Week 7 - Upward Swing

Definitely on an upward swing this week. It seems all the cobwebs and self-doubt from last week are melting away.  

Applied Composition & Theory:

We are finally getting into theme writing in theory; enough of the building blocks, we are now assembling themes / melodies! We also get to do our first audio mock up for this week's composition assignment. (Using software to emulate the sound of actual instruments) We are starting small, activated texture (rhythmic movement of harmony) with piano and a solo wind instrument of our choice. We are still limited to the range we can use for a melody, pretty high in the register. A Flute would work but I think I'll go with an Oboe. 

MIDI Sync / Digital Performer:

We also started syncing music to video using Digital Performer. We are using an existing horror trailer with no music and writing our own music in sync with the onscreen action (changing feelings according to what's happening in the film). For the most part, it's an exercise is demonstrating we can use the software successfully. We won't be graded on the quality or aesthetics of the music itself, only that we can add software instruments and line up emotional changes with onscreen action.

Film Music History: 

This week's film was Alien, Directed by Ridley Scott, music by Jerry Goldsmith. This is the first real example of the pitfalls associated with being a commercial composer. Goldsmith wrote an amazing sci-fi score for Alien. However, Scott and his editor trashed it in post production, cutting out most of what Goldsmith wrote, adding stuff he wrote from other films, and even adding a orchestral symphonic piece written by Howard Hanson for the end credits . Not even a film composer writing specifically for film, just a symphonic piece Scott and the editor liked. 

If you are familiar with Alien, I recommend watching it from the special edition DVD or iTunes store, it comes with an isolated track of the music Goldsmith wrote originally for the film. It's night and day difference! As a film composer, you are contracted to write music as dictated by the director and that is it. You have creative input but there is no guarantee any of your music will appear in the final film. 2001 a Space Odyssey is another example of a film that had a custom score written for it, and ended up with a bunch of music by Strauss. Ultimately the decision lies with the director, and in this case, Scott and the editor trashed what would have been an amazing film trying to 'outguess' the expert they hired and ended up with a mediocre score. At least that's the way I see it, I could be wrong.