# Animation Music - Captain Coconuts (testing Gullfoss)



## fixxer49 (Nov 15, 2019)

Written for an [academic] animation project.
many quotations, many shameless direct lifts. one or two original notes.

_EDIT: The above ^^^ newer, revised version makes use of the *Gullfoss* processor. How does it compare to the original below? Better? Worse?_


Older version:


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## rlundv (Nov 15, 2019)

fixxer49 said:


> Written for an [academic] animation project.
> many quotations, many shameless direct lifts. one or two original notes.
> 
> The micky-mousing is strong in this one, but i think i'll get in trouble if i post the vid.



Omg! Really impressive. Mickey Mousing seems to be a special skill that's not easy to replicate. I've tried and failed many times. Care to share some details about libraries used and how you got your sound so coherent and solid?


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## RogiervG (Nov 15, 2019)

what libs did you use?


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## Dr.Quest (Nov 15, 2019)

Excellent!


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## ironbut (Nov 15, 2019)

Fantastic!
That seems like an awesome exercise.
Time to find some animation to try my hand at it!
Inspiring!


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## fixxer49 (Nov 15, 2019)

RogiervG said:


> what libs did you use?



Mostly: Spitfire Chamber Strings, SampleModeling Strings, JBell Violin, CSSS, Modern Scoring Brass & HWB (and Strezov Brass... for the clams), Metropolis 1 & 4, Piano In Blue, True Strike Perc, BHCT Timpani, Spitfire Woodwinds & VSL Winds,

with lotsa help from Sonokinetic, Palette and Cinesamples runs and FX


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## fixxer49 (Nov 15, 2019)

ironbut said:


> Fantastic!
> That seems like an awesome exercise.
> Time to find some animation to try my hand at it!
> Inspiring!


thanks! yes it was.


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## fixxer49 (Nov 15, 2019)

beyd770 said:


> Omg! Really impressive. Mickey Mousing seems to be a special skill that's not easy to replicate. I've tried and failed many times. Care to share some details about libraries used and how you got your sound so coherent and solid?


thanks @beyd770

[placeholder for longer explanation. below...]


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## fixxer49 (Nov 16, 2019)

beyd770 said:


> Omg! Really impressive. Mickey Mousing seems to be a special skill that's not easy to replicate. I've tried and failed many times. Care to share some details about libraries used and how you got your sound so coherent and solid?



So, I have realized that there’s really no way for me succinctly break down an answer to your broad question(s) into a readable post.

But, I am more than happy to answer any _specific_ questions you may have.

For me, as I’m still a neophyte in this style, the first thing I did was read this:
*“Tunes for ‘Toons”*
https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520253117/tunes-for-toons


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## Tag (Nov 16, 2019)

Very great and well done. I really like it! Thanks for sharing your great piece.


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## Zedcars (Nov 16, 2019)

fixxer49 said:


> Written for an [academic] animation project.
> many quotations, many shameless direct lifts. one or two original notes.
> 
> The micky-mousing is strong in this one, but i think i'll get in trouble if i post the vid.



This is great! I loved the whole thing from start to finish. It must have taken a long time to put together.

Thanks for sharing - so much amazing talent in this forum!


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## rlundv (Nov 16, 2019)

fixxer49 said:


> So, I have realized that there’s really no way for me succinctly break down an answer to your broad question(s) into a readable post.
> 
> But, I am more than happy to answer any _specific_ questions you may have.
> 
> ...


So, as to plan out such a complex piece: Do you make a melodic sketch on f.ex piano and then decide what family in the orchestra is gonna play each part, or do you write as you go along, directly in the DAW?

What do you do to make the sound coherent and balanced? A lot of external processing, or mere balancing of volume and choosing the right mics?

Do you make a mental (or written) flowchart about which instruments are going to play what, or do you just come up with leitmotifs and ideas and try them out in various sections of the orchestra?


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## fixxer49 (Nov 16, 2019)

beyd770 said:


> So, as to plan out such a complex piece: Do you make a melodic sketch on f.ex piano and then decide what family in the orchestra is gonna play each part, or do you write as you go along, directly in the DAW?


The entire 5+ min was first sketched on piano, start to finish. I then like to go to paper to work out the orchestration before going back into the DAW.

Obviously, I have raided the shit out of the repertoire on this one. The quotations (and yes, plagiarism) was part of the exercise of working like the old schoolers from the 40s and 50s. So, a large portion of this piece was _technically_ orchestrated by Strauss, Puccini, Ravel, Shostakovich, Britten and Prokofiev. And Randy Newman 😊. Lots of Puccini and Randy Newman rips! [edit: almost forgot Schoenberg & Stravinksy!)

Final orchestration choices were dictated by the action in the video itself (which I really wish I could post here.)


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## fixxer49 (Nov 16, 2019)

Zedcars said:


> This is great! I loved the whole thing from start to finish. It must have taken a long time to put together.
> 
> Thanks for sharing - so much amazing talent in this forum!


Thanks, Zed! Took about 2 weeks + 1 week picking at it here and there for revisions/tweaks.


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## fixxer49 (Nov 17, 2019)

beyd770 said:


> What do you do to make the sound *coherent and balanced*? A lot of external processing, or mere balancing of volume and choosing the right mics?


i still struggle with that - always on the lookout [here on VI-C] for improvements. comments/pointers always welcome.

i focus first on relative volumes of sections/libraries, and i work VERY dry when programming in MIDI, so no reverb at all during the programming stage.

The backbone of this arrangement is SCS and Spitfire Woodwinds, and i just use the Jake Jackson mixes (the driest versions) and never tweak any mics after that. VSL and Samplemodeling do require insert reverbs (early reflection only) to add dimension, but i've gotten used to adding it _after _i am happy with the programming.

For the mix, I have 2 Altiverbs (20th Century Fox + Mechanics) set up as auxilliary reverbs for entire session.

There is an Oxford Inflator across the mixbuss, but the effect % is quite low.


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## NathanTiemeyer (Dec 15, 2019)

fixxer49 said:


> Written for an [academic] animation project.
> many quotations, many shameless direct lifts. one or two original notes.
> 
> The micky-mousing is strong in this one, but i think know i'll get in trouble if i post the vid.




I just want to say that I LOVE this composition, easily one of the best VI compositions I've heard. Great work! 

I was wondering what libraries/ instrument combos you're using at 0:53? Is it xylophone and something else? Marimba maybe? And are you using True Strike for the tonal perc? Thank you! 

Also, you mentioned Randy Newman as an influence? 3:37 sure sounds Randy Newman inspired, I love it.  I feel like a lot of his animation scores are brilliant and are underappreciated!


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## fixxer49 (Dec 16, 2019)

NathanTiemeyer said:


> I just want to say that I LOVE this composition, easily one of the best VI compositions I've heard. Great work!


thanks @NathanTiemeyer ! very kind of you to say 



NathanTiemeyer said:


> I was wondering what libraries/ instrument combos you're using at 0:53? Is it xylophone and something else? Marimba maybe? And are you using True Strike for the tonal perc? Thank you!


At 0:53 -
2 instances of Sonokinetic Vivace for the low rhythmic patterns
Strings: SCS
Brass: MSB, Metropolis and Strezov
Xylophone: True Strike

That is just xylophone. (If revised this, I'd probably add high woodwinds to the xylophone.)

Pitched perc: True Strike for Xylophone and Glock; Chocolate Audio Celesta; VSL for Vibraphone and Bells; BHCT for Timpani; and Piano in Blue



NathanTiemeyer said:


> Also, you mentioned Randy Newman as an influence? *3:37 sure sounds Randy Newman inspired*, I love it.  I feel like a lot of his animation scores are brilliant and are underappreciated!


Yeah. I love Randy Newman! Not exactly note-for-note, but _very close_ to something from "Cars." In fact, too close to claim it as original.


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## fixxer49 (Mar 2, 2020)

Sorry to dig up my own old thread!
(Maybe this post this belongs in the mixing forum? If so, mods feel free to move.)

I’ve been using this track (because it’s long and dynamic) as a general template-tester. I recently picked up the *Gullfoss* processor, and decided to give the ol’ Captain a bit of makeover.



Gullfoss is set at pretty conservative settings, but I think it makes things less harsh, creates clarity, and also allowed for some low end heft to added back in at the mix stage without getting muddy. 

There is other processing happening on the mixbuss (e.g. Fab Filter MB, Softube Chandler EQ, etc…) but all doing very small moves.


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## Kery Michael (Mar 4, 2020)

Having listened to a lot of this kind of music watching cartoons as a kid, I never realized how much work must go into making that style of music.

All these jumbles of ideas and instruments colliding into each other for five minutes but then making it all flow naturally. All these rips and accents popping up all over the place and then mood swings from triumphant to catastrophe. Gotta to say that's pretty awesome. Good work.


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## fixxer49 (Mar 4, 2020)

Kery Michael said:


> All these jumbles of ideas and instruments colliding into each other for five minutes


i promise it makes more sense with the video!!


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## Will Blackburn (Mar 5, 2020)

That was so good. Love to see the video. Really want to learn to write like this. Does that book offer much in terms of score study / orchestration ?


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Mar 5, 2020)

Yeah absolutely wonderful 

Mix is sounding great to me


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## Nils Neumann (Mar 5, 2020)

Wonderful music, really colorful orchestrations, great mockup skills. Mix sound also great on my speakers. Nicely done, love it.


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## fixxer49 (Mar 5, 2020)

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> Yeah absolutely wonderful
> Mix is sounding great to me


Thanks, @SimonCharlesHanna !


Nils Neumann said:


> Wonderful music, *really colorful orchestrations*, great mockup skills. Mix sound also great on my speakers. Nicely done, love it.


Thanks, @Nils Neumann  In the spirit of the project, I was not shy about quoting from existing works.



Will Blackburn said:


> That was so good. Love to see the video. Really want to learn to write like this. Does that book offer much in terms of score study / orchestration ?


Thanks @Will Blackburn ! Unfortunately, I am not allowed to share the vid on a public forum :(
(but possibly in a PM… )

The book is more of a history book than a music book and provides no specific in-depth scoring or orchestration samples. It does, however, go_ deep_ into history and context. It made it easier to get into the mindset of the original musicians responsible for that "classic animation" style, and it also pretty much pinpoints where in the repertoire to look for "inspiration".


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