tweex

T|M Composes New Arrangement for The Guild Web Series Theme Song Tweex Music is back with a new arrangement for all to hear. A popular web comedy series called The Guild recently finished their 3rd season and will be going into their fourth sometime in the future. The show follows a core group of people who play an MMO together online. It focuses on their interactions both in front of the computer screen AND in person. It is a fantastic comedy series that has grown massively in its popularity! T|M fell in love with the theme song right off the bat. The first season had the same theme song, but the arrangement was made up of only a snare drum and bell synth. The second and third season made use a track that had the same melody, but it was meant to sound a little more epic. After listening to the theme over and over again, Tweex decided to try composing a new arrangement of the existing song. The result turned out fabulous. If you were to take the original theme… Listen to Original Song …and combine it with Hans Zimmer/Pirates of the Caribbean, you would get what T|M has come up with: Listen to New Arrangement by Tweex You can even SEE a clip of the show with the theme song in it here: WATCH THEME SONG IN EPISODE. T|M is in the process of reaching out the the production team for the show to try and have this placed and needs your help! If you have any connections, feel free to let Tweex Music know so we can get this fantasitc piece of music placed in the show! Tell your friends and help create buzz so we can reach the staff! Until next time, be cool and check back soon for new updates!

Hey mate, thanks for the kind words. In terms of sample/instrument numbers, it largely depends on the template. Template 1 - Tonal Orchestral: 50-100 different samples loaded. Template 2 - Percussion: 30-50 different samples loaded Template 3 - Choir: 2-5 different samples loaded Each of these templates continue to get bigger as I realize that I have a need for a new sound. In terms of performance errors, yes and no. With the current 3 template setup I have, no, I don't have any errors. I have 10gbs of memory in the mac pro I use, so I'm covered pretty well. However, when I had all three templates in one template, yes, I began running out of DFD space, and that was before I started using PLAY and the packages that I have with it. The separation has been exceptionally helpful! Processing power has never really been an issue for me and I'm only using a dual core right now. However, my templates don't make use of huge PLAY instrument lists, so that could change if I ever have to go from Kontakt to PLAY. We'll see And hey man, feel free to share your demos. We all started somewhere. Believe me, if you listen to my FIRST REMIX on OCR, you'll here how bad my orchestral work was !

Tanner, I can't stress enough how right on Dan and Rich are here. First, I'm in the same boat you are; I listen to OSTs non stop here (much to my co-workers annoyance). Keep listening and you will start to dissect subconsciously. Break your elements down piece by piece like Dan suggested. I do the same thing. In fact, I have 3 different templates that I work with when it comes to my orchestral work. I start with the first template that has all the tonal orchestral elements in it (strings, brass, woodwinds, and tonal percussion). I then render that and take it into template 2, my percussion template. After hammering out the big drum sound, I'll then render out the two together and put it into template 3, the choir template (if I need choir). This allows me to concentrate on each section entirely and I can put detail into it that I wouldn't usually think about. Also, mixing the different elements together as stems allows you to get a much more powerful sound than if they were all together in one template file. Much like the other guys, I concentrated on a few composers and they have taught me a lot of what I know/do today. Zimmer is also on my list, but I have really studied Jablonsky, Gregson-Williams, and Powell. I can't tell you how important it is to keep listening to EVERYTHING that you can. Because I've imersed myself in it, I've learned MUCH more about people like Elfman, Horner, Shore, Giachinno, Silvestri, Newman, Williams and dozens more! Rich is dead on the money when it comes to samples. If making big orchestral music is what you want to do, whether it be a hobby or a job, you really are required to invest in good samples. Yes, it can be expensive, but if you catch the sales at Sounds Online or Project SAM right, you can get so much for a fraction of the price. Be thrifty and you can get everything you need relatively cheaply. For instance, I never buy anything from Sounds Online unless I can at least get a Buy 1 Get 1 Free deal. Here are two pieces I've done recently that really fall into that category: http://tweexmusic.com/L_Hall/trailer/Everest%20Trailer%20Full%20New%20Ch.mp3 http://tweexmusic.com/guild/guild_theme_3.mp3 Keep at it mate!

T|M Programs and Co-Composes Music for Taqueria El Zarape Radio Spot. This week Tweex Music brings you a new piece from a recent advertising campaign. A Tex-Mex restaurant named Taqueria El Zarape came to Hummingbird for a new radio campaign. Needless to say, Hummingbird answered the call with a fantastic piece of music. T|M joined in by programming the piece and recording/mixing all the elements (music, vocals, etc). The piece is in a mock opera style that is intentionally cheesy/goofy. Even though it’s an orchestral piece, we kept the Hispanic feel alive with the mariachi trumpet parts and the leading castanets, not to mention the overdone Hispanic opera singer. Believe it or not, all voices/parts in the choir have been done by the same person: Bob Farnsworth. Bob is truly and amazing talent when it comes to anything musical, and this is no exception. All of the “The Best” lines were handled by Hummingbird’s Marketing Director, P.G. Banker. Listen to the Spot Here T|M wishes everyone a happy new year and wonderful first quarter! As always, check back soon for new updates and posts and a special release for Alter Ego!

On Christmas Eve morning, I asked my girlfriend of three and a half years to marry me, and was lucky enough for her to say yes . No date has been set yet, but I'm sure there are plenty of decisions that have been made that I know nothing about . We're both very excited and looking forward to the future! Special thanks to the OCR members who know me (and/or Amber) personally and for your support over the years!

Meh, Jon's just pissed since his bitchin' clav solo didn't make it in there this time .

hehehehehe.....

T|M Has New Music in American Airlines Duty Free Commercial Tweex Music is back with a NEW addition to the airline commercial series! This time around, T|M has placed music in the new American Airlines duty free spot. The music may sound familiar as it is both music found in the US Airways Commercial and is the popular track from T|M’s debut album Alter Ego, entitled “Finding the Pocket.” A review of the piece can be found on the US Airways News Post, so we will get right to the spot. This commercial was an odd time in comparison to the others; right at 2 minutes. This was great as it allowed Tweex Music to showcase the track a bit more. With out further delay, here is the spot: Watch American Airlines Duty Free Commercial Like the other videos, this one can also be found on the SFX DESIGN PAGE. Be sure to check back soon with more news as there are some very exciting projects/announcements on the horizon that will certainly excite you! Enjoy the music.

I've been using it for a little while and have been very very VERY pleased with it. Here's a small track I composed that used the choir samples: http://tweexmusic.com/L_Hall/trailer/Everest%20Trailer%20Full%20New%20Ch.mp3 I highly recommend it. But don't get me wrong, it's a pain in the ass to do, but it's still really cool when you get it right!

T|M Programs Orchestral Music for Journey to Everest Film Trailer A new documentary film from the good folks over at Epiphany Productions has been released. The movie is called “Journey to Everest” and is the story of six Americans who set out to trek up a portion of Everest! The film was created and directed by a talented guy named David Kiern who is in the process of releasing several new films and features. The music for the film was composed by Bob Farnsworth, President and Creative Director of Hummingbird Productions in Nashville, and the programming was done by Larry Hall. The music has a very strong John Williams vibe throughout, but it also contains ethnic and cultural elements. The movie is about 70 minutes long and features original music throughout! The film itself can be purchased at the MOVIE HOMEPAGE and is definitely a good watch. T|M was brought on to program some of the orchestral music for the theatrical trailer. Most of the music can be found in the film itself, but the last musical cue (last minute of the trailer) was composed specifically for the teaser. The piece was actually fashioned from a temp track that the director had placed. The piece came from the movie “The Island” which was composed by Steve Jablonsky. Tweex Music, in association with Hummingbird Productions, wrote and programmed the final piece. Of all the music in the trailer, the last minute is easily the climax! T|M was able to use the new addition to his studio (EWQL Symphonic Choirs) for the track. As always, the trailer can be found on the SFX DESIGN page. If you enjoyed the trailer, be sure to check out the complete film; it will be time well spent. Be sure to check in at Tweex Music for updates and more exciting news! Watch Journey to Everest Film Trailer!Visit the Tweex Music Website

To be completely freelanced by the end of 2010. Tweex Music (or Tweex Productions) will be my sole income by the end of 2010 as of current plans.

Hehe. So who else can give us the 411 on your current setup?

EWQLSO = East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra

Sorry for the double post, but here is my current list: Even though I'm rocking 10 gigs of RAM, I have three separate template files for my orchestra work: 1. Strings, Brass, Woodwinds 2. Percussion 3. Choir/Vocal My primary VI software is East West Quantum Leap Symphonic OrchestraGold Pro (NI version) for all my tonal instruments. I also have some Vienna Symphonic Library patches layered in there along with a new sample library called Cinematic Strings. They have a free download of a unison marcato patch that sounds great layered in there. For percussion, I use the sounds available in EWQL Gold for more of the traditional sounds (timpani, snare, tambourine, etc) but when I do more cinematic work, I rely on Stormdrum 2 (SD2). For vocal work, I have EWQL Symphonic Choirs (PLAY version). For more ethnic instrumentation, I utilize EWQL Silk which covers just about any Asian sound that I might need. I also have some patches and samples from Reason that I'll use every once in a while, but it's rare. In the future, I'm hoping to expand my library a bit with a couple more packages: 1. RA 2. Voices of Passion 3. Hollywood Strings or VSL comprehensive strings (for legato work mostly) 4. Some Project SAM packages.

So I am always curious as to what others are using to create their different orchestral tracks, mixes and songs. I love to hear what software people have found effective over time. I also always want to hear how templates and tools have evolved for different people over time. So the question for this thread is simple: For orchestral work, what programs, software, VI, plugins, etc do you use now and how has it evolved over time. My list of software will be here shortly (as I'm running a little short on time) but I really want to start the postings! And please, don't use this as a place to flame others for their choice of software.

Believe it or not, this track is over 2 years old. Heck, it's over two and half year old. Now I feel old! Enjoy guys, more to come!!!

Tweex Music Releases Free Song for Download from Alter Ego Album Tweex Music is proud to release a song to download for FREE from the T|M debut album, Alter Ego. The track for download is called Bipolar. It was the first song that was composed for the Alter Ego album. The track has been used in short films, radio programs, and was featured in the Delta Airlines Duty Free Spot that T|M was selected for! When the track was being composed, it was structured in a way to allow for a guest soloist to put down his or her idea. That person ended up being Jimmy ‘BGC’ Hinson, a good friend and great musician. The synth solo that kicks in about halfway through the track is a driving, pumping part that gives the track a beating heart! Jimmy has been doing music for years and works as a freelance writer/composer for the Scripps Network and his talent speaks for itself! Alter Ego was released in June of 2008 and has seen some fantastic sales! Several tracks from the album have been placed in current film, radio, televesion, and website projects! Listen and enjoy “Bipolar” and be sure to hop over to the Tweex Music Store to pick up your full digital copy of the album! There are still one or two physical copies over at CD Baby so if you want a hard copy, act now! Check back soon for more Alter Ego news, updates, and offers, not to mention some very exciting news for T|M! Download BIPOLAR Here

Also mate, you may not get the perfect sound right out of the box. The sounds are fantastic, but you gotta learn how to use them well to really make them (or any library, really) sing. Don't get discouraged. It was overwhelming for me too when I first started using Gold.

The composers bundle is being sold again for 995 as a holiday special. Be sure to check it out.

Tweex Music Introduces New “Before/After” Series for Media! This week, Tweex Music is proud to introduce a new media series entitled “Before/After”. As the name implies, it will showcase pieces of work both before completion, and after completion. Many times, clients will ask what a composer/programmer is capable of and in many cases, they want to hear the beginning sound in comparison to the final product. This ongoing series will highlight work from the T|M database to help anyone see what Tweex Music is truly capable of. In this installment, T|M brings you two different pieces of music. First is a Hip Hop/R&B piece written by Greg Fairbanks entitled “Red Wine Concubine.” The original track that Greg provided utilized only a couple sounds which repeated continually through out the piece. There were no dynamic shifts and the instrumentation became increasingly repetitive! After some work, Tweex Music created a new electro synth hip-hop feel for the piece, bringing life and uniqueness to the track. Hip Hop Before/After The second track comes from a recent movie trailer that T|M co-scored in association with Hummingbird Productions. The piece was modeled after a track Steve Jablonsky scored for the film “The Island.” The first part of the Before/After piece is the file that Hummingbird gave to T|M. It has an incredibly intense midi-esque sound to it that plagues the overall quality. After a little work, Tweex Music turned the piece into a glorious fanfare with full orchestra and choir. Orchestral Before/After That wraps up the first installment in the Before/After series. Be sure to check back often as new installments will be added! Also check back soon for new T|M updates. In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving!

Two words: FORT MINOR!!!

Hehe. Thanks everyone! These are definitely fun to do as they allow for a lot of creativity! Be sure to keep up with T|M as more is on the way!!

Tweex Music Composes Music for Air Transat Duty Free Commercial! Tweex Music is back this week with a new addition to the airline industry. This time around, T|M has composed original music for Air Transat, a very popular Canadian airline company. The airline was interested in having an original piece of music composed that sounded like an OLD BACARDI SPOT. The original makes use of both a four-on-the-floor beat that later mixes into a more breakbeat/hip hop feel. The piece that T|M has written follows the same style. The juxtaposition of the electronic drums, big cinematic drums, crunchy synths, hip hop beats, and funk guitar brings this piece full circle. It’s hard to believe that one track can have that many elements, but this one progresses quickly and effectively. Air Transat also asked for a 30 second spot, which can be found here: 30 SECOND SPOT. As always, the spot can also be found on the SFX DESIGN PAGE along with the other airline spots that Tweex Music has been apart of. Don’t go far, new updates and posts with new projects, music, and sound design are coming soon! Keep an eye out for new material! Watch Air Transat Duty Free Commercial

Having worked with a B level orchestra (coordinating, pricing, organization, implementation, etc), I can say that the cost of what it takes to get them (non union) is still a boat load more money to the VAST MAJORITY of orchestral libraries out there! In essence, Hy Bound is in the right direction, but VI orchestras are still the more cost effective solution! Also, I'd like to offer a different perspective. I think we all agree that it's cheaper, but cheaper doesn't always mean better. Why is VI growing and becoming more and more popular, and the people who program music using VI's in higher demand? Let's look at the economy. For years, the world acted as a super consumer. People/companies would drop money at the tip a hat for expensive services and products, thereby making REAL orchestra "cost effective". The consumers where paying for high end services, therefor the companies were paying for the best of the best production for their advertising, which drew in the consumers, who buy the company's products, etc etc etc. Since the tanking of the global economy, both business and consumers have been forced to re-evaluate their spending habits and their priorities. Companies had to now find cost effective ways to continue hiring composers, sound designers, etc and the composers had to find a way to meet that need, but with a fraction of the budget! Composers who were already doing the VI programming saw their opportunity and the companies and clients saw how comparable it was to the "old times" (in regards to quality) and, more importantly, how cheap it could be for them. The technology available is increasing despite the crappy times, which in turn brings possibilities of new and better VI development. Now, don't get me wrong, this transition has been going on for years (decades, really), but the economy and the sky rocketing pace of technological advancement has hurried its evolution to a great degree. There will always be a place for big orchestras, whether it be commercial (Hollywood) or simply artistic (city orchestras and philharmonics), not to mention bands and musicians in general. However, because people want music for next to nothing and they're getting it that way, VI will continue to grow and flourish. What's the point in all of this: In my professional opinion, VI programming is the future for the music and sound design business.

NEW REMIXER JigginJonT Final Thoughts: When Jon came onto the scene, he was creating ambient/ethereal music and piano arrangements. Even though he has given us no shortage of piano mixes, he's also gone out and tried some very indie sounding rock pieces. It's phenomenal to hear how his work has progressed over time and it wasn't an overnight change. Through the years, Jon has perfected his craft. His mix for the VotL project still remains one of my favorites to this day! Jon's ability to arrange a piece for solo piano and produce a mix for a full band has improved radically since his first mix in 2003. He is an extremely talented multi-instrument musician and loves to throw it into the mix, so to speak. The more you listen to his pieces, the more you find yourself being drawn in! Excellent work from a man named JigginJonT!