Steal John Powell's "String Filler" Trick [Quick Tips]
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- Опубліковано 5 лип 2024
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Had never thought about this trick. It's amazing that in this example the arpegios are not being played faster , but they "feel" faster. You just opened up a whole world of ideas for me Zach. Thank you so much 🙏🏻❤️
I've noticed this in Rachmaninoff's 3rd concerto. The piano accompaniment seems like it has arbitrary deviations from the (fast!) arpeggios you should be playing, until you realize he's building in lots of tiny counterpoint moments to what the orchestra is doing. It's brilliant.
I love this idea of a "moving" ostinato or motor - I bet the musicians who play those kinds of lines will have so much more fun with them than regular arpeggios!
You should do more lessons like these. They're easy to follow along with and I can feel that I'm actually learning something. Great video 👍
So glad to hear it, more is on the way!
Totally agree!!! I love these small bite size analysis. You can apply the concept straight away.
surprisingly, the best thing that I learned from this video is the fact that step recording exists... Had I known this sooner I could've played ideas without needing to record them and then quantizing them right afterwards, so thank you!!!!!!! the odea that we should vary the arpeggios and not play the same thing is also very useful!
Alternative approach: What you said about listening to the downbeat is key. Start there. Write an inner melody in, say, quarters and 8ths, then arpeggiate down in 16ths to fill out the rhythm. It's that melody that captures the ear.
I watched the Patreon vid too. Your transcription skills are off the charts. Awesome stuff, Zach!
Hey thank you!!
So subtle but has a big impact. Just the rhythmic changes in the arpeggio are enough to make it noticeable.
A great welcome back!, and with a tremendous helpful video!!! Thank you Zach for this very clear explained, deep, and inspiring inside!!!
I've been doing this for my more powerful arrangements. I remember one where I had my 1st violin do the arp. on first inversion while the 2nd began on the second, making it so these were always harmonizing each other.
such a profound observation. I really liked it.
Incredible!! Love these bits sized analysis, easy concept to apply straight away.
Thanks
Good to see you back Zach! Great vid as always :)
Wonderful tutorial Zach, especially the use of the step sequencer.
Never thought about speed like this, was really interesting and helpful. Thank you!
Cool trick! Thx for introducing us with more complex tricks in a simple way
When I do this for my orchestrations, I use measured tremolo (I think that's the right term). Basically for I split the notes in half and play them twice and it sounds amazing. Especially in 2 8va.
Fantastic as always! 🙌
This is so smart! I always learn new things from your videos and it makes me excited to implement the tips and tricks in my own music. Thank you!
Thanks David!!
This is so awesome! I always feel like composing more music whenever I watch your videos.
Love to hear that 🙂
Excellant video - learnt a lot in 7.30 minutes. Thanks for posting.
Great catch and explanation! I need to pay closer attention to those violins in his scores as I analyze them. And I've been wanting to re-listen to his Call Of The Wild score anyway, now I've got something to listen out for!
Such a great score!
Another fun and informative video
Genius as always 🙌
Your channel will be my music bible for the next few weeks now.
Thank you again for this simple, yet very effective trick. I hadn't realised that by shortening the range of the arppegio gives you the sense of moving faster. Very useful trick!
This is great -- thank you!
Great tip
Welcome Back!
Welcome back Zech 🎉
Thank you 😁
Thanks!
Hey thank you so much! 🙏
What a great channel.
You have it all wrong. What gives this part its inner motor is the quacking duck sample at the start.
Love the channel Zach, learnt loads from ya. Just a question relating to the violin arpeggios - is that inner motor piece physically playable on a violin ?
Thank you! And with good players like session musicians, definitely! (The actual recording of Powell's cue uses live musicians)
@@ZachHeyde it's a fine line isn't it, if using sample libraries in the DAW, we can end up composing sections which may not be phsyically possible with real players. Same with wind instruments. Guy Mitchelmore (you and his channel are my favs for orchestration) offers advice all the time on writing sections for wind/strings etc in a way in which can be done physically ie no really long flute/oboe sections without breaths etc. Guy runs Thinkspace Education in England. Keep doing what you do, love it, learned loads recently watching your vids. Just keep making videos which you want to make, screw the algorithm, we'll still be here.Best wishes from Scotland.
Great tip and break-down! What sample libary are you using? I've been using EastWest Play but my staccato string sounds never sound that consistent or accurate :(
Thank you! My gear list is in the description 🙂
Hey Zach, great video as always! Quick unrelated question please... Do you find yourself having to use Pro Tools at any stage of your workflow or can you do everything, from sketch to delivered tracks in Logic pro? Thanks in advance and keep up the good work!
Thank you! Not usually, except for during my time composing additional for a Kung Fu Panda Netflix series (we delivered stems via Pro Tools)
Thanks Zach much appreciated! All the best
Amazing analysis! And although Powell employs this frequently, he's certainly not the first composer to think of it! If you study the organ works of Bach, you'll see lots of moving counterpoint, much of it using principles like this one to create interesting melodies (often the top notes of the line form a beautiful melody over the course of several measures).
I do something similar in my pop and rock songs, except I have this kind of ostinato or even the lead instrument follow the lead vocal to outline and fortify it.
What John Powell piece is the sample you used from?
"End Credits" from Migration!
Do you have midi files or you recreated it the daw from the score?
I recreated it from ear, but my MIDI is available on Patreon!
O.o did you transcribe that by ear ? cause i was Planning to do that with the 2nd Track from the Migration Soundtrack (What Else is out There?) where this Theme comes around for the first time, couldnt find a choir Library yet that can emulate the real thing ;P
Yep I did! I'm using Strezov Essentials on this 🙂
yay I guessed the violins
I guess my next question is how to write this kind of engine in a realistic way that doesn't tire out the section and connects with other ways to play in a smooth manner!
It was quite easy to pick up the "ingredient". It says what it is in video title. 🤣
It is a good idea though. I was thinking about starting to use strings ostinato recently as a background for certain parts of my heavy guitars tracks. This is even better.
True 😂
I use these constant staccato strings going up and down, it adds a lot of character into a song. Buuuut overusing it can also hurt the song, so gotta be careful with it lol.
Migration was actually a really cute movie