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First off I’d like to say how much I love Danny Elfman’s music. I was just curious as to where he had gone to school. Did he go to a college or just start writting this music.
He once said in an interview that he went to the “school of hard knocks.” He never went to college – at least not that I know of – but instead traveled around Africa for a while, playing his violin and such. He learned how to write film scores “on the job;” I’m not aware of him having any formal training. (Of course, this is where people usually jump in with the “hack” comments. To them, I reply: “So what the heck have you written?”) It’s always been my impression that Elfman’s had to work at his scoring assignments. However, it also seems that if he’s come this far and written music at the current level of complexity seen in POTA, for example, that he also has sort of a “sixth sense” when it comes to writing music and fitting it to film. (“Spider-sense,” anyone? Ha!)
Of course, I could be wrong. On second thought, I shouldn’t even be answering this, because I’m not Danny Elfman. (Really, I’m not!) If you want answers straight from the man on this one, I’d suggest reading the multitude of articles available on this site, as well as checking out the articles available through the linked sites.
-E
Oh, yeah right. . . Not Danny Elfman LOL! Come on, just confess already!
Actually, you’re wrong. He has had some formal training. He had piano lessons for a while as a youngin’.
Yeah, someone might say that I had guitar lessons, because I did, for 2 days
The point: Even though he had piano lessons, he might not have had piano lessons (make sence?).Knight (The contradict)
Danny said in an interview that his piano lessons didn’t go too good. He would memorize the scales, but not know what they were … etc.
This also fits with another article, in which he stated he is a great, “mimicker.”
I think Danny is just a very ambitious guy, and always was, and just pumped out this music, whether it killed him or not. How else can you train for such an eccentric style (well, back before 1995 or so)?
-Eric
my own questions about Elfman and what he’s does exactly have never been answered. I have seen some Williams and GLodsmith scetches, and got to see what the orchestrators have to work with…but the fact is that none of us know what danny does. It really doesn’t bother me, because I believe he could never have got to his position being a hack, or a “hummer”. And besides, even if he had had formal musical training, he’s have it down by now, going on 20 years working with orchestras. I also believe that if he had had formal musical training, it might have restricted and limited him from making the music he wants to make.
I don’t think he went to college–I mean, there’s several interviews that state he didn’t go….probably just hated/hates school like the rest of us! (Me being bitter I wasted four years of my life for nothing)….
Besides, the best way to learn some stuff is to just find it out on your own. I mean, yeah some teachers are great, but there’s really only so much you can learn formally….
hmm.. i have posted so little on this site in the past few months that i just had to re-fill out the name, and email form. ooo.
i want to nit-pick sarah, the evil dead girl. haha, sarah! i think it’s hard to hate school when you’ve got a knack for- what was it? some sort of chemistry? or was is biocumbustion?- like he did in high school. and the kids round here don’t seem to hate school as much as you, (you do for good reason, i might add.) the folks round here seem to be very much into education (musically specifically.) and some of these darkened people are even teachers. (allude allude.)
lexi: who takes this opportunity to speak for everyone but herself.
p,s, and erika could very well be danny elfman, due to the fact that ‘she’ seems to love him so much.
:EOkay–I’ll admit, there were certain classes that were tolerable….but, it’s my belief that things just seem more fun when you do ’em on your own, and not because you have to! You dig?
I mean, I’ve love writing and drawing–but even I’ve ran across some professors who could just manage to suck the inspiration right outta ya….and it’s just sad when someone takes something you love, and ruins it! (Which partially explains why I hate Shakespeare)….
Well yes, some teachers/professors are duds, but without some of these teachers/professors (good, bad, or otherwise) there would be great things in this world I would never have been introduced to…
The job really shouldn’t be stated as “to teach” more to “inspire”: to create a life long love of learning that is so strong you can leave after years of public school/college and be filled with such an interest or desire to go out and create/learn on your own.
I know we have all heard some of Danny’s favorite composers who have inspired him…but has he ever stated a favorite school teacher of his? I always like favorite teacher stories, especially from those who become famous/and or successful.
Jo the little art teachin’ elfgirl
Well said Elfgirl.
So how many of us on this board are teachers then?
Nat
I’ve had some teachers that I liked–not nearly as many as those that bored me stiff–but that only made the good ones stand out all the more, you dig?
But I still say it’s more rewarding–at least to me–when you’re doing stuff because you want to, and not because you have to.
I admire anyone who’s a teacher, though–good or bad–but I wouldn’t be able to do it if it were the last job on the face of the earth (even though that would mean that the class(es) would be exceptionally small)!
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