What's your methodology in film composition? at DVinfo.net

Ed Fiebke · May 19th, 2003, 05:32 PM

I know. I started a thread on this subject a couple of days ago. Just re-read my original post. Too many words. My apologies.

I havent's started my 13 minute video project yet. Just don't have the time yet. Got a couple of other project that need more immediate attention. So, this kind of leaves me with some time to read and learn.

Just want to know how you score your video projects using the modern technology at hand (midi/audio recording programs, video editing programs, etc.) I can come up with the music composition. That's not the problem. It's the prep-work before the musical writing that has me a bit stumped like a mental road block. Do you work in minutes, seconds and frames? Do your work strictly seconds? What programs do you use for the midi/audio recording? Do you import the AVI (for PC) version of your video project in a particular audio/midi recording program to make sure the music and film sync correctly?

What's your methodology in scoring music to computer-based video?

Respectfully,

Ted

Rick Spilman · May 19th, 2003, 07:21 PM

Methodology? Not me, I'm Lutheran.

The real answer, in my view, is that it all depends on the video. I have an assortment of royalty free music. In some cases I will cut the video to suit a particular bit of music. This is fun if often time consuming.

Sometimes I will edit the video then pull it into Sonic Foundry's Acid and score the music (well actually assemble the loops) to suit the video. There are several good software a packages which let you "score" a clip.

And then there are those other times when I will edit the clip then just add a music bed to add interest without necesarily connecting the two. If the video tells its own story but needs a bit of accenting this often works just fine.

John Locke · May 20th, 2003, 12:17 AM

Ed,

Since finding really good, affordable, music is hard for amateur filmmakers, I use a bit different approach. After getting the script ready, I find the music as the next step. Finding something good takes quite a bit of time, but once I've found it, it usually inspires quite a bit of visualization. So then I plan the shots to fit the music. The result comes out looking as though the music was composed for the film instead of vice-versa.

The project i'm working on now I used that method entirely.

Ed Fiebke · May 20th, 2003, 03:31 AM

Rick: I'm a Lutheran too! (LOL!)
Interestingly, Sonic Foundry's Acid Pro (or any other loop software) is one software product that I don't own. Maybe I should consider purchasing it! Never tried loop music making.

As far as using stock or royalty-free music for any given video project, I'm more interested in scoring my own music to the film. Like I said, composing the music isn't the issue for me. It's the prep work involved in getting ready to write the music to be scored for a specific part of the video project.

John:
Point well taken! I'm working on one project where there are 55 photos and 5 video-shots to be used. I plan to write the music first, then edit the photos and video shots in afterwards. One of the things that I love about computer-based editing is that you can see where the first modulation of sound starts for a given musical phrase and align a particular video segment to that phrase for perfect syncronization.

But what about the "already edited film" where there is no chance to fit the video to the music?. The only way to work is to fit the music to the video. (My personal 13 minute video project is purposefully like this situation.)

With this type of film-scoring scenario in mind, how do you guys prepare your score for tight syncronization? What's your methodology (not lutheranology!) in organizing yourself for the film score for this type of situation? What are your tricks? Using loop-based music is surely one method. Believe it or not, this is new to me! (I might just download a free version of Sonic Foundry's Acid to check it out!) Any other methods?

Cheers! :)

Ted

Rick Spilman · May 20th, 2003, 07:05 AM

Oops. I'm not actually Lutheran, just fond of really bad puns.

Ed Fiebke · May 20th, 2003, 07:39 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Rick Spilman : Oops. I'm not actually Lutheran, just fond of really bad puns. -->>>

Me too! :D

Bart de Nes · May 21st, 2003, 09:11 AM

I'd try and work out some kind of basic theme that you might like to reuse in different sections and definately use the digital tools at your disposal! Midi is heaven sent for step-sequencing-autodidactic-idiots like myself :-)

Import the video into the computer, cubase or nuendo (or others) offer the possibility to swith your timeline timecode dynamically (so one moment you'd be looking at bars and beats which probally feel pretty natural to you considering your first post :)) and than switch to frames or good ol' time code.. and compose with the video so you instantly can see if it works or not...

I'd try and chopping the different themes up and creating the music around the specific emotional highpoint of the scene with perhaps some 'music-slack' as you could call it at the beginning and the end of the piece if you decide to use a little less at the beginning of your next theme and a little more at the ending of the current theme.... Just an idea.... :)...

13 minutes is a lot of music! :)... And would understandibly bring on some form of mental block... Where to begin...argh and the sorts, my trick is to create some sort of theme that can reoccur in different incarnations throughout the piece... that's at least some kind of start :)

wishing you good luck and keep us posted!

May 19th, 2003, 05:32 PM	#1
Ed Fiebke Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Lebanon, New York Posts: 240	What's your methodology in film composition? I know. I started a thread on this subject a couple of days ago. Just re-read my original post. Too many words. My apologies. I havent's started my 13 minute video project yet. Just don't have the time yet. Got a couple of other project that need more immediate attention. So, this kind of leaves me with some time to read and learn. Just want to know how you score your video projects using the modern technology at hand (midi/audio recording programs, video editing programs, etc.) I can come up with the music composition. That's not the problem. It's the prep-work before the musical writing that has me a bit stumped like a mental road block. Do you work in minutes, seconds and frames? Do your work strictly seconds? What programs do you use for the midi/audio recording? Do you import the AVI (for PC) version of your video project in a particular audio/midi recording program to make sure the music and film sync correctly? What's your methodology in scoring music to computer-based video? Respectfully, Ted __________________ iMac Pro (3.2 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon W ): OS X 10.15.6; 64 GBs RAM; Radeon Pro Vega 64X 16 GB graphics; 2 TB internal SSD; 3 external SSDs; MOTU 828ES

May 20th, 2003, 12:17 AM	#3
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	Ed, Since finding really good, affordable, music is hard for amateur filmmakers, I use a bit different approach. After getting the script ready, I find the music as the next step. Finding something good takes quite a bit of time, but once I've found it, it usually inspires quite a bit of visualization. So then I plan the shots to fit the music. The result comes out looking as though the music was composed for the film instead of vice-versa. The project i'm working on now I used that method entirely. __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com

May 20th, 2003, 03:31 AM	#4
Ed Fiebke Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Lebanon, New York Posts: 240	Rick: I'm a Lutheran too! (LOL!) Interestingly, Sonic Foundry's Acid Pro (or any other loop software) is one software product that I don't own. Maybe I should consider purchasing it! Never tried loop music making. As far as using stock or royalty-free music for any given video project, I'm more interested in scoring my own music to the film. Like I said, composing the music isn't the issue for me. It's the prep work involved in getting ready to write the music to be scored for a specific part of the video project. John: Point well taken! I'm working on one project where there are 55 photos and 5 video-shots to be used. I plan to write the music first, then edit the photos and video shots in afterwards. One of the things that I love about computer-based editing is that you can see where the first modulation of sound starts for a given musical phrase and align a particular video segment to that phrase for perfect syncronization. But what about the "already edited film" where there is no chance to fit the video to the music?. The only way to work is to fit the music to the video. (My personal 13 minute video project is purposefully like this situation.) With this type of film-scoring scenario in mind, how do you guys prepare your score for tight syncronization? What's your methodology (not lutheranology!) in organizing yourself for the film score for this type of situation? What are your tricks? Using loop-based music is surely one method. Believe it or not, this is new to me! (I might just download a free version of Sonic Foundry's Acid to check it out!) Any other methods? Cheers! :) Ted __________________ iMac Pro (3.2 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon W ): OS X 10.15.6; 64 GBs RAM; Radeon Pro Vega 64X 16 GB graphics; 2 TB internal SSD; 3 external SSDs; MOTU 828ES

May 20th, 2003, 07:39 AM	#6
Ed Fiebke Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Lebanon, New York Posts: 240	LOL! <<<-- Originally posted by Rick Spilman : Oops. I'm not actually Lutheran, just fond of really bad puns. -->>> Me too! :D __________________ iMac Pro (3.2 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon W ): OS X 10.15.6; 64 GBs RAM; Radeon Pro Vega 64X 16 GB graphics; 2 TB internal SSD; 3 external SSDs; MOTU 828ES

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May 19th, 2003, 07:21 PM	#2
Rick Spilman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Jersey City, NJ Posts: 366	Methodology? Not me, I'm Lutheran. The real answer, in my view, is that it all depends on the video. I have an assortment of royalty free music. In some cases I will cut the video to suit a particular bit of music. This is fun if often time consuming. Sometimes I will edit the video then pull it into Sonic Foundry's Acid and score the music (well actually assemble the loops) to suit the video. There are several good software a packages which let you "score" a clip. And then there are those other times when I will edit the clip then just add a music bed to add interest without necesarily connecting the two. If the video tells its own story but needs a bit of accenting this often works just fine.

May 20th, 2003, 07:05 AM	#5
Rick Spilman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Jersey City, NJ Posts: 366	Oops. I'm not actually Lutheran, just fond of really bad puns.

May 21st, 2003, 09:11 AM	#7
Bart de Nes Tourist Join Date: May 2003 Location: Drenthe, The Netherlands Posts: 4	I'd try and work out some kind of basic theme that you might like to reuse in different sections and definately use the digital tools at your disposal! Midi is heaven sent for step-sequencing-autodidactic-idiots like myself :-) Import the video into the computer, cubase or nuendo (or others) offer the possibility to swith your timeline timecode dynamically (so one moment you'd be looking at bars and beats which probally feel pretty natural to you considering your first post :)) and than switch to frames or good ol' time code.. and compose with the video so you instantly can see if it works or not... I'd try and chopping the different themes up and creating the music around the specific emotional highpoint of the scene with perhaps some 'music-slack' as you could call it at the beginning and the end of the piece if you decide to use a little less at the beginning of your next theme and a little more at the ending of the current theme.... Just an idea.... :)... 13 minutes is a lot of music! :)... And would understandibly bring on some form of mental block... Where to begin...argh and the sorts, my trick is to create some sort of theme that can reoccur in different incarnations throughout the piece... that's at least some kind of start :) wishing you good luck and keep us posted!