# Cool videos from Hans Zimmer's studio



## gsilbers (Jan 21, 2010)

Exclusive: Hans Zimmer Video Interview in his Recording Studio! Talks SHERLOCK HOLMES and INCEPTION


----------



## Tanuj Tiku (Jan 21, 2010)

Is there a link?


----------



## gsilbers (Jan 21, 2010)

haaaaaaaaaaaaaa d'oh

http://www.collider.com/2010/01/21/exclusive-hans-zimmer-video-interview-in-his-recording-studio-talks-sherlock-holmes-and-inception/ (http://www.collider.com/2010/01/21/excl ... inception/)


----------



## choc0thrax (Jan 21, 2010)

Heh, only bothered to watch the part about Inception since I'm super psyched for that film but he basically said nothing...damn secrecy.


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 22, 2010)

Thanks for sharing.

I actually like his approach of seeing a Violin and a synth as the same thing: technology 
I am convinced that this literally frees your mind from putting everything into categories, such as: Nono this is an orchestra, you simply CANT do that!


----------



## JB78 (Jan 22, 2010)

dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> No surprise there. He rarely gives incisive interviews any more where he actually talks about things we all could learn from. It's all charming anecdotes and fluffy adjectives but little substance. Hey, that old adage of art mimicking life is true!



Dude, we get it now, you REALLY don't like him. Zimmer seem to pull out the dark side of your personality, why don't you just steer clear of any thread where "Hans" or "Zimmer" is included? Believe it or not, some people like him and it's getting really old having your attitude suck the life out of every thread that's not a Zimmer-bash already.

Why be so negative?

To the OP: Thanks for the videos, love the look of his studio


Best regards
Jon


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 22, 2010)

dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> It's all charming anecdotes and fluffy adjectives but little substance.



Athough it may sound weird, but you mention a very important thing here.
It is really not my intension to always put me in the center here, but I just remember that from studying at LAMA ... basically those theory lessons, chops and all that come to you sooner or later anyway, if you are interested and willing to learn ... but what you can't learn in lessons etc. is all those little anekdotes, little infos, comparisons and things on how to approach something.

I mean, I don't really care how Zimmer layers one lib with another and what compressor he used on this tune and changed the filter on that synth - okay, sometimes I do but generally I really enjoy hearing thse approaches such as, "I don't touch the keyboard unless I got an idea rollin'" ... I mean this are not golden genius words etc. .. but in the end, just try it when the time is right and it might help on getting an idea you wouldn't be able to get when starting first to noodling on the keyboard


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 22, 2010)

dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> choc0thrax @ Fri Jan 22 said:
> 
> 
> > dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22 said:
> ...



Just a side question: Did you ever hear of NDAs?
I mean, even if Zimmer didn't show a lot of technical, composing or whatever details, could you also imagine that there are things he is NOT allowed to talk about?


Regarding general interviews, I really appreciate every interview of any composer, but exactly those points you mentioned:

- Violins when the sun comes out
- Octatonic scales for the vampires

Do I (abolutely) care about that in an interview? No! Because when I listen to the score or watch the movie, I can hear it, no? 

Why should I be interested in someone explaining me that he just had an apple pie and a glas of milk when I was watching him doing this at a video a few minutes before? I think you get me, I am not bashing about Chris Gordon or anything similar ... it is just you mentioning those points.


I might be totally wrong David, but I think you have so much knowledge about music theory and harmonic that you completely forgot about music itself in a way.

I literally can see you in your living room with a buddy, listening to the Dark Knight score discussing about that with your buddy:

"Dude, did you hear that? Two notes with the Trombones? Dada ... da ... dada?
Is that all? Not more? This is the great Zimmer and he is getting money from it. Why he didn't go with some extrasuperduperlocrian sharp 19 flathead scale and playing some chordal changes in reversive lightspeed through the circle of dimished 5th.

Again, I am not bashing on you, but you seem to really really really be frustrated that a genius mind as you doesn't do it fulltime, while "stupid pricks" who can't even articulate right in english get the big money.


So all in all I hope you understood what I am trying to say ... now maybe also think about this one a bit and ask yourself what would be more weighted in terms of info:

Using octatonic scales for vampires ... or just try to get the piece done in my head before touching the keys and that all those 12 notes are accessible for anyone out there?


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

Hey Alex, interesting ideas. I'm not angry with Zimmer because he's making music for a living and I don't. Truth be told, I quit film scoring for my own reasons. I still do it occasionally and for friends whether they be filmmakers or musicians, but I made the conscious decision to not try to make a living chiefly from film scoring. I found that I couldn't become a better composer with the system that had much too many limitations for me. Basically I don't have the personality for it but I admire guys like Desplat or Gordon or Williams who not only affectively score films well (1st priority) but also bring a real technique and brilliance to their work as well. As far as process goes, Williams and Zimmer are not dissimilar. Where they do differ is the execution of ideas- Williams has a rich music background that he can draw upon while I find that Hans and many other composers in Hollywood, have a much more limited vernacular and that translates into effective scores that don't really have any lasting appeal past their superficial influence on screen. You might think technique is not important but when you get into architecture of a whole score, where themes are developed and varied based on what's happening narratively, it does come into play. How much more does the scene have when the music has recapped an earlier motivic or thematic idea because the story has developed? A lot. Composers like Williams who have a good sense of large music structures unconsciously bring this kind of development to their work. Even something like Desplat's New Moon shows signs of this overall concept. and it's not self serving to the composer- it benefits the film first and foremost. 

Like I said, Hans is certainly not the only guy out there lacking in this department. and for what he does, and his humble background, he's done very well for himself. I'm not angry with him for being who he is. But can I not wish for more from him? I would like more from him! I want his music to blow me out of the water. I wish the best for him, not the worst. Perhaps that's the problem. I set my sights too high.

My thoughts...


----------



## Andreas Moisa (Jan 22, 2010)

Thanks a lot lot the link! It's always a pleasure to hear and see him.

When you listen very closely to seemingly unimportant details in his interviews you can really learn a lot about film scoring, especially about how he develops his ideas and how he presents his music to the directors before they even shoot the movie - in real recordings and more important in stories he develops to communicate in a non musical way.

I don't think there isn't anything substantial in his interviews any more, keep in mind that he is the most interviewed composer ever - and also the most time it isn't musicians that interview him so they don't even know how to ask the right questions.

And it's not a language thing, he tends to fall back into English pretty often when speaking German

I'd like to hear and see such interviews with Thomas Newman - I guess the others guys are somewhat shy?


----------



## gsilbers (Jan 22, 2010)

i believe that there is no film composer interview that u can learn something you havent already. 
most if not all composers interviews are aimed at a film audience and not other film composers. 
or if its for film composers its beginners. 
ive posts here which ive learnt more than any interview ever done by any big film composers. 

btw, HZ has a very subtle and off beat of braggin dont u think... but hey its a tough field.

ex " im a nerd i can tell the difference between roland xxxx and moog xxx" 

"the trailer house didnt read the script.. (aka ive read it) 

dont know if both are true 

btw, little weird the remark on hitler.


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

One other thing I would like to clear up. I react first and foremost emotionally to any and all scores. If it appeals to me, it's because there's that visceral element. But, because I do have some music background, and an analytical mind in general, I like to find out why something appeals to me or something doesn't rather than simply dismiss it with the ubiquitous "that sucks" line. that's doing a disservice to myself as a listener and the composer of the music.


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

p.s. As a music journalist, I will say that many composer interviews are not terrific because of the person leading the interview. If they ask generic vacuous questions, the composer gives generic vacuous answers. I recently heard an interview with Horner where the interviewer asked how many takes "The War" in Avatar took. Who gives a shit? Really. It's a stupid question. I guess he thought he was being smart of technical. 

For some terrific examples of film music journalism at its best, check out Doug Adams' interviews with guys like Howard Shore, Alexandre Desplat, Michael Giacchino, and the list goes on . Doug is the high water mark for journalism partly because he's also a musician and because he's in the music education field and distills ideas and questions so beautifully.


----------



## Niah (Jan 22, 2010)

I would just like to add this.

This interview was done by a site which normally interviews actors and directors and it's geared towards a certain audience of movie fans, not composers.
Plus the interviewer is not a composer you can't really blame zimmer for the direction that this has taken.

EDIT: I was too slow, someone has already pointed out this


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

yes i do agree (see my last post)


----------



## Niah (Jan 22, 2010)

yea sorry I was just reading it now :oops:


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 22, 2010)

dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> Hey Alex, interesting ideas. I'm not angry with Zimmer because he's making music for a living and I don't. Truth be told, I quit film scoring for my own reasons. I still do it occasionally and for friends whether they be filmmakers or musicians, but I made the conscious decision to not try to make a living chiefly from film scoring. I found that I couldn't become a better composer with the system that had much too many limitations for me. Basically I don't have the personality for it but I admire guys like Desplat or Gordon or Williams who not only affectively score films well (1st priority) but also bring a real technique and brilliance to their work as well. As far as process goes, Williams and Zimmer are not dissimilar. Where they do differ is the execution of ideas- Williams has a rich music background that he can draw upon while I find that Hans and many other composers in Hollywood, have a much more limited vernacular and that translates into effective scores that don't really have any lasting appeal past their superficial influence on screen. You might think technique is not important but when you get into architecture of a whole score, where themes are developed and varied based on what's happening narratively, it does come into play. How much more does the scene have when the music has recapped an earlier motivic or thematic idea because the story has developed? A lot. Composers like Williams who have a good sense of large music structures unconsciously bring this kind of development to their work. Even something like Desplat's New Moon shows signs of this overall concept. and it's not self serving to the composer- it benefits the film first and foremost.
> 
> Like I said, Hans is certainly not the only guy out there lacking in this department. and for what he does, and his humble background, he's done very well for himself. I'm not angry with him for being who he is. But can I not wish for more from him? I would like more from him! I want his music to blow me out of the water. I wish the best for him, not the worst. Perhaps that's the problem. I set my sights too high.
> 
> My thoughts...



Sorry, but I always hear limited background and lacking and whatnot all reading in between your lines .. only because scores of e.g. Williams are more complex and rich in terms of harmony and writing? ... or should I say ambitious for musicians?

To me this sounds so degrading others. Should you do better?
To me you are what people call here in germany "musicians police". You are not enjoying the concert/music itself, but just take care that what a musician/composer can NOT do or is NOT capable of or what mistakes he/she did while performing.

Okay, maybe Zimmer would say in an interview that his writing is not as deep as Williams is ... but on the other hand, if Williams would be asked, he would admire that Zimmer knows so much about synths and stuff?

I mean, listening to Minority Report I still don't understand how those cheap synths choir patches got into the score. Okay, complex writing, awesome use of structure, but shitty synth sounds ... better? No


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

Well, I happen to think cues like "Everybody Runs" is a terrific action cue. Exciting, propulsive, just plain great. I love the way it builds to that explosive main part. 

Alex, see your PM. I edited this post down because it has little to nothing to do with the subject on this thread.


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

Oh, I do love Hans' studio. Very nice ambience and set up. I believe he said that was going to move back to Europe at one point but realized that he was in Hollywood and you can make anything there. I thought that was a charming remark.


----------



## gsilbers (Jan 22, 2010)

[quote:195b69588b="dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22, 2010 8:55 am"]p.s. As a music journalist, I will say that many composer interviews are not terrific because of the person leading the interview. If they ask generic vacuous questions, the composer gives generic vacuous answers. I recently heard an interview with Horner where the interviewer asked how many takes "The War" in Avatar took. Who gives a [email protected]#t? Really. It's a stupid question. I guess he thought he was being smart of technical. 

For some terrific examples of film music journalism at its best, check out Doug Adams' interviews with guys like Howard Shore, Alexandre Desplat, Michael Giacchino, and ò„4   Á
§„4   Á
¨„4   Á
©„4   Á
ª„4   Á
«„4   Á
¬„4   Á
­„4   Á
®„4   Á
¯„4   Á
°„4   Á
±„4   Á
²„4   Á
³„4   Á
´„4   Á
µ„4   Á
¶„4   Á
·„4   Á
¸„4   Á
¹„4   Á
º„4   Á
»„4   Á
¼„4   Á
½„4   Á
¾„4   Á
¿„4   Á
À„4   Á
Á„4   Á
Â„4   Á
Ã„4   Á
Ä„4   Á
Å„4   Á
Æ„4   Á
Ç„4   Á
È„4   Á
É„4   Á
Ê„4   Á
Ë„4   Á
Ì„4   Á
Í„4   Á
Î„4   Á
Ï„4   Á
Ð„4   Á
Ñ„4   Á
Ò„4   Á
Ó„4   Á
Ô„4   Á
Õ„4   Á
Ö„4   Á
×„4   Á
Ø„4   Á
Ù„4   Á
Ú„4   Á
Û„4   Á
Ü„4   Á
Ý„4   Á
Þ„4   Á
ß„4   Á
à„4   Á
á„4   Á
â„4   Á
ã„4   Á
ä„4   Á
å„4   Á
æ„4   Á
ç„4   Á
è„4   Á
é„4   Á
ê„4   Á
ë„4   Á
ì„4   Á
í„4   Á
î„4   Á
ï„4   Á


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

My Christopher Gordon interview is pretty detailed. It should be up at Film Score Monthly OnLine in February. He scored both Mao's Last Dancer and Daybreò„9   Á/„9   Á0„9   Á1„9   Á2„9   Á3„9   Á4„9   Á5„9   Á6„9   Á7„9   Á8„9   Á9„9   Á:„9   Á;„9   Á<„9   Á=„9   Á>„9   Á?„9   Á@„9   ÁA„9   ÁB„9   ÁC„9   ÁD„9   ÁE„9   ÁF„9   ÁG„9   ÁH„9   Á


----------



## David Story (Jan 22, 2010)

The interview is a well done celebrity piece. He's a good speaker. Technique rarely is discussed 'cause the public likes to see it as magic, or technology. 
HZ and company sell sound design, calling it music. I love sound design, but I like music too. Technology helps them blur boundaries, which can be good. I wish there was more melody and harmony in the RC product. That's also possible on an industrial scale.


----------



## choc0thrax (Jan 22, 2010)

gsilbers @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> btw, HZ has a very subtle and off beat of braggin dont u think... but hey its a tough field.
> 
> ex " im a nerd i can tell the difference between roland xxxx and moog xxx"
> 
> "the trailer house didnt read the script.. (aka ive read it)



You see, I'm pretty sure that script thing is a dig at me. Hans knows I've been trying to locate a copy.

Dave I think you and Chris Gordon should move to Massachusetts; I hear it's great for raising young octatonic scales and divisi.


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 22, 2010)

dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> Well, I happen to think cues like "Everybody Runs" is a terrific action cue. Exciting, propulsive, just plain great. I love the way it builds to that explosive main part.
> 
> Alex, see your PM. I edited this post down because it has little to nothing to do with the subject on this thread.



Hey, I already answered but no need for a justfying PM .. and yes it has to do with that thread. It's just like as other guys have mentioned, on almost every thread which has something to do with Zimmer or so ... you can clearly hear that: This guy is just lame. Why don't you keep it for yourself. We all know from you, that he isn't that sophisticated, brilliant and talented as all the other guys you mention.


----------



## JohnG (Jan 22, 2010)

I enjoy the debate, actually. 

I enjoy hearing from the articulate and passionate Mr. DC and similarly articulate voices on the other side. Championing the John Williams camp (if I can put it that way -- I know that's oversimplifying), as David does, is a legitimate artistic perspective, in my view, just as it's legitimate to articulate what's admirable about HZ. I don't want to muzzle him because of the way he writes, and the informed position from which he writes. I don't read it as envy -- maybe incredulity?

I struggle with these two musical mentalities, which have such a profoundly different origin, or source, within a person. While writing and in approaching a film, I struggle at times to maintain that precarious balance between the "old" craft, which John Williams perhaps exemplifies, and the new one. It's feels to me like two different, antithetical ways of thinking.

I've learned a ton from both types of composers.

And Alex, the Music Police, sadly, are not confined to the borders of Deutschland, but have a death grip on music of the academic scene and the concert scene as well. They are still muttering and grumbling about Philip Glass, who's too popular within the concert world to cast out, but who has the audacity to disregard traditional musical analysis. Plus he -- gasp -- writes film music.


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

Thanks John. And sorry Alex, I know I sound like a broken record, but I should have clarified that I do wish Zimmer could be more articulate about his process as he used to when KEYBOARD or Electronic Musician interviewed him in the '90s. 

This isn't a dig but when you have so many hands in the proverbial pot, how can you provide an informed account of your process? This is just a side effect of the dilution of Mr. Zimmer's compositional approach. 

In my opinion, hearing about how someone chose a specific mode or scale and applied it to a character or scene is terrifically exciting- it gets me to re-think my approach. Zimmer's homogenous "I have to start with the same 12 notes as everyone else" is absolutely generic- it doesn't apply specifically to Sherlock Holmes or any other score. I want to know what drove him to use Tina Guo on the score- how did he take her eclectic cello style and work it into his score? did he allow musicians to improvise over a rhythmic loop or was there instructions notated? 

C'mon Alex, you're a musician- don't sit there and tell me you get off of Zimmer's quasi philosophical-lite musings that are universal. Heck, from simply a music lover, I find these interviews wanting. I feel much more satisfied when I hear someone like Gordon saying he used ò„i   Á"„i   Á"‘„i   Á"’„i   Á"“„i   Á"”„i   Á"•„i   Á"–„i   Á"—„i   Á"˜„i   Á"™„i   Á"š„i   Á"›„i   Á"œ„i   Á"„i   Á"ž„i   Á"Ÿ„i   Á" „i   Á"¡„i   Á"¢„i   Á"£„i   Á"¤„i   Á"¥„i   Á"¦„i   Á"§„i   Á"¨„i   Á"©„i   Á"ª„i   Á"«„i   Á"¬„i   Á"­„i   Á"®„i   Á"¯„i   Á"°„i   Á"±„i   Á"²„i   Á"³„j   Á"´„j   Á"µ„j   Á"¶„j   Á"·„k   Á"¸„k   Á"¹„k   Á"º„k   Á"»„k   Á"¼„k   Á"½„k   Á"¾„k   Á"¿„k   Á"À„k   Á"Á„k   Á"Â„k   Á"Ã„k   Á"Ä„k   Á"Å„k   Á"Æ„k   Á"Ç„k   Á"È„k   Á"É„l   Á"Ê„l   Á"Ë„l   Á"Ì„l   Á"Í„l   Á"Î„l   Á"Ï„l   Á"Ð„l   Á"Ñ„l   Á"Ò„l   Á"Ó„l   Á"Ô„l   Á"Õ„l   Á"Ö„l   Á"×„l   Á"Ø„l   Á"Ù„l   Á"Ú„l   Á"Û„l   Á"Ü„l   Á"Ý„l   Á"Þ„l   Á"ß„l   Á"à„l   Á"á„l   Á"â„l   Á"ã„l   Á"ä„l   Á"å„l   Á


----------



## choc0thrax (Jan 22, 2010)

germancomponist @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> Can it be that there are people who are jealous, because Hans is so successful?



Yup, I have to admit that's why I don't like Hans. I'm also very jealous of Graeme Revell, Philip Glass and Eric Serra. Strangely though I'm not jealous of John Williams, Danny Elfman, John Debney, John Powell and many others even though they have been quite successful too. Life is a mystery. 

Dave, I wasn't joking.


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

What the fuck is your problem choco? What the hell did I ever personally do to you to end up on your shitlist? I would like to know just in case I am misunderstanding something here.


----------



## _taylor (Jan 22, 2010)

My Composer can beat up your Composer.







0oD 



I find just general chatter about all things film score related pretty interesting, this was no different. Briefly talks about gear, chats with directors, thoughts on starting cues , scheduling.. Thanks for the links.


----------



## choc0thrax (Jan 22, 2010)

dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> What the fuck is your problem choco? What the hell did I ever personally do to you to end up on your shitlist? I would like to know just in case I am misunderstanding something here.



Dave it's because you're from Toronto...j/k. I don't really have a shitlist(is shit list one or two words?) I actually like you Dave, I find you entertaining. I'm just commenting on your constant mentioning of Chris Gordon.


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

Well, okay then. I'm just not sure why my enthusiasm for a composer or score gets relegated to constant ribbing from you. 

p.s. I don't live in Toronto, never have. I'm in Milton and was born in Chicago. I think the Leafs suck but the Habs are idiots for letting LaRoque go. Especially due to current events. Totally off topic. Generally, I think Toronto sucks. What city would not allow their symphony orchestra to host John Williams or even John Adams in concert? one with their head up their a$$

BTW- I do like your response about being jealous of Zimmer, Glass and Serra but not Williams, Elfman etc. Classic.


----------



## theheresy (Jan 22, 2010)

dscoscina. I just saw daybreakers last week and was wondering when I saw chris gordon on the credit list because I've never heard of him. I would much like to see your interview with him as I liked the score a lot especially the somber low cello lines and such I think it was in the beginning.
Also I am intrigued by Horner, where did you see a interview with him the one you mentioend where someone asked about "The War" can you please tell me or pm me where I can find such interviews with him. Thanks.


----------



## choc0thrax (Jan 22, 2010)

dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> Well, okay then. I'm just not sure why my enthusiasm for a composer or score gets relegated to constant ribbing from you.
> 
> p.s. I don't live in Toronto, never have. I'm in Milton and was born in Chicago. I think the Leafs suck but the Habs are idiots for letting LaRoque go. Especially due to current events. Totally off topic. Generally, I think Toronto sucks. What city would not allow their symphony orchestra to host John Williams or even John Adams in concert? one with their head up their a$$
> 
> BTW- I do like your response about being jealous of Zimmer, Glass and Serra but not Williams, Elfman etc. Classic.



I'm not sure I gave you a constant ribbing about Chris Gordon, is this not the first time I've said anything about him? I actually can't remember.

Good to hear you think Toronto sucks. I got excited yesterday when someone posted something on my friends facebook about being sad about what happened to Georges(Laraque). Naturally I assumed they were talking about Josh Georges and figured maybe he had died in a car crash or something cool like that. I wondered why I got no Google alert since I have Georges and death as a search term...just waiting for the day.


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

theheresy @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> dscoscina. I just saw daybreakers last week and was wondering when I saw chris gordon on the credit list because I've never heard of him. I would much like to see your interview with him as I liked the score a lot especially the somber low cello lines and such I think it was in the beginning.
> Also I am intrigued by Horner, where did you see a interview with him the one you mentioend where someone asked about "The War" can you please tell me or pm me where I can find such interviews with him. Thanks.



The somber string theme is a minor/major chord according to Gordon. It represented the humans and their fight for survival. Nice sound eh? What did you think of the last cue with that canonic writing with the string arpeggiations? It rocks IMO. It's like Phil Glass on steroids. 

the Horner interview was a FSM Online audio interview. It's pretty lame to be honest. I would love to interview Horner but I fear I would slip and ask him why the hell he keeps quoting himself and other composers..... I would also be up to the task of interviewing ZImmer. that project that choco is on about might be a good score and good occasion to talk to him. I would ask so many detailed questions ZImmer would feel like he got raped by an alien probe afterwards though! 

choco, I guess I sometimes don't get your humor. I have the feeling that in person, you're pretty damn funny though. I know some of your posts are classic. I guess I'm just waaay to sensitive sometimes. 

Anyhow, to quote Seinfeld, you guys have been great, I'm outta here.


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 22, 2010)

dcoscina @ Fri Jan 22 said:


> C'mon Alex, you're a musician- don't sit there and tell me you get off of Zimmer's quasi philosophical-lite musings that are universal. Heck, from simply a music lover, I find these interviews wanting. I feel much more satisfied when I hear someone like Gordon saying he used superimposition of the same note in the brass section as sort of a slow canon to underscore the blood addiction of the subsiders in Daybreakers or how he used the Erhu in a rhythmic way on Mao's Last Dancer which also gave the performer some troubles because it was an atypical application of the instrument. This is meat- this is good shit!



David, you are confusing some tiny little details. Zimmer didn't only say that he starts of with 12 notes BUT also before he starts arranging with the computer he gas a clear motif in his mind. I, for example, felt reminded, since I often sit down and start slammin rightaway. It was just a tiny minor little details which reminded me of something - not more not less.

Regarding your other point about all that writing chip-chap and jerking off on scales. Yes, I am a musician. I appreciate when someone talks about theoretical details etc. but why should I find it interesting to know what scale one used when I can hear it on the soundtrack/read on the sheet? Come on!!


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2010)

Alex, I think we have to agree to disagree on this point. sorry if I offended you or anyone else here. I would like to go out on a high note, rather than a bitter one. Clearly my ideas are not in keeping with the tenor of this forum and rather than continue to stir up folks here, it's probably best for me to frequent other forums. 

I wish you guys the best on your music endeavors. It's been fun...well, sometimes. 

ciao


----------



## choc0thrax (Jan 22, 2010)

Typical Waywyn, driving people away from the site. 8) 

Now who am I going to quote from now on? At least I still have Germancomponist I guess...


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 23, 2010)

dcoscina @ Sat Jan 23 said:


> Alex, I think we have to agree to disagree on this point. sorry if I offended you or anyone else here. I would like to go out on a high note, rather than a bitter one. Clearly my ideas are not in keeping with the tenor of this forum and rather than continue to stir up folks here, it's probably best for me to frequent other forums.
> 
> I wish you guys the best on your music endeavors. It's been fun...well, sometimes.
> 
> ciao




David, just to clarify, we are not talking about offense here and I really appreciate any comments, opinions of anyone etc.

It was just, that on almost every thread who had Zimmer on or in it you started bashing around on him. I mean I usually don't care but I think an opinion is clear like after the third of fourth time.
Then all those little posts of "Now THIS is what I call a movie intro", "THIS is what I call action music", "THIS is what I call real music" ... and in brackets I always see (and not CRAP which all those guys compose).

To me and no matter what you say this clearly sounds as if you are frustrated with the current situation. You want to have intellectual music back, you want to have genius melodies (in your ears), original scores, you want to have complex theoretical pattern going on and be asthnonished on what someone did, you want to have this or that ... and everything was better in the early days.


And then I am like, why does that guy simply doesn't stop bashing and ranting and negatively criticising etc. ... and make it better!

I mean, stop looking at the math, stop looking at the construction, LISTEN to the notes and tone itself sometimes. I am sure you do, but (and this time I am the broken record) I see you as myself when I was like 16-18 years ago.

I was playing guitar so good and fast, I had an easy time to play Satriani, Vai, Petrucci, Malmsteen etc. .. all that hardcore complex virtuoso stuff. I heard Claptopn and Santana on TV and I thought "oh my god, you guys suck big time, you just play three notes, dudes, didn't you have time to practice?"

I wasn't able to understand that it is sometimes about the tone and the single note and especially the rest in between sometimes.
I even played some stuff to my friends, but all they did were literally running out of my room holding their ears - not because it was bad, but because it was toooooo complex and stressy. A few years later I started in a rockpop band and suddenly the started to like what I did "Hey man, THIS is music, your guitar playing is so nice and cool!" ... at least THEN I got it.

In my opinion the hardest discipline - in my opinion - for a musician/composer is to listen to music as a non musician. Being able to preview the essential of what will happen and how it will affect a listener. Would I be able to make him/her cry, laugh, think, scare? Of course you do that with scales, chords etc. ... but in general it is NOT always about complexity by all means.

Without saying it rude, but there are enough composers out there degrading other music styles "Oh, that rock noise? That techno buffbuff? Terrible!!
Of course some stuff really sucks, honestly, but generally you can NOT say, something is less complex only because the MUSIC THEORY is.

Call it Karma or whatever, but don't you think that this is what you do and HOW you do it affects YOU and your surroundings? I mean, take life as it is, maybe times are a changing and you will see some "highly intelligent non noodling horn melody and string pad music".

Okay, I hope I made myself clear about that topic. There is no reason you leave since this is a discussion forum - everyone has points of views to share and if this happens on a healthy basis - it is the best which cò„¬   Á7›„¬   Á7œ„¬   Á7„¬   Á7ž„¬   Á7Ÿ„¬   Á7 „¬   Á7¡„¬   Á7¢„¬   Á7£„¬   Á7¤„¬   Á7¥„¬   Á7¦„¬   Á7§„¬   Á7¨„¬   Á7©„­   Á7ª„­   Á7


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 23, 2010)

Besides that, one more thing. I recently heard the new Avatar score.
Well orchestrated, nice harmonies, nice melodies, nice use of instruments, all fine and cool ... but in the end, what do we got here?

I was listening to the 14 tracks and in the end I had the following things in my head:

- was I listening to Lotr?
- no it was Transformers
- oh no it was Titanic ... and some Carribean touch ...
- did I hear a main theme or motifs following me through the movie?

In the end it was really nice to listen to each piece, but if a newcomer would have produced such a score every university, everyone of you and other composers would have criticised the same thing: No red line, no motif, basically the soundtrack didn't represent the movie in a whole thing.


So in the end I don't wanna start an Avatar discussion, but one can orchestrate, harmonize, being the best writer .. it's all worthless if there is no coherence. Tt wouldn't even make an album for a band, since each track got it's own sound, own character and no common ground, no base.


----------



## dcoscina (Jan 23, 2010)

One last thing Alex. You're really pushing the "straw man" on this and many of the same arguments we've had on this subject. 

I'll save you the trouble of googling this too:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man


----------



## John DeBorde (Jan 23, 2010)

I found the videos very interesting as I liked hearing how he approaches his scores conceptually and his relationships with the directors. I'd wager that these insights have a lot more to do with his success rather than any of the nuts and bolts details of how he constructs his music.

I also found it comforting (for lack of a less touchy-feely word) to hear him talk about his personal struggles as he works his way through the early creative decisions that he makes on each project - it's nice to know that he still goes thru that at his level. He's very honest and forth coming about a lot of that.

He also articulated a few insights that I could relate to, that I know I experience myself, but might not have crystalized so clearly conceptually.

My apologies if these comments seem out of context of the thread, as I didn't have the patience to read it all. Anyway, glad I watched the videos. thanks for the link!


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 23, 2010)

dcoscina @ Sat Jan 23 said:


> One last thing Alex. You're really pushing the "straw man" on this and many of the same arguments we've had on this subject. Frankly, I'm fucking sick of it.
> 
> I'll save you the trouble of googling this too:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man



Thx!

.. and btw: actually I am fed up with Strawman, if I think of that Analeas guy.

David, I didn't say that you are 100% AM what I am saying here nor that I am 100% right if this is what you are aiming for, BUT it LOOKS like it, okay? .. and at least I am not the only one having this impression.


----------



## Pzy-Clone (Jan 23, 2010)

Personally I enjoy both the "writing chip-chap and jerking off on scales " perspective (which hand goes where, Alex?) as well as "Zimmer's quasi philosophical-lite musings" ... and I don’t think they are mutually exclusive at all.

But in this instance I tend to agree with the view that Mr.Zimmer does not seem to have the ability or desire to "explain" his music in technical relevant terms, but I don’t really see why that matters at all as long as he is able to communicate according to his own convictions, both musically and verbally.

That is not to say it is without value to be conscious towards what you are doing... some may stumble upon the same results by pure coincidence, raw "talent" or musical intuition, but dismissing the architecture and foundation on which you build your musical habitat will lead to nothing but the time-consuming and frustrating process of repeated structural collapse.

The point of having a somewhat educated approach IMO (which may or may not include formal education…that is not my point): should not be the ability to bludgeon infidels to death with your superior knowledge for the sake of claiming the intellectualy higher ground… but the ability to transform your latent musicality into reality without going thru the entire evolutionary process, over and over again. 

Pragmatism is the operative concept here...but I don’t understand why some see it as preferable to paint pictures in the dark when one simply has to flick a few switches to see the basic outline of what you are doing.

Whichever methodology is employed, this argument is nothing but a juxtaposition of personal doctrines and this topic usually brings out the opinionated stereotypes to such an extreme that if nothing else…it makes a very entertaining and effective caricature :D


----------



## synthetic (Jan 26, 2010)

The end of the part 1 video shows his custom touch screen controller which has never been shown before to my knowledge. It's a lot like a Lemur, but his team custom-made it for him like 10 years before the Lemur using cash register hardware with custom software. There were shortcut buttons for things like "velocity +10" (for the selected notes). A very cool system. I hope to have something like that next year with the explosion of tablet computers.


----------



## synthetic (Jan 26, 2010)

I've seen another composer do something similar with a Lemur. He would have one track in Logic for each instrument family. By pressing a button on his controller (i.e. "Tremolo"), it would add this note to the score in Logic and switch his Vienna Instrument to play back the tremolo sample. This was because the sampled parts were just a mockup for the printed score that would be given to performers. Very trick.


----------



## Waywyn (Jan 27, 2010)

synthetic @ Tue Jan 26 said:


> I've seen another composer do something similar with a Lemur. He would have one track in Logic for each instrument family. By pressing a button on his controller (i.e. "Tremolo"), it would add this note to the score in Logic and switch his Vienna Instrument to play back the tremolo sample. This was because the sampled parts were just a mockup for the printed score that would be given to performers. Very trick.



I know this might be a bit off, but that's what I kinda like in the same matter about the new Cubase 5 Expressions feature. Basically it is just keyswitches triggering certain channels of e.g. Kontakt. Cool thing is, those keyswitches are actually articulation commands.

So you can e.g. load trill HT to channel 3 and WT to channel 4. If you then create articulations for trill HT and WT you simply assign those articulations to the appropriate Kontakt channels.

In the piano roll you simply write your line or melody, then click the articulation. Not only your samples channel in Kontakt changes but you also see the specific trill on the score layout in the notator.

Of course nothing related to a hardware controller, but still ... kinda the same ... in a way ... kinda ...


----------



## nikolas (Jan 27, 2010)

If I was Zimmer (especially him), I'd hire an army of phychologists, therapists, etc, to stop me from being annoyed from all the crap written about me around in music forums! :D:D:D

David: Relax mate. There's really no reason to get so angry... 

Everyone else: David just said that he found that it was a waste of an interview, since pretty much nothing was said. I haven't read the interview myself (not much time, nor much interest at the moment), but I find what David mentioned to be non-offensive and rather clear headed and honest. This is about the beginning of the thread, cause the rest of the thread is frankly pretty much for the rubbish bin (whoops... recycle bin I meant! )


----------



## Lex (Jan 27, 2010)

Thnx for this gsilbers...really enjoyed it..

aLex


----------



## gsilbers (Jan 27, 2010)

synthetic @ Tue Jan 26 said:


> I've seen another composer do something similar with a Lemur. He would have one track in Logic for each instrument family. By pressing a button on his controller (i.e. "Tremolo"), it would add this note to the score in Logic and switch his Vienna Instrument to play back the tremolo sample. This was because the sampled parts were just a mockup for the printed score that would be given to performers. Very trick.



well, I like where thisis going 


I've seen that part
of his setup several times and an article by his assistant in SOS
from what I undertaand it send different controller

info as well as what u said.
And controls his personal sampler made by his assistant a few years back when 64 bit was still far away on the horizon.

By instead of a tablet or lemur how about a simple solution like novations launchpad ($200) ???
Maybe I'm a little confuse on how or exactly these program changes work.
Any other example on how HZ is using these controllers in his setup?
What does it change and wouldn't it create too much midi clutter on one track?


----------



## ceam (Jan 27, 2010)

Here is another couple video Interviews from inside the studio.You get a good look at the touchscreens as well as his setup. Sensory overload.


Pete

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2010/01/16/composer_zimmer_talks_sherlock_holmes_inception_dark_knight_its_complicated/ (http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononho ... mplicated/)


----------



## synthetic (Jan 27, 2010)

Looking at the video again and comparing to my old spy photos, it looks like he switched from his old controllers to Lemurs. If you go to the Jazzmutant site, there's an interview with Trevor Morris talking about his use of the controller (with Logic). Now I want one even more after reading that. 



> That is what I miss most about cubase. the Macro command.



Yeah, I'd love to see that in Logic. Even Studio Vision had this! 

p.s. Zimmer still using GigaStudio in that Sherlock Holmes video.


----------



## germancomponist (Jan 27, 2010)

BTW. Have you seen the studio from Mark Knopfler? On his last Cd/DVD _"Get Lucky" _there are some videos and interviews..., also very coooool!


----------



## Hannes_F (Jan 27, 2010)

Just back from seeing Sherlock Holmes and I loved the music being so bold and upfront. The comments of Hans Zimmer made very much sense to me.


----------



## Ed (Jan 27, 2010)

Love all the interviews posted here. 

Hans seems really down to earth and I love how he talks about procrastination and not knowing what to write and confidence issues.


----------



## gsilbers (Jan 27, 2010)

ceam @ Wed Jan 27 said:


> gsilbers @ Wed Jan 27 said:
> 
> 
> > synthetic @ Wed Jan 27 said:
> ...



nice!! great find! 

yes, i think HZ charges rent or sells them to other composers. but he has a "regular" 
version of the samples at 44.1 24bit stereo and 5.1. but not 100% sure on those ddetails.


----------



## gsilbers (Jan 27, 2010)

BTW, seems the MADI HD/ RME combo is starting to be the "standard" for that level. 
most folks in or around media ventures has it. 
id wanted it but $$$$

edit: and ableton live. im trying it out and its very interesting...


----------



## synthetic (Jan 27, 2010)

Yeah RME hardware rocks. 

I know that he has been working on his own sampler, and has used it for some things. But that sure looks like GS3 on his monitor. 

Hopefully someone will develop a Lemur-killer app for the iPad so I can get that instead.


----------



## gsilbers (Jan 27, 2010)

oh yeahj, no doubt. he as well as others there sure have a bunch of custom giga samples. and gigastudio at least went 64 bit so its still pretty cool.


----------



## Andreas Moisa (Jan 28, 2010)

Thanks for posting the new interviews!


----------

