Scoring Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome

Here’s a behind the scenes look at composer Bear McCreary‘s score for Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, a web mini-series based in the BSG universe.

McCreary’s score is a continuation of the musical ideas from his scores to Battlestar Galactica and Caprica, but it has an increased emphasis on synthesized sounds. McCreary explains his approach:

Synthesizers have been a staple of the science fiction genre since it first graced celluloid. The most famous example is probably Louis and Bebe Barron?s iconic score for Forbidden Planet. Many other composers, from Herrmann to Goldsmith, and even John Williams, have used synthesizers to depict alien soundscapes.

But, synths can be a deadly trap for composers and filmmakers.  Because the technology develops rapidly, synth scores generally do not age well.  There are many great science fiction films whose place in history is threatened by a score that grows campier with every passing day.

In 2004, I avoided using synthesized sounds in ?BSG? as a direct reaction to these pitfalls.  The heavy, dramatic tone of that series would have been undercut by synthetic sounds.  ?Blood & Chrome,? however, is a different animal ? it?s simply more fun.  The emphasis on action and occasional comedy one-liners gave me license to introduce synthetic sounds to energize the acoustic instrumentation of the ?BSG? score.

Whether or not you’re a fan of the various BSG series, McCreary offers an interesting look at modern cinematic orchestration.

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Secrets Of The Looper Soundtrack

This excellent three-video series features composer Nathan Johnson discussing the field recordings he and his team used to create the musical fabric for director Rian Johnson’s film Looper. The cue Time Machine from the score is featured.

Johnson took a unique approach to the score, using a field recorder to gather material and then using the found sound as the basis for loops, sample-based instruments and a virtual orchestral.

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The Dark Knight Rises Soundtrack & Sound Design

The latest episode of the SoundWorks Collection takes a look at the process of creating the soundtrack and the sound design of The Dark Knight Rises.

The video features the sound and music team for The Dark Knight Rises, including composer Hans Zimmer and Supervising Sound Editor and Sound Designer Richard King.

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New Film Features Soundtrack Created On iPhone, iPad

4Pockets Audio, creator of Aurora Sound Studio & Meteor Multi-Track Recorder, reports that a new movie, Gothic Assassins, features a soundtrack created using iPads and iPhones:

The new Milos Twilight movie Gothic Assassins due for release shortly has a soundtrack entirely composed on Apple iPad?s and iPhones. Whilst many might have branded Milos as mad when they first heard his concept for creating his soundtrack check out some of these tracks to see just what he has accomplished.

Milos used a range of apps including Meteor Multitrack Recorder, Aurora Sound Studio HD and StompBox.

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John Carpenter And The Sound Of Fear

Simon Reynolds talks in this video interview with horror master John Carpenter about his soundtracks and the music that inspired them:

Carpenter’s music for horror classics such as Halloween (1978) and The Fog (1980) were startlingly effective in their simplicity, and brought a new sonic palette to film scoring with their focus on synthesizers. The Carpenter sound has recently been revived by a wave of underground artists inspired by its otherworldly menace.

Carpenter talks about his love of early electronic soundtracks by Lois and Bebe Barron (Forbidden Planet), how he got interested in synthesizers and some of his more well-known soundtracks.

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Symphobia 2 Teasegasm

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This video for soundtrack sound library Symphobia 2 is just a teaser – but consider us teased.

Symphobia 2 is huge and expensive (US$ 1,149.99) – but the new version features new orchestral articulations, symphonic effects, legato ensembles with real legato transitions (wacka-chicka) and more.

Details below.

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