The Force Awakens 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' SCORE speculation

[crumbs 14,319]

So with Ben Burtt returning in the downgraded role of "sound designer", and Matthew Wood promoted to "supervising sound editor", should we be expecting any Williams music to be audible in the film itself?

Is JJ renowned for being generous to music in his movies' mixes?

[mstrox 6,651]

Giacchino's scores in Abrams movies have always gotten a decent mix - maybe not as good as the original Star Wars trilogy, but better than the norm in movies these days.

[Jay 37,374]

Yea JJ Abrams films tend to have the score mixed to be quite audible.

[mrbellamy 6,293]

Since Williams maybe in his last few years of film scoring, Spielberg should at least pick more grandiose projects now instead of this cold war crap that doesn't led itself to music too well. He rejected so many projects that had far more Williams potential before settling for the least interesting possibility

So we get another Munich that most of us have barely listened to and is never talked about

There's still The BFG in 2016, which will be a fantasy film.

Yes, exactly. Spielberg did choose a big and most likely very music-heavy film that is coming out next year, but because it was going to take until this winter to get started and he had the fall wide open, he decided to also squeeze in the Cold War film because it was ready and he knew he could knock it out easily. No, it won't lend itself to a sweeping symphonic sound, but it will be a new Williams score for a Spielberg movie and like his other dramas, there will probably at least be a bigger end credits piece for those who aren't into the quiet underscore. Think of it as getting two for the price of one, because otherwise we would have just had to keep waiting until 2016, with nothing but a new Star Wars score to tide us over

Spielberg is really the best possible filmmaker that JW could have hitched his wagon to, though, in that respect. He could have turned into Clint Eastwood, continuing to crank out a movie every year but making only sparse dramas and thrillers (and at his age, who could blame him?). He could have become James Cameron, with just one big movie every 10 years and nothing else. He could have faded out like any number of his 70s-80s contemporaries, driving Williams even further into retirement from film scoring. Honestly we're pretty lucky.

[Balahkay 627]

I think Spielberg is pretty lucky, too. They were obviously meant to work with one another. I've often wounded if Spielberg's films would have been as successful if he didn't have Williams scoring them. The same with the OT, particularly Star Wars. I think Williams represented at least 50% of the saving grace for the original film, possibly more.

We are pretty lucky with how much Williams has given us over the years, even in the 2010s so far. Look at all the amazing composers who died before their prime or moved away from film scoring for one reason or another. I really wish Alan Menken would get back into scoring films. He's only done 3 film scores in the past 8 years.

[TownerFan 4,983]

So with Ben Burtt returning in the downgraded role of "sound designer", and Matthew Wood promoted to "supervising sound editor", should we be expecting any Williams music to be audible in the film itself?

Is JJ renowned for being generous to music in his movies' mixes?

Ben Burtt has not been "downgraded" at all. Being the sound designer is actually the main job in terms of soundwork. Also, he already worked with JJ Abrams on both Star Trek films and Super8 as sound designer/supervising sound editor.

To people blaming Burtt for mistreating Williams' music in the prequels, always remember that it's the director and producer of the film who signs off the final mix.

[crumbs 14,319]

So with Ben Burtt returning in the downgraded role of "sound designer", and Matthew Wood promoted to "supervising sound editor", should we be expecting any Williams music to be audible in the film itself?

Is JJ renowned for being generous to music in his movies' mixes?

To people blaming Burtt for mistreating Williams' music in the prequels, always remember that it's the director and producer of the film who signs off the final mix.

They might sign off on it, but the sound designers do a pretty good job drowning it out in favour of their sound effects before the director even sees the mix. BOTFA gave me a headache. Who needs to hear Howard Shore's rousing music for Thorin's charge when we can instead hear the sound of two thousands swords clashing at once?

It was nice to see Kenny standing up for John's music in the Sith documentary. You'd think with 7.1 mixes and Dolby ATMOS that there'd be more room to share the spectrum for all layers of the audio mix, but it's just become a new way to drown audiences with more headache-inducing sound effects.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

More bass, bro!

[Wojo 2,453]

That's what it's all about.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I think Ben Burtt also edited the prequels, which allowed him to fuck up the music even more.

[Balahkay 627]

And Matthew Wood is no angel with how he mixed the OT for the DVD and Blu-ray releases.

[TownerFan 4,983]

So with Ben Burtt returning in the downgraded role of "sound designer", and Matthew Wood promoted to "supervising sound editor", should we be expecting any Williams music to be audible in the film itself?

Is JJ renowned for being generous to music in his movies' mixes?

To people blaming Burtt for mistreating Williams' music in the prequels, always remember that it's the director and producer of the film who signs off the final mix.

They might sign off on it, but the sound designers do a pretty good job drowning it out in favour of their sound effects before the director even sees the mix.

When it comes to the mixing stage, it's always a battle between people thinking louder music vs. louder effects vs. louder dialogue (especially when it comes to loud films). It's the duty of the director to find the right balance among the re-recording mixers and sign off the best mix possible. Of course it's also very subjective when it comes to sound.

[Not Mr. Big 4,641]

Is anybody curious what music they'll use for the second trailer?

[Balahkay 627]

Is anybody curious what music they'll use for the second trailer?

I am. I'm wondering if they'll have Williams record more music, if he hasn't already. I wouldn't be surprised if they've had the trailer already planned out when they recorded the teaser music. Otherwise, it'll probably be music from the OT since they seem to be going for that nostalgia factor.

[King Mark 3,631]

I'm sure he recorded a lot more music in the trailer sessions

[Not Mr. Big 4,641]

Yeah. It's doubtful that he only recorded the DUN! music

[Balahkay 627]

It was originally rumored he wrote a variation of the Force theme for the teaser. Maybe we'll hear something like that for the trailer... it's rumored the original 3 are going to make an appearance, too.

[King Mark 3,631]

None of the rumors have been true so far.

The new action material in the teaser was never mentionned in the rumors

[Not Mr. Big 4,641]

One of the teaser descriptions was pretty spot on to my memory.

[King Mark 3,631]

I've been thinking, I think the music will be mixed loud in the film despite Ben Burrt

The music in JJ stuff like Star Trek and Lost is very loud in the mix

[RedBard 71]

I've been thinking, I think the music will be mixed loud in the film despite Ben Burrt

The music in JJ stuff like Star Trek and Lost is very loud in the mix

So they're gonna pull a Zimmer on the new score?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

One of the teaser descriptions was pretty spot on to my memory.

Which one?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Really? I thought he was all over the first few seasons

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

He met Lindelof in a dark alley somewhere and threw him a brown paper back full of money.

25% interest rate, pickup every Wednesday, or we break your fingers...one by one!

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

I've been thinking, I think the music will be mixed loud in the film despite Ben Burrt

The music in JJ stuff like Star Trek and Lost is very loud in the mix

I think you're right. What I enjoyed about both of the new Star Trek movies is that the music, specifically the main theme, was pretty much right at the forefront. Giacchino and Abrams both seemed to know they had some good music on their hands and they took every opportunity to blare it, which I quite enjoyed. It granted certain shots in the picture a more grandiose presence. Clearly Abrams, a Star Wars fan, has great appreciation for the music that is directly linked to it and I bet we will have a similar audio experience this time around with Episode VII.

[King Mark 3,631]

That scene with the cue Labor of Love had the no sound effects or dialogue..just music

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

Another scene that comes to mind is when Kirk drives his futuristic motorcycle over to see the Enterprise under construction. Great use of music with very little sound coming elsewhere.

[Giftheck 917]

I wonder if the end credits will use the same layout of the previous films: Intro (from Throne Room Suite), Concert Suite Theme 1, Concert Suite Theme 2, Outtro (from Throne Room Suite) or if Williams will attempt to do something new.

[Balahkay 627]

I would like the credits end with something original and amazing... along the lines of the ESB end credits.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That would be great!

[RedBard 71]

I wonder if the end credits will use the same layout of the previous films: Intro (from Throne Room Suite), Concert Suite Theme 1, Concert Suite Theme 2, Outtro (from Throne Room Suite) or if Williams will attempt to do something new.

Maybe they'll get a Disney alumnus to write an end credits song!

Ariana Grande, maybe?

End Credits - Includes 'You Have The Force Within You' (Ariana Grande)

Oh, they better not have some manufactured, bubble-wrapped Disney pop singer doing some color-by-the-numbers music video with Stormtroopers as backup singers and dancers.

[Balahkay 627]

Too late.

[RedBard 71]

That's not actually from the Disney company, so that doesn't count.

Still, it was fun to watch as a fan piece.

[Wojo 2,453]

Mrs. Seth Green is gorgeous. You keep waiting for them to pop out but they never do.

[Giftheck 917]

LucasFilm has precedent for doing that sort of thing themselves:

[Quintus 5,399]

Too late.

Cringe.

[Balahkay 627]

I posted a reply about a rumor and a new interview with Abrams early this morning, but it seems to have been removed. Was it indeed removed? If so, I apologize for breaking any rules...

[mstrox 6,651]

I posted a reply about a rumor and a new interview with Abrams early this morning, but it seems to have been removed. Was it indeed removed? If so, I apologize for breaking any rules...

If you posted it here, a moderator must have moved it over to General Discussion in the main SW7 thread - it's there now

[King Mark 3,631]

I think it's in the other thread

[Balahkay 627]

Ah... okay. Thanks!

[Jay 37,374]

It was general news about the release date of the film, so I put it in the Episode 7 thread. This thread is for discussion of the score, not the film in general

[Jay 37,374]

Question to those of you who know about film scoring, and how Williams works:

Is it possible he already knows where it will be recording, because he needs to write the score a certain way based on who will be performing it? In other words, would he have to write different things if he knew it was going to be performed by the LSO vs performed by LA studio musicians?

For the last two Hobbit scores, Howard Shore changed the way he wrote (basically, less aleotoric passages) because he knew the NZSO would be performing it, and not the LPO.

[King Mark 3,631]

i doubt this affects Williams scores

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

I wouldn't think that he would make as significant a shift as Shore did since he doesn't utilize any techniques that are that ensemble-specific. But when you know the musicians involved, I will say that you write for those people. If that makes any difference though, it's immensely subtle.

More of a concern, though still subtle, is whether or not he writes with the particular recording space in mind.

[Jay 37,374]

I would imagine if he wants to include special solo passages, he might have to already know now who will be available, right?

And I imagine he specifically wrote the new teaser trailer cues for the small ensemble he knew would be recording the trailer cues in LA.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

In London or LA, I doubt any composer would censor themselves for fear of not having access to a soloist of the right caliber. These people are all first-chair players.

The trailer cue doesn't sound like a small ensemble to me. What do you mean?

[Jay 37,374]

I mean that it was a 60-70 piece orchestra and not a 100+ piece orchestra. The room it was recorded in is smaller than a lot of rooms used to record full scores, right?