Stupid Techno Effects

[Goldsmithfan 3]

It seems that scores haven't escaped the lack of common sense that every other aspect of filmmaking has been infected with in the recent years. The most prominent characteristic of this in film music is that stupid use of techno effects that has reared its ugly head.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then I've got two words for you: Danny Elfman. What's the deal Danny?!? You've got these annoying effects in everything from Hulk to Big Fish. What are you thinking!

Not only that, what are the other composers thinking as well? Danny?s not the only one. I guess they don't remember the good old days when synths and electronics in scores actually added something instead of just being there to try to contribute something to poor orchestrations. They need to listen to some scores with good (i.e.: melodic or textural) electronic effects (Total Recall, Jurassic Park, Flesh & Blood) and realize that an electronic element should be used like any other part of the orchestra, not a looping semi drum sounding effect that drives people up the wall. For example, Terminator 3's score had effects that were good and others that were purely techno. Check out Hooked on Multiphonics for an example of the techno crap I'm talking about.

But younger composers like Beltrami aren?t the only ones coming doing this. Composers who've done classic scores are doing this too. I was really excited when I read about Van Helsing having guitars in it. I'd heard Predator and knew that Silvestri knows what he's doing when it comes to guitars. Well . . . He used to. In case you haven't heard it, Silvestri composed a guitar theme for Transylvania in the score. Good by itself from what I can hear, but the completely ridiculous thing about it is the fact that he added this terribly annoying techno effect that's mixed in so badly that it washes any hint of cohesion from the track. It doesn't even fit. Much like any use of these effects.

In short, a keyboard or synthesizer is another instrument. Just because you can program it to loop doesn't mean you should. STOP DOING IT!

Now that I've spoken (or more accurately: 'written') my peace, I think I'll wait for either 1. a ton of replies telling me I'm a jerk/a guy who's got common sense or 2. this post to fall into oblivion due to people already thinking I'm a jerk.

If anybody read all of this, thanks.

Oh, and I didn't just notice this, but I did just decide to actually see what other people think of it.

[Hlao-roo 388]

Jerk. Go back and live in the 1800s where you belong.

[ChrisAfonso 159]

Well, you said it, it comes down to how people use it. Best example: Bond. In TND Arnold uses the "techno" element to perfection. In DAD, some tracks are completely drowned by it.

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

Perfection? Mona Lisa Overdrive.

Marian - who thinks TND is good, but doesn't come close.

NP: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

[Hlao-roo 388]

Actually, I think it comes down to how much the listener likes techno. Obviously, the more you like techno music, the more like you would be to applaud its use.

[ChrisAfonso 159]

/Me votes "The Moon rising" from A.I. the most unnessecary and most out of place usage of techno ever in a Williams score.

Marian, MLO isn't perfection, the techno is too dominant. It's a techno piece with orchestra, and to be perfect, IMHO it has to be theother way around (like TND's "Hamburg break out")

[QMM 4]

Zimmer just ticks me off with how he uses techno sometimes.......Pirates of the Caribbean

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

Marian, MLO isn't perfection, the techno is too dominant. It's a techno piece with orchestra, and to be perfect, IMHO it has to be theother way around (like TND's "Hamburg break out")

I think MLO balances the orchestra and techno elements very well. Sometimes one dominates, sometimes the other does, but generally, the majority of the track wouldn't work if you removed one of the layers.

As far as I remember TND (and I admit I haven't listened to it in months), it's basically an orchestral score with techno elements "on top", and would work without the techno layer. Which would mean it's less integreated.

Marian - who might be wrong.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

Zimmer just ticks me off with how he uses techno sometimes.......Pirates of the Caribbean

Arghl.

Marian - who hates pirate techno.

[John Crichton 4]

I think we need to find a way to express our displeasure to Mr. Zimmer about that. Something like:

"My name is Guybrush Threepwood. Prepare to die."

John- who takes every opportunity to use that picture.

[Hlao-roo 388]

Zimmer just ticks me off with how he uses techno sometimes.......Pirates of the Caribbean

Arghl.

Don't you mean "Arrr!"

[Unlucky Bastard 7,765]

Oh please. Danny Elfman is quite mild on "techno", and when he does use it, he does it tastefully. You'd probably adore Elfman's score for Wisdom from 1988. Synth galore!

[AC1 3,565]

Jerk.  Go back and live in the 1800s where you belong.

This post is crude.

[fommes 126]

Marian - who thinks TND is good, but doesn't come close.

Blasphemy!

Tomorrow Never Dies is a true classic. Mona Lisa Overdrive is good, but doesn't come close.

[Mr. Breathmask 480]

MLO's the Freeway Chase, right? Because that cue rocks.

I wonder how long these "contemporary elements" will hold up. The Spy Who Loved Me has sort of a BeeGee's feel to it, and I don't know how it was thought of when the film first came out, but I hate it. TSWLM is one of the worst Bond scores. It's so damn cheesy and I just don't feel that Bond feeling Barry's scores give (and Arnolds, in particularly TND).

- Marc

Tomorrow Never Dies DVD iso score. Damn PAL speedup.

[fommes 126]

Damn PAL speedup.

You can fix that, it would seem. Haven't done that when I played a DVD yet, but I thought about this just today, thinking that I should do this, but I seem to forget every time I pop in a DVD in my computer. Someone here will know how to do that, it's possible with WinDVD.

[Mr. Breathmask 480]

I'm playing it on my HT. It should be fixable on my PC, but I don't have DD 5.1 on it. And I don't know how.

[ChrisAfonso 159]

Does the Region 2 TND have the ISO score?

-Chris, who in that case would consider buying it

[Mr. Breathmask 480]

Yes.

[ChrisAfonso 159]

Cool

[Mr. Breathmask 480]

Indeed it is.

TND iso score (again)

[Jeshopk 8]

I'm against the techno stuff over orchestra. Its like the 70's all over again where every composer used hihat and wawa guitar for every chase. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! No techno. No techno, please. Booooooooooooo.

Most composers these days are in it for the money.

I wrote some awful music at the behest of my director. But I quit shortly, as I couldn't add another "phat beat" to an otherwise fine composition. The way of the movie makers is to sell to the stupid people. Yet the highest grossing things have no techno, so you'd think they'd have learned.

[Chris ChrusherComix 27]

Techno can be used tastefully, and excessively.

For example, I love Vice DiCola's hybrid Rocky 4 score, which was part rock band, part orchestra. Then, I loved his all synth/rock-band Transformers: The Movie score (one of my top 5 favorite scores of all time). Whenever you hear DiCola in interviews, he is somewhat annoyed at composers using zero syth/rock/techno music. He likes hyrid blends. I don't really mind this... if it's done right. And if DiCola gets the nod for the forthcoming live-action/CGI Transformer movie (and he'd be my 2nd choice in back of Wlliams, who would never do it unless Speilberg moved from Producer's chair to the Director's chair), then he would employ this technique.

I think Williams uses is appropriately. Not too much, not too little.