Hopefully some of you have noticed the few links and nudges I've posted over the last few weeks to get some interest going in this. Basically, HBO has teamed up with Spitfire Audio to host a scoring competition for anyone interested.
For those who don't know who Spitfire Audio is, they develop audio sample libraries for orchestral instruments. Basically, they record all those instruments, one a time, literally one note at a time, one dynamic at a time (you get the picture), and then compile a sort of database so that end user musicians can trigger these sound files with midi instrument controllers. In other words, I can't afford and have no space for a grand piano. I do, however, have budget for a midi keyboard and a virtual instrument. So I play a middle-C on my midi keyboard and that triggers a very specific audio file from this library and I actually hear middle-C from the previously recorded grand. Cool stuff. So they do that for most every instrument you can think of.
If you don't know what HBO is, I'm not sure I can help you there.
Anyway. The competition involved HBO providing, to the public, a short, 4-minute and 16-second clip from an episode of Westworld, Season 3. The file was stripped of all music that was used on the episode airing and only contained dialogue and sound effects. Anyone was allowed to download the material and use it to write a backing score to. Today is the deadline with a few hours left to spare.
I've posted casual shouts and posts here and there and have encouraged a few to try it out. In my opinion, this was a very cool event. How often do you get access to such quality source material to play with?
My upload to YouTube ended about half an hour ago. While I have a music background (theory, instruments, some personal recording), I've never used an orchestral library before. This was a huge learning experience and quite intimidating, if I'm honest. That said, processes were intuitive (surprisingly), and I was able to get up and running sooner than I had assumed.
This is no Beethoven! And it's pretty straight forward, figuring out the process as I went along, but I'm pretty satisfied with the mix of it and the ideas---even if they might be simple compared to a lot of the submissions I've been listening to.
So here we go. If you're interested in a semi-non-spoilery clip of Westworld with a homemade score behind it, here ya go! I'd for sure recommend listening to some of the submissions from around the world. There's some really great stuff out there.
Thanks!
For those who don't know who Spitfire Audio is, they develop audio sample libraries for orchestral instruments. Basically, they record all those instruments, one a time, literally one note at a time, one dynamic at a time (you get the picture), and then compile a sort of database so that end user musicians can trigger these sound files with midi instrument controllers. In other words, I can't afford and have no space for a grand piano. I do, however, have budget for a midi keyboard and a virtual instrument. So I play a middle-C on my midi keyboard and that triggers a very specific audio file from this library and I actually hear middle-C from the previously recorded grand. Cool stuff. So they do that for most every instrument you can think of.
If you don't know what HBO is, I'm not sure I can help you there.
Anyway. The competition involved HBO providing, to the public, a short, 4-minute and 16-second clip from an episode of Westworld, Season 3. The file was stripped of all music that was used on the episode airing and only contained dialogue and sound effects. Anyone was allowed to download the material and use it to write a backing score to. Today is the deadline with a few hours left to spare.
I've posted casual shouts and posts here and there and have encouraged a few to try it out. In my opinion, this was a very cool event. How often do you get access to such quality source material to play with?
My upload to YouTube ended about half an hour ago. While I have a music background (theory, instruments, some personal recording), I've never used an orchestral library before. This was a huge learning experience and quite intimidating, if I'm honest. That said, processes were intuitive (surprisingly), and I was able to get up and running sooner than I had assumed.
This is no Beethoven! And it's pretty straight forward, figuring out the process as I went along, but I'm pretty satisfied with the mix of it and the ideas---even if they might be simple compared to a lot of the submissions I've been listening to.
So here we go. If you're interested in a semi-non-spoilery clip of Westworld with a homemade score behind it, here ya go! I'd for sure recommend listening to some of the submissions from around the world. There's some really great stuff out there.
Thanks!
__________________
"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel
"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel
"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear
"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel
"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel
"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear