# Interstellar - Cornfield Chase Mockup



## SymphonicSamples

Hello fellow V.I'ers . I decided recently to do a mockup of a piece from Hans Zimmer's Interstellar score - Cornfield Chase . There were 2 reasons for choosing the piece . Firstly , for my Father who is an organist and rather sick these days . The organ is one of the few things he still enjoys and loves . A few years back now I built him a Hauptwerk organ , it took me most of my life to get him to accept technology  , but health forced him to start using Hauptwerk and he came to love it . Interstellar's score was the first time in my life I can think of where my father actually enjoyed music from a film . So I decided to do a mockup without organ so he could play it . The second reason was I knew by doing the transcription / mockup I'd learn through the process , so I decided to add the organ parts in . I love the score and it's complex layers of sound which are just gorgeous . I hope you enjoy it and any thoughts are most welcome .

Cheers.




or


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## OleJoergensen

This composition By hans Zimmer is wonderful and your "mockup" sounds great!
Well done. Thank you for sharing Matt.


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## Carles

OleJoergensen said:


> This composition By hans Zimmer is wonderful and your "mockup" sounds great!



I do much agree on both points. Good work Matt.

Cheers,
Carles


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## SymphonicSamples

Thanks Ole , Carles , much appreciated . Indeed it's a wonderful piece , and for me the best score I've listened to in a long time .


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## Christof

Good composition and good mockup!
Especially I like the background story with your father.


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## Vin

Great work! Which libraries did you use?


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## SymphonicSamples

Thank you Christof , he actually came out of hospital last week so I had the mockup sitting and waiting . 

Thanks Vin , I added all the libraries and info at the end of the youtube clip if you want to find out sooner rather than later . When I'm back at my PC I'll add the details in here .


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## patrick76

Great work and transcription. You must have put in much effort to acheive such a nice result. Thanks for sharing the piece and the moving story behind it.


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## AlexandreSafi

I have to be honest! I do hope that everyone who hears your piece realizes just how great this was... I mean it's not your everyday HZ "Yeah I know how to write like HZ's epic style"! You really honored Hans! "The magic of his music is not just his tunes, it's in the details, that only a greatly developed ear can catch..." You perfectly captured all the upfront & backward parts, you figured out the harp, the clarinets on top, the grands and their placement in the mix just like the real thing it's ridiculous, the perfectly programmed wavy synthetic strings, the synths colors mixed in with the organ, and of course that reverb is just mind-blowing! Absolutely the best "Non-made-by HZ" mock-up i've ever heard since Steve Mazzaro 160 Bpm...
You have the ears of a musician who will go far and I seriously hope Hans Zimmer hears your track...
You are also a great testimony to the power of transcription!
I'm also sure your father must be a great inspiration past this score, to everything that you do, so may he be proud of you and well at peace!...
-A.s.-


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## Walid F.

Lovely mockup, sir!

W.


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## Tatiana Gordeeva

You have made your father very proud, I'm sure!
Best wishes for health,
Tatiana


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## SymphonicSamples

Thanks Patrick , yeah there was a fair few of hours put into the mockup . I set aside some spare time here and there over a couple of weeks , which for me is normally early morning . It's the first mockup I've done and well worth the experience .

Alexandre , thank you for your kind words and sharing your thoughts , much appreciated . You hit the nail of the head with Hans Zimmer's music . On the surface it's always sonically rewarding , gorgeous to listen to , wonderful melodies , and under the surface is where all the magic happens . It was challenging to get the pianos have the same essence and feel , to try and get them to sit in mix like the scores recording . Learning curve right there . I got as close as I thought I could and moved on . There are things in the mockup I knew by spending more time on it I could possibly overcome , but once I felt I'd captured a small slice of the magic I was happy with the result . Indeed my father will not realize how/where the music without the organ parts may have come from , and no point in explaining it to him and nor does it matter , he's so old school and with his hearing he'd probably get annoyed with me trying to tell him  As long as he enjoys playing though it at least once I'll be happy . I still remember the first piece of music I wrote for Pipe Organ and orchestra , it was rather short maybe 3-4 minutes and he said the orchestration was lacking , not that he used those words but that was the gist of it . And you know , he was right . All those painfully long hours tuning pipe organs as a kid I can smile at now and Hauptwerk was a god send especially for that . As far as the reverb is concerned , glorious 2caudio's B2 made that easy . Over time here on the board I've seen you reply to many thread on various topics where clearly thought always goes into what you write , so again thank you Alexandre for taking the time to reply .

Thank you Walid , much appreciated .


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## SymphonicSamples

Sorry Tatiana , sorry I missed your post . Thank you . 

Also Vin here's the list . 

Pipe Organ  - Hauptwerk Basic / Default Sample Set
Pianos - Eastwest QL Pianos , Orchestral Tools - The Orchestral Grands ,
8dio Age , Synthogy Ivory
Strings  - Eastwest Hollywood Strings , 8dio Adagio Strings ,
Sonokinetic Da Capo , Harp - EWQLSO
Woodwinds - Eastwest Hollywood Orchestral Woodwinds
Percussion - Spitfire Percussion Redux , 8dio Age , EWQLSO
Synths  - u-he Zebra & Diva
Reverb - QL Spaces , 2CAudio B2 .


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## rayinstirling

Always a pleasure Matt


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## AlexandreSafi

Thank you Matt for the story! I'm listening again and you got even the marimbas/pianos and their velocity just as the recording, & the synth wind, it's all there! Hopefully it's not just me, but I can always spot someone with a great ear, self-criticism & a real passion for learning from the masters when i see one! You are a great example for this forum! The fact you chose this piece is also very touching & refreshing, so NO... Thank YOU!! 
-A.s.-


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## SymphonicSamples

Thankyou Ray . Also a thankyou to Ray for being kind enough to master the piece , as always much appreciated .

Alexandre , again thankyou . I took extra time with details such as the piano accents and so forth in emulating what I could within reason . The way I looked at it was , if I was to do a mockup of a Beethoven Piano Sonata for example , (making the assumption it was a piece I didn't have the sheet music for and only a recording ) , I would never leave out those details , so much would be lost , as in this case here , it's was so important to the tension and drive at that point of the piece as it transitioned . The mockup gave me a focused look into HZ writing and sound world , of which I can take some of the approaches I used to emulate the live recording and placement of instruments into my next pieces . I'm glad you enjoyed the piece I chose . 
Matt


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## Resoded

Superb Matt, very convincing. Cornfield Chase is one of those pieces that evokes that love for music. I think you managed to nail the sound.


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## SymphonicSamples

Resoded said:


> Superb Matt, very convincing. Cornfield Chase is one of those pieces that evokes that love for music. I think you managed to nail the sound.


So true Erik , as always thank you for taking the time to listen and comment , much appreciated .


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## Ron Verboom

Well done. I can hear some differences but it's really close and i suppose you don't used a big budget studio for this one Great job!


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## SymphonicSamples

Ron Verboom said:


> i suppose you don't used a big budget studio for this one Great job!



Hey Ron , thankyou for taking the time to listen and comment . Indeed , I have a one PC small home studio setup , like a lot of VI users I guess


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## dcoscina

Nice job! This is one of my favourite cues in recent years and I think you nailed it. I love the clarity- you can really hear all,of the elements.


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## Rctec

Only just took the time to listen...it can get a bit scary if it's crap - but this isn't! It was written on the "Canterbury Cathedral" Hauptwerk organ.... There are four pianos set up in the round at Air.... And then the orchestra and Roger Sayles at Temple church!
Well Done!!!


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## rayinstirling

Thank you Hans,
I'm chuffed with the small part I played in mastering Matt's mockup however, when he wakes up in Australia he'll be over the proverbial and rightly so.

Ray


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## steinmann

Bravo! Outstanding work, great clarity. This one made my day!


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## SymphonicSamples

Thank you Hans for taking the time to listen , much appreciated . Those god damn 4 pianos in the round , it was that section I found most challenging to try and emulate . I used all the piano libraries I had which luckily I had four different pianos . It must have been magic to hear Rodger Sayer playing through the parts and combining various stops throughout the recording process . There's some magic in the recordings . There's only thing disappointing in Interstellar's Score ..It didn't win the awards .


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## SymphonicSamples

Ray , I was actually at work and looked on VI and saw that Hans had replied . Which was nice surprise .

Steinmann, thank you !


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## dannymc

i nearly watch Intersellar over and over again for that cornfield cue alone, simply stunning and so moving. also love the cue S.T.A.Y which accompanies the time relativity of mcconaughey watching his children growing older without him able to witness it. if that doesnt bring a tear to the eye you're not human. 

great stuff as always matt you can do no wrong


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## SymphonicSamples

Thank you Danny !



dannymc said:


> if that doesn't bring a tear to the eye you're not human.


So true Danny , indeed I'm very much human ..


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## zacnelson

Hi Matt, let me re-iterate what I said in my email, this is phenomenal work. I only saw Interstellar for the first time a couple of months ago, and it was the first movie I'd seen in maybe 5 years that truly amazed me from start to finish, I felt like I was in a wonderful dream the whole time - and the score was a big contributor to that sensation. And listening carefully to your mock-up has made me doubly appreciate the wondrous textures in use; it's funny, because I knew it was a mock-up it forced me to analyse the music in a way I wouldn't normally, because I was trying to imagine the process you must have had to go through with emulating each and every texture and note. I think normally I wouldn't even notice a lot of those things, so thanks for helping draw our attention to the incredible depth that is present in our favourite scores! Oh and I like how you placed the full list of libraries at the end of the video; that was very helpful, and no doubt a great advertisement for the libraries too - they should consider themselves privileged to have been included. I noticed you didn't use that `other library' that you and I were discussing tonight! Interesting 

I think doing a note-for-note mock-up like this must present challenges that in my opinion would actually be more difficult than composing something entirely new. You must be exhausted!


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## Dracarys

Not a fan of this Zimmer, but great job, nailed it


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## SymphonicSamples

dcoscina said:


> Nice job! This is one of my favourite cues in recent years and I think you nailed it. I love the clarity- you can really hear all,of the elements.


Hey dcoscina , sorry for the delayed reply . I agree about the cue . And thank you , given the layers of instruments and dense textures at times , I was happy with final mockup .

Thank you Zac !! I'm glad you finally watched Interstellar , superb movie on all fronts . Did you check out the extras , well worth viewing them all , amazing stuff . As you said with a piece like this , you can listen to the surface and love the music and then you can look carefully at every color that combines to make the painting, and there were some complex colors to appreciate . Exhausted , far from it , it was inspiring and rewarding at the same time . As for the library discussed , HOP . For the marimba I used SF Redux mixed with EWQLSO' marimba . Obviously because of where Redux's marimba was recorded and QL to give it just a little more for stage placement . EW HOP just didn't suite the piece and EWQLSO instrument was better choice to layer . 

Dracarys , thank you .


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## Rctec

...the marimbas ares Frank Ricotti, recorded at Air...where he recorded the 'Spitfire' marimba samples (I think) 

Photo of Frank and myself...and Ryan Rubin, after the first day of recording


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## Rctec

My friend and mentor, George Martin, came by to make sure we where doing it right!


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## zacnelson

Wow! The First Beatle himself!


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## Rctec

And other than Zebra2, its a very organic and analogue score... Down to tube (valve) based Synth...


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## Jem7

Great work man!


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## SymphonicSamples

Thank you for sharing more session photos , it's always inspiring to see the human and personal side of all the people involved , and what a mentor !! I imagine you must have had some amazing conversations over the years ... I'm interested in knowing what role the valve synth played in the mix ....
As I watched the second clip you shared I thought , I saw Interstellar two times in the cinemas . Both were at different Imax theaters . The first was a smaller cinema , and the picture quality was superb as was the sound . It was an early session and the theater was empty . At the end of the film my wife said she loved the score , and I asked her (she's not fond of high volume levels in cinemas) . Was it too loud for you ? , and she said no it was perfect because she felt surrounded by the music much like you do when you sit inside a cathedral and listen to a pipe organ , it becomes part of you ..


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## SymphonicSamples

Jem7 said:


> Great work man!


Thank you Jem !


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## dannymc

yeah thanks for posting those videos Hans. i cant get over that massive exhale breathing sound effect was produced by the organ. i was well sure it was a synth/sound design when i watched the movie. incredible instrument, it really is like a living organism


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## Bunford

Great, great job! This is one of my favourite score tracks in ages. This along with Many Mothers from Mad Max: Furty Road.

Great job though and sounds awesome! Inspired me to look into the Hauptwerk a bit more and came across this fab video


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## SymphonicSamples

Hey Bunford thank you . I always enjoy watching things like that , the organ has a lovely tone .


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## H.R.

This is one of the best Mockups I've ever heard.
I feel uncomfortable listening to Mockups cause mostly they don't have the feeling and the true essence of the original one but this one got it right. 
Since the time soundtrack came out I'm constantly listening and I gotta say. You nailed it dude!

How long did it take to finish?


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## SymphonicSamples

Hey H.R , cheers !! How long did it take ? , not sure really but at a guess about 20 hours , which sounds like a lot but most of that was spent trying to get the stage/instruments to sound similar with the tools I have . As I wrote earlier in the thread , it was during spare time I used over couple of weeks to finish it , so a bit here and bit there . Since I posted I've had a few messages asking how I did it and I decided to let the cat out of the bag as it were and share a picture from a mockup sessions . .







As you can see the projects up in Cubase , my adviser Mozart is there laying down on the keyboard to the left taking a breather , it's late night and he said he transcribed the piece note for note perfect after the first listen through which I found annoying . The Pipe organ is there just below Mozart's head in dongle form , and my producer and music editor Mr. Dandy is looking on and checking the organ parts for approval . Although he did make some edits on the faders I didn't agree with and had to change back  But seriously , I transcribed the piece in one rough pass and added the parts into Cubase for structure , and then broke it into relevant sections adding the details as I went through , carefully listening trying to match the textures and emotional / human connection I heard between the sections and instruments . I then played around with reverb and eq to try and match my mockup to the recording and that was it in nut shell . If there's anything specific anyone is interested I'd be happy to share more .


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## OleJoergensen

Lovely picture


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## Rctec

...just remember, he's Australian!

-Hz-


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## SymphonicSamples

Now that was a good laugh , you must have caught my pm and took my photo as intended , in the spirit of jest . But his writers ignored the fact that Aussies have also been responsible for creating Vegemite , Wifi and the Fairlight CMI  Come on , surely there's room for more Aussie's over there .


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## Rctec

SymphonicSamples said:


> Now that was a good laugh , you must have caught my pm and took my photo as intended , in the spirit of jest . But his writers ignored the fact that Aussies have also been responsible for creating Vegemite , Wifi and the Fairlight CMI  Come on , surely there's room for more Aussie's over there .



I would be No Where had it not been for the Fairlight! ...And right now I dare anyone to come up with a more brilliant man than Tim Mincin: 
...and than there is this guy:


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## Jem7

Tommy Emmanuel is just amazing. Watched him live few years ago it was stunning.


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## dannymc

anyone else seen this guy on youtube. pretty f*cking stunning stuff if ya ask me


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## SymphonicSamples

Jem7 said:


> Tommy Emmanuel is just amazing. Watched him live few years ago it was stunning.


Same here Jem , superb live , an amazing talent , as is Tim Minchin . Would love to see him live


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## Boberg

dannymc said:


> anyone else seen this guy on youtube. pretty f*cking stunning stuff if ya ask me



Great stuff. He captures the feeling quite well in my opinion.


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## Allen Constantine

I really got the spine shivers Matt, this is an excellent mockup!!!


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## SymphonicSamples

Hey Allen , thank you !! The entire score certainly has it's fair share of spine tingling moments throughout


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## Nuno

Very nice mockup, indeed! I loved that piece in the movie and you really captured all the nuances of the original. Well done, Matt!


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## desert

sorry for bumping this thread when it's so old but it's not often a mockup is scarily accurate to the original.
I don't want to think how much time went into this, your detail is stunning and I hope you can share more of your work


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## Smikes77

Bravo, sir, bravo.


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## SymphonicSamples

Nuno said:


> Very nice mockup, indeed! I loved that piece in the movie and you really captured all the nuances of the original. Well done, Matt!


Hey Nuno , thanks for your comment , when I saw the film in the cinema I walked away with a few key moments from the score and this piece was one of them. Simple on the surface, complex underneath, but hit's you right in the gut 



desert said:


> sorry for bumping this thread when it's so old but it's not often a mockup is scarily accurate to the original.
> I don't want to think how much time went into this, your detail is stunning and I hope you can share more of your work


Thanks Desert, detail through a little pain !! Aside from transcribing things as best I could I remember trying to analysing the timbre of the Organ Ranks, tone of the strings and layers of instruments throughout the piece and some things fell into place, some really didn't. Like emulating the spacial placement of the Pianos in the piece around 34 seconds, no being aware at the time until after the fact when HZ pointed out they were in the round



Smikes77 said:


> Bravo, sir, bravo.


Cheers Smike , much appreciated.


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## Thorsten Meyer

Amazing mockup, Amazing idea and composition from Hans.


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## SymphonicSamples

EpicDude said:


> Simply amazing, the mockup and the story behind it.


Thank you EpicDude, much appreciated.



Thorsten Meyer said:


> Amazing mockup, Amazing idea and composition from Hans.


Cheers Thorsten, indeed. A rather unique/special score in HZ's output.


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## Pianistikboy

I was wondering when listening to your cover if it was the original track haha !! So, bravo to you !


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## SymphonicSamples

Pianistikboy said:


> I was wondering when listening to your cover if it was the original track haha !! So, bravo to you !


Thanks man !! It's a hard act to follow


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## Marcin M

Your mock-up is fantastic! You have good ear, for me the hardest part are that pianos at 0:30 it would take like half of day to figure it out. But sadly some notes in organ part are different from original.

By the way I made some time ago Cornfield Chase arrangement for Organ Trio. It's not exactly mock-up it's like I just cutted out all instrument except organ and looped part from 0:54. I think organ part is pretty accurate to original. I spent many hours listening "Cornfield Chase" countless times also on low speed to figure out organ part.

Tell me what do You think: https://musescore.com/user/1783861/scores/1497511


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## SymphonicSamples

Hey Marcin, sorry for the delay in replying sooner, I was overseas at the time of your post and not the best timing to reply as 2 days before I received the news my Father had passed away, which as mentioned earlier in the thread was the reason I ended up doing the mockup.
In reference to the mockup, I didn't really spend much timing in transcribing the piece, most of the time was put into trying to get the mockup sounding close to the original recording with all the elements, stage placing, the tone and timbre of all the parts using the libraries I had, the not so easy part  There were some subtle differences I mentioned earlier in the thread like the final chord, and I used more staccato on some lines which were not there in the original which was just the way I played the passage when I recorded the midi performances using a 2 manual Hauptwerk organ I built for my father a few years back now. It was a great exercise and for obvious reasons Cornfield Chase will hold a unique experience for me and a wonderful memory sharing it with my father who now has began his own Interstellar journey


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