# Big Hollywood film (almost all virtual) score - samples on my webpage



## John Rodd (Aug 25, 2011)

Hi everyone

I don't get over here all that much... but someone sent me a PM with a question... so here I am.

(FWIIW if anyone has a question - please email me directly [email protected] - i just find that much easier to deal with :wink: )

anyway - recently I mixed the score for *The Lincoln Lawyer* in both 5.1 and stereo (I made the stereo fold-down _at the same time_) for composer Cliff Martinez.

If you go to my webpage http://johnrodd.com/ and then go to the audio samples page - it is at the top. 

There were a few bits of electric guitar, but other than that the score is all virtual & samples.

The film is actually very good! ... as is the electronica score. :mrgreen: I had a blast mixing it for Cliff. 

As I bet the question will get asked.... I used a ton of outboard hardware - EQs, compressors.... and the hardware reverb lineup was:

THREE x TC Electronic System 6000 reverbs (8 I/O each)
a TC 4000
a Bricasti M7
a Quantec Yardstick
a Kurzweil Rumour
a Zerotronics Mini-LE spring reverb

and I think maybe .... some other hardware reverb that I'm forgetting...... :oops: 

cheers

john


----------



## gsilbers (Aug 25, 2011)

damn! thats a lot of TC 6000!! =o 

does the vss3 for the powercore get anywhere near the system6000? :oops: 

at least the tc 4000.? 

and why not have more bricasti's than TC6k's? 


im listening to the score right now.. very nice! 

its really electronic, i love it! 

now, why did you have so many high end reverbs... or how did you spread them. 
what was your philosophy/thought about it?
(im kinda alluding to the fact that there not much orchestra so im curious on your reverb use on an mostly electronic-a score, even though there are some acustic-type elements like strings pads, flute and guitar. )


----------



## John Rodd (Aug 25, 2011)

answers - in brief:

- I don't run powercore as I find physical hardware reverbs more reliable and future proof (and a better long term investment) than powercore or similar.

- the TC 4000 has many of the same sounds as the 6000. (except in stereo)
a used 4000 goes for about $1,500 or less and is a GREAT entry into high end reverb

- the 6000 are very useful for me as they are so flexible with doing LCR or 5.0 reverbs - both on one box at the same time is possible, for example. 
The Bricasti M7 sounds great as well, but they are stereo only. 
I will likely buy more M7s in the future, but I have been collecting TC 6000's for a while....

I also use my TC 6000 with the mastering package for top shelf multiband compression on some projects (not the Lincoln Lawyer, FWIIW) and also the GML eq, , brick wall limiting, and various other things it does VERY well. (once you buy the additional licences for them)

- i used so many reverbs as I had to deliver quite a few surround or LCR stem mixes... and I almost always print all the stem mixes, and the full 5.1 mix, and the stereo fold-down mix AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. It saves literally hours of work, and deadlines on my projects are almost always very, very tight. 

cheers

:mrgreen: 

John


----------



## gsilbers (Aug 25, 2011)

cool! thx for the reply.

now, i always thought a foldown in this scenario was a no no. 

doesnt the mix change when there is a foldown vs a remix of the stereo?

or is it a preference thing?


PS: i just took a peak at your studio.. nicE! ... but no faders >8o :wink:


----------



## John Rodd (Aug 25, 2011)

gsilbers @ Thu Aug 25 said:


> cool! thx for the reply.
> 
> now, i always thought a foldown in this scenario was a no no.
> 
> ...



I make the 5.1 mix sound great, and also sound great in the live, real time fold-down.

the trick is to make the 5.1 mix the right way, so it sounds great in the movie theater, and also in the stereo fold down.

Sometimes the composer and I will go back into a few cues to make a few tweaks to the mix that creates the fold-down (after the 5.1 score has been delivered, but before the CD mastering is done) but those tweaks are always to undo some mix moves that were made for cinematic reasons.... not because the fold-down sucked. 8) 

I want to stress - the 5.1 mix has to be right for the stereo fold-down to work flawlessly.

Recently I played a 5.1 cue from The Lincoln Lawyer at my studio for some visiting young composers I was lecturing to.... and this very issue came up... and I said "hey - let me play you the same cue, the same mix but the stereo fold down" (as i had it right there in the same mix session)

I played 20 seconds of score: a big dramatic moment followed by some big spacey pads - in 5.1, then....... the same 20 seconds of the stereo fold down, then the same 20 seconds of the 5.1 score mix again ... and when I turned around I saw 12 composers with their jaws all on the floor. They were astonished. The translation was very, very good.

It was pretty funny to see. :wink:


----------



## gsilbers (Aug 25, 2011)

thanks again for the reply. 

now, u didnt go into detail into how u use the reverb but i am guessing you use several reverbs to mix the stems (to use with the stems)? 

like one reverb to mix the percussion/drum stems, another the pads, another for a guitar stems and so on and one for the main 5.1 mix?

(and i hope someone else jumps on this thread. its very interesting and im feeling im hoarding too many questions


----------



## John Rodd (Aug 26, 2011)

gsilbers @ Thu Aug 25 said:


> thanks again for the reply.
> 
> now, u didnt go into detail into how u use the reverb but i am guessing you use several reverbs to mix the stems (to use with the stems)?
> 
> like one reverb to mix the percussion/drum stems, another the pads, another for a guitar stems and so on and one for the main 5.1 mix?



Reverbs go wherever I want them to go.... but each stem mix is always completely self contained.

and all the stem mixes add together to make the full 5.1 mix. This is the proper way to do it.

and I do have 8 faders. They are just to the right of the left rack of gear. :wink:


----------



## John Rodd (Aug 26, 2011)

P.s happy to answer all questions. 

John


----------



## John Rodd (Aug 28, 2011)

Speaking of* The Lincoln Lawyer*.... I was interviewed about my mixing that score.... in particular using two different, but related kinds of hardware compressors.... FATSOs. (both kinds)

the info is here is anyone is curious about FATSOs.

http://www.wavedistribution.com/news/john_rodd_fatso.pdf (http://www.wavedistribution.com/news/jo ... _fatso.pdf)

cheers

John


----------



## John Rodd (Nov 20, 2011)

The Lincoln Lawyer is now out on DVD.

8)


----------

