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Saturday 21 December 2013

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Production Diary 14

Here's an excellent look behind the scenes of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Production Diary 14.

This installment of the production diary takes a look at the music and musicians behind the production of the larger-than-life soundtrack that sets the mood for the whole realm in the story.



I have just watched the film, it is awesome. Can't wait for the next one!

Monday 9 December 2013

Enrolled myself into Thinkspace


I've very recently enrolled myself with ThinkSpace Online. So now I'm officially a music student! :)

I signed up for Cinematic Orchestration and Music for the Media.

ThinkSpace Online is an online learning organisation that offers quite a few courses for music composing students of different levels and backgrounds. The trainers and mentors are all working composers and that is what makes it so practical.

There are some sample material that lets prospective students experience how the course is structured and what to expect once he/she is enrolled into the curriculum.

After I requested an sample of the course material, ThinkSpace staff Dan Stearn had some correspondeance with me via email. I love the fact that he tries to find out about my background, and what I actually need in my musical journey as a composer, and suggested relevant courses that would value add what I already have.

Dan is very honest and supportive. I originally wanted to enroll only in Music for the Media, but Dan suggested Cinematic Orchestration too, since he finds that it would bring my orchestral arrangement to the next level.

Having signed up with them on the courses, I can say that I really appreciate their course resources on the topics of study.

For Music for the Media, They have audio and video interviews with working composers, who talk about their jobs, what it is they deal with day-in and day-out. Students are also exposed to hearing from clients, what they require from composers and what kinds of composers and attitudes they like.

For Cinematic Orchestration, it caters to orchestral writing for live players and how to create realistic orchestrations even for sample libraries. A huge part of the course material explores the difference between the two, approaches (live players versus writing with samples), so students are aware of how to handle the job at hand depending on whether it is live players performing the composition or whether the idea is going to be orchestrated in a midi-mockup. There are numerous interviews with composers talking about writing for each part of the orchestra, what they can easily achieve, and what is impractical for the musicians.

All in all the courses are loaded with information and I would say well worth the money.

I would definitely recommend any aspiring composers of all levels to consider ThinkSpace Online.

Sunday 8 December 2013

Free Shaker Virtual Instrument from Samplephonics

 SamplePhonics main page


Samplephonics presents the community of electronic musicians and music producers with a FREE sampled shaker virtual instrument.

This free shaker percussion loops and samples is part of a bigger sample pack from Samplephonics called, 'Electroacoustic Shaker Percussion', which is going for only £9.70.


This free sample download comes with 10 free samples, all in 24-bit audio resolution.
Check it out and download it Here!


Do check it out, with all their other available products as well!