EAST WEST

Dec 1, 2000 12:00 PM, David Rubin

           
 

Symphonic Adventures Whether they work on small independent films, TV commercials, or blockbuster movies, producers and directors always seem to covet the big, symphonic sound that only a full orchestra can deliver. Unfortunately, most budgets can't accommodate a real orchestra and several full-blown recording sessions. So the hapless film composer is left with the age-old conundrum: how do you get a big sound from a little budget?

East West offers one possible solution well worth exploring. Symphonic Adventures is a collection of orchestral music samples available on a single audio CD ($99.95) and on CD-ROM in Akai, Roland, and GigaSampler formats ($199.95). The samples, which range from around five seconds to a minute in length, are designed expressly for film, TV, radio, and multimedia applications, with the accent on dramatic scoring.

Expertly composed by Dick de Benedictis, the musical phrases and fragments focus on classic film-scoring idioms, with an emphasis on dark, sinister, and atmospheric textures. The collection is based on a concept developed by Christopher Page, who produced the CD and conducted the orchestra. The recording quality is top-notch throughout, and the performances by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra are consistently first-rate.

Orchestral Toolbox The samples are loosely organized into six categories: Chases, Suspense, Wild & Free, Full Orchestra FX, Small Instruments, and Film Orchestra FX. I say they are "loosely" organized because many of the samples could work well in more than one category, depending on the context.

Each musical fragment is presented in a full orchestral version followed (in most cases) by one or more variations derived from the complete orchestration. For example, an orchestral phrase labeled Tutti might be followed by alternative versions consisting of the strings alone, the strings with piano, the woodwind or brass section alone, or other elements such as looped phrases, endings, or individual hits.

The number of variants ranges from one to more than a dozen. By combining the full orchestrations with their related components, you can create a score that changes texture and density to match dialogue, sound effects, and visual transitions. This "toolbox" approach to orchestral sampling provides a uniquely interactive orchestral construction kit that lets you shift smoothly from one phrase to another.

Sound Moves The first category, Chases, offers the greatest range of possibilities, and it's the only one with tempo indications and descriptive titles. The first 11 titles are recorded at 128 bpm; with their related variants, they provide more than 90 samples to choose from. The remaining six titles are recorded at 116 bpm and offer 23 samples at the slower tempo.

This category emphasizes energetic, highly dramatic, action-oriented music with thrusting rhythms and foreboding undertones. Most of the samples last between 10 and 20 seconds and build to a heart-stopping climax. Several of the pieces, such as Hitchcock, Psycho, and Vertigo, pay unabashed homage to the works of Bernard Herrmann. The Stravinsky sample offers a brief "Rite of Spring"-style fragment with pounding rhythmic pulses. The remaining titles deliver similar edge-of-your-seat musical phrases that are well suited to action sequences.

The Suspense category includes 13 samples - many without variants. These phrases lack the rhythmic component found in the previous section and focus instead on more free-form styles that stress dissonance, rich textures, and sudden percussive effects. Many samples have a floating quality, and all of the entries in this category induce a sense of eerie anticipation.

Wild & Free offers menacing pads and phrases with long, sustained textures that build and evolve. Some samples emphasize heavy low brass. The Full Orchestra FX and Small Instruments categories provide an assortment of accents, stings, stabs, and other orchestral effects, including short phrases, dissonant chords, and ominous motifs. The Film Orchestra FX category includes 11 dramatic phrases with numerous alternative versions. These phrases highlight classic cinematic orchestral effects, many with sustained chords, edgy textures, and dark instrumentation, along with hits, tags, bumpers, and stings.

Final Cue Symphonic Adventures provides a wonderful collection of musical elements suited for theatrical settings from radio dramas to action/adventure films.

The documentation is adequate, but I'd like more detailed descriptions (especially in the later sections) and timings for all the samples. Otherwise, it's hard to fault this great-sounding orchestral toolbox. You can mix and match the full samples with the variants, or you can use many of the variants as backgrounds and add your own melodies and accents. Either way, you'll end up with a big-time movie score that sounds as though you actually had a budget to work with.