Compilation CD's - making them, listening to them

[diskobolus 3]

At 5am this morning I had to drive 70 minutes to my sister's college for her graduation. To prepare for this, I decided to make a compilation CD of JW music. Unsure of what to put on it, I eventually chose to simply put as many of my favorite themes on it as possible, a broad range, obviously. To do this, I went through all my albums and picked one track (usually the main theme) to add. The result was this, in order:

Star Wars - Main Title / Blockade Runner

Empire Strikes Back - Imperial March

Attack of the Clones - Across the Stars

Fiddler on the Roof - Excerpts (orchestra only)

Raiders of the Lost Ark - Raiders March

Indy + Last Crusade - Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra

Jaws - Main Theme

Jurassic Park - Main Theme

Superman - Main Theme

Hook - Prologue

Schindler's List - Main Theme

HPSS - Harry's Wondrous World

HPSS - Hedwig

HPCOS - Fawkes

HPPOA - Buckbeak

A.I. - The Reunion

E.T. - Flying Theme

The result of listening to this was surprisingly pleasant. It was very nice to hear all of these incredible themes for many different films together. Most of the time, I listen to scores in isolation, from start to finish.

Since I was in the car on a fairly empty road, it was a very easy listening experience. It didn't occur to me at the time that highways are loud, and for a bit of Fiddler and Schindler's, I had to turn the volume way up. I feel this would be really difficult to listen to while doing work, or reading. To summarize, this was my first attempt at making a JW compilation, and I like the way it turned out.

How do other people like to make compilation CD's? Is there a common theme for the music on this CD that is more specific than simply "JW theme?" How do you decide on ordering the tracks? And where do people plan to listen to these? Are the CD's ever created solely for one trip, for instance?

[woodwindmaster06 0]

I make a lot of these and I really enjoy putting themes from a series of movies and highlighting the best of those, like starwars, indiana jones, Harry Potter, JP, and then oliver stone films, sad films, ect. They turn out great and are fun to listen to in the car, but when at home I like listening to scores at a time not comp.

[John Crichton 4]

99% of the time I prefer to listen to complete scores rather than mix and match my favorite cues. Just hearing the narrative flow through the score is one of my favorite things. But, I have made 2 CDs compiling all the JW concert works I own, and a couple of other near concert pieces (and 1 Goldsmith cause I had room). If I get in the mood, I'll close my eyes to pick one and then put the CD player on random so I don't know what's coming next. And since you listed your tracks, I'll list mine:

Disc 1

Star Wars:Main Title Suite (edited from ANH SE)

Leia's Theme

Imperial March

Yoda's Theme

Luke and Leia

March of the Ewoks

The Forest Battle

Duel of the Fates

Anakin's Theme

Across the Stars

Superman Main Title concert

March of the Villians

Love Theme from Superman

Raiders March

ET Flying Theme

Disc 2

Harry's Wonderous World (COS version)

Hedwig's Theme

Hogwarts Forever

Gildroy Lockhart

Fawkes' Theme

Dobby the Elf

The Chamber of Secrets

Theme from Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park end credits album version (for the Journey to the Island fanfare)

The Patriot

Olympic Theme and Fanfare

The Olympic Spirit

Summon the Heroes

Call of the Champions

Ilia's Theme- Goldmith ST:TMP

I really wish I had some of the Hook concert pieces, maybe someday.

[King Mark 3,505]

I make them all the time,I've been making them for years.Here's the most fun sequence IMO.I usually mix up the type of cue so it doesn't bland out.If you make a whole c.d. of Fanfares or Love theme it can get fatiguing very fast.

Usual sequence:

1)A fanfare:Olympic Fanfare and Theme

2)A Slow quiet theme or love theme:Anakin's Theme

3)An action piece:The Truck Chase

5)Dramatic underscore:The Parish Aflame

6)Serious music:Theme fromSchindler's List

7)Fast Cue:To Thornfield

8)Playful Cue:Whompinf Willow andThe Snowball Fight

9)Majestic Cue:Theme From Jurassic Park

Middle of c.d.:Sequence cue:The Quidditch Match

...ect...

Last cue of c.d.:Epilogue/Finale Cue:The Visitors/End Credits:CE3K

Follow this model as you may.

Also,Compilations are the best way to insert "Hidden Gems" from scores that you may not normally like to play from start to finish:Example:The Miracle from Heidi,or The Passing of Wisdom from Paper Chase,or the odd great cue from JW 60's comedy scores

K.M.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I love creating and listening to themed compilations, and as I was just telling diskobolus, half the fun for me is in making them. The main ones I've done are Thrilling Themes Vol. 1 and 2 (3 soon, hopefully). They include action music from various scores, exciting main themes, and concert fanfares. Most are by JW, though some other composers appear on Vol. 2. These discs are great for using while working out, especially running on the treadmills, as I get bored and tired easily without exciting music. Also I'm going to do Relaxing Reflections, for when I need to fall asleep or just chill out.

Ray Barnsbury

[ST-321 4]

I just got an Ipod and wont need to do this anymore. I can take my entire JW collection with me and play it over my car stereo or where ever.

[King Mark 3,505]

Question,if you want to play your i pod through the car stereo,can you just plug the earphone jack to a wire that goes into the input for the c.d. changer?

K.M.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

I usually mix up the type of cue so it doesn't bland out.If you make a whole c.d. of Fanfares or Love theme it can get fatiguing very fast.

Indeed. Although I enjoy all the music on American Journey, I find it hard to listen through the whole CD start to finish for that very reason.

I recently made a fairly comprehensive JW compilation set for some friends of mine. It was 4 CDs, with a single track from each movie/tv show he's done (well, the ones I have anyway...everything thats available). Disk 1 started with M Squad theme and title music for Checkmate, and went as far as Jaws. Disk 2 was Eiger Sanction to ET. Disk 3 was Jedi to Hook, and disk 4 was JFK to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It won't be long before there'll be enough new scores to made a 5th disk! It was a fun project to work on and took me hours to decide which track to use. Mostly I went for the main theme, but in the case of sequels I had a little more freedom. The end results sounded great. Even though I stuck mainly to big themes, I included one piece from EVERYTHING he did, so there was a lot of variety, and some less well-known pieces mixed in (Stepmom, The Rare Breed etc).

[ST-321 4]

Question,if you want to play your i pod through the car stereo,can you just plug the earphone jack to a wire that goes into the input for the c.d. changer?

K.M.

I suppose it depends on your car stereo. I don't have such a plug in. However, I bought a doo-dad so that plugs into the IPod and allows you go listen to it via your FM radio.

[Morlock 10]

I have 10 costum made compilation CDs in my CD case at all time. They are mostly from miscellanious tracks I don't have on CD, but also 2-3 tracks from CDs where I only like 2-3 tracks. I have no only JW CDs, but he has of course played a huge part in those collections. I could actually see my advancing as a film score fan over the years. The first- two years old- has 8 JW tracks, and I have all those soundtracks by now. The only JW stuff that go on now, since I have and love basicaly a big majority his CDs, are odds and ends, like Pete N' Tillie, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Black Sunday, Images- stuff unreleased on CD.

[Lurker 5]

I just got an Ipod and wont need to do this anymore.  I can take my entire JW collection with me and play it over my car stereo or where ever.

I have a cassette adaptor for my car.

Neil

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Pete N Tillie?? Images??? Black Sunday?????

Where did you get them??? Me want!!!

[Morlock 10]

I got them from Mr. ChrisCrusherComix.

[diskobolus 3]

I love creating and listening to themed compilations, and as I was just telling diskobolus, half the fun for me is in making them.  The main ones I've done are Thrilling Themes Vol. 1 and 2 (3 soon, hopefully).  They include action music from various scores, exciting main themes, and concert fanfares.  Most are by JW, though some other composers appear on Vol. 2.  These discs are great for using while working out, especially running on the treadmills, as I get bored and tired easily without exciting music.  Also I'm going to do Relaxing Reflections, for when I need to fall asleep or just chill out.

Ray Barnsbury

Yeah I just set up a CD player by my treadmill, and plan to build CD's with tracks that are appropriate - loud enough to be heard over the machine, will each hold my rapt attention for a couple minutes so i ignore whatever pain is coursing through me...

Lists of suitable tracks?

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

will each hold my rapt attention for a couple minutes so i ignore whatever pain is coursing through me...  

Haha, that's pretty accurate for me as well. I'll look through my burned CDs and find some tracks I think work really well.

Ray Barnsbury

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Maybe this will get the ball rolling, here are some cues that I like as work-out/exercise motivation.

Concert Arrangements/Pieces

The Raiders March

Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra

Duel of the Fates

The Asteroid Field

Olympic Fanfare and Theme

The Olympic Spirit

Summon the Heroes

Call of the Champions

Celebrate Dicovery

March from Superman

March from 1941

Flight to Neverland

Main Title from The Cowboys

The Dance of the Witches

Main Title from Spider-Man

Theme from Back to the Future

Score Excerpts

Ben Kenobi?s Death/TIE Fighter Attack

The Battle in the Snow

The Forest Battle

Panaka and the Queen?s Protectors

Setting the Trap

To the Plaza, Presto!

The Quidditch Match

The Flying Car

The Spiders

Dueling the Basilisk

Buckbeak?s Flight

Quidditch, Third Year

The Werewolf Scene

The Ultimate War

The Hunt

Visitor in San Diego

Sea Attack Number One

Anderton?s Great Escape

The Land Race

To Thornfield

Escape from the Dragon (Shrek)

Almost anything from Van Helsing

Hummel Gets the Rockets (The Rock)

Flying (Peter Pan)

Many tracks from Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas

Ray Barnsbury

[BigKenLittle 6]

I recently completed a six volume compilation CD set of the music of JW. I ended up breaking it down like this...

Vol. 1 "The Early Years" (Music from Jane Eyre, The Reivers, Towering Inferno... etc.)

Vol. 2 "In the 70's" (Star Wars, CE3K, Superman, The Fury... etc.)

Vol. 3 "The 80's Magic" (Raiders, ET, TOD, Witches of Eastwick... etc.)

Vol. 4 "The 80's & 90's (Last Crusade, BOTFOJ, Seven Years in Tibet... etc.)

Vol. 5 "The 21st Century" (AI, Catch Me If You Can, Patriot... etc.)

Vol. 6 "The Concert Hall" (Mvmts from Treesong, Cello Concerto, Olympic music... etc.)

A LOT of work selecting only one or two pieces from each score, burning them, the labelling... All in all though... a worthwhile endeavour...

[Trent B 325]

I have made a Star Trek Movie Compilation which I took music from all 10 Trek films and combined them on 2 CDs. Some tracks are from the bootlegs, but that's okay because I wanted them there. I haven't made any other Compilations for the rest of my scores.....YET, but I plan to some day.

Trent

[Breadstick Basilisk 108]

Anyone have any more ideas for film score workout music? Trying to put together a playlist.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,324]

I recall wanting to add stuff with Horner's Brainstorm since it's only 30 minutes, so I made this:

1. Who Framed Roger Rabbit Opening (Alan Silvestri)

2. Maroon Cartoon Opening (Alan Silvestri)

3. What's Cookin' (Alan Silvestri)

4. Tummy Trouble (James Horner)

5. Rollercoaster Rabbit (Bruce Broughton)

6. Trail Mix-Up (Bruce Broughton)

7. Theme from Brainscan (George S. Clinton) 

8-14 is Brainstorm (James Horner)

15. The Gonk from Dawn of the Dead!

[Nick Parker 3,041]

7 hours ago, Breadstick Basilisk said:

Anyone have any more ideas for film score workout music? Trying to put together a playlist.

 

I don't like listening to music when I work out, but if I did, I would definitely include some tracks from The Lost World, like Rescuing Sarah. I would also try to find some tense but more down-key tracks as well for more endurance based sets where I would want to focus on pushing through as many repetitions as I can.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,324]

I prefer to call that cue Eddie's Split Personality. 

[Nick Parker 3,041]

I don't care WHAT you prefer, sicko! Couldn't be satisfied with Daisy or the Jurassic World girl, so you had to move on to Donald Duck...freak.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,324]

Hey, I needed a non-lustful avatar for once, and Donald Duck and the Gorilla is a candidate for Jack King's best cartoon!

[Nick Parker 3,041]

You could take a vow of eternal chastity and I would still call you sick! Giacchino pun titles...and you call yourself human.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,324]