Hi Guys,
I've been asked by a charity that makes educational feature films for schools to write a soundtrack for them. As I've never done this before I thought I'd fish for "I'd wish I'd known that the first time I wrote a soundtrack" advice.
We've already done the spotting to work out what needs to go where. I'm just looking for general stuff about how production is different from creating records. Do we EQ, comp any differently? Are any instruments particulally bad for masking dialogue?
Perhaps there's nothing to be said on the topic, I'm just seeing if there's anything in someones head that should be in mine.
Cheers
Writing a soundtrack : General Advice
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TexasMusicForge TexasMusicForge https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=37859
- KVRist
- 159 posts since 21 Aug, 2004 from Austin, Texas
Most important is to remember that the focus is supposed to be on the screen instead of the score. It's easy for the audio designer to fall into the trap of making production decisions based on what is best for the music vs. what is best for the project.
Brass sections, the kind of annoying mosquito drone lead guitar work that saturates NFL games and jarringly unfamiliar sounds are incompatible with dialogue. Oh, better add bagpipes to that list, too.
I get good responses in my scoring work using nylon string guitars for anything invoking warmth or to underlay dialogue. There are zillions of synth pads available that can be used to good effect as beds, too.
I like to use a signature song or instrument (i.e. dobro or chromatic harmonica) for all the transitions between scenes as it provides a familiar signal to the audience that you're changing scenes.
If you want to listen to an undisputed master, check out Carl Stalling who did the scores for all the old Warner Brothers cartoons (Bugs Bunny et al). There are 2 volumes of his scores available on CD, probably through Amazon, that make enormously entertaining listening and a great amount of education. The score for The Wizard of Oz (saw it on TV last night) is available on CD and worth your time, too.
Best regards,
Tio Ed
Austin, Texas
Land O' 10,000 Guitarists With Day Jobs
Brass sections, the kind of annoying mosquito drone lead guitar work that saturates NFL games and jarringly unfamiliar sounds are incompatible with dialogue. Oh, better add bagpipes to that list, too.
I get good responses in my scoring work using nylon string guitars for anything invoking warmth or to underlay dialogue. There are zillions of synth pads available that can be used to good effect as beds, too.
I like to use a signature song or instrument (i.e. dobro or chromatic harmonica) for all the transitions between scenes as it provides a familiar signal to the audience that you're changing scenes.
If you want to listen to an undisputed master, check out Carl Stalling who did the scores for all the old Warner Brothers cartoons (Bugs Bunny et al). There are 2 volumes of his scores available on CD, probably through Amazon, that make enormously entertaining listening and a great amount of education. The score for The Wizard of Oz (saw it on TV last night) is available on CD and worth your time, too.
Best regards,
Tio Ed
Austin, Texas
Land O' 10,000 Guitarists With Day Jobs
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Ed Kliman
Publisher
Texas Music Forge
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Ed Kliman
Publisher
Texas Music Forge
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- KVRian
- 903 posts since 14 May, 2003
Lock your ego in a closet.
