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GoodMusician

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23-Feb-2007
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6-Aug-2024
Posts
620

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Post
#295260
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
as far as the LSO, I honestly don't know where it came from. It was given to me, and I liked the performance better and the mix of it better.

There were several versions available to me, but I included that... but apparently no one knew that one existed (ironically lol)...

I need to ask my friend, but I'm almost certain it's the LSO... it sounds like that...

as for the sound getting to loud, that does sometimes become a problem with my edits. I usually listen in my car, so I suppose, subconsciously, I pump up the music a bit so that I don't have to turn it up so loud in my car...

I also prefer it louder. It's easier to turn the volume down than up. You turn the volume up, especially in a car, and you start adding hiss, and all this other digital noise (at least in my car)...

But I am very careful to make sure that the tracks don't get too loud. When I mix them and save them, I did check everything for any noise so there should not be any tracks that are "too loud."

As far as track 3 on Disc 2, that particular cue gave me a lot of trouble because it seemed that no matter how I mixed it, it sounded bad. It's only available on the SE, and the mixing on it is just bad... and there wasn't enough I could do to it... As far as being too loud, That is not too loud... It has no cut off....


If you are having trouble, when I made these sets, I balanced them in such a way that you should NOT need to use any presets on your players. If you use presets, you will undoubtedly have problems. Check to make sure you don't have your volume set up like this...

ie: Loudness, Orchestra, Pop, etc. These volume settings will mess the sound up. I make my sets in such a way that they do no require such settings and should be find without them.

So check on that and let me know if that's the problem... or if you still have one...
Post
#295177
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
I used both. Mostly the Anthology, but I did mix the SE in to help with the sound and fidelity.

The incorrectly mixed cues, I used almost entrely the anthology as to prevent a problem, but still add some fidelity.... made it almost like an echo... so that the flipped or incorrectly mixed music would simply function as an echo but still give some brightness and sound.

I did start off with just Anthologoy, but I went back and mixed in the SE's on a few cues (hence why it took a lot longer).

Glad you like it
Post
#295064
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
Well Disc 2 is done.

Ill be uploading it to the index tonight. I'll also get the FLAC's up.

I will also include a link to download the replacement track for Disc 3. I've decided to add the SE Alternate for "Rebel Fleet" to the "Film Alternate" of the End Credits...track 9... So that'll be up to download and replace that track.

The final track list for the set is as follows:

STAR WARS: The Empire Strikes Back - Definative Edition - 3 Disc Set

[2:58:45]

Disc 1 (58:55)

01) 20th Century Fox Fanfare - [0:27]
02) Main Title - [1:35]
03) Probe Droid - Echo Base - [6:42]
04) Wampa Ice Lair - [3:35]
05) Visions of Obi-Wan - [3:30]
06) Speeders Take Flight - [1:51]
07) Probe Droid Reconnaissance - Aboard the Executor - [3:09]
08) Attack Positions - [2:08]
09) Ion Cannon - [1:57]
10) Imperial Walkers - [3:43]
11) Beneath the AT-AT - [4:15]
12) Escape in the Millennium Falcon - [3:05]
13) Asteroid Field - [4:16]
14) Arrival at Dagobah - [3:38]
15) Setting Up Camp - [1:21]
16) Luke's Nocturnal Visitor - [2:31]
17) Han Solo and the Princess - [3:28]
18) Jedi Master Revealed - Mynock Cave - [5:44]
19) The Training of a Jedi Knight - [1:43]
20) The Magic Tree - [3:36]

Disc 2 (54:45)

01) Attacking a Star Destroyer - [3:06]
02) Yoda and the Force - [4:01]
03) Imperial Starfleet Deployed - [1:17]
04) City in the Clouds - [4:46]
05) Lando's Palace - [3:53]
06) Luke Leaves Dagobah - [1:00]
07) Betrayal at Bespin - [1:44]
08) Putting Together 3P0 - [1:01]
09) Deal with the Dark Lord - [2:35]
10) Carbon Freeze - [2:42]
11) Han Solo in Carbonite (Film) - [1:37]
12) Luke Pursues the Captives - [3:21]
13) Departure of Boba Fett - [3:41]
14) Clash of the Lightsabers - [4:14]
15) Rescue from Cloud City - [5:20]
16) Hyperspace - [4:03]
17) The Rebel Fleet - End Credits - [6:17]

Disc 3 (1:01:38)

01) Probe Droid (Film Alternate) - [1:14]
02) Imperial March - [2:59]
03) The Asteroid Field (Boston Pops) - [4:16]
04) Luke's Nocturnal Visitor (Film Ending) - [0:44]
05) Han Solo and the Princes (LSO) - [4:49]
06) Yoda's Theme - [3:30]
07) City in the Clouds (SE Alternate Take) - [2:19]
08) Han Solo in Carbonite (Alternate) - [0:43]
09) Imperial March (Rage Mix) - [2:27]
10) Star Wars Disco - [3:34]
11) MECO Darth Vader/ Yoda's Theme - [4:18]
12) MECO The Battle in the Snow - [4:14]
13) MECO The Force Theme - [4:42]
14) MECO The Asteroid Field/Finale - [6:30]
15) Story of Empire Strikes Back as told By 3P0 - [8:48]
16) Rebel Fleet (Alternate) - End Credits (Film Alternate) - [6:25]


As much as I love my set, it would be negligent of me to not say that you should get or have the SE first. This is just meant as a fan edit and by getting it, you're saying you already have the SE...

I'd be lying if I were to say this isn't meant to replace it lol... because it is lol... but you should still have the SE for good measure.

Just message me if you don't have the link.
Post
#295005
Topic
Info Wanted: On the Conveyor Belt scene edit
Time
the problem, and the glory, of Williams music its ability to fit over a lot of things.

Similar to how the opening of that video uses music from Episode I, when I first layered the cue over the film, it almost fit perfectly.

But as you said,I've heard that that particular subplot was added latter... although I've also heard that a majority of the sequence as it was how it was originally edited.

I think the edit I've posted really does present very closely what the original intent was, leaving a few blank spots for material that was removed...

I was curious if anyone had any ideas or had hear/read anything or if anyone was aware of anything about the sequence I wasn't.
Post
#294995
Topic
Info Wanted: On the Conveyor Belt scene edit
Time

Hey all,

I think we’re all pretty familiar with the scene in Episode II called “On the Conveyor Belt.”

Well, I’ve been trying to figure out the story behind this.

I know that the scene was a very late in the game addition, something that was sparked by the concept art for the droid factory and in a way, is almost similar to a scene in Minority Report (better done in Minority Report I might add)…

We all know what good friends SS and GL are… it makes me wonder if maybe GL saw an eary cut of the film, or maybe even just heard about the scene in talking to SS about it and maybe even SS suggested he use it, decided to have a scene like it in Episode II (seeing as they both came out around the same time in 2002). I mean the Geonosians even have those sonic guns lol…

Anyways!

I was curious because I know originally Ben Burtt “composed” this auditory piece to accompany the scene based on sfx and drums (seeing as he’s trying to be a composer now or some shit) but Lucas decided he wanted to have music in the scene and had JW score the scene (doing a trade off and letting Burtt use his percussive sfx in ‘The Arena’ instead.)

So Williams comes in and scores that scene quite late as well… Its pretty safe to say that Williams almost NEVER composes music without some sort of visual to accompany it and so the same goes for this cue. I know that it was all completely blank blue screen but what he saw were still probably some rough but near finalized shots…

But the question then becomes, what were these visuals?

I tried layering the music over the video (without attempting any edits yet) and found that it actually fit quite well. There was a small omission in the beginning to get the rest of the music to match up, but once I did that, it fit rather well.

The only problem is it’s only about half the length of the scene.

I thought "well, that must be because they added stuff and extended the sequence, but it doesn’t seem to me they did too much of that. The music, as I layered it, seemed to work perfectly so it makes me wonder what could have been changed…

It makes me wonder if more music was written for the scene too. We know that the end of the scene uses unreleased music and most of the sequence is heavily edited musically so it makes me wonder how long that cue at the end was and if it was meant to cover more.

Anyways, I wonder if anyone knows any of the story behind this cue or behind the usage in the film. I made a video edit that you can all watch on youtube.

I originally had the unedited version, but I have since tried editing it to the music to try and see how it would go…

I was curious what your all thoughts have been.

On the Conveyor Belt on YouTube

Post
#294802
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
Just wanted to give you all an update....

Discs 1 is finished. Disc 3 is "finished" unless I can find other material to put with it but I'm unsure if I will so it is "finished" but not officially so.

Disc 2 I have to re-work the cues and check and finalize, but the discs will be available to be downloaded soon. Disc 1 is up, but I need to put the link int the index so keep checking it'll be there momentarily.

I really would appreciate ifpeople who download it, could listen, compare it to the SE or the Anthology and let me know what you think, what you prefer... what have you... I just need input on this.

Thanks for being patient
Post
#294704
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
Sorry this has been taking longer than I expected.

I posted about the edit on JWFan.net, another website I frequent, and as expected, they brought to light a few things I needed to be aware of with the score so I'm taking their advice and changing a few things.

This also means that the track list will be changing. I will keep you up to date on that as well.
Post
#294703
Topic
My Symphonic Forces Series (Released)
Time
So I just finished another video:

STAR WARS Symphonic Forces Volume XII "Luke's Nocturnal Visitor"

One of the cutest little cues, "Luke's Nocturnal Visitor" is pretty much not used in the film. Only the final 30 seconds or so are used.

Meant to underscore the introduction of Yoda and Yoda's theme, this playful piece would accompany Yoda rummaging through Luke's encampment. The playfulness uses Yoda's Theme but in such a way you almost don't recognize it as such (similar to how you aren't meant to realize that the character is Yoda until a few scenes latter).

Perhaps one of the most peculiar aspects of the cue is how it ends. Unlike how you hear it on the album, there seems to be a completely unreleased ending that is heard no where except in the film. It is similar to a portion just before and a little after, but where exactly it came from is unknown and it remains completely unreleased.

(Although there is some debate as to whether it may simply be tracked from another cue or another take).

Some of the nicer moments in the cue are when R2 reaches out to take the light from Yoda who fights for his light.

Moments latter, as Luke tries to have the little guy leave, he speaks about why he is there. And when he mentions Jedi Knight, a little tinkle of the triangle seems to symbolize a light going on in Yoda's Head.

"ooooh! Yoda, you see yoda!"

It is some really nice underscoring for a cue scene.

Why it is unused is perhaps to keep the scene from being too comical, a problem that Lucas feared when he decided to use a "Muppet" as a main character. The removal of this cue does seem to keep the scene a little more realistic and give it a more endearing quality than the more comical underscoring would have done for the scene.

You can view the video here.
Post
#294578
Topic
My Symphonic Forces Series (Released)
Time
Hey all,

I've recently posted another video.

___________

STAR WARS Symphonic Forces Volume XI "Probe Droid Renascence - Aboard the Executor"

Perhaps one of the strangest cues written for Empire Strikes Back, this cue starts out really interestingly.

There had to have been some minor editing but I don't believe that was why the cue was removed. There was both editing during the discussion in Echo base but also some in the establishment of Vader's fleet.

The cue starts off rather ominously and even goes into a great, subdued statement of Vader's theme when 3PO announces that the droid found might be Imperial in origin.

The cut to the droid, and the music surrounding it's destruction is reminiscent of the arrival at Hoth by the droid.

Once the droid is destroyed, the scene transitions to the Imperial Fleet. We hear, stated here rather strongly the Imperial March. There was a deal of editing here to extend the sequence and show more of the interior of the ship, along with the omission of most of the march segment of the cue it self, instead replaced with the Album Concert version of the theme.

The music does cut back in when we see the Admiral and General interrupted as they walk through the ship to be told of the find on Hoth.

The rest of the cue plays out as originally planned.

You can view the video here:

I had to talk the old video down. There was a sync error and the video also was mis-named within the credits as "Volume X" so I had to fix it.

The new link is here.
Post
#294570
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
exactly that.

"The Entrance of General Grievious" is a shortened version of the complete track. They simply tracked in a timpani roll, and cut out all of it and cut from the end of the statement to the end of the track... the timp. roll covers it well...

That's how I made the edit at least... if I can make one that sounds exactly like the film version, that's how they did it too... especially since it's exactly the same...

As far as "Prophesy Misread," that is a cut-apart version of the cue I call "Crawling," which is when Anakin is crawling through the ash on Mustafar, and Palpatine arrives in his shuttle and finds him lying there.

Both cues are presented in their complete versions on the album already, so there seems to be no point to present them in some edited form.

Yes, I did put tracked cues in... but they were "intended" to be there.During the discussions before the film, John Williams and Lucas decided on certain scenes to use the score from the earlier films, and so the "Tracked" music I inserted was, for the most part, intended. There are one or two small tracked bits that weren't considered, but I included.

For the most part, I try to present the score as intended. General Grevous on the album is how it was intended... uncut...

The "Prophesy Misread" scene was added late in the game and there was no time for JW to write music for it so there was no "intended" music for it, not to mention the complete cue is in the set... so I omit it.

A lot of people are unaware of a lot of this so they think I've "forgotten" things but I haven't... but I put them up after a lot of people asked for them so they would stop asking lol...
Post
#294522
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
those two are ones I did not want in the set... but everyone else did.

They are simply tracked/edited music and I felt that their inclusion was unnecessary. but everyone wanted them so they are included in case you to. I do not place them in the set because, again, I don't feel they need to be there. You can frankly place them wherever you want. In chronological order or at the end as extra tracks.

The correct track listing is whats in the sets. I need to update a few of the files on the site... that txt file included... but the correct list is whats in the set.
Post
#294518
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
well, the DVD with ROTS did have some nice sounding music, and really is the best source for it, but It wasn't entirely neccesary once I did some playing around with the music.

On the anthology, there are a few tracks. From my knowledge, it's only on the Empire Strikes Back tracks on Disc 4

The "Leia's Instructions" half of track 6 "Drawing the Battle Line/Leia's Instructions" is reversed which starts around 2:07 until the end.

One of the cues from track 17 "Carbon Freeze/Luke Pursues the Captives/Departure of Boba Fett" at 7:33 until the end.

"Luke's Escape" from disc 2 also cuts off a few moments of the harp gliss leading into the cue.

And some of the cues are different takes such as "City in the Clouds."

On the Special Edition, the cues with flipped horn's are:

02 "Main Title" (the entire track)


there are a few others, but I'd have to keep looking... most of the tracks on the SE are so narrow... and badly mixed... that it's not just a problem of the channels flipped either... it's also the mixing. They overly mix the synth and other background instruments into the mix so they are loud and too present... more so than they should be. Compare tracks like "Wompa Lair" and "City in the Clouds" with how they are used in the film. The synth/choir as sooo present. I didn't even know they were there before I heard them on the album lol...



Post
#294410
Topic
My Symphonic Forces Series (Released)
Time
Well all, its time for another installment. I'm currently uploading the next segment:

STAR WARS Symphonic Forces: Volume X Completed "Wampa Ice Layer" through to "Snowspeeders Take Flight"

Perhaps one of the most edit written of the three original trilogy films, Empire Strikes Back has never ceased to amaze me with what it does and doesn't use and how it uses these moments.

One aspect of film I haven't really spoken to much to is the idea of "tracked" music.

Perhaps one of the strangest and most widely used edit in the Prequel Trilogy is that of "tracked music." Williams was aware of this when he composed the music for Episode I and is perhaps in no small reason why his score for Episode I is as brilliant as it is: he knew that it would be used in the other films.

Episode II, as we all know, uses massive amounts of tracked music. Tracked music however wasn't always as widespread as it was in Episode II.

Sometimes, when a composer felt differently about a scene than a director, he/she would create an alternate. If even that alternate didn't suffice, the director might pull from other material.

Examples of this are present in many of the films of Spielberg. One particular scene that comes to mind is when ET is first taken out of his closet and Elliot explains many concepts to him from toys, fish, to eating. The original scoring of this scene is much more delicate using the friendship theme with light strings and harp.

In the end, however, Spielberg decided to cull from another cue called "Loosing ET," when ET lies, dead, in the freezer and Elliot speaks to him, saying goodbye. Both use this friendship theme and are good alternates for each-other and fit each scene almost identically so one could almost argue in the geniuess that went into this decision. Even little nuances such as ET eating the car and ET coming back to life line up perfectly with the same moment in the cue, a hopeful moment shining above the rest.

That is a good example of well done tracked music.

Empire Strikes Back is 129 minutes long. John Williams wrote 123 minutes of score.

Almost the entire film had music written for it which is a MASSIVE amount of music. The entire opening sequence from Main Title through to the end of "Snowspeeders Take Flight" was covered entirely in music. In the film, however, most of it lay unused. Then there is one scene without music (luke recouperating), then we're back on with wall to wall music.

This video presents a lot of what was left out. The end of "Wampa Ice Lair" which leads into the juxtaposition of Luke's wanderings across Hoth and Han searching for him, with this almost whimsical yet loud search motif full of many strange sounds building the tension between the scenes. This has one scene interjected of 3PO trying to Get R2 to come in from the cold. This shot makes use of the droid motif and works rather well in this shot, building the tension back up until Luke (and the music) fall with a boom of the timpani.

When we return to Echo Base, we move onto the beginning of the next cue, "Visions of Obi-Wan." This highlights the tension Leia is going through having lost both of her friends out in the ice and having to finally decide to close the door to the hangar of the base, to protect the inhabitants. As the door closes, a barely audible tense string portion plays outlining the tension.

After the doors close, Chewiee puts his head down in defeat and this is where the film tracks back in the cue. This plays through to the pull out from Han setting up the shelter. In the film, since they removed "Snowspeeders Take Flight," they omit the end of this cue which is a horn introduction using the two-note tension motif (very similar to the Jaws Theme).

Then the next cue would begin almost exactly where that l"Visions of Obi-Wan" leaves off, taking use of that two note tension motif. "Snowspeeders Take Flight," remarkably, is very similar to Jaws theme in orchestrations underlying the melody, using the same dun-dun, dun-dun, even with the triplet wind/horn parts from Jaws but goes off in a completely different direction that really is quite interesting. The usage of the tracked cue "Hyperspace" in the film is anyones guess as to why. Perhaps because they didn't want to use all that much music and rather open with a bit of simple SFX rather than straight into music (which the omission of music does help in giving the audience a reprieve subconsciously and can give the film a heightened sense of realism while also making it feel like more time has passed. The usage of music, especially John Williams cues, is used to tie scenes together. Omitting music tends to allow the scenes to stand on their own and can trick the audience into feeling more time has passed. The film does return to the cue once Luke and Han are found.

The end of the cue, however, is not used in the film because of unused material from the film itself (an omitted scene), so I simply use it for the end credits.

Anyways, you can view the video here.
Post
#294403
Topic
STAR WARS: EP IV 2004 <strong>REVISITED</strong> ADYWAN *<em>1080p HD VERSION NOW IN PRODUCTION</em>
Time
subtle always works best... I think the shot looks great...but it would be kinda cool if they were slightly different however...

I mean... look how many X-wings they start out with... and such... these guys can't be TOO good can they?
the rest looks amazing... but I do agree when I saw that shot, it looks too... cut/paste to me although I'm sure it is not at all...

If you don't change it, it would be one small detail of an otherwise amazing edit.
Post
#294364
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
no... there's still a whole other B-Section that it never goes into. That's the A section again. Here, when I was younger, I arranged the piano version for string quartet. It's kinda cheesy, but it has the B section never heard in the films... except that tiny tiny tiny bit heard in ESB.

You can hear that here.

As for the set, I have some extra tracks that I want to put with the set but I want to see if anyone knows of anything else.

Right now they look like this:

# Probe Droid (Film Alternate) - [1:14]
# Imperial March - [2:59]
# The Asteroid Filed (Boston Pops) - [4:16]
# Han Solo and the Princess (City of Prague Orchestra) - [4:08]
# Yoda's Theme - [3:25]
# City in the Clouds (Alternate Take) - [2:18]
# End Credits (Film) - [4:28]

then of course there are the MECO tracks. Anyone else have any ideas on some things I could add? Are there any John Williams interviews floating around about score empire? I can't recall if the DVD has any special features on this. I might have to check that.

Post
#294315
Topic
STAR WARS: EP IV 2004 <strong>REVISITED</strong> ADYWAN *<em>1080p HD VERSION NOW IN PRODUCTION</em>
Time
just wanted to say it looks great...and...

Goodluck


we're all counting on you.


:-P

Anyways, It looks fantastic... I really am anxious to see it finished... I was curious however why your trailer had a cue in it at the incorrect pitch lol drive me crazy you people do with your pitch shifting! lol

it's cool :-p just thought I'd tease
Post
#294306
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
Well, here's the current track list:


Disc 1 (1:08:51)

01) 20th Century Fox Fanfare - [0:27]
02) Main Title - [1:40]
03) Probe Droid (Original) - Echo Base - [6:33]
04) Wampa's Ice Lair - [3:35]
05) Visions of Obi-Wan - [3:34]
06) Snowspeeder's Take Flight - [1:51]
07) Aboard the Executor - [3:14]
08) Attack Positions - [2:11]
09) Ion Cannon - [1:56]
10) Imperial Walkers - [9:41]
11) Beneath the AT-AT - [4:18]
12) Escape in the Millennium Falcon - [3:06]
13) The Asteroid Field - [4:21]
14) Arrival at Dagobah - [3:38]
15) Setting up Camp - [1:21]
16) Luke's Nocturnal Visitor - [2:39]
17) Hans Solo and the Princes - [3:32]
18) Jedi Master Revealed - Mynock Cave - [5:48]
19) Training of a Jedi Knight - [1:43]
20) The Magic Tree - [3:38]

Disc 2 (55:34)

01) Attacking a Star Destroyer - [3:09]
02) Yoda and the Force - [4:06]
03) Imperial Starfleet Deployed - [1:17]
04) City in the Clouds - [4:51]
05) Lando's Palace - [3:57]
06) Luke leaves Dagobah - [1:00]
07) Betrayal at Bespin - [1:49]
08) Putting 3P0 Together - [1:06]
09) Deal with the Dark Lord - [2:40]
10) Carbon Freeze/ Vader's Trap/ Boba's Departure - [11:17] (God I wish there were some clean endings/intros to this. I'd love to break it apart cue by cue lol)
11) Clash of the Lightsabers - [4:14]
12) Rescue from Cloud City - [5:25]
13) Hyperspace - [4:08]
14) Rebel Fleet - [1:52]
15) End Credits - [4:28]


# Probe Droid (Film Alternate) * - [1:19]
# Imperial March - [2:59]
# Yoda's Theme - [3:25]
# City in the Clouds (Alternate Take/Mix) - [2:23]
# Film End Credits Mix - [
Post
#294288
Topic
Star Wars Prequels/Original Trilogy: The Complete Scores (Released)
Time
I have it:

Darth Vader/ Yoda's Theme - [4:18]
The Battle in the Snow - [4:14]
The Force Theme - [4:42]
The Asteroid Field/ Finale - [6:30]

What drives me crazy is there is nor formal, complete force theme orchestral suite... and there needs to be! Have you ever heard the complete force theme? With B-Section? It's amazing... it's in the piano redux books... a bit of the B section starts in the Finale to ESB, but it's not nearly finished...