# Sample Libraries/Synths that stick out to you in soundtracks?



## Calabraccio (Sep 1, 2019)

Are there any patches/recognisable sounds that you've heard in multiple soundtracks that, for one reason or another, stand out to you? Do you find recognising these sounds "pulls you out" of the moment or negatively colour your experience with the work?

For me, one example would be Omnisphere's Electric Sitar, which sticks out like a sore thumb every time I've heard it used (mainly in Nintendo soundtracks, but I also heard it in Thor Ragnarok's score too)


(17 secs in)



I also groan when I've heard some of Stormdrum 2's more experimental sound FX used in nature documentaries. I wonder if these idiosyncratic sounds largely go unnoticed by general listeners or if they might subconsciously create links between soundtracks that use the same sounds.


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## muk (Sep 3, 2019)

Calabraccio said:


> Are there any patches/recognisable sounds that you've heard in multiple soundtracks that, for one reason or another, stand out to you?



No. It's probably because I mainly write orchestral tracks. That electric sitar does have a most idiomatic sound though. Certainly recognizable if you pay attention.



Calabraccio said:


> I wonder if these idiosyncratic sounds largely go unnoticed by general listeners



I would think so. I assume that general listeners usually don't pay attention to individual sounds or smaller details. They focus on the whole picture (pun intended). At least I have never witnessed anybody saying: 'Hey, I know that sound, I have heard it before in xyz.'

It sometimes happens with tracks that are very close to a temp track. Here somebody may notice that it sounds similar to another track. But with individual sounds I think it is much less likely to happen.


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## I like music (Sep 3, 2019)

I wouldn't credit the average listener with being able to tie the two. I showed someone a mockup that a friend had done (his own piece) and they said "oooooooh sounds like Star Wars." Yes, they heard some brass and called it Star Wars (the piece had ZERO similarities apart from ... brass. Not even a rousing fanfare ... just some brass). To be fair, this particular person wouldn't even qualify as an average listener.


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## MA-Simon (Sep 3, 2019)

<- rigth at the beginning the arround 0.15, very stong Subnautica Soundtrack vibes.


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## Jens Kiilstofte (Sep 8, 2019)

It used to happen a lot for me, recognizing Omnisphere patches and sample libraries like Damage while watching Film, Tv etc. and at times it did pull me out of the immersion.

But these days, I rarely, if ever notice any preset in the media I consume.

Part of the reason for that is probably my viewing habits having changed *cough* less time *cough* but I also think that some of it is due to the great increase in diversity when it comes to sample libraries. No longer are you limited to 1-2 string libraries or Omnisphere for cinematic underscore tones.


Side note: I absolutely love the Division 2's soundtrack, that big detuned sawtooth hit and the fat, high attack, arp with the filter cutoff automation is just so good, it tickles my ears in all the right places!


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## Lionel Schmitt (Sep 8, 2019)

Symphobia effects can ruin my a horror movie since I keep thinking about Symphobia all the time and the immersion with the stuff on screen is of course dramatically challenged for me.


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## pawelmorytko (Sep 8, 2019)

I was playing around with Stormdrum loops the other day and found this patch called Pharaoh or something like that, and it bugged me for so long that I had heard it somewhere before.

Then I found that it's from the anime Bleach, at 1:03 in this track:



but hold on, it's also in this Halo track at 2:06 here:


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## Saxer (Sep 8, 2019)

The sample market is still growing and really recognizable samples are burried under tons of new other stuff. It was different in times of "Native Dance" in Rolands D50 or the Emulator Shakuhatchi which today is more a signature sound of Peter Gabriels Sledge Hammer than an early preset patch. After one hit these sounds was burned. I remember hearing the first time the same M1 sounds that I had at home in Quincy Jones "Back on the Block"! Wow, they use the same sounds as me!

Recognizing samples is nerdy DAW users stuff. For all others out there a piano is a piano... if they even know what a piano is.


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## ProfoundSilence (Sep 8, 2019)

I like music said:


> I wouldn't credit the average listener with being able to tie the two. I showed someone a mockup that a friend had done (his own piece) and they said "oooooooh sounds like Star Wars." Yes, they heard some brass and called it Star Wars (the piece had ZERO similarities apart from ... brass. Not even a rousing fanfare ... just some brass). To be fair, this particular person wouldn't even qualify as an average listener.



This sounds like system of a down!


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