New synth challenge -- scoring a silent film!

[Ben Asaro]

Time for an update!

A studio re-org put this on hold for a few weeks, but now that I have my modular set up for performance, I've been writing quite a bit of music and have found a way to kill two birds with one stone.

As I tend to write rather large pieces divided into sections, I am collecting the live pieces and using them to score the movie. My goals are the same: fill about 60 minutes of time with music; but as a live piece has different requirements from a film score, I will treat each section as it's own separate theme to be used (or reused if I'm setting up leitmotifs) where it fits the film better!

I'm really excited about this prospect and in having the same music being used in totally different presentations!

I think perhaps the most important/useful thing that I've got out of the re-org is a set palette of sounds; option anxiety had me doubting my choices and going back to the beginning over and over as I changed my approach. Now I have no choice: the sounds are what they are! This has forced me to get down to business and get on with it!

[IAA]

looking forward to this Ben!! Keep going! I envy your discipline having prevaricated over my own EP release….which I’ve now earmarked for Autumn rather than Summer I’ll be clearer on year soon

[Ben Asaro]

I find that the only way I'm productive is if I'm tough on myself with deadlines.

In the words of Douglas Adams, "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”

[resistorman]

Good for you! I'm doing a lot of work on the house, but I've also been reorganizing and simplifying my studio, getting rid of things I don't use, prepping for what I figure is gonna be another lockdown winter. I hope to do better creatively this time. Maybe scoring a silent film would give me a project... I like to use material for multiple things too.

[Ben Asaro]

First 20 minutes of music is nearly in the can; it's on the rim.

The synth freight train is now at full steam and it looks like I might hit my deadline after all!

[Martin Walker]

First 20 minutes of music is nearly in the can; it's on the rim.

The synth freight train is now at full steam and it looks like I might hit my deadline after all!

Well that sounds positive!

Still looking forward to hearing some of it in due course.

Martin

[Ben Asaro]

Okay, this project is officially on the second half, so I figured why not, I'll share a quick snippet with you all.

Please bear in mind that this is recorded live, no actual mixing has been done yet, and all the other not-ready-for-Prime-Time disclosures!

https://soundcloud.com/asfollowswriting ... lse-part-1

[Martin Walker]

Okay, this project is officially on the second half, so I figured why not, I'll share a quick snippet with you all.

Please bear in mind that this is recorded live, no actual mixing has been done yet, and all the other not-ready-for-Prime-Time disclosures!

https://soundcloud.com/asfollowswriting ... lse-part-1

Wow - I just had a most wonderful experience while listening to this - I returned to the first post in this thread to remind myself that the silent film you were creating this soundtrack for was The Lost World, made in 1925, so I tracked down the film on YouTube and watched it (with the sound turned down) in sync with your music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJaXxY3citM

However, after the 2:30 of your Graviton Pulse Part 1 your music seamlessly continued with Something 3, just as the reporter fell into the office, and to my mind those two tunes followed the plot perfectly! Try it for yourself.

Strange or what? (and I assume that Something 3 ISN'T what you intended to follow on from Gravitron Pulse Part 1 - I shall feel very silly if this was the case )

Martin

[Ben Asaro]

LOL nope, that was a happy accident, Pink-Floyd-Wizard-Of-Oz moment!

When you mentioned the scene, I could see it in my head, I've watched the movie 100 times now lol.

[Martin Walker]

LOL nope, that was a happy accident, Pink-Floyd-Wizard-Of-Oz moment!

When you mentioned the scene, I could see it in my head, I've watched the movie 100 times now lol.

Chance sometimes IS a fine thing

Martin

[Ben Asaro]

Down to the last piece for the score! I’ve saved the most driving/uptempo piece for last, though I still need another 10-15 minutes of music in total. I am guessing that if I end up using leitmotifs, I should have more music that I will actually need.

Looking forward to getting this mixed and mastered!

[Ben Asaro]

Began charting out the final piece this morning -- so excited to get this one in the can!

The piece I finished last night came out great -- a tonne of layered melodies based on the classic Baroque chord progression of i-iv-VII-III-VI-ii-v-i, all 5 modular voices playing interweaving melodies over a simple drum pattern and then added poly strings and (very effected) choir. Sounds massive!