to use a synth choir, he saved a bunch of money and got to pocket it for himself.

Again, that's just something I read 13-14 years ago, and I could be completely wrong. Maybe somebody can find an article.

[Ollie 1,375]

I think he did what Cameron did, forgo a traditional salary. Horner then took most of his earnings from the sales of the album.

[crocodile 9,724]

Anyway, it's probably the greatest synth mock-up score in history.

Karol

[Luke Skywalker 2,385]

synth mock up? its just the choir, isnt it?!?

It's a dumb joke that falls flat. I think the implication is that he rips his jacket, but it's never elaborated on and it isn't even humorous anyway.

It would have worked if when indy goes to unwrapp mutt we see his pants ripped.

But then, having a pant-ripped indy for the rest of the movie would have been awfully embarrasing...

[crocodile 9,724]

synth mock up? its just the choir, isnt it?!?

I know, but because of the choir it sounds like mock-up.

Karol

[Taikomochi 1,461]

What I remember reading about James Horner and Titanic was: Instead of him receiving a salary and there being a budget for the orchestra/choir, the ENTIRE scoring budget was given to James Horner, and he was allowed to spend what he wanted to spend on the orchestra and choir, and keep the rest for himself. So, by opting to use a synth choir, he saved a bunch of money and got to pocket it for himself.

Again, that's just something I read 13-14 years ago, and I could be completely wrong. Maybe somebody can find an article.

If it was his intention to pocket the money, the whole score would have been synth, and he would have gotten away with it, too.

[Jay 46,244]

I'm sure there was a stipulation that a real orchestra had to be used. Isn't a choir much more expensive than an orchestra anyway? Also, this is all rumors as far as I'm concerned - I have no article to source what I am saying.

[Xander Harris 9,677]

Cameron wanted the Enya effect. Horner copied it for him.

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

Isn't a choir much more expensive than an orchestra anyway?

Is it? Much of it depends on the size, obviously. You can have a 30 piece orchestra or a 100+ voice choir. But as far as single people go, I'd expect an instrumentalist to be more expensive than a choir voice, especially when the entire choir is separated into only 4 to 8 different sections, where everyone sings the same stuff - so mistakes are much less severe.

[Jacob 1]

The final two tracks on Elfman's Mission: Impossible are titled Zoom A and Zoom B.

What's up with that?

[Ollie 1,375]

It's the train cue divided into two parts.