How do you play if you dont write?

[The Idiot]

This is something fairly linked to previous posts about composition, but there is a small difference: when you watch a feature film, trailer, and hear all these modern cues mixing orchestras/instruments of whatever sort with various rhythmic backups and percussive layers (think about Spy Game, Transformers, Johnny English etc .... etc...all of which have Storm Drum -like tracks beneath) how do you proceed with your compositional approach?? Do you WRITE orchestral parts separately and then later combine them to sub layers?? Do you think about orchestra without back up then look into some loops which fit or what??? just wonder what the best techniques for this might be ....

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and tips everyone, ;)

[loydb]

I hear it in my head, then begin the arduous process of getting it into the machine. I'm not a great keyboard player, so it's usually slow going -- I just loop and autopunch until I get a version that sounds & feels right to me, then move on to the next part.

[Dannthr]

Do you mean writing with percussion loops in mind?

Or simply writing percussively?


If the former: I don't like or desire (ever) to use percussive loops or any prerecorded loops.

If the latter: I've come to realize that a lot of what gives percussion power is space--sonic space--and so you really need to be a bit more spartan with the other instruments, the fewer non percussive instruments you have playing, the more power your drums will have.

[The Idiot]

Thanks for this guys,

Well Loydb, what you say makes sense, although I just wonder to what extent composers today employ actual loops in feature films and how much they create their own ones. Im really curious to know....

[Kaatza_Music]

I never use loops. It just doesn't fit into the way I create music. Even if it takes many hours, I will do a percussion track one instrument at a time. Because the differences in performance helps give the sampled performance a little bit of life. I try to never quantize anything either unless I really, really have to. (Like I just can't play the part in time no matter how hard I try or for repetative parts where you really want that sequenced type of sound.)

There is certainly a place for loops in certain styles: electronic, techno, hiphop, etc. but I doubt if any composer is using them in feature films for any kind of orchestral, ensemble or choral type of works.

Just my 2 cents :)

[bobbyem]

Im with you! ¨

I only use loops in electronic stuff, like what im doing now. A kind of Dues Ex thing, i often feel like a cheat when im using loops, so i use alot of plugins and chop them up till they are somewhat my own creation. If you are having problems getting nice percussion parts, just put a region to loop and record a strait beat that is the fundation and then try to add on it. Works great when i want to make rythms that does not come natural to me, like arabic rythms or celtic. Think of the drum hits like snare and kick although they are a high and a low hit on the dumbek or taiko. So its just a different sound but the elements are there.

Very diffuse :)

[lostrain]

I don't think drum loops are bad thing to use at all, why stop at one genre? I think the important thing to keep in mind with loops is to use them to compliment the music, not build from it. Loops are fantastic when used appropriately, in any style of music!

[mirrored]

I don't think drum loops are bad thing to use at all, why stop at one genre? I think the important thing to keep in mind with loops is to use them to compliment the music, not build from it. Loops are fantastic when used appropriately, in any style of music!
I agree. :)