# Movies / series with orchestral soundtracks that are actually mockups



## Kobiy86 (Dec 23, 2021)

So I was wondering if there are AAA (or maybe AA) movies or series whose soundtracks are actually mockups instead of a recorded orchestra. Quite often I read that libraries are being used as sketching tools, although the quality of those libraries is stellar. Are you aware of any top notch productions, where the orchestral score has been produced without recording an actual orchestra?


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## Joseph JP (Jan 1, 2022)

Kobiy86 said:


> So I was wondering if there are AAA (or maybe AA) movies or series whose soundtracks are actually mockups instead of a recorded orchestra. Quite often I read that libraries are being used as sketching tools, although the quality of those libraries is stellar. Are you aware of any top notch productions, where the orchestral score has been produced without recording an actual orchestra?


I know and saw an interview in which James Newton Howard said that a director preferred and used his demo mockup instead of the live recording.

James Horner scores did this a lot. I will try to find the interview/score for you.


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## Living Fossil (Jan 1, 2022)

If my mind serves me right i came across a video/article where it's stated that the score to a Lego movie was realized with samples.


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## MusicIstheBest (Jan 1, 2022)

Joseph JP said:


> I know and saw an interview in which James Newton Howard said that a director preferred and used his demo mockup instead of the live recording.
> 
> James Horner scores did this a lot. I will try to find the interview/score for you.


Is that why Horner used that goofy-sounding synth choir in Titanic? lol


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## Joseph JP (Jan 1, 2022)

MusicIstheBest said:


> Is that why Horner used that goofy-sounding synth choir in Titanic? lol


There was no budget for a real choir and also he said the idea behind using electronics, rather than a real choir, stemmed from Horner wanting to avoid a 'church'-like sound.


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## MusicIstheBest (Jan 1, 2022)

Joseph JP said:


> There was no budget for a real choir and also he said the idea behind using electronics, rather than a real choir, stemmed from Horner wanting to avoid a 'church'-like sound.


It's definitely not church-like haha. 
No budget?! they built a full-sized model of the Titanic but couldn't come up with a few bucks for some singers lol..and made huge profits. Williams would have gotten a choir. lol


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## Joseph JP (Jan 1, 2022)

MusicIstheBest said:


> It's definitely not church-like haha.
> No budget?! they built a full-sized model of the Titanic but couldn't come up with a few bucks for some singers lol..and made huge profits. Williams would have gotten a choir. lol


Well that's what happens when you go over budget to 200 million and producers are panicking. Well all that huge profits went into avatar for the samples used on that score  Williams would have come up with something amazing for sure if given access to a proper choir and wouldn't make it sound churchy for sure


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## CyberPunk (Jan 1, 2022)

Kobiy86 said:


> So I was wondering if there are AAA (or maybe AA) movies or series whose soundtracks are actually mockups instead of a recorded orchestra. Quite often I read that libraries are being used as sketching tools, although the quality of those libraries is stellar. Are you aware of any top notch productions, where the orchestral score has been produced without recording an actual orchestra?


I think Hans Zimmer did DUNE with just one VI (Zebra).


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## Joseph JP (Jan 1, 2022)

CyberPunk said:


> I think Hans Zimmer did DUNE with just one VI (Zebra).


Well most of it actually. But it has to be the Zebra HZ version cause you know HZ needs ZHZ.


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## KEM (Jan 1, 2022)

CyberPunk said:


> I think Hans Zimmer did DUNE with just one VI (Zebra).





Joseph JP said:


> Well most of it actually. But it has to be the Zebra HZ version cause you know HZ needs ZHZ.



ZebraHZ and Dune 3, also a ton of home recordings from various collaborators


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## KEM (Jan 1, 2022)

Should be noted that there’s samples in almost all of Hans’ scores, he often reinforces his live recordings with samples and there are times where the samples replace the live recordings altogether if the take wasn’t the best it could be

And don’t forget all the pianos you here in his scores are the Malmsjö, sometimes he blends them with other ones as well but I’m pretty sure 99% of the time it’s just the Malmsjö, I have no idea if that’s still what he uses but The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, etc. are all Malmsjö


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## liquidlino (Jan 1, 2022)

KEM said:


> Should be noted that there’s samples in almost all of Hans’ scores, he often reinforces his live recordings with samples and there are times where the samples replace the live recordings altogether if the take wasn’t the best it could be
> 
> And don’t forget all the pianos you here in his scores are the Malmsjö, sometimes he blends them with other ones as well but I’m pretty sure 99% of the time it’s just the Malmsjö, I have no idea if that’s still what he uses but The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, etc. are all Malmsjö


This piano? https://www.artvista.net/malmsjo.html


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## KEM (Jan 1, 2022)

liquidlino said:


> This piano? https://www.artvista.net/malmsjo.html



Yep!! It’s the one I use for everything as well, nothing better in my opinion (and clearly Hans would agree)


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## RogiervG (Jan 1, 2022)

Several movies where Hans Z is the composer for, uses only samples.
He posted it here on the forum a while back. if i am not mistaken it was e.g gladiator and black hawk down and the rock


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## KEM (Jan 1, 2022)

RogiervG said:


> Several movies where Hans Z is the composer for, uses only samples.
> He posted it here on the forum a while back. if i am not mistaken it was e.g gladiator and black hawk down and the rock



Gladiator and Black Hawk Down definitely have live performances in there, but The Rock I could see being all samples


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## RogiervG (Jan 1, 2022)

found it:





Does Anyone Know of Orchestral Scores Done Completely in the Box?


The only composer I've seen interviewed that says he does some of his TV scores completely in the box is Blake Neely. I'm curious to know if there are others. And pardon my ignorance.



vi-control.net




unfortunately some vids are not available anymore


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## KEM (Jan 1, 2022)

RogiervG said:


> found it:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What we’re the other 2 videos that got taken down? I can only see the first one


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## RogiervG (Jan 1, 2022)

i thought one of them was black hawk down


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## purplehamster (Jan 1, 2022)

The last one was Drop Zone (1994)


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## KEM (Jan 1, 2022)

Would changing your location with a VPN show you what they are?


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## gst98 (Jan 2, 2022)

RogiervG said:


> found it:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those are just the demo tracks


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