# Hans Zimmer's "Discombobulate" (Sherlock Holmes) - Quick mockup !



## Emmanuel Rousseau (Nov 24, 2017)

Hi everyone,

This morning, I was innocently jamming with Spitfire Audio's Cimbalom, when this fabulous theme by Hans Zimmer came to my mind.

5 minutes later, I was starting a mock-up. It's probably far from perfect, as everything went quickly "for fun"... but here it is !



I hope you'll enjoy the listening, and happy Thanksgiving to all Americans.

PS : The accordion is a mix of the Harmonium from Metropolis Ark 2.... and the General MIDI Accordion patch from Halion Sonic SE 

EDIT : I've made a short video about Tempo Track humanization where I'm using this mockup as an exemple. Here is a link to the thread for those interested !

https://www.vi-control.net/communit...anization-of-the-tempo-track-in-cubase.66865/


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## calebfaith (Nov 24, 2017)

Wow that's great! I love the impact of the brass and percussion. You nailed it


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Nov 24, 2017)

calebfaith said:


> Wow that's great! I love the impact of the brass and percussion. You nailed it



Thank you Caleb !


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## Chris Richter (Nov 24, 2017)

Wow, very cool!
Did you program those synths for this peace or are those presets? Which synths did you use?
How long did it take?
I like it


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Nov 25, 2017)

CQrity said:


> Wow, very cool!
> Did you program those synths for this peace or are those presets? Which synths did you use?
> How long did it take?
> I like it



Hi @CQrity, I used the following instruments :

*Percussions :*
HZ01 Bass Drum Gallery
HZ01 Low Boom Gallery & Low Boom (for Puilis & Rims)
Metropolis Ark 1 Kopernikus Percussion
Metropolis Ark 2 Manteuffel Metal Bowed

*Strings :*
Metropolis Ark 1 Wolfenstein Strings
Metropolis Ark 2 Weddigen Strings
Metropolis Ark 2 Curtius Strings
Metropolis Ark 2 Pfarracker Strings
Albion V Tundra High & Low "Gipsy Shorts"

*Brass :*
Berlin Brass Trombone Ensemble
Metropolis Ark 1 Friedrich Bass Trombones
Metropolis Ark 1 Koenigsberger Cimbassi
Metropolis Ark 1 Hindenburg Tubas

*Woodwinds :*
Metropolis Ark 1 Barnack Contrabassoons
Metropolis Ark 1 Holbein Bassoons
Metropolis Ark 2 Leichhardt Bass Clarinets
Metropolis Ark 2 Graefenberger Contrabass Clarinets

*Other instruments :*
8Dio AGE Cimbalom (Ensemble)
Spitfire Audio Cimbalom (Solo, with 2C Audio Breeze reverb for the tremolos in the introduction)
Metropolis Ark 2 Roon Piano (introduction, doubling the Cimbalom)
Metropolis Ark 2 Thekla Harmonium (Accordion, doubled with Halion SE GM Accordion patch)
Metropolis Ark 1 Troppauer Electric Bass (during the Accordion part)

*Synths :*
Albion V Tundra Brunel Loop "Passing Time" (sometimes doubled with a pulse from 8Dio Hybrid Tools 3)
Heavyocity Gravity Hit (introduction)

That's it !
There is absolutely no mixing, except some very light EQ, compression and limiting on the Mixbus.
No room mics, and almost no Tree mics, just close mics everywhere !

I would say it took between 3 and 4 hours. Thank you !


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## NoamL (Nov 25, 2017)

I dig it! The cimbalom & percussion particularly sound good, and the accordion gets the idea across with energy!

But maybe swap out your piano for something that sounds more like a broken wreck! I remember in some interview HZ says they tried to detune his piano and in the end they just got a broken piano from Craigslist. Try Spitfire's "Bedlam Piano" perhaps (it's donationware).


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Nov 25, 2017)

NoamL said:


> I dig it! The cimbalom & percussion particularly sound good, and the accordion gets the idea across with energy!
> 
> But maybe swap out your piano for something that sounds more like a broken wreck! I remember in some interview HZ says they tried to detune his piano and in the end they just got a broken piano from Craigslist. Try Spitfire's "Bedlam Piano" perhaps (it's donationware).



Thanks Noam, will check this piano right away, always useful to have that kind of stuff (and I could tell myself I got something during Black Friday, ahah).

The most difficult part was the strings, as they have so much attitude in HZ's track. Hard to mimic with samples, especially with ensembles like Metropolis and Tundra !


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## Chris Richter (Nov 25, 2017)

Wait there are woodwinds in this thing? :D 
Thanks for such a detailed list, more than I expected 
And I am surprised, that there aren't more synths in it.


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Nov 25, 2017)

CQrity said:


> Wait there are woodwinds in this thing? :D
> Thanks for such a detailed list, more than I expected
> And I am surprised, that there aren't more synths in it.



Ahah, yes, the low winds really contribute to the crazy mood of the track. Once you take them away, you definitely miss something.


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## Jetzer (Nov 25, 2017)

Good job! I like the little details you have put in, like the little swell at 0.59 leading up to the new tune.


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Nov 27, 2017)

Thank you @Jesse Heslinga ! Much appreciated.


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## Chris Richter (Nov 27, 2017)

Why don't you link your tempo tip in this thread? It's so cool! 
Would also be cool, to have a "after" tempochanges version.


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## musophrenic (Nov 27, 2017)

Probably one of the best mock-ups of a well known piece I've ever heard. Most others I've heard have been a good facsimile of the original. This one does the original justice and still sounds like a fresh take with a different kind of energy. Not listening critically to the mix or anything, but to my ears it doesn't sound problematic - it's definitely an enjoyable mix.

The only criticism I have is that I'd want the accordions at the end to be louder/more prominent. But even then, that's so tiny, considering the percussion/rhythmic elements around it are so excellent.


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Nov 28, 2017)

@CQrity : Good idea, I edited my first post to link the other thread  I'll try to make an "after tempo changes" version when I have some time !

@musophrenic : Thank you very much for this ! I agree with you about the accordion part, but it's a kind of a Frankenstein's monster made of a Harmonium from Metropolis Ark 2 and a horrible General MIDI patch. So maybe I tried to hide it a bit.


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## AlexanderSchiborr (Nov 28, 2017)

whitewasteland said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> This morning, I was innocently jamming with Spitfire Audio's Cimbalom, when this fabulous theme by Hans Zimmer came to my mind.
> 
> ...




Not HZ Fanboy here, but you did really great job with that! PS: I like that track btw!


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## Hunter123 (Nov 28, 2017)

I love that score, reminds me of Taraf De Haidouks.


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