Listen and study hard the film scores and composers you appreciate most.
I think this is the best thing to do, but then, I am no great composer.
Do you actually want to score a movie or do you want to make something in the style of a soundtrack?
The two are radically different.
Does anybody, or has anybody here done any work with short film scoring? I really want to get involved in it. I don't have much insight to offer but I'll stick around to learn from everyone.
I would do this, but only in the context of the scene(s) the music spans across otherwise you're just learning how to compose a song like them, not score film.
I'd disagree with that but, ok.
What I mean is you can learn techniques and styles of innovation from standing on the shoulders of giants instead of starting from the ground up. If you pay attention to the details of what others have already done, there is a lot to be learned...and probably the best of the best film score producers do not adhere to textbook lecture.
By the logic stated, all painters/musicians or any other artists influenced by those before them would have pa inted/composed/played just like those who they were inspired by. What we see from the evolution of all art forms in the hands of true talent, is absolutely contrary. I honestly didn't realize you were looking for such a technical perspective on the "how and why". It works for mathmeticians though. Frame 0:00:00.125 theory.
Trying something new, i have no idea how to structure it or how to get started. What are the differences between composing a song and a soundtrack? Any tips would be appreciated.
Could you explain the difference for us newbies?
A soundtrack has to work in tandem with the visuals whereas a piece of music, regardless of style, written for it's own sake, can follow it's own form.
For example if a scene changes the soundtrack (probably) has to change. It doesn't matter what the music wants to do, where it is in it's progression, it has to follow the scene. This is one of the features of an actual soundtrack that make it sound different to a piece of music in the style of a soundtrack. It does things that don't make sense musically, but make sense in the context of a soundtrack.
That gives rise to specific production challenges plus a bunch of others. Like you would probably need a much more structured workflow, so that you can go back and change things easily, as well as a grasp of all the other technicalities like syncing to picture mentioned above.
Further a piece of music written for it's own sake can never be 'wrong'. A soundtrack can be wrong. And it's likely someone else's definition of right that you're aiming for.
All that being said I don't think it's that hard to try it out. The immediate technical hurdle is being able to set up a timeline that you can write to and hit hit-points. You can find tutorials about that. Once you're used to doing that you can progress into the finer points like thinking in more detail about where and when to use music. You need to jump in, I think, make mistakes, try again. Like anything. Find a scene and rescore it. You'll soon see the issues you have to overcome.
Interesting info, you didn't clear up what a film score is though and the differences between it and a soundtrack. I always assumed film scores also followed the scenes too.
Trying something new, i have no idea how to structure it or how to get started. What are the differences between composing a song and a soundtrack? Any tips would be appreciated.
I'll say here is your assignment: Write a 30 sec love scene with only Piano and Cello.......then the gun shots start at 31 sec your instruments are Piano, Cello, Brass, incld French Horns Drums and Perc as the couple runs through the woods into a busy street at 36 sec.. back in to the woods at 45 secs jumps from a Waterfall......end cue 51 sec
Most students usually call a week later and say this is hard.....I don't even know where to start.
Film scoring is not about plug ins, Sound Libraries, it is about capturing a emotion, either under playing or over playing the scene into the next scene this is done with notes and rhythms . . . first then sounds
I don't even know where to start. Film scoring is not about plug ins, Sound Libraries, it is about capturing a emotion, either under playing or over playing the scene into the next scene this is done with notes and rhythms . . . first then sounds