Berklee today

OCT 2013

Berklee today is the official alumni publication of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. It is a forum for contemporary music and musicians.

Issue link: http://berkleetoday.epubxp.com/i/180042

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to deliver that. When I was fnishing Sound Design Vol. 4, one or two editors told me they didn't have enough "rumbles." They wanted these short fve- or six-second sound elements that would shake the theater. So I got together with another composer and we compiled about 25 different rumbles. Then, boom, we were getting licenses like crazy. When you began this work, did you have a studio? Yes, I started out with a studio in Culver City. The composers I work with all have their own project studios. In my studio we have enough space to record four or fve strings or three French horns for sweetening. When we create what we call "premium releases" for our catalog that might involve 24 string players as well as horns, we'll go to a bigger commercial studio. One of my composers went to Prague to record an 80-piece orchestra. much live sound as I can. I am planning to record a bunch of different drum rolls. For instance, I might combine a big bass drum and a taiko drum or a timpani and a taiko drum. Editors love drum rolls because they help with transitions. What range of sounds and emotions do you offer in your library? We have epic, action, comedy, and a series called "Outrageous Elements." Those are perfect for horror flms. We also have a release of pulses. It is important to market them individually rather than combine them so the editors know right where to go when they want pulses. Do you have a stable of composers that help you create your tracks? I have 15 composers that I can call at any time. I'll hand pick them for certain projects. Whether I write the music or not, I produce everything. We have three projects going on right now. I have nine composers working on two of the projects that have the working titles "Dark Adventure" and "Emotional and Inspiring Release." We are also working on Sound Design Volume VI. Given the number of people who now create music libraries, your timing for getting into the business was fortuitous. True. It's gotten very competitive. It's a lot harder for people to get their library noticed. Film composers are now looking for another angle and are trying the trailer world. So for anyone who is trying to get into this business, the material better be good and have something unique about it. Everyone knows how to do classic trailer music these days. It's important to try to fgure out what will be going on a year or two from now. We push the envelope and try to anticipate what will sound fresh to the editors. Can you give an example of how you approach sound design? I might bring drummers in and we sample all kinds of drums, and bang on brake drums and coils. Then I compress the samples, distort them, add ambiance, and more. There are sample libraries out there, but I try to get as What is on the horizon for Q-Factory Music? I want to take things to the next level for the editors. The movie trailer has become an industry in itself—some trailers are actually better than the movies! I love it when I go to the theater and hear trailers with our music and impacts. I feel that I have the best job in town! Fall2013 35

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