Composing

Indeed, most digital audio equipment is of the same high standard, in home studios or more professional studios.

However the acoustic environment is crucial, especially when recording anything acoustic.

If it's too dead, then the sound will be dead. If there is too much echo and reverb due to ceramic tiles etc. then it could be a disaster.

And finally, it's the performance that is the priority.

What a terrific groove - I really enjoyed listening to this! Excited to hear the whole the album, Guy Lee!

This sounds amazing! Congratulations, Guy Lee , and thank you so much for sharing!

Wow! It's impressive that you recorded everything at home, Guy Lee! What software do you prefer and why?

I use Cubase 7.5. I don’t want to upgrade because I’m so familiar with it. I can be creative and maneuver while playing and recording because it’s comfortable for me to work with. Here’s the latest song I recorded “ No HOA”. It’s on iTunes, Amazon… but here’s a video I made: https://youtu.be/dV88JqVYVIA?feature=shared

Knocked it outta the park..and what a great series that was, too. Same with Lessons in Chemistry.

Brilliant, I love it!

Linwood Bell , guess who won the award for Outstanding original title sequence for a television production yesterday at the SCL Awards ;)

Good for Carlos! He deserves it. I really enjoyed that series, too. I watched Griselda last week on Netflix and he scored that, too. Great music he did for that series. Carlos is on fire these days. Sofia Vergara was really good, as well.

Thanks, Linwood Bell , on my to-watch list !

I'm always writing using either Digital Performer or Sibelius. Neither is a crutch. In fact, it's pretty much required in the circle I work in. I always write at the piano. I haven't done it with just pencil/paper and no instrument at my finger tips in a long, long time. Someone much wiser than I said...different strokes for different folks.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, George DeLorean !

Depending on what I am working on, I honestly have no problem going with different approaches. If I need a quick mockup for a director and I have not that much time, I start writing on piano, then I use pencil and paper for the voicing ( I know composers who can think vertically on the piano with all midi instruments , but I don't). If I need to add an extra part to a piece I have in Sibelius, then I put it down directly there. Same when I am orchestrating. If I am working on an ambient score where soundscapes play an important role, then I definitely need my gear to play with and to record live sounds to process. If a melody comes to mind and I am outside of the studio, I usually record it on my phone. I don't have absolute pitch, so , if I am in a situation where I don't have a piano, but I have pencil and pen, I put down the motif on paper, and then I will take care of the key I want it to play in later, taking advantage of the Kodály method I studied back in Italy for sight reading as a singer. I think that whatever keeps your creative juice flowing and leads to great music, that's the right way for you. :)

Thank you for sharing, Linwood Bell! This is a great one!

Yes! Simple sounding cue, but there’s a lot of “smart stuff” going on in it. I love how he starts to wrap things up @ 66.

Masterpiece! John Williams plays the piano in this cue

Amazing. What a genius. And what a great movie!

I remember figuring out the melody on the piano as a kid after watching the movie. Music is so perfect!

Very nice.

Finished it. It's a beautiful film. Top to bottom!

DT Houston Sure is. Makes me realize how lucky I am and grateful that these are the types of people that I've been surrounded by my whole life. I know all these stories and lived most of them.

That's so cool, Linwood Bell. Well, the human spirit is alive and well. It's refreshing to see a piece like this. Thanks again for sharing...

Wow, Linwood Bell , this brought me to tears, both the film and the sublime score, thank you so much for sharing! I agree with you that we are so fortunate to spend our lives immersed in such wonderful vibrations ( and by vibrations I mean those of the music, but also those of such amazing people, we are all vibrations starting from our own cells, right? ;) ) . If it wasn't for music and its power of elevating and healing our souls I wouldn't possibly be here today. Sending good vibes to you and to all those in the lounge.

Elena Maro Kris is such a talent isn't he? I first became a fan of his when I saw him in the Monk piano thing years ago. He's a serious player. Then I started seeing him doing so many movie scores and now co-directing this. He needs to quit raising the bar so high!! lol

Colin Hussey 6 in either way is 12 tones. It's all of it. Not limiting at all if you can see it. Look again from the center out in both directions.

That's not my understanding of 12-tone. Wikipedia has a good, basic definition of the technique:

"The technique is a means of ensuring that all 12 notes of the chromatic scale are sounded as often as one another in a piece of music while preventing the emphasis of any one note through the use of tone rows, orderings of the 12 pitch classes. All 12 notes are thus given more or less equal importance, and the music avoids being in a key." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-tone_technique

Side note: The most famous tone row was written by Leonard Bernstein for the musical, West Side Story, in the song, "Cool." It's the fugal theme that kicks off the dance sequence in the middle of the number. It captures the angst of the teenage gang perfectly.

I didn't mention 12 tone. I said...in either direction you only have six choices as we were talking intervals or root movement. That would be m2, 2, m3, M3, 4th, and tritone. And that's if you're looking from the center out in both directions...not bottom to top or top to bottom. lol. There's so many ways to see music. That's what so fascinating about it.

Colin, thanks for the compliment. It originally started out with piano only before all the other additions. Pardon beginning like others, I was only adding since it originally had too sharp a beginning for me. I recently heard it needs to be longer since it’s barely over a minute.

Quick example of why I like to look from the center out as well as bottom to top or top to bottom. Seeing it in different ways helps me to transpose any where quickly. Also I dig the sound/balance for some things.

I'm glad that you were able to connect with her, DT Houston!

Hey Bobby Katz, I will DM you. I can tell you here that Liza is super busy with more than a full plate of activeTV/Film projects. But she does have other Music Supervisors on staff at her company. Is your project already financed w/budget?

Thank you Elena Maro and Ashley Renee Smith. Appreciate that. In the taking a very Big Swing department, hoping to enlist the legend, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, as Music Composer for a guitar-driven heartbeat which provides nuanced and emotive connective tissue for the story...

That’s exciting, DT Houston . Sending good vibes your ways that it happens!

Thanks Elena Maro. We're connected Bobby Katz. I DM'd you...

Thanks for sharing!

Wow, this is a dream studio for sure, Linwood Bell , thank you for sharing! I don't like a dead room either, but would love to start with a ceiling that is not flat and a room that is not square..one step at a time...lol.

At one point I had turned my garage into my studio. It was nice. The ceiling was low, but it was big enough for a vocal booth, an upright piano, rhodes, B3 with a 122 and all my other stuff...and drum roll; bathroom. No one had to go into my house. The studio had its own entrance. We moved and now I'm working out of one of the bedrooms. It's small, but all I really need. I've got real traps going around the center and a couple high up on the walls as the ceiling is high and slanted up at a 45. I'm really comfortable in here, but miss the B3 and piano big time.I've still got the rhodes in here though. :)

What a great share Linwood Bell!

I love it when you share studio tours with us, Linwood Bell! It's so interesting to see the different environments where people thrive creatively.

It's great hearing Steven Spielberg and Bradley Cooper talk about "Maestro," Linwood Bell. I didn't know Bradley Cooper was a director. I just watched some of the "Maestro" trailers. The music is incredible!

I haven't watched Maestro yet and can't wait to - this video only makes me want to see it that much more. Thanks, Linwood Bell!

Bernstein on the Beatles. :).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v32U0mjGz6g

So LOVE both of these men... WoW! great conversation. I saw Brad Cooper first in Silver Linings Playbook with the AMAZING Jennifer Lawrence (who I hope might play apart in mine!)... which I watch over & over again for certain aspects to help towards my making of my movie SUCCESS AFTER INSANITY... thanks for sharing this!!

what a great conversation! such a fan of Bernstein!

Happy New Year! Elena Maro. My pleasure. I hope it’s useful in some way.

This is great, thanks @Nicolas!

Thank for Sharing Nicolás Repetto

I’ve heard of this strategy, Nicholas. Thanks for reminder and see if time to watch your course.

What a great video to help guide other composers Nicolás Repetto!