# Stuff lying around in the drawer



## stevenson-again (Jul 27, 2010)

Here are a couple of cues i have meant to revisit for a while:

http://idisk.mac.com/rohan.stevenson/Public/webdemos/Ethyll_Ill_Remix.mp3 (Ethyll Ill)

This one drove me crazy in the days before LASS. Musically, it worked really really well to picture, of a young girl becoming more and more ill, whilst anxious nurses and doctors try to save her life over time. But it I struggled so much with the legato phrasing. Great to schtick LASS all over it and just have it work.


http://idisk.mac.com/rohan.stevenson/Public/webdemos/QuietDignityRemix.mp3 (Quiet Dignity)

This one was an alternative idea for a cue in a project. The director loved the cue but preferred my first approach which was completely different - bombastic and epic. This version was a juxtapose thing. As such it has never had a proper outing and hence I thought I would stick it up here. Hopefully it might find it's way into a project one day - who knows?

Its LASS with SAM brass and symphobia brass, and I put in spitfire timpani here too. The trumpet is Thetrumpet. Choir is VOTA.


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## stevenson-again (Jul 29, 2010)

*Re: Stuff lying around in the draw*

thanks guy!

here are another couple:

http://idisk.mac.com/rohan.stevenson/Public/webdemos/MotherandDaughter.mp3 (Mother and Daughter)

This one is a cue that was unfinished when i was submitting a pitch for a film. I didn't get the gig with my pitch, but i did get considered, and one of the producers has subsequently sent me some scripts for films planned for next year. fingers crossed, but it goes to show, it is still worth pitching because you never know....

And a big thanks to Hannes who played the fiddle on the opening. Terrific playing - thanks for that!

http://idisk.mac.com/rohan.stevenson/Public/webdemos/RailWorkers.mp3 (Rail Workers)

This is a WIP and hot off the press. posting it here just for a laugh, because its a bit different from the usual. That's me on the Larry and Sax - and LASS auto arranger doing the string parts pretty well. Some tonehammer in there - the piano is the from the kontakt factory - the upright. i quite like it but i think i might have a look at the jazzy old black grand that came out not so long ago.


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## jlb (Jul 29, 2010)

So nice to hear someone not afraid to use a bit of reverb, I really enjoyed Mother and Daughter, lovely stuff Rohan

jlb


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## stevenson-again (Jul 30, 2010)

thanks jib - just a wee update: i was so impressed with guy's flute piece that i relented and bought the vienna flute which i re-mixed into mother and daughter. it is a fantastic instrument - very expressive.


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## futur2 (Jul 30, 2010)

Ethyll Ill is great!


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## Elektroakoustika (Aug 1, 2010)

Really fantastic music. Very nice writing all around.

I really enjoy your mixing. LASS has just the right amount of reverb and EQ to my ears. Very well done. I recall from the audiobro forums that you and I have similar EQ settings and we both use the Darker LASS ER. Really gives it a beautiful sound in my opinion! You mind sharing what you're using as a tail reverb? And I really love the symphobia brass color over LASS. Really creates some nice sounding orchestration.

One thing that I've found very useful when doing mezzo or forte level entrances and releases with LASS is to do a slight curve on the mod-wheel (I usually edit it after the initial sequencing). Basically what I do for an entrance thats about 70 on the modwheel is start the note at about 20 and curve quickly up to 70 within a few milliseconds. I do the complete opposite for releases. I've found that it gives a more realistic section entrance. I think this would help on a couple of your entrances in Ehtyll Ill. This also works with expression, especially at lower dynamics.

But again, you write some very beautiful music. Keep up the great work.

-ea


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## JPQ (Aug 1, 2010)

Really nice tunes. makes want more sample stuff i allreadyt know i need few things at least...


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## stevenson-again (Aug 1, 2010)

> I really enjoy your mixing. LASS has just the right amount of reverb and EQ to my ears. Very well done. I recall from the audiobro forums that you and I have similar EQ settings and we both use the Darker LASS ER. Really gives it a beautiful sound in my opinion! You mind sharing what you're using as a tail reverb? And I really love the symphobia brass color over LASS. Really creates some nice sounding orchestration.




thanks for the kind words and you are dead right. actually i think the IRs for LASS are amazing. i use them on other things but funnily they only seem to work best on LASS. the tail reverb i am using is the fabrik that comes with my interface (and infact the reason i bought the interface - so that i could have that reverb). i often use my old lexicon as well, but for these it was just the fabrik hall. i really liked it. in fact i found it hard to separate from the lexicon plugs i trialled a while back.



> One thing that I've found very useful when doing mezzo or forte level entrances and releases with LASS is to do a slight curve on the mod-wheel (I usually edit it after the initial sequencing). Basically what I do for an entrance thats about 70 on the modwheel is start the note at about 20 and curve quickly up to 70 within a few milliseconds. I do the complete opposite for releases. I've found that it gives a more realistic section entrance. I think this would help on a couple of your entrances in Ehtyll Ill. This also works with expression, especially at lower dynamics.



you are absolutely dead right - 100% - and well spotted. technically speaking, the lower velocities are supposed to ease into the sound and higher dynamics but it doesn't work out that way, does it? and i noticed exactly what you did but thought it was simply me being used to how i knew it. in reality it was just me being lazy. i will remix it with that ramping - i do exactly what you are saying in other pieces, and i do it with the releases as well which feel a bit abrupt to me at times.

in fact, i mentioned this to andrew, but he said the releases actually have release samples, so there would not be anything they could do with the programming wihtout affecting that. i thought about it for a while and concluded that he is right, although its a bit time-consuming to have to fiddle the ends of phrases all the time, it is better than not having the flexibility with phrase offs.


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## david robinson (Aug 1, 2010)

wow rohan,
nice to hear content that's not just out to dazzle.
hugely entertaining.
and the mixing?
pretty well spot on thru my system here in Sydney.

love how you keep everything simple/economic in the harmonies/orchestration.

superior.
best, mate.
j.


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## Guy Bacos (Aug 1, 2010)

What I love listening to your music is that it is effortless, you could just sit back and enjoy the show. Very enjoyable! You may have a feature film material score in your drawers.


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## mushanga (Aug 1, 2010)

Hi Rohan,

Really enjoy your music - and it sounds so lush!

As well as your EQ fine-tuning with LASS, you're using FabrikR - which Powercore hardware do you run it on? I read above that you use the IRs that come with LASS - do you load these up within the Kontakt player itself?

Am looking to invest in LASS soon, but want to get a heads up on the reverb side of things as also want to purchase one. There's Vienna Convolution (in the Suite collection)....the new Lexicon PCM plug-in...Altiverb....would you recommend FabrikR over all of these? I'm currently using Space Designer in Logic.

Thanks, and great music again!


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## ChrisAxia (Aug 1, 2010)

Truly excellent work as always Rohan. You really make LASS sound great! It is surely only a matter of time before you get to score something really big!!

Chris

PS nice sax playing!


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## mushanga (Aug 2, 2010)

Thank you for all the info, Rohan - will look into it further!


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## Guy Bacos (Aug 2, 2010)

stevenson-again @ Mon Aug 02 said:


> > Rohan, I actually haven't tried MIR yet, I'm waiting for a MAC version.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is my sound amazing? I think your soundscape is just as good.

I only work with Altiverb and Vienna Suite, at least these days. I use an orchestra seating position as reference, but not religiously. I think the result of a lot of tweaking helps in my case, but nothing new for a pro like you. Hmm, not sure what else to say.


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## stevenson-again (Aug 2, 2010)

well, there you go. altiverb is clearly pretty damn good - i think it is the IR's they have in their custom format really make it. it's natural sound - which is great, but the synthesized reverb also has it's place. i am thinking of that lush thomas newman sound or the opening track of sixth sense. these are lexicon large halls or similar and they can do wonderful things to the sound. and yes - i am constantly amazed at the precision of the stage positioning i hear in your stuff guy. i thought was MIR magic.


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## careyford (Aug 2, 2010)

Rohan, I really enjoyed these cues. Thanks for digging them out of that drawer. What else is in there???

Thank you for sharing your reverb thoughts too. 

Richard


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## re-peat (Aug 3, 2010)

Splendid work, Rohan. Thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding to listen to.

_


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## Tanuj Tiku (Aug 4, 2010)

Great stuff Stevenson!


Both cues sound very good and great use of modulation on the first one. Its definitely film material.....the mood is set immediately and great to listen to!

Really good stuff !!!!



Best,

Tanuj.


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## lux (Aug 4, 2010)

i agree. Very nice work, musicality and taste. Music which paints without images.

Luca


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## stevenson-again (Aug 4, 2010)

thanks for the kind words guys. there are a couple of other lonely-didn't-make-its that might be worth a spin. i'll post when i get a chance.


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