Best hireable Scoring/Recording Orchestra you've hired?

[reimerpdx]

I would think the first thing would be to get a contractor here. I've never recorded remotely in Los Angeles, since I live here. @JJP might have an idea.

I'll PM you.

Would you explain what a contractor does in this scenario?
is my understanding of the thread such that a contractor is required to organize and execute an ensemble recording in LA, but not other places? Or is a group like FFM the ’contractor’ in that instance?

 

[JJP]

I would think the first thing would be to get a contractor here. I've never recorded remotely in Los Angeles, since I live here. @JJP might have an idea.

I'll PM you.

@Pooley If you would like to record in LA I can help. I recently orchestarted and contracted a string recording for a video game for some composers from Europe.

Be aware that in most cases the prices are not as cheap as the low budget deals in other parts of the world, but the quality and efficiency is unsurpassed. On my last project because of good planning, orchestration, a good, fast engineer and stellar musicians, we recorded 30 minutes of string quartet music with lots of harmonics, tricky entrances, double-stops, solos that had to be recorded separately, and the like in a single three-hour session. The composers were ecstatic at the quality of the recordings.

I'll PM you my email. Feel free to reach out.

 

[utopia]

The best has to be my experience at the Abbey Road.

Apart from that I've been very happy with my recordings here in Moscow with the amazing Opensound Orchestra. World-class musicians with a very competitive price.

See here from more info - https://orchestrascoring.com

The service has been recently launched, so I think they're still missing demos on the website. But PM me if you'd like to check them out - I've got a few recordings that I can share privately that I feel show what they're capable of quite well.

I have no personal interest here apart from some of these musicians being my friends from the times we studied in Moscow Conservatory.

Best of luck with your search!

 

[JohnG]

Would you explain what a contractor does in this scenario?
is my understanding of the thread such that a contractor is required to organize and execute an ensemble recording in LA, but not other places? Or is a group like FFM the ’contractor’ in that instance?

The contractor is quite important as she / he chooses which players to hire depending on what kind of music you've written. If, as @JJP wrote above, it's a string quartet with avant-garde techniques, that's one set of players; if it's "mountain hoe-down," that's usually quite different. Same thing with brass. If you want a gorgeous glow, that can be one group, whereas big band or jazz would likely be a different crew.

Don't get me wrong, the players in Los Angeles and London are pretty good chameleons. Nevertheless, you want the right players for the size of the orchestra and the style of music. They also will take care of the paperwork with unions, supervise the date to be sure everything runs smoothly, and can also -- just to be helpful, as it's not part of their job -- often offer suggestions about recording locations, a conductor (as needed), and even an engineer.

So a contractor, depending on the person, frequently wears many hats.

 

[AEF]

Im curious why there seems to be no real scene in NYC. Is it simply union costs being too high?

Anyone know of any scoring done in NYC at all?

 

[Michaelt]

There are a few examples I can think of, residents like Goldenthal and Shore staying close to home to record, and even Morricone recorded at The Hit Factory at least once. Sadly it doesn't feel very active at all though, you're right, though I'm far from being in the loop.

There aren't as many great big orchestra rooms as you'll find in London or to some extent Los Angeles, that's for sure. Power Station (not that big anyway), Manhattan Center... maybe one or two others that would fit the bill. Plenty of nice churches but that's more complicated and not always the right acoustic fit.

If anyone else from New York is here and knows I'm dead wrong about the relative flatness of the scoring scene here, please, absolutely correct me! I would be relieved to find the right niche here....

 

[AEF]

There are a few examples I can think of, residents like Goldenthal and Shore staying close to home to record, and even Morricone recorded at The Hit Factory at least once. Sadly it doesn't feel very active at all though, you're right, though I'm far from being in the loop.

There aren't as many great big orchestra rooms as you'll find in London or to some extent Los Angeles, that's for sure. Power Station (not that big anyway), Manhattan Center... maybe one or two others that would fit the bill. Plenty of nice churches but that's more complicated and not always the right acoustic fit.

If anyone else from New York is here and knows I'm dead wrong about the relative flatness of the scoring scene here, please, absolutely correct me! I would be relieved to find the right niche here....

power station seems to be the only real facility—and unfortunately i cant stand how that studio sounds and feels (its super dry and dead sounding in there, and the recordings from there always seem like they are recorded in a closet.)

 

[JJP]

Im curious why there seems to be no real scene in NYC. Is it simply union costs being too high?

The union costs for scoring films are the same in the entire USA. It's a national contract.

I think the reason there isn't as much scoring in NYC is because the big studio lots are all in LA. The studios were originally built in LA because there was lots of land and the weather was good for filming. NYC doesn't both either of those benefits, so the scoring scene followed the studios.

 

[AEF]

The union costs for scoring films are the same in the entire USA. It's a national contract.

I think the reason there isn't as much scoring in NYC is because the big studio lots are all in LA. The studios were originally built in LA because there was lots of land and the weather was good for filming. NYC doesn't both either of those benefits, so the scoring scene followed the studios.

makes sense.

shame though bc the quality of musician in new york is, obviously, quite special.

 

[gsilbers]

There is also one in Macedonia. And also does Hollywood movies.

 

[brandowalk]

@Pooley Curious about what route you went with for remote orchestra recording and your experience. Can you shed some light?

Thanks in advance!

 

[prodigalson]

FWIW I just had a really good experience with Four For Music. As someone who uses Afflatus quite a bit it's nice to have live recordings from the same studio to blend with the samples.