Fingerprinting, Watermarking, Tune Sat and Competitrack

Fingerprinting 

Fingerprinting is a term for software that performs fuzzy matching of audio or video content.  Each technology implementation has its own “special sauce” for representing audiovisual content and for matching fingerprints of unknown content against a database of previously extracted fingerprints.  The fingerprint can be thought of as a summarization, or signature of the recorded audio or video that is robust against natural degradations such as lossy compression and frequency or temp changes.

Attributes that go into an audio fingerprint can include tempo, dynamics, general frequency patterns, segment structure (verse/chorus/bridge) and specific patterns in rhythm, melody and harmony (chords) in relation to the timeline of the audio.

Shazam is a company that built a business around a technology that is optimized to identify sound recordings in noisy environments. Their flagship application provides instant track recognition on mobile devices.  Another company, Audible Magic uses their fingerprint identification for anti-piracy purposes.  There are many other technologies; some are specialized in identifying brief snippets of a recording — suitable for airplay monitoring.  Other technologies require a complete song recording to make the identification, and are therefore more suited to digital asset identification than to performance monitoring. 

A fingerprint identification service begins with a set of audio files and metadata describing the content.  Each audio file is fingerprinted and the fingerprint is stored in a database along with metadata, which could be artist, title, ISRC, and copyright holder information in the case of music tracks.  If the tracks being indexed are commercials, the metadata might include the company name, product name and the Industry Standard Coding Identification (ISCI) for each ad. 

Fingerprinting technology is frequently used for airplay monitoring.  Automated listening stations can be configured in the desired geographic areas and computers can be configured to monitor multiple stations simultaneously.  The monitoring software applies the fingerprinting algorithm to the broadcast signal and compares each short segment of airplay against the database of known fingerprints.  When a match is found, a record is stored in a database indicating the date/time, channel and the identifier for the audio that was matched.


Watermarking

Whereas fingerprinting technologies do not change an audio file in any way, watermarking technologies do change an audio track (or video) by adding a perceptually inaudible (or invisible) signal.  The signal carries the watermark payload — a set of digital bits.  A watermark detector is a piece of software that “listens” to an audio recording or stream, say a broadcast, and extracts the payload from a detected signal. 

Watermarks payloads are measured in terms of the number of bits that can be represented.  In practice, a music label or film studio can watermark their content forensically using a different payload depending on the supply chain.  For example, a hypothetical payload of “12345” might be used for all audio sent to a particular CD pressing plant and a payload of “67890” is used for audio sent to a digital fulfillment partner.  If a piracy leak were found before the product is released, the watermark would identify which path in the supply chain resulted in the leak.  

Forensic uses of watermarks also include “serial” watermarks, where each copy of a file or audiovisual stream is watermarked individually for each consumer or each performance.  For example, the watermarks used in Digital Cinema not only identify the theater but also the date and time of the screening.  When a “CAM” of a movie is found on the Internet — for example, on YouTube — the watermark identifies the source of the recording.  


TuneSat

TuneSat is an independent audio monitoring services. They claim that their fingerprinting technology is used to monitor hundreds of TV channels.  Their customers include organizations and individuals who desire an independent survey of broadcast performances of their audio content, including recorded music and commercials.


TuneSat claims to have listening stations worldwide.  Each monitored performance includes channel, country, show name, date/time, descriptive metadata and a link to a downloadable recording of the broadcast.  One limitation of their service is that it is focused on national broadcasts.  Smaller, local broadcast markets are not monitored.

The benefit for rightsholders is that data from TuneSat can be used to dispute royalty statements from PROs that may not account for all performances.  Another application for the TuneSat service is monitoring for unauthorized uses.  An example would be commercials or shows that use a sound recording without a master use license. 


Competitrack

Competitrack is a New York City based company providing ad tracking and business intelligence services across 22 media channels, including TV, print, radio and online ads.  They were acquired by Market Track, LLC in 2013. 

Competitrack claims to have data on 11 million ads that have run in the US and over 60 countries.  They offer their customers information on ad spending by their competitors.  Customers of Competitrack can view ad images across various media to learn where their competitors are running ads and how much is being spent on ads in different markets and across different media outlets.

In 2007, Competitrack announced that they had acquired an “advanced video fingerprinting technology,” which can be used to monitor video piracy.  They claim their technology combines audio and video luminescence pattern recognition that can find a match with as little as 5 seconds of content.

Competitrack says their fingerprint technology has been used by most of the PROs in the US.  In 2007, SESAC announced their in-house tracking system, which leverages data from Competitrack’s fingerprint technology along and DigiSound, a watermark-based tracking system for production music.  SESAC points out that fingerprint and watermark technologies improve the accuracy of performance tracking without requiring their members to provide “proof-of-performance via media buys, traffic schedules or station logs.”



References

https://www.audiblemagic.com/

http://www.shazam.com/

https://tunesat.com/tunesatportal/home/press

https://homepage.competitrack.com/about-us

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20070807006265/en/Generation-Online-Video-Piracy-Suite-Offered-Competitrack

http://www.sesac.com/News/News_Details.aspx?id=797

http://www.itnews.com.au/news/us-firm-gives-finger-to-digital-pirates-89042

CD Review: Manna/Mirage by Blue Dogs

One of my favorite new albums was released at the end of 2015 and showcases seven compositions by Dave Newhouse​. The sound is punctuated by his incisive keyboards and features his one-man woodwind ensemble. Also featured are fellow members of The Muffins​, Paul Sears​ (drums) Billy Swann​ (bass) plus guests.

The Muffins are a Washington DC area band that has been together since the early 70's.  While their sound is grounded in the Canterbury rock/jazz school (Soft Machine, Gong and Caravan, for example), this spin-off group leans a bit more towards mainstream and big band jazz.

The compositions and arrangements are refreshing and tight. There is a worthy and fitting homage to Ellington jazz but, in true Canterbury style, there are also whimsical moments to put a smile on your face and even a nod or two to Frank Zappa.

There is quite a range stylistically, from the dreamy "Lost in a Photograph" to the rock/jazz energy of "Blind Eye".  My other favorites are "Shwang Time," with its driving New Orleans party vibe and "Rovian Cue", which ends the album with an upbeat soaring horn arrangement and Dave's piano firmly in the driver's seat.

The cool harmonies and rhythmic interplay are crystal clear -- no easy feat given the complexity of some of the arrangements. Kudos to the recording team at Abin Sur Studios in New Market, MD and mixing/post production at Orion Studios in Baltimore. My only wish is that the album were longer but apparently a followup is already in the works.

The Tracks:
1. Canterbury Bells (4:50)
2. Duke Street (4:47)
3. Muffin Man Redux (7:23)
4. Lost in a Photograph (4:21)
5. Blind Eye (4:56)
6. Shwang Time (4:58)
7. Rovian Cue (4:10)

The Players:
Dave Newhouse – keyboards, woodwinds, drums
Billy Swann – bass
Paul Sears – drums
Mark Stanley – guitar
George Newhouse – drums
Steve Pastena – French horn

Additional info and CD available at:

www.mannamirage.com/blue-dogs/

WITHIN THE DARKNESS (2013): Sound Design for a Haunted House

In 2013, I finished my 3rd contemporary feature film (17th film overall, counting all the silent films), WITHIN THE DARKNESS.  My main contribution to the film was the score, for which I was given a generous amount of freedom in terms of the style and quantity.  I will post some tidbits on the score in the future.  I also designed some sound effects and vocal processing. Here's a clip where I explain how I created the unsettling sound of the haunted house using multiple tracks of a Chinese instrument called an Erhu and some effects processing in Pro Tools. Are you scared yet? 

 

Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton - Concert Review

Oct. 30, 2013 

Last night at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles marked the first US concert by Danny Elfman in 18 years.  He is back and he is a force of nature.  His versatility as a composer is second only to his talent for melody and dramatic storytelling.  As a performer he commanded the stage and the full house was all over it, from the steam punk kids down to the toddlers (yes many little kids) and their grandmothers reminiscing about his days in Oingo Boingo.  Elfman proved that he is still a larger than life performer and a talented songwriter who is at the top of his game at 60!  He IS the Pumpkin King after all.

Check out his songs from "Nightmare" in the concert phone video (Not my video).  He could have yet another career on broadway.   Among the other performers, Sandy Cameron gave a dazzling extended performance on violin for the gypsy jazz piece from Edward Scissorhands.  Catherine O'Hara gave a heartfelt and moving performance of Sally's Song from Nightmare.  The audience clearly wanted to hear more from both of them.  What a treat.  I've been watching Catherine O'Hara since SCTV (early 80's) and never knew she could sing!  

The choir was well used throughout the night and the ladies came through with his trademark sound. A boy soprano carried some of the more poignant pieces through he looked a little frightened at times.  Who wouldn't be on that stage?  Maybe it was the eerie Theremin, featured on Mars Attacks and elsewhere.  

Conductor, John Mauceri earned his pay throughout the night.  In the clip below, you can see him joining Elfman in a rendition of the Oogie Boogie song. He conducts, turns the pages, grabs the mic and sings.  Elfman does hilarious dance at about 1:45 in the video below. Coming out of it, he seems to have slightly misjudged his next vocal entrance.  Notice how the conductor jumps in with a "one two three" count off around 2:00.  I didn't even notice it during the show.  No harm, no foul, what a great save.   

Tim Burton's concept drawings for each film were splayed across the three jumbo screens like the awkward birth of a weird and wonderful new universe.  The hand drawn concept art dissolved to clips from the film showing the evolution of Burton's vision through the contributions of the larger teams -- over and over for the 14 films featured in the concert.  Elfman and Burton have worked together for 25 years and I'm thinking, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship... 

ProjectSAM Orchestral Essentials

Orchestral Essentials
Review by Carlos Garza (ScoreTech.org)

Originally known for their straight ahead symphonic products, ProjectSAM found success in recent years with the Symphobia series -- two high-end collections of symphonic effects and sound design samples.  Their newest collection, Orchestral Essentials, combines highlights of Orchestral Brass, True Strike and Symphobia products with some new samples to create film and game composer’s dream package. 

Their percussion libraries, True Strike 1 and 2 were the subject of my 2008 article written for Pro Audio Review.  Here’s a deep dive into their brand new and very affordable symphonic instrument library. 

Features

Orchestral Essentials (OE) includes strings, brass and woodwind ensembles, select solo instruments, concert and ethnic percussion.  The ensembles include staccato, long notes, legato, and for the strings, pizzicato and tremolo. 

There are cinematic effects in each family, including string and brass rips, clusters, falls, drum phrases, scraped and bowed metal instruments and more.  The legato combination instruments include horns with trombone, strings with flute and flutes with clarinet.  There is also a Dystopia Sound Design collection, including drones, risers, reverse effects, alien and ghostly sounds and a collection of things that go bump in the night. 

The percussion includes concert bass, timpani, snares, toms, cymbals, gongs, a djembe ensemble and a Japanese set.  Rounding out the collection are Piano Mystique, a concert harp, harpsichord and a church organ. 

Among the highlights of the OE collection are the “multis” and full orchestra patches.  Many of the strings, brass and woodwind sets include percussion in the lowest range on the keyboard.  An excellent combination for live performance or working out ideas. 

OE instruments are loaded into the free Kontakt Player 5 (included).  The custom tabbed interface exposes controls for simple EQ, effects, attack and note release.  The built-in effects include a simple, but nice sounding, reverb, a compressor, delay, filter and stereo control.  Specific controls and effects vary by instrument. 

Some of the sustain instruments have a velocity switch, allowing you to play with regular key velocity or use the mod wheel to fade in the higher intensity samples.  You can create strings and brass swells using the mod wheel to drive the tonal intensity while your expression pedal controls volume independently. 

In Use

My primary composing rig is a MacBook Pro with 6GB of RAM, OS 10.5.8 and Logic 9 as host for Kontakt 5.  I was excited at the possibility of using OE to sketch out ideas for my current project, Within the Darkness.  This paranormal ghost story is screaming for orchestral effects and sound design from hell. 

I was amazed at the fullness and overall blend of my arrangements with OE.  Remember that it’s an “essentials” set so we’re not going to see great variety in articulations and very few solo instruments.  That said, this package sounds great!  I had no trouble getting realistic symphonic arrangements very quickly.  Check out the following sound clip, which includes three short builds.  This track was created entirely with OE. 



It sounded so good that sometimes I found myself layering too many parts.  I was thankful for the Enhance control, which let me quickly try larger or smaller ensembles with some of the instruments.  See the Enhance and Modwheel switches on the left side of the player window below.  

Orchestral Essentials Main UI

The brass instruments in OE are top tier -- no surprise, since they are from one of ProjectSAM’s flagship collections.  As with the other sets, the brass ensembles mix low, mid and high instruments in one keyboard mapping for staccato and one for sustained notes.  It’s nice to have the option for normal keyboard velocity or using the mod wheel to shape the tone during performance. 

The Brass Cinematic effects patch has a nice assortment of clusters, blasts and falls (think “LOST”).  The solo horn and trumpet are excellent.  The solo trombone was fine but in mod wheel mode I was not able to hear the loudest samples two octaves below middle C and lower.  I think this is simply a bug in the Kontakt instrument patch -- I’m sure it will be fixed in an update.  All the samples are there in normal velocity mode. 

The woodwinds are very lively.  Once I learned where the flutes, clarinets and bassoons transition on the keyboard, I found these sets very inspiring.  The settings tab in the Kontakt interface allows you to turn on the release tails and kick in the “octaver,” which is very handy for punching up a melody quickly. 

I explored the woodwinds and some of the darker cinematic effects for a score to the silent short, "Monkey Cookie Jar." 



You can get more from OE by tweaking the patch settings but I didn’t find much need.  I adjusted the attack, decay and sustain to create a diminuendo patch with the sustained woodwinds.  All of this is very quick and easy and that means you are spending more time writing and playing your music and less time tinkering with the patch settings. 

The Woodwinds Cinematic Effects patch is one of my favorites.  The modest sampling of flute rips worked well in climactic sections.  I combined this with staccato winds and brass and some reverse effects to score a trailer for a short film project.  Below is the trailer for the upcoming Anthony Faust film, "Make Her Smile" -- scored entirely with Orchestral Essentials. 


Watch the make-up removal time lapse above or watch it on Vimeo.

The low-end woodwind effects clusters are very creepy and one of these is already in my score for Within the Darkness.  There are some wonderfully unsettling symphonic effects. 
The arco strings with mod wheel dynamics are simply gorgeous.  These sounds are ready for prime time!  The short notes were perfect for action sequences and the cinematic effects are right out of a Bernard Herrmann score. 

The power of Orchestral Essentials is most apparent in the Full Orchestra and multi sets.  The Full Orchestra sets combine layered sections with multiple controls for dynamic live playing.  For example, the Epic set has strings and trumpet in the right hand and mostly brass in the left whereas the Suspense set features tremolo strings in the right and mixes brass with drums in the left. 

Among the multis that I found very useful are, Darko, with the mysterious reverb piano and The Gathering, which mixes strings brass and woodwinds into a taut thriller palette -- just begging for diminished harmonies. 

Another handy feature is the Seating Tab (see below), which shows where the orchestra sections are located on stage.  You can see which instruments are present in a basic patch and which are added by hitting the Enhance button.

Orchestral Essentials - Seating Chart

I really appreciated having round robin samples in most of the set.  More round robin would be helpful, especially the short brass samples. 

OE includes 8 Sound Design layouts.  Names like “Ghostly Winds” and “They arrived” give only a hit at the sonic mayhem.  Reverse Engineering has several long builds and sweeps from symphonic instrument glissandi and atonal clusters -- just the thing for a paranormal, “Fringy” film or TV show. 

The percussive sound design set is loaded with multi-hit and layered booms and clangs to make your audience jump out of their seats.  The drones and risers are richly complex and well suited to professional film, TV and game productions. 

Summary

Orchestral Essentials is a great sounding package.  With little effort, you can create high quality, believable symphonic realizations for film, TV, electronic games and pop productions. 

The symphonic effects and Dystopia sound design elements are powerful and dramatic and rare in a symphonic library product in this price range.  As you can hear from my demos, Orchestral Essentials inspired me in a number of ways from romantic scores to dark drama and intense action.  The multi-patches are impressive and I’m looking forward to using them in live settings (for example, live silent film score accompaniment). 

The quality of the recordings and the selection of straight-ahead instruments would make OE worth the price alone.  The inclusion of so many symphonic effects and dramatic sound design elements make Orchestral Essentials a rare and unique offering.  OE is strongly recommended for aspiring film and game composers and anyone wanting to explore the darker and more dramatic edges of symphonic realization. 

Pros

•     Beautiful 24-bit samples
•     Natural hall reverberation
•     Instrument groups recorded together
•     Dystopian sound design elements

Cons

•     More round robin samples needed
•     Mod wheel control not available on every instrument

Applications: TV, film and game scoring, concert work mock-ups, pop arrangements
Installation: Direct Download or DVD boxed
Company site:  http://www.projectsam.com/

ProjectSAM libraries are sold internationally through ProjectSAM's web site and through world-wide affiliates in the US, Europe, Japan and India. 

The Bottom line: This is a very satisfying and inspiring collection of virtual instruments at a great price.  Highly recommended. 

Price  
€299 / $399 USD

(c) 2012 Carlos Garza, ScoreTech.org

Orchestral Essentials Demos

I recently scored a trailer for the upcoming short film by Anthony Faust. The sounds are entirely from a new virtual instrument product called, "Orchestral Essentials" from ProjectSAM. The style is kind of a high impact minimalism, if that makes any sense.  I will have a review of Orchestral Essentials soon.




Orchestral Essentials virtual instruments used in this demo: Percussive Sound Design, Reverse Engineering, Drones and Risers, Sunburn, Woodwind Staccato, Woodwinds Cinematic Effects, Strings Staccato, Strings Arco, Brass Staccato, Brass Long Notes, Brass Cinematic Effects, Cinematic Percussive Effects, Piano Mystique, Concert Harp.

I wrote a score for the short film, Monkey Cookie Jar using only Orchestral Essentials. The woodwinds and brass inspired me musically and sounded great with very little effort.  It was great to get both the lighthearted sounds and the darker elements all from one virtual instrument library.  


Orchestral Essentials virtual instruments used in this demo: Orchestral Percussion Kit, Cinematic Percussive Effects, Drones and Risers, Brass Cinematic Effects, Brass Staccato, Brass Long Notes, Strings Cinematic Effects, Strings Tremolo, Strings Staccato, Strings Arco, Woodwinds Cinematic Effects, Woodwinds Staccato, Woodwinds Long Notes, Reverse Engineering, Alien in the Airlock,

Music in THE DESCENDANTS

I'm ending 2011 with a few thoughts on the music for Alexander Payne's highly acclaimed film starring George Clooney, which (at the time of this writing) has five Golden Globe nominations and surely more accolades to follow.

Clooney plays the husband of a woman who is in a coma as a result of a boating accident.  The film is centered on his struggle to cope with their two headstrong and independent daughters. Of course, things turn out to be even more complicated and that gives rise to a variety of emotional and even some lighthearted moments. 

The soundtrack is made almost entirely of Hawaiian songs and guitar instrumentals. The moods range from comforting to melancholy -- not a broad pallet but that works well for the film.   

Beyond the obvious geographic grounding, the music provides a tonal center for the film. While the characters go through shock, denial, guilt, sorrow, and a few upturns, the music keeps the lows from being too low and the highs safely out of sitcom territory.

From the opening titles to the end of the film, we are constantly reminded that we are in Hawaii.  Clooney's narration informs us that the people of this paradise are subject to all the good and bad that comes with being human.  The slack-key tunings and melancholy vocals provide comfort to the viewer as we imagine it would to the characters, who it turns out are descended from a native Hawaiian. 

The music bridges the scenes and shows the passage of time while the characters move between locations and sometimes between islands.  In one scene, George Clooney's character, Matt King and his daughters visit another island and drive out to view a beautiful stretch of land that has been with their family for roughly five generations.

During the drive, the music seems very uplifting and matches the emotion. As the car stops, the up-beat tone ends and a lighter, instrumental section takes over. The music almost seems diegetic in this scene.  It's as if the music was playing on the radio and just happens to end as they arrive. Thankfully there was no effort to make if literally diegetic by having someone turn off the radio.

One of my favorite moments in the film, musically, is when the family arrives at a restaurant/bar where Matt meets his cousin, played by Beau Bridges.  A Hawaiian guitar trio is performing to an appreciative crowd.  At the bar, Matt receives information from his cousin that hits him like a ton of bricks.  As he sits down to join his family, the band breaks into a yodeling song.  The overtly happy -- and to the protagonist, clearly annoying -- music accentuates the chaotic turn of events. 

This music however fun it might seem to some, it exactly the last thing the Clooney character wants to hear and this draws us into deeper sympathy with the character. As Payne stated, "My impetus for choosing that yodeling song was to have something ridiculous and grating accompanying the protagonist's confusion and alienation." 

I love the way music is used in this film.  The acting is tight and there are no weak players.  The kid actors are excellent too.  It's a well written and hopeful story that I found captivating at every turn.

(c) 2011 Carlos Garza

Appassionata Strings - Vienna Symphonic Library

Vienna Instruments
Appassionata Strings 1 and 2
Review by Carlos Garza 

Vienna Symphonic Library GmbH (VSL), a sample library and software developer based in Vienna, Austria, is known for their pristine orchestral sample library and advanced sample player technology.  The Vienna Instruments (VI) products provide nuanced control of symphonic virtual instruments from your favorite MIDI controller.

The Appassionata Strings collection expands on VSL strings by introducing string ensembles built for lush and passionate performances.  In this review, I’ll see how they soar or perhaps roar in a film score arrangement. 

To get make full use of the VSL libraries, I use an Intel MacBook Pro and a G5 tower, both running Mac OS 10.5. I run Logic 9 on the MacBook and use Vienna Ensemble Pro (sold separately) to host my Vienna Instruments strings and brass on the G5.  (A Vienna Ensemble Pro review is in the works…) 

Features

Appassionata Strings 1 includes violins (20 players), violas (14 players), cellos (12 players) and basses (10 players, 4 and 5-string basses).  The focus is on sustained and legato interval performances with détaché, accented intervals, spiccato, staccato, tremolo, repetitions, runs and trills.  AS1 includes the elusive sul-G sample for violin -- all notes played on the G-string.

Appassionata Strings 2 features most of the same articulations in AS1 in their muted form.  Both libraries are 24-bit samples at 44.1 kHz sample rate.  AS2 takes 7GB of disk space in compressed form but represents almost 11GB of audio.  AS1 uses 12GB on you hard disk but represents 18GB of audio.

Vienna Instruments use a custom player, which operates in stand-alone mode and in a DAW using VST under Windows XP and Audio Units, VST and RTAS on the Mac.  A Vienna Key or compatible Synchrosoft USB key, such as those used by Steinberg and Arturia is required. 

In Use

For large orchestrations I was able to free up memory in Logic 9 by moving some of my Vienna Instruments into a VEP server running a second machine.  I used VEP to balance the processing and disk I/O between my MacBook Pro, running Logic 9 and the G5.  Another advantage of VEP is the pan control – this allowed me to pan the string sections where I wanted and control their width all from the second machine.  This saved processing power on the main DAW machine for other virtual instruments and aux channels for reverb.

Both products come with full keyboard layouts and separate instruments with violins, violas, celli and basses.  The full range layouts were extremely valuable for sketching out a part or creating a quick mock-up from my Yamaha 88-key weighted action keyboard.  I used the automatic round robin staccato parts for action string bass parts on a couple of film projects.  Check out the two demos below from my score for Rogue Hunter, a spy thriller for the post-Bourne age.  Oh, and Matt Damon, please make another Bourne film…. 



The next example shows again how well the alternation works in a repeated note staccato part.



The last example shows the beauty of the sustained strings and how well they blend with other VSL instruments in a full arrangement.  The main theme played in the Epic Horns of the Brass II set enters at around 50 seconds.  The expanded string sections once again carry the rhythm with all the impact I was looking for.  



Appassionata Strings II has my go-to sound for soft melodic strings.  The rich muted textures were perfect in the melody for a waltz I was asked to write for a short film in 2011.  Adding the octave melody in the repeat gave the piece a very cinematic touch.

There are some powerful performance setups, or matrixes, in VI-speak.  The universal performance matrix, for example, in the muted strings, comprises three useful layers that are switched using the mod wheel.  The normal setting is a performance legato set, the middle setting is marcato and full wheel is spiccato.  With a little practice, I found it very easy to switch between the three articulations while playing a fast melody.

There are many matrix sets of articulations making it relatively easy to create a realistic and varied performance in a single pass.  Yes, it takes practice to learn the product and these are large products but this is much better than having to record track after track of individual articulations to build a realistic phrase.  The key switches, wheel controls and universal speed controls make this a very expressive tool – with a little practice.

The other cool thing is that the Vienna Instruments player automatically switches between normal and faster versions of each articulation – making the connections between the notes more graceful at slower speeds while keeping the notes distinct for faster passages.  This is the kind of innovation that VSL is known for and what sets them apart.

I found the AP sets versatile enough for a variety of film genres.  The random pizzicato and the sinister note clusters will have a home in a suspense feature score that I’m working on.  Yes, we do need another ghost story…  Watch this blog for a look at the process.

The depth of the AP sets cannot be over stated.  I you need grace notes for the end or beginning of a run, there are three to chose from, including one where the strings draw themselves gracefully in tune.  As with all of the VSL sample sets, the recordings themselves are dry, giving you maximum flexibility in terms of acoustic setting.  What I’m trying to say is, you’re going to want to put some reverb on these samples and don’t be afraid to play with the panning and EQ to make them fit into your sound stage. 

Summary

As others have mentioned, VSL products represent the pinnacle of aesthetics and technology in the service of creativity.  Appassionata Strings products are among the best representatives of those qualities. 

Whether you are working on a film or concert piece, Appassionata Strings raise the bar in terms of expressive control in a large ensemble string library.  These are exceptional products from a company that seems to know exactly what composers and arrangers are looking for before we even know ourselves.

At a Glance

Pros:

•    Pristine recordings suitable for any setting.
•    Expressive articulations with key switched and automatic modes
•    Add Vienna Ensemble Pro to balance processing load with other VSL sets and other instruments
•    Useful matrix combinations bring many articulations into a single performance

Cons
•    Full layouts have limited articulations
•    No alternate or smaller groups (Easily remedied by other VSL string products (Chamber Strings)

Applications: TV and film scoring, concert work mock-ups, pop and R&B arrangements
Installation: DVD drive required 
U.S. Sales:  ILIO (http://www.ilio.com)
Company site:  http://vsl.co.at

U.S. prices were reduced in December of 2011:

Appassionata Strings I
Std. $505,00
Ext. $390,00

Appassionata Strings II
Std. $415,00
Ext. $150,00

Appassionata Strings Bundle
Std. $780,00
Ext. $455,00

 Vienna Key, $32

© 2011 Carlos Garza, ScoreTech.org

FAQ For Students

Occasionally  I receive questions from high school and college students about film scoring.  Here are some of the more common questions on composing for modern features and re-scoring classic silent films. 

What inspired you to switch from performing music in a band to film scoring?

I did some live accompaniment for a comedy show in the early 90’s and later got a gig playing piano for silent films at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The real break came when I started Silent Orchestra with percussionist, Rich O’Meara in 1998.  We both enjoy improvising a feature film score with only a few weeks preparation.  OK, the short answer, is I still perform publically, although not as much as I did in the 80's and 90's.

How are they similar/different?

    •    TV/Film composing is usually a solitary activity. Whereas any band situation is always a collaboration.
    •    It’s easier to know how much you are appreciated by your audience if you are in a band, whether it’s through recordings or a performance. As a score composer, you are generally thought to be good if the audience does not notice your work.  Reviewers rarely comment on how well the music works in a film.
    •    In both cases, you are trying to convey a mood or feeling to an audience and the ways you do that are roughly the same. Your tools are melody, harmony, rhythm and choice of instrument sounds. For example, a minor key works the same way for pop music as it does in a score.
    •    A key difference is that music on its own creates it's own context. A sad song is always a sad song. In film, there can be a very sad story but if the music is only slightly sad, then it might actually lift the mood a bit. So directors turn to composers to help modulate the tone of the film. We can help fine tune the mood or we can set the mood outright.

What are some of the challenges of scoring music?

Most of the major films and many independent films have a very tight schedule.  Since the score typically goes on last, after the editing is done, there is a lot of pressure on the composer to work quickly. It’s also the last chance for the filmmakers to improve any parts of the film that did not turn out as well as expected. For that reason, composers are sometimes expected to “fix” a scene that is not working. 

The most rewarding challenge for me is writing music that contributes to the meaning of the film. Music has to fit in whatever scene it’s written for, flow naturally from the last scene, set up the next scene and fit in the overall context of the film.  As I said, you generally have to do all that without calling attention to the music.

What is it like playing music live to a silent film? Is it easier or harder than pre-recording it?

Performing a silent film score is a lot of fun. I enjoy hearing the audiences react to the film and to our music. I look forward to shows with my band, Silent Orchestra. We’ve made two DVDs with surround scores for silent films. With Silent Orchestra, we enjoy both live performance and recording because we improvise in both cases and that leads to some nice surprises. 

When I started doing silent film scores I was playing solo piano behind the screen at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. The image was reversed so it was harder to read the title cards and the screen was very thick so I had to have the lights way down to see the picture. It was always a blast to have them raise the curtain at the end so the audience could see me. Eventually they let us set up in front of the screen so the audience could watch us play.

Is it hard to write music for multiple instruments at once?

Sometimes I write for specific instruments but usually just one at a time. I then use the studio to layer other parts. That lets me focus on just one instrument at a time.  Lately, I’ve been writing at the piano and then arranging the voices for symphonic instruments when I record it. In fact, I might record a piano part first and then go back and duplicate each voice with a symphonic instrument using the piano track as a guide. I can then mute the piano track when I am finished or use it to add some punch.  

Do you generally write film scores to what’s directly going on in the film, or to fit the mood as a whole?

There are many ways that film music is used. Sometimes it bridges two scenes; sometimes it establishes a mood for the overall film. In a recent short film I mostly played to the mood of the main character in each scene. I try to shed some light on the character’s state of mind while fitting into the overall meaning in the film. Sometimes I use a leitmotif to identify with a particular character or theme. If I use it throughout the film, the audience learns to identify the meaning and it helps make connections between scenes or characters.  For example, in the short film, A Rock and aHard Place, I used a snare drum riff to represent the authority figures. Snare drums are used a lot in military films so there is a natural connection for an audience with respect and authority. 

How important are technology and sample libraries to your work?

A good musician playing an acoustic instrument is always more expressive than a virtual instrument.  That said, today’s virtual instruments provide tremendous expression opportunities.  A lot of TV shows are now scored with a small team using guitars, drums and virtual instruments, whereas years ago it would always be a studio orchestra. For major films, the standard is still the symphony orchestra but for some genres, electronic sounds are necessary. I love the way some composers combine synthesizers (electronic sounds) with the symphony orchestra. For example, Hans Zimmer and Jerry Goldsmith.

Film Music Scene Review: The Lovely Bones

Composer Brian Eno and Company

Review By Carlos Garza

Peter Jackson’s superb direction of the Alice Sebold book, The Lovely Bones, is a spirited showcase for one of film music’s more unique talents. Composer, Brian Eno is a musician/producer known for collaborations with Roxy Music, The Talking Heads, U2 and Coldplay.  His music in The Lovely Bones is right on the mark. 

There are no plot spoilers in this review but the scene dissection may affect its impact, hopefully for the better.  This film music review focuses on the tragic scene that initiates 14-year old Susie Salmon’s afterlife and the course of events for her family and friends.

Leading into this scene, we meet Susie’s would-be boy friend in an after-school hallway encounter that leaves her exhilarated.  The music starts as the boyfriend walks away and we see Susie glowing with romantic possibility.  It is a simple musical suspension that clues us in to her euphoric state without over dramatizing the emotion.

As she leaves school, the cue builds into an easy going, “kick-the-can” feel.  We see her walk past a group of kids playing soccer and she heads off across a barren cornfield (her “shortcut” home).  By the way, it’s getting dark…

The happy theme falls way as Jackson begins a cross-cutting sequence – moving between scenes of the family at home preparing for dinner and the corn field where the tragedy unfolds.

We see Susie, fumbling with her hat, dropping a book and watching a mysterious note fly away. A new motif appears in the form of a short repeating chord cycle played on the piano. It is not foreshadowing, nor is it particularly uplifting. The repetition, however, drives us into our seats as we begin to realize that she is walking into a trap.

The editor takes us back to the family scenes while the entrapment motif highlights the possible mistakes made by her family and her own grave mistakes in the field.

The music stops when she loses the mysterious note — a love poem from her would-be boyfriend. This is the point where she hears and sees her murderer, a neighbor who wants to show her “something cool that all the kids are gonna like.” We can easily squirm at Stanley Tucci’s, Mr. Harvey with no help from music or sound effects.  In fact, his character is more effective that way.

It’s no accident that the music starts again at the pivotal moment when she decides to walk with him. The cross cutting continues while the entrapment theme comments on the sequence of unfortunate events in the field and her mother’s growing concern at home.  We can feel it in sound the dishes make as they slide across each other and land on the table -- like a knife being sharpened.

The music again continues in opposition to the happy family scenes but is even more resonant as Susie begins to trust Mr. Harvey and she makes her last mistake.  Now the tension increases, in part because the music is replaced by sound design elements – abstract sounds that seem to emanate from her imagination as she realizes her entrapment by the increasingly strange Mr. Harvey.

We see the wheels turning in her head as the swirling sound effects ratchet up the tension.  Susie’s escape is accompanied by screeches, low rumbles, metallic gong splashes and that old standby, a beating heart.  Is she really getting away or is this all in her head?  We see Susie running past another student now on a darkened suburban street.  The chugging sounds and distant scream conjure images of a speeding train as she runs past a class mate. The sound confirms our fears but the ambiguity is riveting.

This scene shows how powerfully the combination of music, silence and sound effects can amplify a story line.  In this case, the sounds themselves reveal the truth that the camera wants to hide. What we have here is not a failure to communicate but a sophisticated use of sound with visual elements to reveal the truth gradually.

Sound design continues to dominate the soundtrack as Susie comes to terms with the afterlife and finally settles into what the story calls, “the in-between.” Eno’s melancholy piano and ethereal electronics underscore Susie’s dreamlike adventures in her new world and the new connections she is building to those she left behind.

The escape scene itself, like so many films, follows the classic film (and story), “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”  The film making team includes refreshing voices in the scoring and sound design department.  Eno’s music is a welcome departure from the formulaic composing that Hollywood tends to nurture.

Now that you know how it works, watch it again.  It's chapter 3 on your Blu-ray or DVD.

(c) 2010 Carlos Garza

Quantum Leap Stormdrum 2

Review by Carlos Garza
July 2008

Quantum Leap set the bar in 2004 with the original 16-bit Storm Drum product. If you wanted bombastic samples for action films, games or that “Peter Gabriel” drum sound, SD1 was it. Fast forward to 2008 and Stormdrum 2 brings a range of improvements, including 24-bit samples and 100 MIDI rhythm tracks.

This is the first in a series of percussion library reviews. Future reviews will look at ProjectSAM’s True Strike set, also aimed at TV/film and electronic game scoring. We will also look at FlyingHand Percussion, a set that uses the advanced programming features of the Native Instruments Kontakt player for subtle articulation control.

Features

Over 12GB of new samples, with the exception of the Metallica “Black” drum kit from Ministry of Rock. The drums were recorded at the new EASTWEST Studio 1 (formally United-Western). Quantum Leap reports that SD2 was recorded using vintage Neumann mics and Meitner A/D converters.

Included are toms, cymbals, kits, ethnic metals, small gongs, waterphone, spring drums, brake drums, a metal bridge and whale drum. There are ethnic drums, such as custom congas and bongos, Indonesian bongos, Malaysian djembe, Nepalese two-headed drum, Dholak, timbales, udu. There are rhythmically "glitched" drones, ambient low sounds, “Godzilla Hits,” “psychotic” effects, swooshes, stutters, clicks, clangs and “Rumpfs,” oh my.

SD2 expands on the ensemble samples that were the hallmark of SD1. Producer, Nick Phoenix explains, “SD1 had a cool patch called ‘Thunder Ensemble’. This was six musicians hitting large drums in unison in a warehouse. SD2 has the ‘Earthquake Ensemble’, which is eleven musicians hitting huge, large and sometimes smaller drums in unison in EASTWEST studio 1.”

SD2 uses the proprietary 64-bit Play engine rather than third party plug-in players. The Play interface includes convolution reverb, delay and disk streaming management. Wideness can be minimized for precise sound placement and the 64-bit architecture is compatible with 32-bit operating systems.

Play offers a stand-alone functionality and is compatible with VST, ASIO and DirectSound on Windows and VST, Audio Units and Core Audio on Mac OS. Copy protection requires an iLok security key.  Recommended configuration includes a DVD drive, Core 2 Duo, 2.5 GHz or faster, 2 to 4GB RAM and XP SP2, Vista or Mac OS 10.4 or later.

In Use

The installation was glitch-free on my Mac OS 10.5 desktop. One thing to note is the iLok security key requirement, which makes the set a little less convenient for mobile rigs.

SD2 packs a wallop where it counts, big dramatic drums. I’m sure these sounds are going to show up in role-playing shooter games and heart pounding, escape-from-who-knows-what movies. Among the stand-outs are the “Beast” (a custom 42” Remo tom), Nagado, taikos and the Tong Zi drums.

There are also lighter sounds like the stick hits on the Chinese Kettle drum, the darbuka, dholak and some acoustic chirps called, “Ticki Ticki,” which would be right at home in a percolating action-adventure groove.

The MIDI performances focus on driving rhythms for action scoring with a smattering of neutral and exotic grooves. Each MIDI file comes with an associated multi-patch -- up to 16 individual patches. You’ll find well-named beats like, “Malicious Hordes,” “Rampant Carnage,” and “Chasing the Devil” that show off the amazing power of these sounds.

The MIDI tracks reveal a strong collection of rock drum sounds, large dramatic drums and a unique collection of effects percussion. Imagine rock drums with a bleating Chinese noisemaker, “clanking ambient contortion,” Persian castanets and a set called, “radiostatic anomaly.” Cue the black helicopters -- this is not a home organ beat box!

The taiko drums are beautiful, especially the ambient Dynasty set. The toms have a very clear sound – great for rock tracks and scoring but the close mic and stick sound makes them less suited for classical arrangements.


If you use Play as a multitimbral plug-in, your DAW channel effects will apply to all the drums. No worries, Play includes its own filter, effects and panning controls for each MIDI channel. There are plenty of sound shaping options, including a reverb section with enough variety to cover any genre.

The built-in effects include a delay, a panning controller, volume and an ADSR for each channel. I found the filter useful for taming the stick sound in the toms and it’s mapped to the mod wheel so you can tweak it as you play or store your favorite setting in the patch.

Of course, you can load one Play instance for each sound and use your own channel strip plug-ins. I'm happy to report that SD2 plays well with others, particularly driving guitars, synths and symphonic brass. The thundering ensemble drums really "super sized" an action film score I'm working on.

The cool thing is that you don't need a huge number of tracks to get a big sound. A simple arrangement with just a few tracks of SD2 sounds like you rented a Hollywood scoring stage and a small army of drummers. In fact, when I started working on this review I thought SD2 would be perfect for the Terminator 4 score. Apparently composer Danny Elfman felt the same way. Cue the DUH-dum-dum-duh-DUM riff. 

The patch collections open up new ways to get a pro sound very quickly. Among the unique sound sets are Ambient Largeness and the Rumpfs. Are you on a tight schedule and need to punctuate the end of a scene? You need a Rumpf, my friend. It goes… “Whoosh…boom.” It's an amazingly quick way to drop in a polished impact and they come in all shapes and sizes. 

There are fresh glitch sounds (that's a good thing) and blips in the ‘Fuzzbox” set; subtle and hip percussive sounds to keep a pulse going. The many sound design elements include swooshes and “stutter makers,” Asian percussion, such a Vietnamese wooden mallet instrument, Devil Chasers, bamboo sticks and for you Planet of the Apes fans, the angklung.

The congas and bongos are versatile but the sampled nature would be less apparent with more alternating samples, especially when soloed. The mapping works well for keyboard controllers with similar samples across five adjacent white keys. However, the three-octave jump between low and high bongos and four octaves between the congas gave me a workout. Some instruments have mappings for Zendrum but I was not able to test these.

Also reviewed on this site are True Strike Pack and Flying Hand Percussion -- related products from other companies. If you have the budget, I would consider owning all three products.  There is less duplication between SD2 and TS Pack than I expected and Flying Hand Percussion is a one-of-a-kind product. TS Pack includes symphonic percussion instruments but SD2 is much stronger in the effects percussion and sound design elements.  Both sets include excellent large ensembles with SD2 offering more options in this category. Both have strong collections of world drums. See the other reviews for details.

Summary

SD2 reflects East West and Quantum Leap’s vast experience in developing professional sample libraries. It’s a thorough collection and the sound quality is flawless. If you need powerful drums, deep atmospherics and some no-nonsense grooves to get your production started, SD2 is a must. If history repeats itself, these fresh sounds are going to be with us for many years.

Fast Facts

Applications:  TV, film, game, rock & ethnic music arrangement; education
Key Features:  24-bit percussion samples including studio kits, ethnic drums and metals, sound design percussion, royalty free MIDI performances
US Prices: $395 list (approximately $350 on the street)
Contact: EASTWEST, www.soundsonline.com

Product Points

Plus
• High quality recordings
• Unique monster hits
• Versatile collection
• Useful rhythm patterns

Minus
• iLok security (key not included)

The Score
Stormdrum 2 is an outstanding and quite versatile collection. Well priced and an excellent value. 

(c) 2008 Carlos Garza

ProjectSAM True Strike 1 and 2

[Editor's note:  this review, covers the originally bundled True strike 1 and 2 products in EXS format.  Look for an update soon to cover the 2013 updated versions for Kontakt 5. The 2013 reduced prices are already shown at the end of this article.]

From suspenseful “heartbeats” to creepy scraping and pounding rhythms, no instrument family speaks with as much authority and dynamic range as percussion. In part two of our percussion roundup, we’ll look at a pair of products from a Dutch company known as ProjectSAM.

True Strike  and True Strike 2 — sold together as True Strike Pack — cover a variety of instruments and ensemble sizes. Together they feature orchestral, world, mallet instruments and unique effects for sound designers.

Quantum Leap’s, Storm Drum 2, is a close competitor to True Strike Pack. We’ll compare their features and see if there is a clear winner. This review is part of a percussion library round-up, which also included a look at Flying Hand Percussion. See reviews on this site.  

Features

True Strike includes 51 instruments and requires 17 GB of space. TS2 has 59 instruments and needs 14 GB. The 24-bit, 44.1 kHz products are delivered on DVD-ROM and are integrated with the free Kontakt player.

TS focuses on symphonic instruments with timpani, gran casa ensemble, toms, snares, cymbals, tams, thunder plate and brakes. The melodic instruments include marimba, xylophone, vibes, glockenspiel, celesta and a handful of ethnic crossover instruments. Samples were recorded with close range, stage and large hall ambience.

TS2 adds percussion effects, bowed cymbals and vibes, 7 Asian instruments, including taiko, Turkish, European and over 20 African instruments. Samples were created with close mics and either room or stage ambience. The Cimbalom and prepared piano are a unique bonus.

In Use

In January of 2010, the True Strike products were re-released, dropping integration with several previously supported players to focus on the free Kontakt player (screen shot below).  The move is described as a win-win.  While allowing ProjectSAM to focus their development and support efforts, the move reportedly improves round-robin alternation, navigation, streamlines ADSR control and provides better reporting of articulation features.  See also the review of Flying Hand Percussion on this site, which makes extensive use of scripting features in Kontakt.  

The EXS-24 version that I tested in 2009 uses the same sample set as the re-released product. I tested under Logic Pro with Mac OS 10.5 and listened critically on Mackie HR824 and Tannoy PBM-8 monitors.

I tested both sets in an action film score I’m composing. I found the toms and bass drum ensembles blended perfectly with strings and brass from Vienna Symphonic Library. I could have chosen to place all the virtual instruments in the same ambience by using the TS close mic samples with Logic’s convolution reverb but the stage ambience of the TS samples was too good to pass up.

The bass drum is stunning. These massive “thwacks” are detailed and expressive and the softer sounds are sublime. Concert bass drums can sometimes be unwieldy in a dense mix due to overtones and long decay. Thankfully, the tasteful producers at ProjectSAM have crafted a modern sound that works exceptionally well in dramatic symphonic works.

TS has an excellent collection of snare drums, including a thin concert, a deeper drum and the field drum, which gave my action cues that “official” military sound. The swells in the snare ensemble are wide and detailed.

I had mixed feelings about the mallet instruments. The marimba with stage mics and full hall is spot-on but I wanted more tonal variety — soft and medium mallets, for example. The vibes in TS are useful but the damper sound, while realistic, is present enough to be noticeable when soloed. On the other hand, the bowed vibes in TS2 are wonderfully eerie and the effects sounds and prepared piano are great for suspense cues.

The U.S. company, Quantum Leap, set the standard for thundering ensemble samples in their original Storm Drum 1 product. Naturally, the 24-bit thundering ensembles in TS2 (and the new SD2) have a greater depth and clarity than the 16-bit SD1. ProjectSAM has their own take on the concept and these sounds are perfect for creature features, action game scores and dramatic pop productions.

ProjectSAM also did an excellent job of capturing the nuances in African and Turkish drums. In fact, there is enough variety to make a convincing performance – not always the case in world instrument samples (and never in keyboards). The mind-bending timpani effects will work in game, TV and film scores and contemporary concert works.

As with any sample library, there is a learning curve for playing the instrument. Once you get used to where the single hits, flams and rolls are, you can quickly create a great sounding track. A small gripe with True Strike is the mapping of some non-pitched sounds to a single MIDI note. This is fine for a drum pad but not so great for keyboard triggering. It would be nice, for example to have the four toms available an octave or two apart with left and right hand samples.

These minor negatives do not diminish the overall product value. Using these drums in a compositional setting really paid off for me. The sounds are very musical and composing with them is effortless.

So how does the True Strike Pack compare to Storm Drum 2? The recording quality is excellent in both products. I loved the stage ambience in the TS drums, especially the concert toms and bass drums. It’s a beautiful sound that shines in spare arrangements.

SD2 has more sound effects but there is no redundancy between the two and if you are serious about effects percussion and large ensembles you’ll want the TS Pack and SD2 in your arsenal. TS covers the contemporary symphony very well but SD2 adds royalty free MIDI tracks. TS Pack integrates with your favorite sample player software while SD2 uses the proprietary Play engine.

Summary

The detailed 24-bit recordings and spacious ambiance make these sounds come alive. I found that the recording clarity really helps in a dense mix and the snare roll crescendos made me feel like the drum was being played right in front of me (kind of scary actually). Some alternate sample mappings would help with certain playing styles but this is an inspiring world-class collection in any case.

This is also a versatile collection. The dystopian sounds and range of ethnic percussion make True Strike 2 a valuable resource for film and video game sound designers. Some of Hollywood's top composers are using True Strike and it's easy to see why. This is an awesome product. 

Fast Facts

Applications:  TV, film and electronic game scoring, pop production, contemporary orchestral realization, arranging and music education.
Key Features:  24-bit symphonic, world and effects percussion samples. Compatible with major sample players for Windows and Mac OS.
US Prices Reduced in 2013:     $299 each
Contact: Project SAM + 31-30-2314500, www.ProjectSAM.com, info@projectsam.com; Available in the US from:  HouseofSamples.com West L.A. Music (www.westlamusic.com)

Product Points
Plus
• Great sound quality
• Beautiful hall ambience
• Compatible with major sample player apps
Minus [2013 UPDATE coming soon]
• Keyboard mappings could be expanded
• Greater mallet variety needed

The Score
Both True Strike products offer pristine audio quality, a choice in mic position and blend well in large arrangements. TS1 is my go-to collection for symphonic percussion. TS2 is a highly versatile collection for game, TV, film scoring and world music. Both products are an excellent buy at the 2013 reduced prices.  

(c) 2008 Carlos Garza

HALion Symphonic Orchestra

Review by Carlos Garza

Capturing the nuances of a symphony orchestra in a sample library is no easy task but several products are aiming to do just that. Manufacturers such as Vienna Symphonic Library, Garritan, East West, Miroslav Vitous and Steinberg are a few of the companies working on the challenge.

The most compelling products offer multiple performance variations and controls. HALion Symphonic Orchestra (HSO) is a new product from Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, a subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation that offers real-time performance features found in some of the most expensive libraries at a price well under $1,000.


Features

The 15,000 individual samples supplied on DVD-ROM require 27GB of disk space for both 16-bit and 24-bit versions. The stand-alone player is used for live performance and playback from ReWire applications. HSO also runs as a VST, Dxi and Audio Units plug-in. A Steinberg Key device (not included) is required to use the library. A single device can be used for multiple Steinberg products.

As the name implies, HSO includes strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. The 1250 programs include solo instruments, ensembles and tutti sections all performed, according to Steinberg, by a leading European orchestra.

The strings include solo and ensemble violin, viola, cello and bass. Articulations include legato, spiccato, pizzicato, tremolo, portamento, espressivo and trills. The brass section includes solo and tutti trumpets, trombones, horns and solo tuba.

Woodwinds include solo flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, piccolo and English horn. The percussion family includes timpani, bass, snare, tambourine, tubular bells woodblocks, temple block, finger cymbals, vibraslap, triangle, sleigh bells, cymbals and gongs.

As with many sample players, the HSO software keeps a short bit of each sample in memory and streams the rest from disk. RAM and CPU use can be managed through the number and size of voice buffers and the minimum sample memory settings. The RAMSave™ feature frees memory by monitoring the notes played in sequenced MIDI tracks and dropping unused samples.

Users can selectively reduce the anti-aliasing quality in order to get more voices, for example, during recording, and then switch to a higher quality setting when bouncing or mixing tracks. “Economy” programs, which use fewer samples, are available for some instruments.

The “Q Controls,” seen in previous HALion products, are a set of eight MIDI-assignable controls that vary by program. Examples include, attack velocity, bow sound, “body” and “air.” Room ambience was recorded with the samples but can be controlled separately in level and duration.

In Use

I tested HSO with Logic Pro on a G5 Quad with 4GB RAM and Pro Tools on a G4 Dual 1GHz with 1.5 GB RAM. I monitored through Mackie HR-824 speakers. A Yamaha Motif ES-8 and a 2-octave Oxygen 8 were used as MIDI controllers.

My project was a short film score calling for both emotion and dynamics. I focused on strings since they are so important in film music. HSO offers alternating up and down bowing programs, a feature that overcomes the “machine gun” sound you hear from keyboard strings. I played the alternating spiccato string programs in the solo violin and viola and was amazed at the realism and ease of use.

The combination, or “Combi” programs, available in all instrument groups, are effective but require a little practice to get realistic performance variations. The string “Combis,” for example, include short notes, long notes, tremolo and trills. Articulations are selected by holding a switch key outside the instrument range.

I found a small annoyance in the half-step trill of the solo viola xSwitch Combi, which was noticeably louder than the other articulations. The other Combis, including the corresponding violin are well matched though. This can easily be fixed in the mix or avoided by recording trills separately.

The performance and tone controls offer plenty of tonal variety. For example, in the vibraphone program, the “Body” Q-control adjusts weight while “Presence” controls the mallet attack, simulating soft or hard mallets.

Percussive instruments derive their volume and tone from the initial hit and change little as the note decays. Strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion rolls, on the other hand, are capable of complex note dynamics. MIDI note velocity therefore controls percussion dynamics well but is less effective for other instruments.

Steinberg developed the Crescendo Control as a solution. Crescendo can be mapped to modulation wheel, breath, foot or expression controllers. The Xfade programs use Crescendo for continuous crossfade of samples, while the Xswitch programs switch between samples (requiring less memory).

The Crescendo Control can be used to create very natural sounding performances, especially in the strings and brass. By cross-fading actual samples played at different volumes, HSO has captured realism that can’t be simulated with volume and filter controls. Mastering Crescendo Control is a piece of cake. Combining it with key switch control is another thing, but it’s much easier than learning the violin, oboe, trombone, etc.

Most of the instruments sound very convincing to my ears. The solo strings are very expressive and the string sections are closer in quality to a more expensive library than they are to other libraries I’ve heard for under $1000.

The range of instruments and articulations cover the needs of basic symphonic mock-ups for education, film composing and pop music accompaniment. You won’t find esoteric articulations used in advanced orchestration, which is no surprise given the price. My wish list for a product update includes harp, celesta and muted brass.

While the stand-alone player and ReWire are required to use HSO with Pro Tools, ReWire can be useful even with DAW programs such as Logic Pro that support the Audio Units plug-in. Using ReWire I was able to keep my favorite HSO instruments in memory while switching Logic “songs.” This approach can also be used to optimize memory and CPU use under certain conditions.

HSO worked flawlessly on the G5. Memory limits on the G4 restricted the number of instruments that I could use at once but it worked fine with planning and occasional bouncing. HSO ran without problems as a Logic plug-in on the Quad and it seemed to run even smoother as a ReWire application.

Summary

This is an excellent sounding set that strikes the right balance between ease of use and flexibility. The inclusion of both 16 and 24-bit samples combined with advanced features make HSO a valuable tool for live performance and professional recording. Many composers will appreciate the inclusion of both first and second violin sections, something that even higher priced libraries occasionally skip. Others will miss the harp and muted brass.

With a little practice, the Crescendo Control can create very believable performances and the results are impressive. The Combi programs take more effort to master but the effort pays off and the price, sound quality and advanced features make HSO an excellent value.

Fast Facts
Applications: Symphonic, pop and TV/film orchestral realizations, music education and live performance.

Key Features: 16 and 24-bit symphonic instrument samples. Includes a stand-alone player and plug-ins for VST, Dxi and Audio Units. Crescendo controls and alternation features add realism.

Price: MSRP: $499, education discounts available; Steinberg Key: MSRP: $29.00

Contact: USA Online Shop 877-253-3900,  On-line:  Steinberg 

Product Points

Plus
• Choice of high quality 16 or 24-bit samples
• Crescendo Control enhances realism
• Automatic alternation of repeated note samples
• Excellent control of resource utilization

Minus
• No harp, celesta or muted brass
• USB key not included 

The Score

An excellent value in high quality 24-bit symphonic samples with advanced controls for performance realism.

---

(c) 2006 Carlos Garza

Flying Hand Percussion

In part three of the percussion sample library roundup, I review Flying Hand Percussion, a sample library from a California company by the same name.

As the name suggests, this sample library is all about hand played instruments with a focus on drums, small percussion and cinematic sound effects. The product, which I will refer to as “FHP,” aims for, and achieves, extreme realism through extensive variations, advanced programming and subtle details.

Features

The instruments were recorded with microphones from Neumann, Earthworks, Shure and AKG using a Demeter VTMP-2C mic pre. The 40,000+ individual samples are supplied at 24-bit, 44.1 kHz. There are up to 20 velocity layers with four alternate hits each.
Flying Hand Percussion

Flying Hand Percussion

Flying Hand uses the advanced programming features of the Kontakt sample player (sold separately). Keyboard players should note that left and right hand samples are provided in most of the MIDI mappings while electronic percussionists will be interested in the Zendrum MIDI mappings. Up to three mic positions are available. FHP also includes a set of reverb impulses and the Nitro “FHB Edition” filter bank.

So what about the sounds? Included are frame drums, djembe, conga, timbales, bongo cajon, Indian Naal, clay drum, Boomwhackers, plastic bottle, orchestral bass drum, tam tam, shakers, toys, electronic percussion and cinematic effects. Some instruments, like the ashiko allow selection of top-only or top and bottom mic positions.

Full sets with all velocity layers and alternate hits range from several hundred MB up to 1.5GB but smaller versions are available for low-memory computers or quick sketches.

In Use

This past summer I decided to try my hand at writing in various world styles. I’m also writing music for a film with scenes in India and South America. This gave me a chance to use FHP in different musical settings. I installed FHP on a G5 Quad with Kontakt 3, Logic 8 and Mac OS 10.4. I listened with Mackie HR824 and Tannoy PBM-8 monitors.

The gorgeous package — made in Nepal — is your first clue that this is no ordinary sound collection. The DVDs arrive in a hexagonal box with a lid that is fastened by a string around a button. This work of art belies the high tech product inside.

While not the broadest collection of world instruments, there is plenty to like here. The Clay drum samples range from small bright pings to larger thuds with many variations. The kanjira is an Indian drum with bells – a distant relative of the tambourine. It has a strongly ethnic flavor with a loose sounding membrane. For me it worked with Indian and Gypsy musical styles.

The djembe, mutant and “Morphosis” sets were among my favorite. The Boomwhackers and the bongo cajon were perfect for several spy chasing spy scenes that I scored over the summer.

The electronic sounds did not fit into my action score but they may work in other genres. The spooky drones are ready for prime time TV, film and electronic game scores. I loved the hand played bass drum. Why no dumbek?

The larger drums are engaging but less domineering than similar sounds in Quantum Leap’s Storm Drum 2 [reviewed in which issue?] and ProjectSAM’s True Strike Pack [reviewed in which issue?]. Because of this, it turned out that the FHP drums worked better with symphonic arrangements that were already heavy with low strings, synthesizers and massive horns.

I loaded djembe, Naal, bongos and drones and assigned Kontakt 3’s convolution reverb to an auxiliary bus. I then tried several of the impulse responses included with FHP. The large halls are spacious and detailed. It’s a good starter set but no replacement for Apple Logic’s Space Designer.

Using Native Instruments Kontakt as the sample playback host led to some important features in FHP. For example, a “dynamic resonance” control affects drumhead muting and is triggered by how long a slapped note sample is held. A relatively quick release triggers a sample of the head ringing while holding and then releasing triggers a sample of a hand leaving the drumhead.

The Legato Drumming™ uses velocity and duration to liven up the note tails. The results are not always obvious, especially in a fog of reverb with the distant mic set — and it’s not present on every program. However, this non-random addition of sounds like a hand moving on the drumhead adds a realism that I have not heard in any drum library.

Learning to play the instrument sets was easy because the mappings are very intuitive. I really like the idea of symmetrical mapping for two hands on the keyboard. In general, the sounds made from the middle of a drumhead are mirrored around middle C or D and sounds made closer to the edge of the drumhead are placed symmetrically out from there. Separate left and right hand hits with extensive alternate samples make for a very good time indeed.

Summary

The overall sound quality is as good as anything I’ve heard and then some. It’s clear that a lot of effort went into Flying Hand Percussion and the results are impressive.

I know of no other percussion library with as much articulation control. While the underlying functionality is complex, playing the sounds in a realistic way is as easy as, well, playing a drum. I also like having a choice of mic position and ambience.

Flying Hand Percussion is the one to reach for when looking for a unique sound. In a sea of imitators, Flying Hand Percussion is a rare gem.

Fast Facts

Applications: World, pop, jazz, TV, film and game score realization, composing and live performance.
Key Features: 24-bit instrument samples of hand drums, timbales, Boomwhackers, tam tam, shakers, toys, bass drum and effects; Requires Native Instruments Kontakt 2 or 3 sample player, sold separately.
Price: approximately $259 USD
Contact:

FlyingHandPercussion.com
SONiVOX MI

Product Points

Plus
• High quality recordings
• Convincing realism and variety
• Intuitive MIDI mapping

Minus
• Long load times for large sets
• Compatible only with Kontakt (not included, note, latest version of Kontakt is a free download)

The Score

Flying Hand sets a new bar for sample realism. If I didn’t know better I’d think I was playing real drums. This is an excellent value.

(c) 2008 Carlos Garza

The Host - a Mini Score Review

On the surface (so to speak), The Host seems to break a few rules. For example, showing the monster in the first reel of the film. But can a horror film really be successful by changing the rules?

The scoring and sound design are very held back while the situation is being established -- just another day along the river. As people on the shore discuss the weird thing under the bridge, we hear a scream and cut to a young girl and an older man watching an archery match. It's the sound of cheering and the filmmakers are playing on our fear with screams of delight. The old substitution trick.

The main attack music, consisting mostly of pounding drums is introduced when the beast is ashore. It's the pounding heartbeat, the pounding feet on the pavement and our primal fears rolled into one unrelenting sound.

As the scene progresses, the dissonant choir and brass give way to a diegetic element introduced with a whoosh to alert us to the shift. Diegetic sounds are elements within the storyline of the film. We see a lady listening to classical music, providing a break from the pounding score and comic relief; you know it's just a "story" don't you?

As the chase continues, the score adds a rising brassy cluster that reminds me of an elephant trumpet. Perfectly representing the massive beast on the loose.

The sound design takes an eerie turn when the young girl, Hyun-seo exits the trailer. At this point we know that people are screaming and running around, but she is preoccupied with the events on TV. She is so deeply in her own world that she hears only the soda fizzing from the can.

Gradually, she becomes aware of the screaming but the sound is drenched in reverb as if the panicked crowd is far away. They are not. This shows her transition to confusion and then fear.

Soon, a string-driven orchestral score begins to emerge and it feels like a traditional horror film. This is no accident. The musical change alerts us to a major shift in the film from impersonal chaos to personal tragedy.

Next, our worst fear is realized in a silent scream. The dynamic element of total silence signals the gravity of the event and prepares us for what follows.

The heart beat underscores the slow motion as we see Hyun-seo swept away. Again, silence with a gradual return to environmental sounds. The composer returns for the aftermath with classic creepy strings and we are back in familiar territory.

This is a brilliant 10 minute film sequence that makes we want to see and hear more from the director and composer.

The Host

(c) 2009 Carlos Garza

Apocalypto

James Horner has been involved with some of the biggest films ever. Most notably, Titanic, The Wrath of Khan and Braveheart.

For Mel Gibson's, Apocalypto, he draws on ethnic instruments, including the panpipe and drums. The panpipe idea seems to have sprung up in many parts of the world, including Asia, the Mediterranean and pre-Columbian South America. It's use for a movie about the Maya may not be 100% appropriate geographically, but it evokes the aboriginal Americas, so it's close enough.

In one scene below, we see Jaguar Paw fighting for his forest while his wife and young son try to escape from a deep hole. As you watch the film, notice how the long notes of the panpipe when JP climbs out of the bog are similar to the long notes when his wife tries to climb.

The melodic held notes become a motif for JP and his family, their struggles and "re-birth." The music reminds us of the connection between the characters and the similarity of their situation. Something that would be difficult without music or sound.

Notice that the panpipe is also used for the fighters but only with short (staccato) notes. The pounding drums and whooshes clearly support the running and fighting scenes. What's interesting is how Horner combines the melodic pipes with the drums to keep us in the frame of mind of the struggle and the central characters.

Later, Jaguar Paw confronts a warrior. Notice how the meditative chant works when the two are facing each other across the clearing. The droning voice supports the slow-motion picture and takes us into the mind of JP as he plans his tactical move. Warning for those who are squeamish, this is a violent scene.

Apocalypto on IMDB

(c) 2009 Carlos Garza