- This topic is empty.
- Posts
First off, there is a patch for Sibelius which let’s you crescendo and decrescendo on a single note. Secondly, I think Eric was well aware of the difference in sound quality between a computer horn and a real horn. He’s talking about when the brass parts do fancy stuff in the background, like in the Batman main titles (which also sounds cool in MIDI), and in Mars Attacks! I was trying to explain a few things to him, but I’m not all that great of a teacher. So if anyone knows some tricks Elfman uses with just brass, please share!
-+>Joe Evans
First off, there is a patch for Sibelius which let’s you crescendo and decrescendo on a single note. Secondly, I think Eric was well aware of the difference in sound quality between a computer horn and a real horn. He’s talking about when the brass parts do fancy stuff in the background, like in the Batman main titles (which also sounds cool in MIDI), and in Mars Attacks! I was trying to explain a few things to him, but I’m not all that great of a teacher. So if anyone knows some tricks Elfman uses with just brass, please share!
-+>Joe Evans
Joe put it in better terms for me. I was hoping maybe some of you can share some little brass composing tips that Danny, or even Bernard Herrmann used to use. I am familiar with the dissonant Half Diminished 7ths, which is really cool, and sounds Herman-Esque. I was just wondering if there are any other neat ones, perhaps some examples could be provided as well.
-Eric
All that Sibelius does is increase the volume, I was taking about how a REAL crescendo sounds on a brass instrument, likt the very soft sound to a very loud brassy sound, you get the idea.
To Eric: Honestly, I have not studied Elfman’s music that way, nor anyone’s for that matter, because I listen to music on a total emotional level, I hope someone can help.
Knight
I didn’t know Elfman used augmented chords, as commented in this forum. Are there any examples of this chord being used in any of his scores?
-Eric
Well, here is the whole thing about Danny Style, and most composers for that matter: KEY CHANGES. Augmented Chords and such will not do much because they have been used over and over for the past 1000 years. Now Key Changes will. The best advise I can give is sit in front of your keyboard/piano/guitar/kazoo and play Mr. Elfman’s music, trying to figure it out as you go (playing by ear). This way you can not only figure out some of his techniques, you will also help fine tune your ear for music. This topic is dead so I bet no one will read it, but there ya go. Oh, and Joe, I am not trying to sound like an ass or anything, I am only trying to help people head in the right direction, sorry if I pissed you off.
Knight (I am so not a teacher)
Well, I know most of the techniques since I do play by ear. I’m used to his harp movements, and I mean the old harp movements, not these new Red Dragon kind. I am trying to get that old Nightmare Before Christmas type of songwriting down. I do know he changes keys, but I don’t understand why really. In, “This is Halloween,” he changes keys a few times, most notably when it actually goes, “This is Halloween, this is halloween …” but when I am creating songs, I usually end up staying in one key, such as Cmin. Anyone here have any midi work or anything like that please e-mail me, I would love to exchange midi’s or mp3’s of Danny Elfman related work and discuss different techniques perhaps.
-Eric
The whole thing about the key changes is that the way you use them really changes the whole tone of the piece you are writing, and because there are so many pieces that don’t change keys, it’s become a really big part in defining your style. The only Elfman MIDI I have been able to find are horrible renditions of Batman and Edward Scissorhands (also one “This is Halloween” but that was so horrid I won’t even say that it was a near transciption). I could probably sit down and arrange his music for MIDI if I really wanted to, but then it still wouldn’t be the same. I am just trying to find a REAL score of any of his works, so then I can see how it was ACUALLY written, not someone’s take on it (so that does not count with band or piano arrangements). If there isn’t any (which I don’t believe there is), anyone know of a way to try and make it happen somehow (like pestering some company that produces scores to make one)? I figure if John Williams can get a few, so can Danny.
Knight (This is Martha Stuart’s house when she is old and crazy)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.