Economy of Means

[MIDI Life Crisis]

... composition just doesn't seem to click for me any more.

I started thinking about why that would be and realized that I've got too many damn choices in front of me. When all I had was an Ensoniq EPS with it's 8 channel sequencer, I made some pretty cool stuff. Now that I have 180 tracks, plugs, every soft-synth of note, 6 outboard synths, 4 different sequencing apps, etc., I can't even seem to get to the point where I'm recording anything. I'm too busy auditioning sounds and tweaking.

I'm hijacking this from the O/T area because I think Releaux makes an excellent point. Economy of means is NOT a bad thing and in many cases, it is THE thing in composing. Brahms once said the notes he puts into his music aren't as important as the notes he leaves out. Look at the great literature in classical music and you often find what's left out is what makes something work or not.

Pianists see this particularly clearly in the works Beethoven, Mozart and Bach. Often those lightening speed arpeggios (think: Appassionata Sonata) are made more effective by leaving a critical note out of the cascading hand.
You can have a complex pallet and make it work, but each element has to integrate with every other and that usually means compromise. As above, the compromise Beethoven makes for a super fast chord is eliminating the Bb's. It also opens the mass of the piece up a little and makes room for the counter melody in the bass.

I'd love to hear what other composers think of that - especially Mr. Frodo... a master of this stuff if ever there was one.

[jroadrage]

When I was in school and just starting to get my feet wet with orchestral composition I took an intro to orchestration class. I assumed the class would focus on vertical structures, doublings, tuttis, etc. Our first assignment was a duet for oboe and bassoon where we weren't allowed to use both instruments simultaneously for more than 50% of the piece. He explained that that would force us to really focus on the range considerations for each instrument, how to maximize color with dynamics and articulations, use of effective spacing and all of the other nuanced things that get lost in the shuffle with an entire virtual orchestra at your fingertips. He was right of course, my orchestrations after that class became much more focused and dynamic as a result of that simple little exercise.

I've found the same problems to be even more critical in virtual orchestrations. Anyone who has ever dabbled with even the most ambitious orchestral VIs knows its usually far easier to program a convincing tutti than an exposed, unaccompanied phrase. There's a temptation, often made more tempting by the tastes of directors and producers, to go with the "wall of sound" Remote Control approach in favor of something more subtle. I really think this method robs the orchestra of its biggest assets, like color, contrast, dynamics, etc. Products like Symphobia, which although great, only make it easier to get the "sound" of an orchestra without the "style". I remember a quote from Jerry Goldsmith, an economical orchestrator if there ever was one, where he replied to a question about the current state of film music with something like "Composer's nowadays forget to give occasional rests to everyone in the orchestra that's an octave within middle C." How prophetic.

I find myself battling the sound or articulation "audition" syndrome all of the time and being tempted to over complicate the programming process with endless layering and tweaking. The vast majority of the time it's pretty unnecessary and just leads to me filling up too much space in my mixes. With the exception of certain ethnic or solo instruments and some percussion patches, 99% of what I use in my orchestrations is what I can load in real time. When I buy a library I go through and load and fit into my template what I can imagine myself needing and throw everything else onto the pile of hard drives. There's plenty of useful things on there, but never having to fish for sounds has made my workflow much more efficient and most of my recent works far less cluttered.

Rant over, I think it's time for me to start thinning out that orchestration I was working on last night

[MIDI Life Crisis]

The best advice I ever received was from a dancer (Pear Lang). I was accompanying one of her classes and made the same 'mistake' as a pianist. Too many notes. So we did plies and she insisted I only use 1 finger, but what she meant was 1 voice. And frankly, it is the singular voice that makes for memorable music, IMO. Sure, technology has changed immensely in the last few decades, but people haven't. They still respond to beauty and uniqueness. Unfortunately, the ones 'in charge' often respond to greed and superficial tastes "I want what I already am familiar with" is what the producer or director without any real vision will ask for. Essentially the "I'll know it when I hear it" mentality. Well, that might be, but for Pete's sake, leave your options open. The icons they ask for are icons because they were unique - and there's room for more. Surely a new theme as good as "Rocky" or "Star Wars" or "Gone with the Wind" is possible, but not if you insist you need it "to sound like" Goldsmith, or Williams, or Elfman. It should sound like the composer who's writing it. But again, the film & TV industry are shallow and don't often allow for that.

I was talking to a composer a few weeks ago with massive work in games and TV commercials, as well as a few films. He rarely gets to write what his heart and instincts feel are appropriate and creates second by second music to spec. Surely a craft in and of itself and he's paid well for it. But I really prefer my little world where I get to call the music shots. I've been very lucky artistically in that way and while it hasn't made for as lucrative a career, I am a much happier person and far more satisfied with my output than I might be. You can't put a dollar value on that. I just wish the industry would wake up and realize music is an art, not a formula for wallpaper of the familiar "been there, done that" school of thought. Again, they will make the bucks, but it's sad to think of the talent that has not been tapped for it's full creativity, even if that means the big fight scene is a single voice - as in LOTR. How effective and inspired was that! Go Peter Jackson and Howard Shore!!!

BTW, I think LOTR was perhaps one of the most well done and inspired scores in many years. A little formulaic but in all the right ways. It could easily have tanked with a visionless director.

Less is more!

[djc]

Yes indeed. Less is more - a single oboe or clarinet has much more COLOR than when doubled with another instrument. The greats understood this. Listen to Beethoven's Sixth or any Mozart chamber piece if you have any doubts.

I was talking to a composer a few weeks ago with massive work in games and TV commercials, as well as a few films. He rarely gets to write what his heart and instincts feel are appropriate and creates second by second music to spec. Surely a craft in and of itself and he's paid well for it. But I really prefer my little world where I get to call the music shots.

It is too often that we mistake the music business for music. Sometimes they overlap (as with much of the LOTR score). Unfortunately, to make $ in music, the business part has to dominate. I do believe Ives was on to something.

[Releaux]

I had a quite lengthy post drafted and thought I saved it, but apparently not. In any case...

For me, the challenge hasn't been so much from a compositional point of view as from a gear and technology point of view. The closer my studio got to looking like the NASA control room I always dreamed of, the less music I created. I moved last year and took the opportunity to clear out a lot of the crud (I was still hanging on to a MIDI patch bay!), but I think I still have some room for purging.

The trouble I'm having now is that I'm down to my "standard" gear and plugs, but still feel like it's too much. Everything currently in the Argosy gets used, but I can't help but wonder if dropping down to just one or two pieces of gear would force me back into a mode of sonic exploration rather than trying to search for that elusive texture out of 4800 patches.

I've had four seriously creative periods in the last 20 years or so. The first was using an Amiga running a 4 channel sampling program called A-Drum. 26 sample limit, and different tunings were achieved by taking up a slot and changing the playback rate. A bassline with 7 notes took up 7 slots. The sequencer had two channels panned hard right, and two hard left. Yet I managed to create some really neat stuff with that program and learned a lot about sample editing.

The next period came in 89 when I got my Ensoniq EPS. All I had were 8 instrument slots and the on board sequencer at first, and was a veritable factory of sketches, songs, and jams. I started working in clubs doing on-the-fly sampling and remixes, going back and forth with the DJ... it was a great time. I later added Dr. T's KCS on the Amiga and really went into overdrive.

Then I bought a Mac, Studio Vision Pro, and a Studio 8 MIDI interface and didn't get a sound out of my gear for at least 2 months. It was too complicated. I changed too much all at the same time. Eventually, though, I figured it out. Just about the time Opcode met its demise. The jump to DP was much easier, though, and the 2408 opened up my horizons. My EPS started getting a little wonky (pitch drift) and I invested in a just-released Kurzweil 2600XS with all of the expansions. I still haven't figured that thing out, but I love it.

Since 2001 or so, though, I've found that the only really creative stuff I've done has been when I fired up Reason. Don't get me wrong, I play a lot. I just don't seem to record anything.

So for me, I guess it's not so much about "one voice" as it is about "one synth." Ok, two. Well, two and that module over there. And the drum machine...

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Or one ring to rule them all!

[FMiguelez]

Then I bought a Mac, Studio Vision Pro, and a Studio 8 MIDI interface and didn't get a sound out of my gear for at least 2 months. It was too complicated. I changed too much all at the same time. Eventually, though, I figured it out. Just about the time Opcode met its demise. The jump to DP was much easier, though, and the 2408 opened up my horizons. My EPS started getting a little wonky (pitch drift) and I invested in a just-released Kurzweil 2600XS with all of the expansions. I still haven't figured that thing out, but I love it.

Since 2001 or so, though, I've found that the only really creative stuff I've done has been when I fired up Reason. Don't get me wrong, I play a lot. I just don't seem to record anything.

So for me, I guess it's not so much about "one voice" as it is about "one synth." Ok, two. Well, two and that module over there. And the drum machine...

I do know what you mean. I think it is mostly a matter of plain old discipline. You can have as many toys as you want, but it doesn't mean you HAVE to use them all.
Otherwise, it's just simply overwhelming, and then hours can pass by dribling with sounds, auditioning stuff, and nothing gets written or recorded.

What has worked well for me, when I'm composing or orchestrating, is to not even turn on the PCs (where I have most of my libraries). I just use my dear JV2080, and forget about the sounds in the composition stage.
Sometimes using JUST a piano sound helps me concentrate on the music, on the melody, on the form, etc., and not waste time at this stage on anything else.

It's too easy to spend countless hours messing arround with sounds without realizing.
The only way I can be productive is to identify and adjust to the current production stage of whatever I'm doing, and switch hats as necessary.

For me, it usualy is:
- Dreaming and conceptualizing.
- Hear the music in my head
- Translate it, so I can start playing what I hear
- Compose, refine and, if working against video, structure everything well
- Orchestrate
- Revise everything
- Produce (this is when I start looking for decent sounds, and substitute my "initial" sounds with better ones
- Mix
- Pseudo-master
- Deliver

That's a LOT of hats, but for me it's the only way. Otherwise, if you do a little of every stage at the same time, it is confussing, unproductive, and leads to wasting so much time!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

That's a LOT of hats, but for me it's the only way. Otherwise, if you do a little of every stage at the same time, it is confussing, unproductive, and leads to wasting so much time!

You mean like wasting time online...

My process is way more elusive and I don't think I can give you a specific list of methods. The dreaming and conceptualizing is definitely first for me as well. Then if I can, I procrastinate composing as long as possible and really think about underlying aspects; locale, time period, character motivation, psychology, philosophy, sex, unusual aspects that might get included, suggested motivations to confound the viewer. Pretty much everything.

Once I am ready to actually start writing notes down or sequencing music and sounds, I pretty much do it non stop unless I hit a snag somewhere. The actual process of moving from my brain to a concrete form varies from project to project and as such they're too varied to include here. My current project is a series of silent films for a major archive. They will place these online with my scores (multiple scores for each) with my commentary on the various processes involved in composing.

The great part is that I am the artistic director of the scores, so I answer to no one unless the scores really suck - in which case I answer to a phone that never rings again! But I've had this client for about 20 year now so I doubt that is going to happen. But you never know...

[djc]

So for me, I guess it's not so much about "one voice" as it is about "one synth." Ok, two. Well, two and that module over there. And the drum machine...

One of the best pieces I have written was for amplified bassoon and tape (really used tape). I only had a TX7 to work with so when I needed a particular sound, I just had one place to look. One nice benefit was that I had to learn to create FM sounds fairly well to avoid it sounding like a DX7 disco hit. However, there was a certain homogeneity from using one sound source that unified the tape part nicely. As a result, I still use the TX (and FM7/8) as I know it so well.

I would suggest you try doing the same. Pick one synth (real or virtual) and force yourself to stick with it. Necessity is the mother . . . and all that stuff.

Good luck.

[FMiguelez]

My process is way more elusive and I don't think I can give you a specific list of methods. The dreaming and conceptualizing is definitely first for me as well. Then if I can, I procrastinate composing as long as possible and really think about underlying aspects; locale, time period, character motivation, psychology, philosophy, sex, unusual aspects that might get included, suggested motivations to confound the viewer. Pretty much everything.

Me too!

I have found that, time permitting, is always a GREAT idea to let initial musical ideas to mature. There are a lot of considerations, as you mentioned. Sometimes an initial melody seems to work (in your head), but then when putting it in the WHOLE context it may suck. Sometimes you hit the nail on the head.

I always have my phone handy, so if I come up with something nice, I bark it at the phone (record it), so I don't forget.

The list I wrote up-thread is a sequence of events that permit me to be more productive. But a lot of things can happen in between.

The great part is that I am the artistic director of the scores, so I answer to no one unless the scores really suck - in which case I answer to a phone that never rings again!

Michael, that is AWESOME!
I hope someday I can call the shots like that as well.
That is an artistic blessing, my friend. I hope you appreciate that and realize how lucky you are you have that luxory. (well, as if luck had anything to do with that... of course it hasn't. You worked your butt off to achieve that status).

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Funny thing - I've never really had to answer to anyone in terms of WHAT I compose with very few rare exceptions, and even then it was minor tweaking. I knew in each case they were wrong, but the director is always right, aren't they? OK, one or two exceptions come to mind. Very strong willed and talented folks. I learned a lot from them.

[Frodo]

BTW, I think LOTR was perhaps one of the most well done and inspired scores in many years. A little formulaic but in all the right ways. It could easily have tanked with a visionless director.

Less is more!

I'm going to have to come back to this discussion--- very interesting things being said here.

It's dinner time, but whenever LOTR is mentioned my ears perk up for some reason. That music with that film were so interdependent and quite effective.... and it showed something rare these days-- a certain "patience".

more soon...

[Frodo]

I'd love to hear what other composers think of that - especially Mr. Frodo... a master of this stuff if ever there was one.

Oh, please. What--- you want the opinion of a broke hobbit?

You know what I stress out about when it comes to software? It's not musical ideas or the balance of musical elements. It's indeed about the notes you leave out vs the notes you leave in. I spent years working with terrible GM sounds. In fact, Finale's questionable MIDI/VI implementation has kept me away from it to the extent that everything I do in Finale now is GM just to make sure that a "G" is really a "G" and not a "G-sharp" with the accidental hidden. That still means scouring Finale the same way I'd scour a handwritten score.

But virtual reality and "reality" are as not as interchangeable as they may seem by name. One must still LOOK at the score to determine what will work and what will not. Something can sound awful on the computer and work perfectly in a concert. How do I know this? Because I've taken masterful scores and fed them in to GM just to see how they sound. Guess what? They sound awful.

That didn't mean that anything that sounded awful on the computer was going to be fine in the real world. What it meant was that I had to study the scores of the masters so that all judgement was based upon the proper criteria.

Where I get derailed is when I'm working with a DAW and get frustrated with the way things sound when I do it "properly". I get to the point when I want it to just sound right *on the computer*, whether or not a real orchestra will play it. That rarely happens-- so I get twisted when decent VIs go on sale.

BTW-- "on sale" is really the only way to buy VIs any more. Why spend $1800 on something that's going for $399?

Virtual Instruments are really no different than a pencil and paper: in the wrong hands they could be a disaster. It's not what you use, it's how you use it. On some level, even GM can be "representative enough", but I've always wanted/needed audio mockups which needed no apology. There are some great ones floating around out there, so when someone talks about a new string library or a new orchestra library that can do "this and that which previous ones could not", my ears perk up.

It's my wallet that tends to sleep through the excitement. Not to worry--- I'm in counseling for this.

Anyway-- it's important to have the VIs that give you the sound that you want, no matter what the situation might be. For so many people, the virtual realization IS the final product. That means that whatever instruments are being employed are mission-critical.

For what I *need* to do, virtual instruments are generally not mission-critical.

For what I *want* to do-- like get all my music in audio form before I die--- virtual instruments are probably the only realm where the bulk of my compositions will ever see the light of day.

So-- enter the fire sales and the state of the economy.

Suddenly, the notion of saving money vs the notion of spending it get confusing. East West is developing a Hollywood Strings library. Symphonia has my attention. LASS is on its way out sooner than later-- easy to use-- fast-- musical (as per their intent, anyway). My time is limited and I'm less willing to spend the bulk of that time pounding DP for incompatibilities (another long story). I want THAT SOUND and I want it fast--- as fast as I can get it with a pencil, paper, or with a real orchestra in front of me.

I want THAT SOUND and I want it as fast as if I had the best rhythm section ready to slam in a session or on a gig.

But how often do the luckiest of us get so lucky.

This is where "price" becomes a different matter entirely from "value". For those who got into Komplete 5 for $349, great. But I assure you that for those who really need what Komplete had to offer, it wouldn't have mattered "all that much" if it were $349, $449, $549--- whatever. The point is that the tools are getting the job done-- and when the job pays off, the software has paid for itself.

Or one ring to rule them all!

Ash nazg durbatuluk

... and the rest...:

Ash nazg gimbatul
Ash nazg thrakatuluk
Agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.

See-- you're messing with a true Middle-earthling... (and, no, I'm not that big of a geek that I'm going to ComiCon next week!!).

Man-- if I didn't already have a life, I'd go find one somewhere.

...Products like Symphobia, which although great, only make it easier to get the "sound" of an orchestra without the "style". I remember a quote from Jerry Goldsmith, an economical orchestrator if there ever was one, where he replied to a question about the current state of film music with something like "Composer's nowadays forget to give occasional rests to everyone in the orchestra that's an octave within middle C." How prophetic.

Case in point. We can blame work schedules for the necessity of shortcuts we demand? Let's face it-- the day of "old school" is over. In film world, who cares if you are a master of Korngold or Ravel or Mahler? Rhetorical question = rhetorical answer-- "few or none".

Is your demo reel of world-class audio quality? There's a yes or no question that will make a difference these days in the minds of those writing the checks.

But that's what it's come to--- who's writing the checks and for how much. If the check is for enough potential bean, then buying that East West 2-for-1 is not as big a deal. Buying that extra eSATA drive array or that extra 8 GB of RAM suddenly become less of a conundrum.

When time is of essence or when time IS money-- having the tools that will get you there faster means that you make more money "per note", in a manner of speaking. If it takes you 9 weeks to produce a track to your satisfaction with one set of tools and 5 days to do the same thing with a promising set of different tools--- again: cost vs value. This is where "I can't afford to" and "I can't afford NOT to" bump heads.

Then there's always the reality that "my computer can't handle it", but that's another topic entirely.

Maybe the point is this: If spending $300-400 on software is a dilemma, then there are bigger problems to worry about-- and that means times are REALLY bad.

If a gig you're doing doesn't pay enough to cover $300-400 worth of software, then there are clearly more pressing issues to consider.

[leigh]

When I was in school and just starting to get my feet wet with orchestral composition I took an intro to orchestration class. I assumed the class would focus on vertical structures, doublings, tuttis, etc. Our first assignment was a duet for oboe and bassoon where we weren't allowed to use both instruments simultaneously for more than 50% of the piece. He explained that that would force us to really focus on the range considerations for each instrument, how to maximize color with dynamics and articulations, use of effective spacing and all of the other nuanced things that get lost in the shuffle with an entire virtual orchestra at your fingertips. He was right of course, my orchestrations after that class became much more focused and dynamic as a result of that simple little exercise.

I love this board!

jroadrage, your timing is perfect for me. I have no experience writing for winds and I am just starting to arrange a piece for wind quintet. I like starting with some clear constraints so that initially I don't have too many choices. The bassoon/oboe duet is the perfect thing for me to use to start the development section.

**Leigh