.jpg.2458fca6d51a83fc69819435124c5723.jpg)
-
Posts
378 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by bored
-
-
-
Definitely Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone for best. It's thematically brilliant, complex, iconic, varied, and develops perfectly in the recording sessions.
Worst is definitely Half-Blood Prince. By far the most generic, toneless, spineless, and dull of the HP scores. At least Desplat has some good themes and ideas that he attempts to develop, even if they seem to get undercut or downplayed in the film. Not to mention "Polyjuice Potion" and "Sky Battle" being two of my favorite tracks in the Williams-less movies.
I do want to mention that the videogame scores (at least 1-6 and Quidditch World Cup) are definitely up there with Williams' music for me. Jeremy Soule has a more classical, bombastic, melancholic style that I think is great in its own way for HP, and James Hannigan did a better job at recreating the Harry Potter magic than any of Williams' replacements. Hell he even had better thematic continuity in the 5th game than the actual film has.
-
Haven't seen the newest stuff so I'll just rank the ones I've bothered with.
1. Solo
2. The Force Awakens
3. Rogue One
4. The Last Jedi
-
Probably not a very popular choice, but definitely Chamber of Secrets (with the edited tracked in material from Philosopher's Stone), and the new suites. I just love how it expands on the old themes, and the new material Williams created for that film. Even the completely reprised stuff from the first movie I end up associating with the second movie more, just because I think a lot of it fits better in that film's context.
-
2 hours ago, Koray Savas said:
There’s no mention of Neeson as Drebin in the article. This reboot has been in the works for years with Ed Helms. Neeson could very well just be the chief.
Well, if Ed Helms is the star then it's gotta be good right...?
-
Please let it be cancelled like so many other recent attempts at remakes. Modern Hollywood will never get comedy as good as that right.
18 minutes ago, The Big Man said:Will it be funny?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
...probably not, no.
-
- Popular Post
- Popular Post
I haven't gotten around to Skyfall yet, but I've always loved Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. There's just so much style and heart in those 3 scores. ASOUE in particular is just brimming with personality, and his music really fits with the tone of the film and the book series.
-
Wow, so glad I saw this thread today! I've always wanted to see an extensive project like this, and I love the ideas so far!
@Ravendor StudiosI quite enjoyed your rescore of the Goblet of Fire ending, so I'd be very curious on your thoughts on my alternate take on it.
Here, I included Patrick Doyle's Harry / Heroic theme, while still including William's original themes and orchestration style. I originally thought to have the more quiet version of "Leaving Hogwarts" for this scene like you did, but I felt it might be more impactful if this ending was the last time until Deathly Hallows Part 2 that it was used triumphantly. Like the last bit of care-free happiness that the students of Hogwarts feel before the ministry confirms Voldemort's return.
-
Gotta go with Revenge of the Sith. Yeah, Battle of the Heroes sounds exactly as it does in-film, but I love the remasters and uses of Leia's theme, and the full throne room suite from 77'. Both transition into the original trilogy, while also reminding you that the prequels are over (as both Luke and Leia's themes were part of "Across the Stars"). The entire sound and feel of those end credits in general feel like the true finale of Star Wars, and the throne room suite lead in to the final section of the end credits just flowed so well into a triumphant send-off.
-
On 1/13/2021 at 11:55 PM, Manakin Skywalker said:
Oh man... I'd have to go with ROTJ/1983. Both the main title and end title recordings are so powerful.
Definitely agree with that. For whatever reason, ROTJ has the only main and end titles that I always distinctly remember the sound of. All of the material from ANH just sounds so refined and precise by ROTJ. Really think that's when Williams got the Star Wars sound perfected.
Edit: I just re-listened to the original movie's main title, it seems the trumpet countermelody is there, but weaker sounding in the French Horns instead for whatever reason.
-
24 minutes ago, karelm said:
These instruments have to be worked with quantization, modwheels, shaping the phrases etc. It's a deep topic and even if you are using good samples, they hardly ever sound good out of the box without quite some work. I have the BBC Orchestra but don't know how it differs from the free version, is it a single dynamic layer? I do think you should use more variety in the instrumentation samples. When I spoke of orchestration, I was referring to music material, not the mockup quality. The way an orchestrator would work through this is different from what you are doing. They'll listen to what you intend and flush it out to be more likely to give you what you mean rather than what you said. It's also about knowing the balance between instruments but also sections and how you need to reinforce the primary idea and back off on the secondary or tertiary ideas. I like to use this as an example of primary and secondary reinforcements where you have a huge tutti orchestra blasting away:
Everyone in the very large orchestra (over 100 players here) is playing the same note in octaves...all are on G playing at fff. At 4:24, at the same fff the low brass plays the big Mars theme. What I hear in this recording is 3 trombones. Notice the balance between those three instruments in their tesitura (their big register) blows maybe 100 other players away that are all playing that same dynamic. The reality is there are alot of other instruments playing that theme with the trombones but they are clobbered by the trombones. This is an example of balance and reinforcing the primary then secondary idea effectively. Generally, as music gets louder, the material simplifies down to one or two (maybe three ideas) and every one reinforces one of those. Sure there are composers who don't do this but in general this applies.
This is a subject that takes years of study and work so isn't a quick subject suited for an email or two. For example, in sample libraries dynamics are defined as decibels and the instruments are equalized like a keyboard so if playing the same velocity, they'll be equally loud. That is not the case in an orchestra. Strings don't get that loud for example. A piccolo in low register is hard to hear and in its high register can be heard over anything but will pierce. Balancing these out to support each other is one of the important aspects of orchestration. Also what part of the chord do you double? Lots of composers might double triads but an orchestrator would rethink this. The root is the primary note and most frequent. The fifth is the second most frequent, and the 3rd is the least frequently doubled because it can muddy the clarity of the sonics plus a little bit makes the tonality clear. This is just a rule of thumb but its an example of how working with an orchestrator or teacher can help you get a more professional sound. I hope that explained it better.
Well, this definitely gives me the motivation to go back to college once the pandemic is stabilized (I personally don't work well in online classes). I did try by my fifth piece of music to make the orchestra sound more realistic and make the woodwinds more quiet except when they were the centerpiece, the brass more loud than strings, as well as try a little more EQ, make sure the reverb sounds the same, etc. As for doubling chords, I believe I usually double the root or the fifth, unless I want to have a more unusual sound or am having the brass / strings travel throughout a chord to give it more to do. Modwheels I don't know a lot about, but I do try to make the dynamics as realistic as possible (I don't use a keyboard, I type every note in manually and adjust the dynamics as needed) and mess with the volume control and pan as much as needed. Also yes there's only one dynamic layer that you drag up and down on the main display in the free version of BBCO, or you adjust on the piano roll (which is what I use most frequently). You've definitely inspired me to look into as many tutorials as possible to learn more about orchestration and theory, as I really do want my music to sound as realistic as possible.
-
13 hours ago, karelm said:
Almost this title:
I liked the concept and the music. It would sound great with live instruments and a professional orchestrator working on it. I encourage you to keep working on it and work on your production skills. The musical material is better than it sounds and not everyone these days listens with 1990's ears. I hope I'm not coming across as condescending because I don't mean to. In the hands of a good arranger and orchestrator, this would sound great. But you are limited with 1990's sounds. My advise to you, find the cue that is your favorite. Hire an orchestrator (doesn't have to be professional, just someone you admire...maybe even someone here). Then use that low cost demo orchestra. I forgot the specifics but something like $100 dollar orchestra or something used for demos to read through it. I forgot the specifics but were they the $100 dollars for 10 minutes orchestra or something but you can't use it commercially? Also, have you studied music or are you going by ear? If you can find a good music teacher (easier now since much of it is online), someone can help you fine tune your ideas. Good teachers won't change what you do but help you realize your ideas better and I think you would benefit from that. You have good ideas that aren't fully realized.
Huh, I didn't know about that album with the similar title! You don't sound condescending at all, I wanted some criticism so I actually know what I'm doing wrong. You think all of it sounds like 1990s sounds? I understand with the first 3 as I was using all Logic Pro X instruments and no other libraries, but I thought the quality had gotten better in the last 2 tracks, especially the 5th one as that one was mostly Kontakt and the free version of Spitfire's BBC Orchestra set. What about the orchestration is lacking to you in the last 2 tracks? I am self taught (but I am being taught how to play classical and jazz piano music), so my goal is to implement more advanced techniques with every track in that album. Do you think the brass needs more articulations? I am only using staccato / staccatissimo, and sometimes sfz brass for the intense parts. Do you think the orchestration would improve if I bought the East West Hollywood Orchestra pack? I know that has practically every articulation needed and every track I've heard online sounds pretty great with it. I'd just like some more specifics on what about the orchestration needs work.
-
Hey, I'm new to this site and I saw this section which is really exciting to me, as I've been working on composing my own music as well! Here's an album I'm currently working on I titled "Journey Through The Stars" (cheesy name I know), but I'd love your guys' opinions on it. The first track is a bit generic but I personally think the tracks get gradually better.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLd2VIEZ4pds9KR7ZjlGFF5BvTmG4VdDdG
What's the best and worst Harry Potter score?
in General Discussion
Posted
Desplat's first DH score feels like it's desperately trying to make up for Hooper's failed attempts at thematic material and general good writing. So he writes a plethora of themes, along with cleverly using Hedwig's theme like Williams did, (hell in Sky Battle he even brings back the 3 note motif after Hedwig is killed), but since it's literally the last 2 movies, it's too little too late. Though I will say his theme for the Order of the Phoenix in "Polyjuice Potion" is an ear worm for me.
Yates is used to the generic style set up by Hooper in HBP, and so while Desplat is trying to bring the musical style back in a lot of areas of his scores, it always feels like he's stopped by a bad director (the worst example being the Pirates 2 sounding music when Harry is taken to Malfoy Manor).
DH2 has Lily's theme, Underworld, The Resurrection Stone, and Dragon Flight which are all great, but unfortunately not much else stands out. At that point, it's Yates' generic-Os all the way down.