Here is a montage containing various photographs of Berlin taken by a friend who asked if I would like to make some music for it.
I wanted to use a mixture of synth as well as orchestral sounds to fit the various moods throughout the video. This is because working with this combination presents a slightly different challenge: orchestral instruments on their own pretty much balance and mix themselves really as the orchestra is a well-designed instrument in it’s own right and is a well-trodden path. In an orchestra, each instrument has it’s own particular function, frequency range and timbre meaning each has it’s own space to sit in (although there is overlap if you need it). This ‘personal space’ ensures each instrument get’s it’s voice heard with clarity and/or effect because building up similar frequency ranges and incompatible timbres can lead to a confused and ‘muddy’ (unlcear) sound. Synth sounds don’t really come with this control as such because any synthesizer can create such a huge range of sounds on their own and therefore output any range of sound frequencies; it is up to the musician to make the instrument focused and efficient in it’s intended area by adjusting it’s controls.
As the combination of orchestral and synth sounds can sound pretty cheesy, I made a conscious effort to stop that from happening by thinking about the sounds that I needed to use for effect. The synth sounds weren’t replacing orchestral sounds as such (which would be a sensible choice as they could just slot in this well-honed instrument), but had an atmosphere to convey. Orchestral instruments could have done these jobs (although slightly differently) but the overall effect is a precise mood that I wanted to convey.
Well, there are the reasons for my intended path on this one! Please have a watch/listen below and let me know what you think. If you would like me to do something similar for you, or you know somebody that would, please do get in touch.
Displayed with kind permission from Peter Flower.
Fast Tube by Casper