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Home , Angela McCluskey, Another Day of Sun, Arthur Hamilton, Austin Wintory, Benjamin Wallfisch, Bill Conti

VOLUME XXXII NUMBER ONE SPRING 2017

F O R T H E R E C O R D Sheet Music: The Map To Your Score By Jeremy Borum ot every score will need to be written time consuming, and schedules often will down as sheet music before it’s re- not permit you to take that time, but score corded. However, if you’re hiring musi- preparation can be a valuable process both Ncians, those players almost always need monetarily and creatively. something written down for them. Scoring The cost of good and score for media is very particular and the parts for prep might be worth it though. At every live players are usually written out note for budget level, it’s for half of the note. vary widely in their need music budget or more to be used during and ability to notate their ideas, but generally the recording days. In order to keep costs the larger the project is and the more live down, every effort must be made to achieve musicians there are, the more important sheet both speed and quality in the studio. One music becomes. of the keys to efficient recording sessions is One of the keys to I’m fortunate to work almost exclusively excellent sheet music which is well thought with live ensembles. As a result, my career out and appropriately notated for the context. efficient recording has been largely centered around sheet music Sheet music is a written language which for the last 15 years. In addition to being a allows the abstract concepts and emotionality sessions is excellent busy orchestrator and working with live of music to be written down, much like written all over the world, I also do a lot words can express the abstract nature of sheet music which is of work with sheet music publishers and I thoughts and feelings. Different instruments was part of the development community at and genres may require different dialects well thought out and Sibelius before it was sold. I am deeply into of notation. If your music is fluently and appropriately notated for notation in a way that only a small subset of eloquently written, then your communication musicians is. I’m going to share some tips and in the studio will be substantially more the context. tricks about sheet music preparation that may effective, leading directly to a better end help to improve or streamline your processes, product. If it’s not well prepared, it can cause hopefully resulting in more free time and confusion and unnecessary questions which better art. The basic workflow I describe here waste expensive studio time. is usually the fastest and most accurate way Tim Davies sums the importance of C O N T E N T S to get from raw MIDI to a printed score. appropriate notation nicely. “When you put Marketing Yourself To Obtain If you are outsourcing the creation of sheet new music in front of an , be it at Work In Cinema Music music, then score prep becomes a hard cost a session, a read-through in college, or a 5 that’s difficult to work around and it can be a rehearsal of the LSO, they have to read the one. If you have the time and experience notation at face value. Understanding today’s Tech Talk 7 to do it, preparing your own sheet music can practice—or more precisely, the lack of a standard practice—becomes very save a lot of money. It is also a chance to look Why Embed Metadata? 9 at your music in a new light because it can important, and will help you spell things out be very clarifying to see your music the way in a way that gets exactly the sound you’re Benj Pasek & : the musicians will see it. If you use a copyist, looking for in the clearest and most concise Ambitiously Optimistic About way possible.” they usually won’t have any authority to Getting Things Done 12 change the music. When you notate your Whichever notation platform you decide own music, you get another opportunity for to use, you need to know it inside and out. Musical Shares 23 creativity before your sessions. It can be very The software won’t do everything for you. Continued on Page 16 F R O M T H E E D I T O R ' S D E S K The Value Of Music By Lori Barth President he value of music has been the topic of discussion for quite ASHLEY IRWIN a while. Lower budgets, declining record sales, piracy and Vice Presidents ARTHUR streaming services, which have all taken a huge bite out CHARLES BERNSTEIN ofT our earning power, make many of us wonder how we are Recording Secretary going to make a living. But getting the “new music world order” JONATHAN DAVID NEAL to truly recognize the problems is an uphill race to the bottom. Treasurer/CFO Navigating the system, while proving challenging, is what we have to do, since this is what we CHRISTOPHER FARRELL do. The value of music — priceless. g The SCORE LORI BARTH, Senior Editor Advisory Board ALAN BERGMAN DIAMOND MEMBERS MARILYN BERGMAN CHARLES BERNSTEIN Van Alexander Charles Arthur Hamilton Kristen Anderson-Lopez George S. Clinton J. Peter Robinson Mike Stoller Lori Barth Bill Conti Matthew Strachan Alan & Marilyn Bergman Clint Eastwood Richard Sherman Patrick Williams JAMES NEWTON HOWARD Dennis C. Brown Dan Foliart Chantal Burnison Charles Fox Peter Melnick Mark Snow LALO SCHIFRIN DIAMOND SPONSOR / SPECIAL FRIENDS Jay Cooper ALAN SILVESTRI PLATINUM MEMBERS PATRICK WILLIAMS Mark Adler Steven Bramson Atli Orvarsson Kubilay Uner Avni Altin Bear McCreary Gary Rottger Angela Rose White John Beal Garth Neustadter Howard Shore Austin Wintory Joseph Conlan Carlo Siliotto Amin Bhatia Thomas Newman Edward Trybek In Memoriam Advisory Board Members PLATINUM SPONSOR / SPECIAL FRIENDS JOHN CACAVAS Beth Krakower Derek Machann GOLD MEMBERS Cato Tim Davies Trevor Howard Pru Montin Jack Allocco Russ Howard III Greg Moore Tony Scott-Green Directors Elik Alvarez John DeFaria Wei-San Hsu Mitchel Moore Roxanne Seeman RAMON BALCAZAR Sara Andon David Delhomme Asuka Ito Sandro Morales Elizabeth Sellers Neil Argo Arhynn Descy Joel Iwataki Jeff Morrow Batu Sener LORI BARTH Alexander Arntzen Massimiliano (Max) Di Carlo Corey Jackson Helene Muddiman Leon Serchuk FLETCHER BEASLEY Sebastian Arocha Morton John Dickson Clydene Jackson David Murillo Rochelle Sharpe Charles-Henri Avelange Kevin Dorsey Ken Jacobsen Jonathan Neal Fletcher Sheridan BODDICKER Ramon Balcazar Joel Douek Garrett Johnson Eimear Noone RUSSELL BROWER Steve Barden Dennis Dreith Quincy Jones Abby North Michael Silversher DENNIS C. BROWN Bruce Dukov Matt Novack Helen Simmins-McMillin Joe Barrera Jr. Robert Duncan Seth Kaplan Liam O’Brien Gregory Smith GEORGE S. CLINTON Laura Dunn Dave Kinnoin Cindy O’Connor Scott Smith MIRIAM CUTLER Joel Beckerman JC Dwyer Greg O’Connor Stanley Smith Brian BecVar Stephen Endelman Christopher Klatman Bijan Olia Mark Smythe BENOIT GREY Charles Bernstein Joel Evans Kevin Kliesch Anele Onyekwere Arturo Solar IRA HEARSHEN Burak Besir Sharon Farber Lynn F. Kowal Julia Pajot LYNN F. KOWAL Edie Lehmann Boddicker Finch Michael A. Lang Hannah Parrott Michael Lehmann Boddicker Arlene Fishbach Didier Lean Rachou Nate Pennington Karen Tanaka Hélène Muddiman Shelley Fisher Jeremy Tisser GREG PLISKA Bill Brendle Pablo Flores Tori Letzler Art Phillips Charles (Ched) Tolliver ELIZABETH ROSE Richard Bronskill Attila Fodor Mark LeVang Stu Phillips Kevin Brough Andy Forsberg Michael Levine John Piscitello John Torcello ADRYAN RUSS Russell Brower Alexandre Fortuit Katherine Liner Kim Planert Tyler Traband GARRY SCHYMAN Dan Brown Jr Pam Gates Chandler Poling Genevieve Vincent Benedikt Brydern Grant Geissman Charley Londono Mikel Prather Jay Wadley ELIZABETH SELLERS Kenneth Burgomaster Alexander Geringas Zoe Lustri Damir Price Jack Wall AUSTIN WINTORY Dennis Burke Jim Gilstrap David Majzlin Judi Pulver Diane Warren Bill Cantos Scott William Malpede Mac Quayle Past Presidents Kristopher Carter William Goldstein Gerard Marino J. Ralph Beth Wernick RC Cates Joel Goodman Tracey Marino Ron Ramin Frederik Wiedmann Sacha Chaban Mark Graham Vance Marino Alan Williams Harry Gregson-Williams Billy Martin Allan Rich David Williams Simone Cilio Lorna Guess Benjamin Mason Eyvonne Williams Shawn Clement Christine Hals Harvey Mason Carlos Rivera Jonathan Wolff JAY CHATTAWAY Elia Cmiral Crispin Hands Arlene Matza-Jackson Jerry Cohen Wayne Hankin Michael McCuistion Gernot Wolfgang RAY COLCORD Kaveh Cohen Bruce Healey Joel McNeely Enis Rotthoff Catharine Wood Jim Cox Jeffrey Michael Adryan Russ Doug Wood DAN FOLIART Leah Curtis Linda Herman Bruce Miller David Wood Imre Czomba Shari Hoffman Bryan Miller Steven Saltzman Christopher Young ARTHUR HAMILTON Chanda Dancy Tricia Minty Paula Salvatore Maciej Zielinski MARK WATTERS Jana Davidoff Scott Holtzman Brian Moe David Schwartz

ISSN 1066-5447 GOLD SPONSORS / SPECIAL FRIENDS Society of Composers & Lyricists Amy Andersson Ray Costa Anne Juenger Nick Redman John Tempereau Barend Bendorf Laura Engel Costa Kotselas John Rodd Robert Townson 8447 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 401 Todd Brabec Susan Friedman Richard Kraft Juan Rodriguez John Traunwieser Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Les Brockmann Jeffrey Graubart Roxanne Lippel Michael Ryan Alexander Vangelos Ph (310) 281-2812 Jonathan Broxton Ken Helmer Patty Macmillan Jeffrey Sanderson Vasi Vangelos Jon Burlingame Sabrina Hutchinson Kimberly McMichael Bonnie Silver Jordan Von Netzer [email protected] Andrew Cohen Lynda Jacobs Stacey Neisig Henry Stanny Steven Winogradsky

2 P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S A G E Gear Of Future Past By Ashley Irwin his past January I made my annual new ideas (in much the same way pilgrimage to that mecca of musical remakes are seemingly announced on a daily hedonism, the NAMM show. For more basis) but there’s no denying familiarity with Tthan 30 years I’ve taken the trek and trudg- a particular brand or model of a legacy piece ed the halls to the incessant cacophony of carries a certain cachet in today’s marketplace. manufacturers doing their best to demon- Consider the number of analogue keyboard strate the latest reason to separate you remakes or outboard gear emulations, in both from your money. While the purpose of the software and hardware, that are currently convention remains the same, the scope and available. It’s much safer for a manufacturer style has evolved over the years, reflecting to coast on the lore of an original model the changes in technology and the way music than introduce a new one. Some of us are is created. old enough to recall the introduction of the As I wandered the halls and hotels sur- Yamaha DX-7, FM synthesis and the accom- veying the latest offerings alongside a seem- panying euphoria. We all embraced these ingly inexhaustible array of vintage recrea- cool new sounds but few of us took the tions, I began to ponder: is anything here time to learn how to create or edit using the actually going to enable me to create better operators, carriers and modulators (Ed: FM To be brutally honest, music? Different sounds, clearer mixes, faster terminology). So while we can always be workflow...maybe. But better music? Are my lured by new and interesting sounds, I writing better music is compositions going to be improved by any- say most of us just want to grab a preset, make not dependent on your thing on display at NAMM? a cursory filter or envelope modification and Granted, the addition of a new instrument, maybe run it through an interesting effect tools and it never will piece of gear or sound library to one’s arsenal before moving on. I don’t discount that the can often provide inspiration that may have pressure of tight schedules and impossible be. So why do we keep otherwise remained untapped, but maybe no turnaround times demand that we work as more than experiencing a virtuoso playing expeditiously as we possibly can and, what buying new stuff? music with which you are unfamiliar, or an might be deemed by some, the luxury of overseas trip that exposes you to indigenous elongated experimentation with a particular music of the region. To be brutally honest, sound source is simply not a viable option. writing better music is not dependent on But maybe we’re discarding some of our your tools and it never will be. So why do we sound sources prematurely. Maybe they have keep buying new stuff? not totally outlived their usefulness and just Take a moment to consider how many maybe, they are worth revisiting. You might synths and sound libraries you’ve owned be surprised by what you have yet to discover over the years. Then think about how many and how much more they have to offer. of those you explored in depth and how Anything that inspires our creativity has many of which you just scratched the surface value and we can all do with a little extra before moving on, only to repeat the process. inspiration occasionally. But never delude I make this point, not as a criticism but a yourself that new sounds or equipment will wake-up call. It would be disingenuous to make you a better . Coveting the suggest that many manufacturers are merely ”latest and greatest” gear is a tendency to revisiting gear of a bygone era for lack of any which we can easily succumb. g

American Youth Symphony Fundraiser he American Youth Symphony was completely in synch with a live to picture perfect performance of renowned composer Alan Silves- tri’s score to the iconic Back to the Future on November 13th at TUCLA’s Royce Hall. The BMI-sponsored , conducted by award- winning BMI composer/conductor , was a fundraiser for the important work AYS does to inspire the future of classical music.

L-R: Alan Silvestri, BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross and David Newman

3 N O T E S F R O M N E W Y O R K SCL Events Screening: Lion with Dustin O’Halloran and Post-screening Q&A moderated by Chris Hajian Thursday, November 17th Park Avenue Screening Room

L-R: Dustin O’Halloran, Chris Hajian, Hauschka

Screening: Jim: The Story with J. Ralph Wednesday, December 7th Magno Sound & Video

Mark Roos (center) with The New School’s Tal Shamir (left) and Rafael Parra (right) L-R: Allison Leyton-Brown, Michael John SCL NY and The New School co-event: LaChiusa RUFF CUTS Short Screening Featuring films scored by recent alumni of the SCL NY Mentor Program Friday, November 18 Arnold Hall at The New School SCL NY and NYU Steinhart co-event: Composer-to-Composer with Michael John LaChiusa Thursday, December 8th Theatre at NYU Steinhart

L-R: Ashley Irwin,

Annual Holiday Party Honoring 2017 SCL NY Ambassadors Jonathan Tunick, and L-R: Danny Gray, Ron Sadoff, Thursday, December 1 Allison Leyton-Brown, Michael John LaChiusa, Katie Thompson, Manhattan Movement and Arts Center Greg Pliska

L-R: Ashley Irwin, Tom Kitt

4 T H E B U S I N E S S S I D E Marketing Yourself To Obtain Work In Cinema Music By Michael Isaacson elcome my gifted young friend. You Enough prologue; here’s a list of ten pru- have recently graduated from a fine dent tactics to help you market yourself and music school that has a first-rate land that first “big break!” So please learn Wmusic scoring curriculum, you’ve “begged, them, perfect them, and practice them until borrowed, and stolen” to get the necessary they are an organic part of who you are and funds to try your luck here in or you become the success you always knew in New York for a while and be discovered that you could be. as the bright, innovative media music com- posing talent that you are, and now you are 1. Know what projects are currently in ready to be hired for your first professional production and might not have a composer scoring assignment. or support personnel attached as yet. Suddenly, a wave of horrific panic over- Subscribe to all the periodicals and web- whelms you as you realize, after some initial sites and obtain pertinent studio personnel communications and insight, that you are or acting call sheets that list imminent or cur- one of literally hundreds of others around rently in-production projects. Be proactive in I believe...that there are your same age possessing the same talent, inquiring about these work possibilities and educational pedigree and aspirations; all vy- drop off a demo and resume the same day certain basic, common ing for that first media musical opportunity. to the relevant production office. Include a sense steps that have Some wind up never getting a shot, give up ­music cue and or written information that and return home or settle for work beneath say you are “tailor-made” for this particular been proven to work in their dreams. Others even agree, in a moment assignment. of insanity, to work for nothing just to get a the past, can be small back end screen credit; hardly bright 2. Know how hiring is done in TV, net outlooks in this highly competitive pursuit of streaming and feature projects. effectively employed by building a career. Make a list of the shows whose music you But it doesn’t have to be your outcome if admire and learn who is driving the bus. In you in the present, and you learn and bring into play some funda- other words, is it the studio or independent mental, specific marketing tools to the act of producer, agent packager, star, composer or increase the odds of you selling yourself as a knowing professional someone else making the creative picks and finding work in your hyphenate (composer/arranger/producer decisions about music personnel? Know- conductor) as well as for the fine music you ing who is doing the hiring will prevent you desired future of movie demonstrate that you can create and produce. from talking to the wrong people, becoming While the perceptive educator/composer discouraged, and spinning wheels in pursuit scoring. Richard Bellis suggests that writing anything of a writing assignment. Make friends with about getting a scoring job “is a work of fic- the appropriate person’s secretary and aides tion,” I believe (both from objective observa- as well. They are founts of information. tion and personal experience) that there are certain basic, common sense steps that have 3. Know the composers who are currently been proven to work in the past, can be ef- scoring on a regular basis. fectively employed by you in the present, and In our frantic deadline work environment increase the odds of you finding work in your even the most talented, ablest composers need desired future of movie scoring. They might support personnel to research, ­arrange, or- not guarantee you immediate employment, chestrate and/or musically prepare the com- but knowing these few hints is hardly rocket poser’s musical ideas. Composers by neces- science and very well might get you closer to sity need to be “companies” under one name. that iconic “Yes you’re hired!” and help more Contacting a composer (or more realistically than you’ve ever realized in achieving your sending in your name and having them con- vocational goals. Yet, when I regularly advise tact you) is a wonderful way to initially work young composers and arrangers who study for a professional, learn their style, artistic film scoring with me, I am flummoxed to approach, and orient you to their successful learn that so many have hardly utilized these working skills. If you get paid for your labors marketing devices and, indeed, too few have it is honorable work even if, at first, screen even considered the efficacy of these strategies. credits are unavailable for you. Continued on Next Page

5 are already steadily working). When You are a one-person business. Have Marketing Yourself the moment arises, have a few short professionally made business cards, Continued from Page 5 words that tell the right person who resumes, and demo reels to offer and 4. Hang out and socialize with you are and what you can bring to their belong to professional organizations. those who have the power to engage project. It is called an “elevator speech” There are so many of you wanting this and hire you. and it should be casually and conver- initial opportunity that some of you Most musicians hang out with other sationally spoken in less time than it even agree, in a moment of insanity, musicians (some of whom are in direct takes for a person to get on or off an to work for nothing just to get a back competition with you for your next elevator. If this is hard for you because end screen credit. This is a mistake, not job). While you should obviously be of shyness, practice one-minute “pitch- only does it drag everyone down in the literate and informed, knowing all the es” in the mirror until they come easily. field, but you, personally, will hence- musicians in the community, if you I began orchestrating for forth be known as one who works on want to work make friends and social- after an “elevator speech” I gave that the cheap and, therefore could never be ize with writers, and other non-musical informed him that I studied with his the “real stuff.” This is your profession. acquaintances. Note the producer, di- friend and colleague Henry Brant and Treat it as respectfully as a doctor treats rector, production executive, composer, I knew the style of his current project his or her career. When you do, others music agent, music librarian and prep- very well. I began arranging dance cues will perceive your professional desir- aration crew etc. on all shows that you for him and later substituted for him ability, integrity and worth as well. admire. Research their other work as on a TV show when he was recording 9. Understand each project’s possi- well and screen as many of their shows a simultaneous feature project. In re- ble pitfalls and have some basic solu- as possible. When you meet them you’ll turn, when other features came along, tions in your back pocket just in case. be knowledgeable and come across as he recommended me to the producer to a fan of their work. You’ll also iden- carry on his TV work and later assume This is a more subtle, finer point tify and associate their creative team the full compositional responsibilities. but can mean the difference between quickly as craftsmen tend to work to- Practice elevator speeches until they being hired or passed over. Compos- gether again often. Learn their favorite seem effortless. This is harder than it ers are often so frenzied and harassed sport activities, and service organiza- sounds but you can do it with practice. by their producer or director that they tions and become involved along with sometimes cannot put their finger on a them in volunteering in community 7. Make sure that your resume and missing link or weak point in their own events. Chances are you’ll meet them demo reel can both be read and lis- work at the moment something new on a social basis and get to know them tened to in less than three minutes. and different is requested. If you know as friends who might very well want As concise as you hone your “eleva- what might help them and the project’s to help you and have you help them. tor speech”, make sure your demo reel luster, it is always a plus for you as well. I know composers whose careers got a tells your musical story in or less For example I worked with the kick-start through pick up basketball closely segued cues of 20 seconds or great Elmer Bernstein on a project that games, charity work, and other get- less. I cannot tell you how many deci- called for Cajun barroom music. Elmer togethers with established composers. sion makers have lost interest in even wasn’t certain where to get some of this 30-second cues or “quasi-listened” music to listen to and authenticate its 5. Never bad-mouth anyone’s work while on the phone with someone else. orchestration, but I did and shared it or personality. People in the know can hear if you’ve with him in a very timely manner that While it is natural to feel that you got “it” in even five seconds so don’t same day. I wound up orchestrating are as good or better than certain com- bore them with every cue that you’ve these cues for him and worked with posers and arrangers who are working ever loved writing. Also, a resume him many times afterwards. The com- more than you, it is never smart to ever should not be a one size fits all. You posing and life lessons I learned from demean or “bad-mouth” their efforts should make a resume emphasizing Elmer were more than enough of a re- to others. First of all you never know different aspects of your experience for ciprocal kindness. what working conditions they labored each distinct hiring possibility. Make under, and secondly, negative words 10. Don’t take the gift of employ- sure that it is no more than one page, ment for granted. Send thank you always manage to come full circle in twelve-point font, and double-spaced. this business and hit you in the head. notes that are heart felt and well writ- If they want to know more they’ll ask. ten (not e-mails) and also consider Be a person who lavishes praise when Just tell them the bottom line informa- it is earned and keeps your mouth shut sending a small gift of gratitude to tion that will get you the job. Read- your helpful employer when, indeed, when the results or the personalities ing your resume and listening to your are less than they should be. the first and subsequent assignments demo should take them no more than come along. three minutes. They are busy people 6. Have one or more one-minute with short attention spans. The best thing you can do to lead a ­elevator speeches prepared for that fulfilled and happy life is to be grate- singular moment of opportunity. 8. Join the A. F. of M, The SCL, ful and show your sincere gratitude for You don’t get many moments to rep- ASCAP, BMI or other rights organiza- kindnesses shown to you. Say thanks resent yourself (in reality, music agents tions and always present yourself as a in meaningful ways and be there for do not want to represent you until you professional. your employers when they need you. If Continued on Page 22

6 T E C H T A L K NAMM 2017: Tools For Composers By Fletcher Beasley he NAMM show can be a difficult place litzers, Fender Rhodes, upright , an to hear new products. However, tucked exquisitely sampled Yamaha C7 and many away amongst the screaming , other unusual electric and acoustic key- batteringT drums, din of band and brass boards. At the show, Spectrasonics introd- instruments and general chaos of a large uced the “Keyscape Creative” library, a free convention I found a number of interesting upgrade for Omnisphere 2 users who also products worthy of note to the working own Keyscape. It includes 1200 new patches composer. that transform the Keyscape sounds using Orchestral Tools (www.orchestraltools) Omnisphere 2’s synthesis engine. Keyscape has a new Kontakt library called Metropolis is available for $399. Ark 2. Unlike its predecessor Ark 1, which Eduardo Tarilonte, creator of libraries emphasized fortissimo orchestral textures, such as Forest Kingdom, Desert Winds, Epic Ark 2 focuses on low and quite orchestral World and Shevannai, has released a new sounds for epic drama. There are four Kontakt library of historic solo voices. Era II categories—orchestra (strings, woodwinds Vocal Codex features four different voices, and brass), choir (children, angelic female and two male and two female, and would work Trax...can transform basso profundo), low percussion and key- well on any project that needs to evoke a board sounds. The library features unusual medieval or fantasy musical landscape. Each the gender of voices sectional combinations and instruments, like voice includes five true legato vowels and bass flutes, on the lower end of the orchestra’s velocity triggering of syllables allowing for and combine different range. It retails for $599. lifelike vocal phrases. The demos are very Spitfire Audio (www.spitfireaudio.com) impressive. Era II Vocal Codex is distributed instruments into has a few new sounds to add to their extensive by Best Service (www.bestservice.de) and has unusual combinations collection of Kontakt-based libraries. Albion V a retail price of $159. Tundra captures a 100-piece orchestra playing Big Fish Audio (www.bigfishaudio.com) without any soft dynamics from mezzo down to the has several new Kontakt libraries that I found quietest recordings possible. Tundra com- interesting. Grindhouse is designed to recreate degradation or artifacts. bines classic orchestral articulations with the sound of 1970s genre cinema. If you need many patches that use orchestral source ma- something that evokes the spaghetti , terial to create sounds that are organic and Blaxploitation or grindhouse films of that unique. It retails for $449. era this would be good choice for your sonic Spitfire recently consolidated its modu- palette. It is not intended to be high fidelity, lar orchestral libraries into the Spitfire Sym- but does a good job of capturing the edgy and phony Orchestra. The SSO includes four retro-cool vibe of the scores from those films. libraries—Spitfire Symphonic Strings, Spitfire It is available for $99.95. Surface Tension is Symphonic Brass, Spitfire Symphonic Wood- a library that uses samples that have been winds and Masse, a library based on the SSO plucked, struck, scraped and distorted in a samples, designed as a writing tool for quick, variety of ways as sound sources to create good sounding results. This product line organic beds, drones, pads and FX. It also has superseded Spitfire’s British Modular includes original impulse responses derived libraries but owners of those libraries can from real world sources, circuit bent FX units upgrade to SSO. SSO is available for $1699 and vintage delay lines to create unusual though each library can be purchased reverbs. At $69.99 it’s very reasonable but separately. Masse, however, requires the requires the full version of Kontakt to make libraries of the SSO in order to function since use of the Kontakt patches. The library also its patches are based on the samples found in includes apple loops and wave files. the other SSO libraries. For recordists, Dynamount (www. Spectrasonics has a new virtual instru- dynamount) has a series of remote micro- ment, Keyscape, which can be used on its phone positioning devices that allow you to own or loaded within Omnisphere 2. The change a microphone’s position using their has meticulously sampled 36 key- accompanying iOS or Android app connected board instruments to make the most accu- via Wi-Fi or USB. These devices work with rate and realistic sounding versions of these most mics and mic stands and start at $279 keyboards. The library includes celeste, Wur- for the single axis version. The application Continued on Next Page

7 plugin from Ircam designed to simulate displays the harmonics of each note so Tech Talk loudspeaker configurations for multi it could be used to tell if a string Continued from Page 7 format mixes. It is targeted for mixers needs to be changed if the overtones allows very precise adjustments and who need to mix in multiple formats are out of tune with the fundamental. the ability to save presets for quick from Atmos to stereo and allows them The Snail works on both monophonic recall. to reconfigure and output the speaker and polyphonic sources and can array without having to remix for each therefore be used for harmonic analysis PageFlip (www.pageflip) has a format. It retails for $1290. Trax, priced of recordings. It is available for $99. wireless Bluetooth foot pedal for at $399, is a plugin that features a suite Sonarworks (www.sonarworks. turning pages of music displayed on of three processors to filter, model and com) has a great product for studio a notepad or laptop. PageFlip pedals morph audio sources in unique ways. calibration. Reference 3 is a plugin that are compatible with any application It can transform the gender of voices you insert on your DAW’s master bus to that uses arrow keys or PageUp/ and combine different instruments into compensate for acoustic issues in your PageDown to navigate digital files. unusual combinations without any studio so you can deliver recordings They offer three different models with audible degradation or artifacts. that translate well on any system. It varying levels of functionality. Snail is an absolute tuning has two settings, one for speakers and baseline model, Butterfly, retails for plugin and application from Ircam one for headphones. Sonarworks sells $89.95. Lab (www.ircamlab.com) available a bundle for $279 that includes the Ircam (www.iram.fr) is a French for Mac OS. It has a circular interface plugin, an omni directional microphone company started in 1977 by avant- that looks like the shell of a nautilus. and room calibration software that will garde composer, , as a The twelve pitches of the western scale analyze your room and tweak the EQ research institution in music and sound are arranged around the circle with curve of the plugin so it is specific for that does cutting edge research in notes displayed as colorful blobs. What your studio. I can attest that it works audio. Spat (www.fluxhome.com) is a makes The Snail unique is that it also quite well. g

Back row, L-R: BMI lab fellow and composer Alexis Grapsas, BMI Executive Doreen At Sundance Ringer-Ross, Sundance Institute lab fellow and composer Amritha Vaz, MI and Sundance put Director of the Sundance Institute the Spotlight on Music Film Music Program and BMI com- in Film at Composer/Di- poser Peter Golub, and Sundance Institute lab fellows and composers Brector Roundtable in Park City, Amie Doherty and Morgan Kibby UT, January 24, 2017. Front row, L-R: Sundance Institute lab fellows and composers Melisa McGregor and Stephanie Economou pictured at BMI’s Cause for Celebra- tion Annual Dinner at the Zoom during Sundance, 2017

L-R: BMI composer and Sundance Lab Advisor Jeff Beal, Director of the Sundance Institute Film Music Program and BMI composer, Peter Golub, BMI Executive Doreen Ringer- Ross, BMI composers and Sundance Lab Advisors and George S. Clinton pictured at BMI’s Roundtable ‘Music & Film: The Creative Process’

L-R: Director Brett Haley, BMI L-R: Actress and cellist Lori , BMI Executive composers Keegan Dewitt, Laura Alison Smith, singer/ Angela McCluskey, Karpman and director Amanda Lip- BMI Executive Doreen Ringer-Ross, composer and itz pictured at BMI’s Roundtable multi-instrumentalist Paul Cantelone and Kraft-Engel ‘Music & Film: The Creative Executive Laura Engel pictured at the BMI Snowball Process’ on January 25, 2017 in Park City, Utah

8 V I E W P O I N T Why Embed Metadata? By Hélène Muddiman Article 1 Section 8 Clause 8 the copyright law gratefully receive any tool that can simplify or must prevail, “To promote the Progress of Science expedite this process and creators should be and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times involved in helping to create new standards to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to that affect them the most. their respective Writings and Discoveries.” I urge We need a comprehensive education pro- everyone to heed the founding fathers and never gram where the music industry decides, once lose sight of this clause, as it is our inherent right. and for all, to hold accountable the creators so they are not ignorant of their obligations rguably the worst part of any job is the and responsibilities to provide accurate data boring administration and paperwork. and hopefully upload their IP to a database Finally, there are increasingly more for accurate, automated accounting via new Aorganizations and companies who are one-click micro-licensing operating systems addressing this issue for creators. DDEX*, of the future. OCL* being one that is about to Auddley, Jammber, Cleartracks, OMI*, to explode, I hope! name but a few. There are many jobs in the music supply Creators need tools to help them quickly chain that have lost their revenue source and easily do the essential work of accurate due to declining record sales (producers and The key to future data collection around copyrights at the time producer/engineers). New income streams a new work is created. can be fair and reward all those in the supply payment mechanisms There are so many organizations that chain now that we have the technology that represent creators, for example ECSA*, can deal with this kind of complexity, and it on the Internet is BASCA*, SCL*, SONA*, NSAI*, NARIP*, yet is our duty to make sure everyone is fairly accurate, embedded they are all notably absent from DDEX and compensated in the future. The Open Music Initiative. Creators can come together and give clear metadata. Creators It is vitally important that the creative com- guidelines as to what are acceptable splits munities have a seat at these tables if we are and industry accepted common practices must have a seat at to get the tools we need. It is crucial that all to stamp out abuse that has been rife in the devices that output digital files, whether that music industry. the table when the be a DAWS or a camera or an iPhone, output file formats that contain as much embedded Conclusion tools and standards metadata as possible for accurate labeling to The key to future payment mechanisms on are being developed. instruct future payment mechanisms. the Internet is accurate, embedded metadata. The lack of specialist tools for adding data Creators must have a seat at the table when at source has contributed to the amount of the tools and standards are being developed. bad data (or non-existent data) in the past, The first step in disseminating this infor- but we can be the solution by embedding mation throughout the music community accurate data in all future digital file formats is by encouraging all organizations that at the time of creation. represent creators to join DDEX and OMI. In the future, all our data could be stored Creators have power when we unite in Footnotes* in our DAWS or on ID cards or connected to organizations that represent our interests. DDEX (Digital Data Exchange, our unique ID number so that we can easily The aim is to influence manufacturers of LLC) populate metadata information on every DAWS and devices to easily output digital OMI (The Open Music Initiative) digital file. Information like who engineered files that can be embedded with accurate ECSA (European Composer and the file, who played on it, who wrote it, who metadata. Creators must know how to easily Songwriter Alliance) publishes it, who owns the recording, which embed the accurate metadata to ensure the BASCA (British Academy of PRO they are affiliated with, etc. accurate tracking of all their copyrights. , Composers and It will become second nature and part of The most important thing is to make sure Authors) our job as a creator that we know we have to you become part of the metadata no matter The SCL (The Society of Composers and Lyricists) take responsibility for. what studio your composition comes out of. SONA (Songwriters of North After all, the creators are the only ones Whether you are a composer, songwriter, America) who can give accurate data; the publisher or engineer, producer, performer, publisher, NSAI (Nashville Songwriter record company has no idea until they ask the record company. Association International) creator who did what, and all the information The best way to make this a reality is to NARIP (National Association of surrounding those people and their third make your voice heard by joining as many Record Industry Professional) party affiliations. Creative communities will organizations that represent your interests. g OCL (One Click Licensing)

9 N E W G E A R Synchro Arts Revoice Pro 3 By Jack D. Elliot hether you are working in film dub- selected notes or group of notes, so you can bing or post production, or adjusting completely tune it or fine tune as needed. This pop vocals, Revoice Pro 3 is a strong flexibility for either major or minor changes Wcompetitor for both Celemony’s Melodyne allows you to keep the performance as close and Antares’ Autotune. Famous for their to the original as possible. VocALign plugin, Synchro Arts has included A feature I love is the smooth tool. When VocALign’s time-alignment functions and tuning vocals, the change from one note or pitch correction with Revoice Pro 3, making it syllable to the next can sometimes sound a powerhouse for voice editing and providing choppy. The smooth tool does a great job of the ability to fix timing or pitch correction on smoothing out these transitions. This is such any audio you would like. Revoice Pro 3 can a time saver and very handy, as opposed make double-tracked performances from the to other programs that force you to tweak original source, which is great for making note by note. You are also able to use a pitch extra harmonies. My recommendation is corrected track or region as a guide for creat- always to make doubles of harmonies you ing doubles, meaning that you only need have recorded as opposed to using the com- to edit the pitch correction one time. If you puterized versions by themselves, unless that decide to make changes to your original lead, Revoice Pro 3 can is the effect you are going for. I worked with these can easily be applied to the doubles and doubling bass to thicken up the sound, and to other takes, too. make double-tracked Revoice Pro 3 did a great job coming up with Overall, the quality of Revoice Pro 3 is performances from the a double layer. excellent. Easy to use. Great online manual. Revoice Pro 3 is a standalone program, and The tech support is also very good, which I original source, which is you will need an iLok to use the software. You feel is a crucial component when deciding can load audio into the standalone, or you can to purchase a product. I really enjoyed using great for making extra use the Revoice Pro Link plugin to capture Revoice Pro 3, and I encourage composers audio from DAW tracks in Logix X, Protools, and editors to check it out as an alternative harmonies. or others. Once the audio is in Revoice Pro, to Melodyne. My only wish would be to you can turn it into a warp region using the incorporate it as a plugin, instead of just a ‘Make Warp Region’ command. Each note standalone, but otherwise, no major cons or syllable will receive its own block to edit, to talk about. You can check out a video to and adjusting the audio is easy. Like Protools see how quickly you can create a natural- Elastic Audio warping, just drag left or right, sounding vocal harmony using Revoice stretching the audio. You can adjust both the Pro. http://www.synchroarts.com/videos/ timing of the notes and the pitch either up or revoice-pros-manual-tools-for-fast-time-and- down. There is a slider on the bottom for the pitch-correction) g

B O O K R E V I E W

Hal David: His Magic Moments There Is Always Something There To Remind Me Dorrance Books $27.00* By Eunice David This book is a joy to read from cover to cover. Eunice David remembers the life of her late husband, legendary songwriter , and shares so many glorious stories about his songs, the people they met along the way and the experiences they shared. I never realized how extensive a career Hal had until one page after another led to one story after another, never ending! Aside from being one of 20th Century’s top lyricists, Hal was President and a distinguished member of ASCAP’s Board of Directors, Chairman Emeritus of the Songwrit- ers Hall of Fame and recipient of its inaugural Visionary Leadership Award, and was hon- ored as Ambassador by the Society of Composers and Lyricists. Hal David: His Magic Moments is available for purchase at www.dorrancebookstore.com *Songwriters Hall of Fame, ASCAP, and SCL members receive 10% discount with code ASCAP10

10 W h a t ’ s H a p p e n i n g By Lori Barth he Hollywood Bowl once again welcomed Halloween with ’s 1993 masterpiece The TNightmare Before Christmas, featuring three performances of the classic film accompanied by live orchestral per- formances of BMI composer ’s iconic score last weekend. In addition Elfman, performed his Oingo Boingo hit “Dead Man’s Party” with guitarist .

L-R: Miriam Cutler, scholarship recipient Victoria Ruggiero, BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross, scholarship recipient Vincent Isler, Emmy-winning BMI composer Lolita Ritmanis, Chair of Berklee’s film scoring department and award-winning BMI composer Alison Plante and President of , Roger Brown BMI Day at Berklee featured women composers Lolita Ritmanis and Miriam Cutler in a full day of giving expert, L-R: Laura Engel, Danny Elfman, first-hand advice to students. In addi- BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross, and tion, BMI scholarships in honor of the MC for the night and voice in the two female composers were presented film, Greg Proops

to talented students, Vincent Isler and

g g

g Victoria Ruggiero, during a luncheon.

g g L-R: Vocalist Rebecca Faulkenberry, SCL g Ambassador Jonathan Tunick and SCL President Ashley Irwin raise a toast at the

SCL Holiday Party in NY.

g g g L-R: Vance and Diane Warren and Reese Wither- Tracey Marino, spoon were honored by Girls Inc. for Adyran Russ their commitment to empowering and Dale ?? at women and girls. Girls Inc. inspires the Hancock Park all girls to be strong, smart, and bold reception for the through advocacy and direct service. filmPO

Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer’s operatic adaptation of the beloved story, It’s a Wonderful Life, at Houston’s Grand . The two act opera, which is a different take on Phil- ip Van Doren Stern’s 1943 short story “The Greatest Gift,” which the classic film is also based on. L-R: BMI composer Jake Heggie, Talise Trevigne (Clara) and BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross

11 Benj Pasek & Justin Paul

Ambitiously Optimistic About Getting Things Done

INTERVIEWED BY ADRYAN RUSS

Pasek and Paul, as they are known to Score: Thanks for being with us. to be by their side, and get to see their the theater community, won a Golden You’ve been having a busy month! and our work being celebrated—is sur- real and overwhelming for us. It’s the Globe with for “City Paul: We’re honored to get to be part of first feature film we’ve ever been a part the projects we’re working on and hap- of Stars” from , and a Los of and we were all just trying to make py to be busy. We’ve always wanted to Angeles Film Critics Award. Their something cool together. Getting to cel- be songwriters, and that’s what we’re musical recently ebrate it is very fulfilling for us. happy to do. opened on Broadway and is garnering Score: Going back in time a bit to great reviews. They’ve been on Broad- Score: With all of these new projects where you started, with your song way with their musicals A Christmas and accolades, are there any special score for , your first work togeth- Story, The Musical (Tony, Drama moments that happened that stick out er at the …. Desk, Outer Critics Circle nomina- in your minds? Is that the show that got you to New tions), (Lucille Lortel Award Pasek: One of the coolest things is that York, or was it the Jonathan Larsen award (an award established by the winner, Drama League, Outer Crit- we started working on La La Land in 2014 and were in rooms with (com- estate of the composer to help ics Circle, Evening Standard musical theater writers early in their Awards nominations), James and poser) Justin Hurwitz and (director) , going through a lot careers), or the kindness of ? The Giant Peach, and Edges. Their of drafts of the songs, dashing back and Paul: Edges had been performed at col- TV credits include , Sesame forth between Los Angeles and New leges and small theaters around the Street and . York for four-day or five-day sessions, country. It was that, plus Jeff Marx (co- Their current projects are discussed in and what’s been so unbelievable to us songwriter with Robert Lopez of Av- the interview below. Honors: Richard is—we are in a room with these guys enue Q) allowing us to intern for him, Rodgers Award for , trying to figure out song moments, try- also applying for the Larsen Award— ing to get to the best lyric we can come having that vote of confidence—acts of ASCAP New Hori- up with—and now, to see our col- encouragement—that made us feel that zons Award; Award. leagues dressed up in their suits or tux- we could move to New York and give it They are members of the Dramatists edos at these award shows that we’ve a try. You can get an idea of your talent Guild of America, Inc. only watched on TV before—and get and take it where you want it to go, but Continued on Next Page

12 I think we had that vote of confidence duced around the world for young, re- the stage. And while La La Land is the from some really special places—writ- gional audiences? first movie musical for which we’ve ers who were heroes of ours—and also written, it felt different because we Paul: When we started working on it, being with Music Theatre International were approaching it like we were writ- we were trying to force a square peg (MTI)—all those things put wind in ing an original musical. There was a into a round hole—trying to make the our sails and made us think we could script in place, and we knew that we show something it was never meant to do this. needed to work on making songs move be. We were set on making it a really story, but nothing was set. There was appealing commercial show, and it was Pasek: Yes, it takes people to believe no former version. We had to originate trying to be too many things at once. in you sometimes before you believe it with Justin and Damien. It was more We may have been trying to appeal to in yourself. There were people who like developing an original musical for too wide an audience. There were a lot supported us early on when we didn’t the stage. We had the gift of an amazing of ingredients that looked good on pa- have confidence in ourselves. They director, and had worked with Justin per but wound up not working once helped us believe we could make a go and Damien on developing melodies we got in the room. This is a story that of this as a career. before we came aboard, so we had a lot is beloved by children and families. We of information already in place. We had Score: Edges is written for four ac- were approached by a theater in Se- more data than we had for Dear Evan tors, but it can be expanded to include attle for young audiences. They asked Hansen. Having some data to work many more actors playing a variety about adapting the show to be an inter- from was amazing, with people who of roles. Colleges and universities esting and colorful show for a young were creating it from scratch. tend to love this because they can use audience. When we started to look at as many students as possible. Is that it that way, it made a lot more sense. It (Note: Justin and Benj didn’t answer something you learned at Michigan, allowed us to streamline the show and this in our interview, but here’s how something you recommend? embrace what it was meant to be. We it happened. They heard about La La had about five years between those two Paul: We wrote the show meaning for Land from Richard Kraft, Kraft-Engel, events, so we had time to think about it. it to be a really bare-bones thing. We got on the phone with Chazelle and We sat on it for quite some time, and ap- had four singers, a small band and Hurwitz and talked general approach proached it completely fresh—with our some stools. The spirit of it was in the and tone of the film. Encouraged by new goal, to create a really wonderful college tradition of, everybody, let’s get Kraft, they flew to LA, and invited show for a young audience—for family. together and put on a show. When peo- Chazelle and Hurwitz to dinner, after That’s when it started to feel right. ple do it, we hope they embrace that which, as it turns out, they wound up same spirit. We’ve seen productions Pasek: As Justin suggested, we were staying in a friend’s apartment, close to where projected photographs were trying to make a show that was appeal- where Hurwitz lives, and ran into each used as well as larger casts—we’ve just ing to people, trying to chase “com- other and chatted more. The next day, been open to productions that have mercial.” We ended up not succeeding they presented their first lyric, “City of that spirit—the same feeling about it because we weren’t letting the materi- Stars.”) we had in college. al breathe and be honored in the way Score: “” fulfills the material needed to be. We were the goal of a theater opening song, Score: You were commissioned to trying to get to an end product more turn James & The Giant Peach into a which is to take your audience into than thinking about what was best for the world we’re going into. “Audi- musical. How did that commission the actual show. That was a really big happen? tion” is a character/story song. Were lesson. Trying to chase this enigmatic you basically writing for this film as Pasek: It was commissioned by iThe- thing called “commercial theater” you do for theater—but thinking ad- atrics, which focuses on making larg- doesn’t help you wind up with a com- jectives vs. verbs? (Note: In the SCL er musicals work for mostly middle mercial show. Since then, we concen- Q&A following the screening of La and high school students. It’s a great trate more now on trying to tell stories La Land, Benj and Justin spoke about company. James & The Giant Peach is that appeal to us, honor the stories that how they tend to use more verbs in a property they wanted to turn into a we’re working on and have them come theater and more adjectives in films). full-length musical—one of the first from character. Paul: they developed. We were contacted Score: Your musical theater pieces For this project, we were, more by Timothy McDonald (iTheatrics Dogfight and were often than not, encouraged by Damien founder, formerly head of MTI’s edu- both inspired by movies, so you’ve —his vision was for the story to be spe- cation division), who wanted to write been connected with film for a while. cific, filled with detail, and to tell per- the book for the musical. He suggested How did the phone-conversation au- sonal stories. As you say, “Audition” it, for out-of-town development to the dition to write with Justin Hurwitz for is a theatrical number. “” Goodspeed Opera House. La La Land come about? captures a feeling, tells a story and also comments a bit on it, but overall I Score: At first, the show wasn’t work- Pasek: For Dogfight and A Christmas think we were conscious of the fact that ing quite right. Can you talk about Story we were working with source the sequence for “City of Stars” could your approach in turning it into material and thinking, how do we take cover a lot of ground in a way that a what’s now a very popular show, pro- what’s great about this and adapt it to theatrical show can’t—being able to cut Continued on Next Page

13 that you know is foolproof. This is ex- acters, but also what these characters Pasek & Paul hilarating—and also terrifying. might be listening to. It’s set in 2017— Continued from Page 13 for now, whatever the “now” is—what Score: I watched and listened to Ben to so many different, beautiful things. would this character be listening to on Platt sing “Waving Through the Win- Something like “Another Day of Sun” his iPhone? It’s always our goal to have dow” online many times. Musically is like a production number on stage them work as one—we don’t want and lyrically, it seems to capture that in that it happened in one location. In something that is too general, too pop. feeling of solitude we get—at his many ways we did approach it the way We’re always in search of a hybrid of character’s age, or any age. Where did we would theatrically. musical style. those lyrics come from? Score: Your story in Dear Evan Han- Score: Apart from style and character, On the outside always looking in… sen, having to let go of a lie that has, does vocal range factor into how you in essence, given you everything you Will I ever be more than I’ve always been? write—if you don’t always know who want in your life—is a powerful con- ‘Cause I’m tap, tap, tapping on the glass… you’re writing for, or even when you cept—and pretty relatable to today’s I’m . do? world. How did you work with Ste- I try to speak, but nobody can hear Paul: ÂMainly we write for character. ven Levenson (bookwriter) since the So I wait around for an answer to appear. Even if we don’t know the actor, we’re story originated with you? While I’m watch, watch, watching people pass focused on trying to find the sound of Pasek: We had character ideas, and I’m waving through a window a character, which would mean finding certain themes in search of a plot, and Oh, can anybody see? a natural vocal range for that character, were in search of someone who could which would be implicit in the kind of weave it all together, and when we met Is anybody waving back at me? songs any character would sing—in a Steven it really began to click for us. We © 2014, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul male register or female register. So it’s spent at least a year talking with him. Paul: The lyrics for any show we write, definitely something we’re conscious It wasn’t as if he would write dialogue above all else, we aim to make sure they of as we’re writing. In the end, once we and we would write songs—we would fit the character. Obviously we have to have the right actors, it’s all about mak- just get together and discuss: What is draw on our own experience to write ing it best for them—always open to al- the show about? What is the general anything—even if it’s for a character tering a key for the right performance. arc of these characters? Who are these who’s very different from ourselves. Score: Bringing us up-to-date, you are people? What are the actual themes? But for us, it was a question of—he’s now writing songs for a live-action Because we didn’t have anything we alone in his room, or alone in his head remake of Snow White, and you’ve were basing this material on, we want- —a voice he’s hearing—how would that started filming on - ed to make sure that our foundation character express himself? We wanted man, an original film musical about was as strong as possible in the outline to write something particular to him, the legendary P. T. Barnum, which stage. It was a gift to work with such but not too idiosyncratic, or too inac- stars Hugh Jackman. Rumor has it a fantastic playwright, who has a com- cessible. So we just want you to believe that you’ve started filming. mand of writing naturally for young the young man who’s about the people, with a fine understanding of way he feels. Ben is an incredible actor Paul: Yes! parents as well—and to be able to de- and singer. It’s extremely helpful to see Score: You sound excited. velop the story from the ground up. someone like him perform it. We talked Once you begin to musicalize cer- about how, in La La Land, Paul: We’re in the middle of it right tain moments, it becomes rather frus- and singing the songs is now—not much we can say about it trating, once you finely craft a song, to such a great litmus test, because we except that we’re thrilled. We’re work- have it all crumble once the plot chang- picture them singing—and we can im- ing with an incredible cast and creative es. So we always try to begin with a mediately tell if we’d written a good team. We feel very lucky to be part of strong foundation. Every single song lyric, or the right lyric. You feel, oh, I it. Everything looks beautiful—and we moment that we write initially, we usu- can totally buy Ryan singing that, or no are really excited! ally end up rewriting. When you write way, that’s not good enough for him, or Score: Richard Kraft, your super dou- an original musical, you don’t have cool enough for him. With , it’s ble agent (laughter) insists that, in that structure you have when adapt- getting to hear a great actor and great addition to your talent, you have the ing a film, where you know that the singer and decide if what we’ve written perfect outlook and personalities to end of Act 1 has to be “this,” or “this” aligns with that character. All those ac- make it. We should ask him, but for moment has to be a song. Everything tors are embodying the characters, and you, what does that mean? can change; you can wind up throwing our songs have to fit. out entire characters, or a storyline, or Paul: I think Richard is just saying arrive at different conclusions about Pasek: Also, music and lyrics go hand that we listen to Richard. (laughter) what that act should be—which can in hand. The style of a lyric is important We listen to him when he tells us to change everything. There’s a tremen- and needs to fit the style of music. What do things. He has always encouraged dous amount of freedom, but, at the we were striving for, particularly with us to be open to opportunities, recep- same time, you’re constantly at risk of Evan Hansen, was to write music that tive to notes and feedback from other not being able to fall back on anything could believably come from these char- people we’re working with, and to find Continued on Next Page

14 we’ve been learning something, it’s something, if you infuse it with pas- Pasek & Paul that there is great joy and satisfaction in sion, you love it and get excited by Continued from Page 14 pursuing something that you love and it, and you think it needs to be heard ways to make things works. If some- are genuinely passionate about. We’re —so much that you’ll scream it from thing isn’t working, he’ll ask, “What’s always happiest when we’re working the rooftops—I think it has more of a the world in which that could work?” on something exciting and inspiring chance than if you do something you Hopefully some of it has rubbed off. to us. Anyone who’s working on any think only other people will like. theater, movie or TV show—the hours We accept his ambitiously optimistic Score: Personal counts. outlook on getting things done. are always more than you thought, the work is always more than you expect- Pasek: I think so. Pasek: A lot of times Richard has ed, and in some respects always more pushed us when we doubted our abil- painful, so finding something you can Score: We cannot thank you enough for ity to work on a project, to find time latch onto that’s important to you— your time, your information, your tal- to take on work, or make something and also, working on something origi- ent. Please tell Ben Platt that The SCL work. If it’s something special, he nal that stems from something you care is waving back through the window. has encouraged us to just find a way. about—that’s what’s satisfying. With Pasek & Paul: Ah! We will! That’s Sometimes that means we won’t sleep Dear Evan Hansen, we never imagined great! Thank you guys for what you as much as we’d like, or we’re grasping it could go to Broadway, but if it hadn’t, did in LA—you’re a group of people at more than we know how to do. It’s we would always be excited that we we really admire and respect—it means all been beneficial for us. We’re incred- got to work on something that was our a lot to us. ibly grateful to have these opportuni- idea. We wanted to write that show ties. We don’t know that we’re going anyway. It’s a win/win situation when Score: The feeling is quite mutual, to have as much energy forever, but you’re working on an original idea as and once again—here’s to the ones for now we’re excited to be working on opposed to an adaptation, because no who dream. g these projects, throwing ourselves in as matter what, you got to write the show Adryan Russ (Composer/Lyricist) co-wrote fully as possible to the opportunities that you wanted to write. And if any- the off-Broadway, recently revived and re-cel- we’ve been given. thing happens with it, that’s just crazy. ebrated musical Inside Out with playwright Doug Haverty. Published by Samuel French, Score: You’re enjoying well-deserved Pasek: There’s a great line that Damien and available at Kritzerland.com, success—still, you’ve gone through Chazelle wrote—I’m going to do a bad it has been produced across the U.S. and ups and downs. Is there some ad- job of it—but it’s that people become abroad. Everyone Has A Story: The Songs vice you would give SCL composers passionate about what you are pas- of Adryan Russ (www.lmlmusic.com) fea- and songwriters who hope to write sionate about. That’s something that tures Broadway singers. Her song “Is It ­musicals? the character Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) Me?” co-written with Joel Evans appears in says in La La Land. I think he’s so wise the movie Doubt and with him has released Paul: We feel funny giving advice be- to articulate that. You write some- Changing My Tune, a collection of “new” cause we don’t know if we are in any thing. You find a way to have it seen film/TV standard songs. adryanruss.com | position to be giving it, but I guess if and heard. When you have to fight for playworksmusic.com

ASCAP L-R: ASCAP’s Mike Todd, ASCAP composer At Mark Kilian, ASCAP’s Shawn Lemone Sundance

L-R: ASCAP’s Mike Todd and Rachel Perkins with ASCAP composer Bear Mc- L-R: ASCAP composers on stage Creary, ASCAP’s Shawn Lemone, Composer at the Composer Filmmaker Agent Laura Engel at the ASCAP Sundance L-R: ASCAP’s Rachel Cocktail Reception at this year’s Composer Filmmaker Cocktail Reception at Perkins with ASCAP Sundance Film Festival this year’s Sundance Film Festival composer Joel Pickard

15 and releases. Before exporting your articulations and effects, multiple Sheet Music: The MIDI you should go through each cue, guitar sounds, multiple sample librar- Map To Your Score track by track and note by note. Note ies which are layered, or anything else. overlaps that create a legato feel in the Before you export your MIDI, think Continued from Page 1 demo should be removed. Tracks that about whether your DAW uses non- When it’s time for score preparation use the sustain pedal should have the destructive quantization or not. Some you usually won’t have a lot of time, so notes extended to their full duration. do and some don’t. If yours does you can’t be digging through manuals Percussion note durations almost al- then you may need to tell it to apply or menus to figure out how to make the ways need to be fixed because they the quantization destructively before tool work. As always, the final product are almost always either too short or exporting, or else your export may be is only as good as the person using the extremely long to allow for a sample’s the original untouched MIDI. tool. Study the software thoroughly, ring-out. It sounds slow, but it’s When imported to notation your and for the love of music don’t try to much faster in your sequencer than in quantization might not produce perfect use the built-in notation in your DAW notation. results, so the next step should always for anything but the simplest of tasks. You should always add key signa- be a quick proofread of the rhythms. To get from your DAW to a finished tures and time signatures in your MIDI You may need to correct any number score as quickly and precisely as files because it makes the MIDI import of things, but things like momentary possible, you must be aware that cleaner. It is simpler to change time note overlaps, grace notes, percussion there is a big difference between per- signatures in your DAW and you need notation, harmonics, fermatas, divisi, formance MIDI and notation MIDI. your DAW to match the score anyway, glissandi, and tremolos never import That’s part of why the built-in DAW so make sure they are all correct before properly and always need manual notation is always heavily flawed. The you export. Time signatures can be fixing. way we perform notes is not the same changed later of course, but there are Now that your notation as the way we write them on the page. some artifacts created by those changes is correct, the next step is to get all When converting a sequenced demo in the notation programs which are the music onto legal score staves. into sheet music the raw MIDI is wrong nice to avoid. Depending on how you programmed in many ways and always requires If you have MIDI tracks that will your MIDI this might be a simple or substantial changes. become multiple staves on paper, a nightmarish task, and this is where For example, if you play staccato it’s best to divide that MIDI up into your orchestration choices begin. A 8th notes, the MIDI will look like alter- multiple tracks in your DAW. When trombone section patch would need to nating 16th notes and rests. If you too much information is on one track, be split into the appropriate number intend to play a melody of even 8ths, the notation gets messy and sometimes of staves, but if you have a three-note your rhythm might be loose and they impossible to decipher. Instruments chord and four trombones you have a could come out as overlapping notes or that use the grand staff like piano and choice to make. The note you assign more complicated rhythms. You may harp need the hands separated to two to the fourth trombone makes a big sustain a note with the pedal, but the different staves. Single tracks for four difference in the tone of the chord. MIDI shows a short note. A timpani horns, full string ensembles, drum Those kinds of little choices compound patch may have left and right-hand kits, and other similarly layered tracks continuously, so as you wrangle your samples spanning the whole keyboard, need to be divided also. It’s sometimes MIDI into place you are actively so the MIDI would notate the right helpful to split up notes which will sculpting your music. Strings can be hand on a second staff in treble clef. be notated as separate voices on the particularly difficult to reduce to the Instruments with octave transpositions same staff. The note values will import requisite five staves, especially in like bass, glockenspiel, and celesta may properly when they’re alone, and you’ll active or epic music. be in the wrong octave. Key switches be able to simply merge them instead Once the MIDI is on the correct score need to be deleted. The number of of correcting the notation. staves, the orchestration work can begin MIDI tracks in the demo is almost Conversely, it is very common in earnest. Many people incorrectly always different from the number of that MIDI tracks need to be collapsed define orchestration as the assignment score staves, so the MIDI needs to down, but that is usually best done of notes to instruments, something be expanded or collapsed almost on in the notation program and not in you already did when making your almost every cue. the sequencer. For example, you may demo. That is more correctly called in- When preparing to export MIDI you have ten different tracks for violin strumentation. Even most published need to examine every single note and all using different articulations, and orchestration books are actually only think about how it needs to look on the the distinction between articulations about instrumentation. Orchestration page. This first step should absolutely would be lost if you put all the notes includes instrumentation, but it is happen in your DAW, not in notation, into one MIDI track. In that case, the much broader and includes arranging, and it’s something you can probably do fastest and best method is to import voicing, dynamics, expressive mark- much faster than anybody else because the ten violin tracks to notation, add ings, articulations, phrasing, breaths, you already know your intentions. All the appropriate articulations to each bowings, colors, the balance of acoustic notes should be quantized to the exact track throughout, and then copy/paste mass, conductor markings, and any durations you want to see on paper, the notation into one violin staff. This other aspect of music notation that you meaning you quantize both the attacks approach could also work with brass can think of. It is the art of man-aging Continued on Next Page

16 silly and counterproductive. Always Once your orchestration is finished, Sheet Music: The stay aware of the natural tendencies it’s time to begin cleaning up the score. Map To Your Score of the instrument, and don’t bother This is where sheet music preparation to explicitly write out things that they turns into a publishing venture and Continued from Page 16 will do automatically. For example, not a musical one. The dynamics, groups of instruments and explicitly an electric guitar needs a crescendo articulations, slurs, and all other music notating all the subtleties of the music hairpin at the beginning of a quiet elements have default placements, in order to help the music to speak chord if you want to hear that. A string but many should be improved to with maximum eloquence. The orch- section often does not. get a really professional look. Some estration is just as important as the If you can leave out obvious or re- notation programs automatically avoid instrumentation, and an orchestrator dundant notation it will keep the score collisions between notation elements. with experience and good technique cleaner and easier to read, and it will Not all of them do, and none of them can elevate the quality of the music also be easier to make changes on the get it right all the time. At the very substantially. fly. If you feel the urge to over-notate least you need to make sure that all Choose a systematic way to mark because you don’t quite trust the play- your music is clear, readable, and not up your music, either one measure at a ers, ask yourself whether or not you colliding with anything else on the time or one staff at a time, and work the have the right players. Tim Davies has page. Also, make sure that everything cue from top to bottom. Sight reading strong opinions about overnotating. is attached to the correct staff and beat. music is difficult enough already, so “Thinking they are doing the right thing, If an element’s attachment point is you want to give your players as much inexperienced orchestrators clarify incorrect in the score, it may end up in help as possible at the recording ses- things that do not need clarifying and the wrong part. sions. The more detail and subtlety that state things that are either obvious to The layout of your sheet music you can notate, the more likely you the players or an inevitable result of the makes a big difference in how it will are to get the performance you want. notation or physics of the instrument. be perceived. Always use portrait Dynamics should be reiterated after They do not know where and when the orientation, and make sure all the long rests. Every articulation should orchestra can be left to do its thing.” scores and parts end with a full page. be clarified and every phrase marked. It is very common to record in Pay close attention to the horizontal When necessary, give indications about other countries because many foreign and vertical spacing, looking not only the click and tempo. Provide courtesy orchestras and individuals provide at the notation but also at the white accidentals. Consider bowing, breath- more competitive pricing and contract space on the page. The balancing of ing, and tonguing. If the music notation terms, and it’s very convenient to pro- white space is a critical aspect of all seems like it’s still not specific enough, duce remote sessions from your home forms of publishing, and music is no then use language to clarify. Try to anti- studio. If you are planning to record exception. Adjust your layout so that cipate every question the musicians overseas, then try not to use English on the horizontal and vertical density might have, every mistake they might your scores. Use the traditional Italian of notation is similar from page to make, every subtlety they might miss, terms for everything. Players in Prague page, the pages are balanced within and give them the information they may not understand “a little more themselves, and adjacent pages are need to capture your vision. quickly” but they will understand similarly weighted with music. This However, be wary of over-notating. “poco più mosso.” The Italian terms aspect of score preparation is very Some composers try to turn every MIDI have transcended the language and much a subtle art, and the automatic controller move into a dynamic mark- become a part of music that trained layout and spacing options in the ing, but that kind of detail gets a bit musicians worldwide understand. programs only give you a start. For Continued on Page 22

SESAC Celebrates L-R: SESAC’s Eli Ponce, Leah Ponce, Heidy The Holidays Vaquerano, SESAC composer David Feldstein, ESAC songwriters, publishers, and SESAC songwriter composers and industry friends Jason Miller gathered for a bit of holiday cheer Sand good tidings for the new year at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica, CA.

L-R: SESAC composer L-R: JC Dwyer, Danny Lux with SESAC’s Erin Collins Dennis Lord and SESAC composer Tim Mosher

17 The SCL 2016 Holiday Dinner he SCL held its annual Holiday Dinner at The Skirball in Bel Air, CA on Thursday, December 14th. As always, it was a fantastic ­evening, seeing old friends, meeting new ones and celebrating our T2016 Ambassadors, Diane Warren and Thomas Newman.

L-R: Nicholas Pike, Thomas Newman and J. Ralph

L-R: SCL President Ashley Irwin, , Diane Warren and Charles Bernstein

L-R: Joel Iwataki, Abel Kozenlowski and Dennis Spiegel

L-R: Diane Warren, Bonnie Greenberg, Miriam Cutler and

L-R: SCL President Ashley Irwin, BMI’s Anne Cecere, Dustin O’Halloran

L-R: Richard Sherman, Diane Warren, Elizabeth Sherman L-R: Jon Burlingame, Sharon Farber, David and Lori Barth Kontez and John Rodd

L-R: Ira Hearshen, Caroline and Ralph Grierson and L-R: Danny Lux, Patti Silversher, Michael L-R: Charles Bernstein, Bonnie Cacavas, Laura Dunn Silversher and Fletcher Beasley Georgianne Bernstein

18 L-R: ASCAP’s Shawn LeMone, ASCAP’s Loretta Munoz, Justin Timberlake, Diane Warren, ASCAP’s Rachel Perkins and ASCAP’s Jennifer Harmon

L-R: Marco Di Pasquale, Jim Di Pasquale, SESAC’s Shawn LeMone, and Tim Davies L-R: Mike Stoller, Diane Warren, Corky Hale and SCL President Ashley Irwin

L-R: BMI’s Micheal Crepezzi, BMI Executive Barbie Quinn, SCL President Ashley Irwin, BMI’s L-R: Christopher Farrell, Greg O’Connor, George S. Clinton Allison Smith and BMI’s Mike O’Neill and Arlene Matza-Jackson L-R: Jack D. Elliot, Lori Barth and Bob Leatherbarrow

L-R: Hélène Muddiman, L-R: Adryan Russ, Danny Lux, Benoit Grey and SESAC’s Shana O’Donnell Erin Collins, and Todd Burns

2017 SCL Ambassador’s Award t the 2016 SCL Holiday Dinner both Diane Warren and Thom- as Newman were awarded the ASCL Ambassador’s Award. Thomas spoke eloquently and Diane graced the attendees with her version of the song she and wrote called “’” from the film .

L-R: Ashley Irwin and Diane Warren Thomas Newman

19 SCL Events

December 2—Audrie & Daisy, London Hotel Screening Room. L-R: Moderator Lynn F. Kowal, Songwriter Tori Amos

December 6—La La Land, NeueHouse. L-R: Moderator November 5—, Raleigh Studios. L-R: SCL Assoc. Admin. Adryan Russ, Music Director/ Mark Smythe, songwriters Shellback , Justin Timberlake, Exec Music Producer Mariius Moderator Jon Burlingame, SCL Board Member Lynn F. Kowal DeVries, Songwriters Benj Pasek, Justin Paul November 13—Moana, Pacific Design Center. L-R: Composer Mark Mancina, December 7—Gold, Raleigh Songwriters Opetaia Foa’i, Studios. L-R: Composer Daniel Lin-Manuel Miranda, EVP Pemberton, Director Stephen Gaghan Music Disney/ Tom MacDougall, Moderator Jon Burlingame

November 14—Lion, December 8—Manchester By Rodeo Screening Room. The Sea, AFI. L-R: Moderator L-R: Composers Dustin Melinda Newman, Composer O’Halloran, Hauschka, , SCL President Moderator Tim Greiving Ashley Irwin

December 9—Fences, London November 19—Hidden Hotel. L-R: Composer Marcelo Figures, Sundance Sunset Zarvos, Moderator / SCL Cinema. L-R: Composer President Ashley Irwin , Producer/ Songwriter/Composer , Composer Hans Zim- mer, Moderator Jon Burlingame December 10—Before The Flood, London Hotel. L-R: Composer Trent Reznor, Moderator Andrew Barker, Composer Atticus Ross

December 11—Silence, Lin- wood Dunn Theater. L-R: Composers Kim Allen November 2—Jungle Book, Walt Disney Studios Main Kluge, Kathryn Kluge, Theater. L-R: Director Jon Favreau, Songwriter Richard Moderator / SCL Sherman, SCL Board Member Lynn F. Kowal, Composer President Ashley Irwin John Debney, Moderator Jon Burlingame

December 1 - 13th, Neue- House Screening Room. L-R: Songwriter Common, November 30—Po, Laemmle’s Music Hall. L-R: Modera- Moderator Claudia Puig December 13—Sing, Arclight Hollywood. L-R: Music tor Jon Burlingame, Composer/Songwriter , Supervisor Jojo Villanueva, Moderator Gregory Ellwood, Director John Asher, SCL Board Member Lynn F. Kowal Composer Joby Talbot, Executive Producer Harvey Mason Jr. Continued on Next Page

20 SCL Events C D R E V I E W Continued from Page 20 The Cinema of Quincy Jones December 16—Moonlight, London Universal Decca Hotel. L-R: Director , Composer Nicholas Britell, Modera- This 6 CD box set produced by Ste- tor / SCL President Ashley Irwin phane LaRouge is a magnificent collec- tion of the film scores of Quincy Jones. It includes music from The Pawnbroker, December 18 —Rogue Mirage, In The Heat of the Night, The One, Linwood Dunn. Slender Thread, The Deadly Affair, In Cold L-R: Composer Michael Blood, The Italian Job, The Lost Man, The Giacchino, Moderator Getaway and some highlights. There is Jon Burlingame also a booklet that comes with the set that is filled with credits and an inter- view. For any film composer or fan of January 6—Patriots Day, London January 9—20th film music, this is a must! Hotel. L-R: BMI’s Michael Crepezzi Century Women, and Barbie Quinn, BMI composer London Hotel. Note: To find this CD for purchase, go on Atticus Ross, BMI’s Reema Iqbal, L-R: Moderator/ SCL President Ashley Google and several sites come up with the composer Trent Reznor, and SCL’s price in Euros. Lynn Kowal Irwin, Composer , Writer / Director

January 12—Deconstruction Brass Seminar, The Village - Moroccan Room. L-R: Trumpeter / Music Contractor Chris Tedesco & The Angel City Brass Quartet

January 26—Making A Living in Alternative Music Markets, AFI. L-R: Panelists Brad Kelley, Patty & Michael Silversher, Christy Carew, Moderator Adryan Russ

SESAC At Sundance ESAC held a private dinner on Friday, January 20th at the SSundance Festival. In at- tendance were executives from music publishing companies, top film composers and man- L-R: Composer L-R: Universal’s agers, the Hollywood Morgan Natasha Baldwin, foreign press, Sun- Whirledge Chandler Poling and SESAC’s and Universal’s dance Institute execu- Marc Robin tives, and more. Erin Collins

L-R: Whitebear’s Chandler Poling and Sundance’s L-R Composer Brad Peter Golub Chiet and SESAC’s Erin Collins

21 Sheet Music: The suggestions will only get you started, and a serious study of music notation SCL Premier Partners Map To Your Score and music engraving is required if you want your scores to look truly SCL members can find out the Continued from Page 17 professional. If you plan to do your member discount details and how to truly professional looking scores you own score prep then your scores contact Partners on our website. need to control every aspect of music don’t need to be the same quality as a spacing yourself. ALFRED MUSIC published master engraving, but they AUDIO PERCEPTION Recording sessions use slightly dif- need to be very good and very clear. By BANDZOOGLE ferent conventions from published doing it yourself you can save money, BIG FISH AUDIO music. The first rule is clarity above extend your creative processes, and BLACK LION AUDIO all else. If clarity is ever at odds with further perfect your music. If you’re CINEMATIC STRINGS the beauty and grace of traditional lacking either time or expertise, then CINESAMPLES publishing standards, clarity wins. orchestrators and music copyists can COMMERCIAL SCORING WORKSHOP Conductor’s scores are in concert help. As with all things, it’s safe to FOCAL PRESS AND ROUTLEDGE MUSIC pitch. The scores are usually on 11x17 assume that you get what you pay for. GUERILLA FILM SCORING or A3 paper. Time signatures on the If you don’t embark on a serious GRAPHICALLY ENHANCED MANUALS scores are oversized. All measures are study of music notation, then at least JAN-AL-CASES numbered in both score and parts. have some references handy. Elaine LUDWIN MUSIC PUBLICATIONS Double bars are used very frequently. Gould’s Behind Bars is a great one. A MEGATRAX RECORDING STUDIOS MELROSE MAC Key signatures are often not used even great resource about notation practice MUSIC BUSINESS REGISTRY in tonal music, although that’s not a which is specific to our world of music fixed rule. MY MUSIC MASTERCLASS for media is Tim Davies’ blog deBreved. NOTEFLIGHT The preparation of the instrumental I highly recommend it if you’d like PAGU BATONS parts is an iterative process, and to learn more about the specifics of PC AUDIO LABS once you have a system in place it’s orchestration and notation grammar PUREMIX not hard to do quickly. The staff size from a film composer’s perspective. THE RICHARD BELLIS MASTER SERIES should be quite large to make sight But to explore the vast world of how SAMPLELOGIC reading in dim studios as easy as notation and orchestration affect music, SONIC FUEL STUDIOS possible. Your margins can be small to there is no better guide than scores of SONOKINETIC help compensate for that. Page sizes your favorite pieces of music. g SOUNDIRON are concert 9x12 or oversized 10x13. SPITFIRE AUDIO Whenever possible put a rest or an Jeremy Borum is the author of Guerrilla TUNECORE Film Scoring. SCL members get a 25% empty measure at the end of a page, UCLA EXTENSION allowing time for the eye to travel up discount through Premiere Partners. www. to the next page or for a page turn. GuerrillaFilmScoring.com Your parts will inherit all the relative placements of the score, which should SCL AMBASSADORS look good if you prepared the score Marketing Yourself BURT BACHARACH ALAN SILVESTRI well. Regardless, you will need to ALAN & MARILYN BERGMAN MARK SNOW spend time doing good layouts and Continued from Page 6 CARTER BURWELL MIKE STOLLER you are there for them, they’ll be there GEORGE S. CLINTON DIANE WARREN cleaning up positioning to make sure CHARLES FOX PATRICK WILLIAMS that everything is as clean and clear for you. ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL PAUL WILLIAMS as possible. Always bind or tape your Good luck to you my friend. Know MAURY YESTON parts, because loose pages can easily about the projects and the players in ARTHUR HAMILTON the community, be proactive in letting JAMES NEWTON HOWARD cause wasted studio time. Taping is MARK ISHAM In Memoriam: preferred because all plastic bindings them know concisely who you are and ROBERT LOPEZ & VAN ALEXANDER make noise. what you can do for them and always KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ It’s wise to notate one big cue be grateful by giving them the very JOHNNY MANDEL HAL DAVID best efforts that you can muster. While RANDY NEWMAN completely so that the score and all THOMAS NEWMAN the instrumental parts are complete it is true that luck plays a big part in our MIKE POST JACK HAYES and ready to print before you continue careers, there is nothing more effective LALO SCHIFRIN JERRY LIEBER than concentrated preparation, dedica- RICHARD SHERMAN VIC MIZZY notating the rest of your score. DAVID SHIRE ROBERT SHERMAN Doing this will establish the notation tion, and professionalism for frequent- conventions required for that particular ly becoming “lucky” and succeeding in LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD g score, and using that file as the basis what you love to do. BILL CONTI GINNY MANCINI for your notation template will help Dr. Michael Isaacson now teaches individu- QUINCY JONES you avoid duplication of work as you als on the Internet and in-studio lessons in HONORARY LIFETIME MEMBERS move through the rest of the music. film composition, orchestration, and con- JAY L. COOPER, ESQ. DENNIS SPIEGEL Score preparation is a detailed craft ducting. He can be contacted at: eggcreamer@ CLINT EASTWOOD JOHN WILLIAMS that takes many years to perfect. These sbcglobal.net

22 M U S I C A L S H A R E S BY CHARLES BERNSTEIN Film Music: The Highest Form Of Flattery mitation. The highest form of flattery? The and Baroque composers were well known for lowest form of mockery? Imitation can be creating their masses, motets and other com- an insult or a compliment depending on positions from borrowed melodies (like the Ithe circumstances. popular “L’homme armé” which pops up in Last year, the courts had to distinguish countless Renaissance pieces). The Baroque between what could be a musical homage composers carried this tradition on and hand- (according to Pharrell Williams and Rob- ed it off to their Classical and Romantic heirs. in Thicke) or a brazen theft of intellectual George Fredrick Handel was famous (notori- property (according to the family of Marvin ous) for this, but it’s difficult to name any ma- Gaye) with the song “Blurred Lines.” Or, jor composer of any era who didn’t borrow maybe an artist features an image from an- ideas, stylistic elements, melodic fragments other country or culture, should it be con- or whole themes in the course of their careers. demned as stealing (an insulting “appro- Popular music is even more known for priation” of national identity), or is it just “borrowing” between composers. Listen- a flattering reference to that culture? In an ing and mimicking is often how popular abstract world of ideas, styles, and shared music techniques and traditions get passed concepts, it can be hard to decipher com- from one generation to the next, especially plimentary borrowing from shameful theft. in regional, folk, pop, ethno and forms. Imitation is a natural part of life. It prob- Players showing each other “licks” or copy- ably starts in infancy with some kind of ab- ing favorite recordings is basic to perpetu- When it comes to film sorbing and mirroring what’s around us. ating these styles. Re-mixing in EDM and music, not surprisingly, Imitating is unavoidable; it’s how we learn. other dance music relies on altering pre- And copying plays a major role in formal viously recorded material, and of course we find a tangled education, especially in the arts. Creative hip-hop is founded on the art of borrowing people depend on imitation to learn basics existing tracks as a basic part of its aesthetic. history of imitation, and to develop techniques. Students of the When it comes to film music, not surpris- arts often begin by absorbing and imitating ingly, we find a tangled history of imitation, appropriation and even their master’s works. We know this from appropriation and even outright larceny. And reading the words of great authors, painters, like all composers and songwriters, film com- outright larceny. poets, composers, architects, choreographers posers have nightmares about inadvertently and others who imagine things into being. writing something that someone has already Such people often say they were “inspired written. But in our profession, composers are by,” “influenced by,” or somehow moved not free souls like most other music creators to emulate someone whose work they ad- who can often write whatever they please. In- mired. Some cinematic auteurs, like Woody stead, those who create music for media are at Allen, will base an entire movie on a revered the mercy of the non-composers who do the director’s work, and others, like Quentin hiring and firing. Film composers are also at Tarantino, will lovingly recreate camera set- the service of market forces that demand con- ups, lighting effects, line-readings or editing formity to all sorts of existing music. Not sur- techniques as seen in earlier treasured films. prisingly, often at the root of ­derivative film Imitation in music is unavoidable. In many music is the ever-present temp score, where ways, music is a derivative art form. Musical, film composers are frequently asked to skirt styles, concepts and traditions are handed the very edge of plagiarism. But sometimes down from one generation to the next, to using existing music is just part of the job. Max be embraced or rebelled against, but always Steiner, who practically invented modern learned and absorbed from existing music. film scoring, wrote the beautiful and effective Our long tradition of Euro-American compo- score to Casablanca (1943) in which most of sition is a continuous history of borrowing, the main themes were based on existing mu- adapting, imitating and sometimes outright sic (the song “As Time Goes By” served as the stealing from one composer to the next. There love theme along with the French and German seems to be no historically consistent red line rallying anthems and there was much cafe between originality and blatant plagiarism. source music of the era). And yet, this score There was always an enormous amount of stands as a cinematic musical masterpiece. ­“respectful homage” as composers wrote vari- So movie music has always involved a mix ations on each other’s themes. Renaissance of originality, derivation and appropriation. Continued on Next Page

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ter informed, more literate musically. composers pay close attention to the Musical Shares The legendary film composers that music they love, it is not only a trib- Continued from Previous Page we all revere were certainly literate ute to that music, but it can also end In spite of all this, there is an im- musically and otherwise. They knew up stretching, enriching and “inform- portant and little understood benefit and performed concert music, jazz, the ing” their own perspective and output. that existing music can bring to origi- Great American Songbook and music Composers and songwriters don’t nal film scores. This does not include from numerous other realms. There are have to imitate or copy from the works temp tracks or any kind of deliberate countless examples of cross-pollinated they admire, but absorbing and react- bootlegging or mimicking, but rather and “informed” film scores, but consid- ing to a lifetime of music (from the something far more subtle and inspi- er a delightfully complex jazz-tinged simple to the grand) can be deeply rational. On an unconscious level, film one from John Williams, Catch Me If beneficial. When it comes to praising composers can’t help but “remember” You Can (2002). It gives a sly wink to the the music and other things that really all the great music—from around the cool 50s style of , yet is matter in life, there’s no need to mimic, world, across genres, and throughout somehow subtly and mysteriously in- but it never hurts to give full attention, history—that has moved them. Even formed by a broad range of sophisticat- listen deeply, and to become “better in- if not one note of this “remembered” ed music, some as stylistically remote formed” by the things we love most. g music were ever to show up in a film as that of a Scherzo by Gustav Mahler. © Charles Bernstein 2017 score, it still can have an effect on what And yet, this is a completely contem- www.charlesbernstein.com a composer writes. Sometimes, a film porary, unique and original (actually score can simply be “informed by” oth- inimitable) John Williams score—the er great music that the composer has fruits of musical literacy and film scor- Publicity by heard and loved over the years. This ing at its best. There are way too many COSTA COMMUNICATIONS, INC. refers to an awareness of the musical great examples to mention here, but universe, to the degree of depth that a well-informed scores, like well-inform- composer has given to understanding, ed people, are far more likely to be analyzing and internalizing the most worth listening to and remembering. valued existing music. To put it an- The pioneering media psycholo- The SCL gratefully other way, a composer who has heard, gist Dr. Joyce Brothers once said that acknowledges the played, understood and loved a great “listening, not imitation, may be the variety of wonderful music (popular sincerest form of flattery.” She may continuing support as well as classical) can’t help but be have hit on something pivotal here. somehow the better for it as a writer. Maybe the highest form of flattery of our MEMBERS and By being aware of what has been done isn’t imitation at all, but something as ASCAP, BMI and SESAC before, composers simply become bet- simple as truly attentive listening. If

DISCLAIMER: The articles in the SCORE do not necessarily reflect the views of the Society of Composers & Lyricists.