Audacity is a open source freely downloadable audio editor. Although it is a little clunky here and there this is one to watch as inevitably the open source approach will mean it’s going to get better and better. Other similar products like Cooledit and Wavelab and better but expensive.

KaosAudio has done a grand job of listing out some free resources, tools, plugins, etc on their site. An older post contains a list to free music software. Very nice. Thanks.

Propellerhead Software stopped supporting Rebirth a while ago and have generously placed it at http://www.rebirthmuseum.com/. This is fantastically fun software that emulates the classic 303 synth and 808 and 909 drum machines.

K7 Sounds has a good page of free music software which includes ‘Acid Express’ and ‘Kristal’ - 2 loop based sequencing programs that are small and easy to use.

Finale Music have a free version of their notation software which is a nice way to get into musical notation if you are of the classical / traditional (non techno) disposition.

There are some good links here to variety of support tools like tuners and metronomes. Notably this is a cool ear training tool for for those seeking perfect pitch.

I am looking for more links to add here? Can you help?

Fancy yourself as the next Mylo, or the next LCD Soundsystem? You don’t need a home studio, you don’t need a recording contract, you don’t need a band. You need a few things key tools and your imagination will take you the rest of the way:

1.  A reasonably OK laptop + mouse
2. Reason 3.0 software
3. Headphones

Having messed around for years with guitars, keyboards, sound modules, effects racks, compressors, microphones, Cubase software, Wavelab software and a giant box of leads and wires, I haven’t had as much fun and immediate reward from a setup as minimalist as the above.

Essentially Reason 3.o rocks. It is smart, fun, immediate, well designed and has just the right blend of ‘pro’ features and easy-to-use functionality. This is really how creativity can be unleashed quickly and rewardingly. You can compose tracks, tweak them to your heart’s content, master them and export as audio files. No additional plugins needed. Love it.

Having a home studio setup can be great fun and yield good results but it is just so hassly and frustrating sometimes when you have to screw around with gear. Why take 100 bits og gear into the shower when you can have Reason? Get it now.

There’s a more detailed review here.

This looks really interesting and there are a variety of the players lined up - from Jazz players to Flamenco. The festival is split into concerts and workshops. The workshops cover a variety of styles and if you want to spend 3 days just playing like a crazy person this sounds like it is the place to sign up. There are some good blues workshops and even 3 day sessions around learning acoustic guitar which will be popular for its accessibility to learners and newbies.

The international Guitar Foundation’s brochure can be found here.

The movie itself is visually stunning and although the story unfortunately gets slightly lame inthe second half what struck and interested my greatly was the soundtrack. The sound effects and original and very haunting whilst the music itself it fantastically eery and inspiring throughout. I found out the soundtrack is collaboration by film composer John Murphy and the band Underworld who collaborated with Danny Boyle on his original movie Trainspotting. These 3 artists have together collaborated across several films  - 28 days later, The Beach and A Life Less Ordinary.

The soundtrack is not out yet but looks like it will be nicely tailored outing into electronic sci-fi soundscapes with some powerful and juicy orchestral passages. From what I can remember in the film it will all be really lovely stuff.

The soundtrack Includes Avenue Of Hope by I Am Kloot.  And Peggy Sussed by Underworld.

 Previews of the soundtrack are online here.

The blog on Ektopia posts it here too as a great flash site with loads of content and interation.

I was recently searching for info on music for my wedding and came across this guy totally ripping out Canon in D which is fantastic and hilariously cheesy. In a good way. 

However to be severly impressed with classical guitar funkery check out guitarist Dominic Frasca playing a 10 string here. Very nice indeed and inspiring stuff.

 Also worth checking out: Edgar Cruz’s Bohemian Rhapsody on classical guitar which is lovely.

Lastly check out some great insight and technique into classical playing my rock king Paul Gilbert.

Back to Stairway to Heaven for me then…

What makes a great and memorable film theme? Thinking about some of the great themes of the last 40 years like Star Wars, Mission Impossible, The Great Escape, Dirty Harry and Jaws I started putting down some cohesive ideas of the anatomy of a great film theme from the perspective of a modern musician.

Firstly, I’ll outline the key ‘examples’ I’ll be working with, and why I love these film themes so much. Then I’ll be discussing the key elements that make these themes memorable, lasting and great pieces of music in themselves.

What can we learn from ‘themeology’?

Generally speaking most musicians and producers want to creative solid, memorable and lasting music. Whether creating a niche skate-rock crossover track or a blockbuster piece of plastic pop, we’re trying to create something that reaches out to the listener, grabs you and stays with you.

With this in mind film themes can teach us a lot. Thinking back over the last 40 years, what are the pieces of music that most stay with you? Great films and their themes time and time again capture key moments of populare culture and history.

For example, the James Bond theme was one of the first usages of a recurring theme across a franchise of films that started in the 60s. Later in the 70s, the rise of hard hitting action movies like Dirty Harry, Shaft and Bullitt brought with them some great themes that reflected the solid central characters at the heart of their stories and simultaneously captured the sound and look of the decade.

From a musical point of view, a film theme can be a great piece of pop music, with a catchy tune that means instant chart success. The way lead lines are introduced and expanded through a theme tune can teach us much about writing lead lines and harmonies into our own compositions.

Key Themes:

So, for the purposes of this post let’s select some great themes to base out our discussion on. Personally these are themes that I grew up knowing and loving. This is a list I have compiled that admittedly is driven by personal taste for these films and the composers behind them.

1960s:

• The James Bond Theme, John Barry & Monty Norman
• The Ipcress File, John Barry
• Mission Impossible Theme, Lalo Schiffrin
• Good The Bad And The Ugly, Sergio Leone
• Lawrence of Arabia, Maurice Jarre

1970s:

• The Dirty Harry Theme, Lalo Schiffrin
• The Theme from Shaft, Isaac Hayes
• Enter the Dragon, Lalo Schiffrin
• Star Wars, John Williams
• Superman, John Williams
• Rocky Balboa, Various
• Jaws, John Williams
• The Pink Panther, Henry Mancini

1980s onwards:

• Bladerunner, Vengalis 
• Indiana Jones Theme, John Williams
• Chariots of Fire, Vengalis 
• Batman Begins Theme, Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
• Beverly Hills Cop Theme, Harold Faltermeyer

How have themes changed over time?

After reviewing the list above, an obvious question is, ‘How have film themes evolved over time?’, or even, ‘how have the movies themes of today evolved from those 40 years ago?’. This is indeed an interesting subject and one worthy of an entirely separate discussion as for me it is closely linked to the evolution of film itself. This is something I intend to cover in a later post.

However let’s just say that as film over the last 40 years has evolved to become increasingly complex, subtle and refined as an art, so too have the soundtracks that accompany them. The heros of today are complex characters with subtle characters that often do not fall easily into the traditional categories of ‘good’ and ‘bad’. So too are their accompanying musical themes, which are often subtle and understated. Look for example at Gladiator and Batman Begins - recent films with strong but complex central characters that display a range of character traits throughout the movie. Their soundtracks in turn reflect this rich tapestry of emotion and character.

Anatomy of a great theme

1. Simplicity & Melody

Above all, and probably the most obvious element is to have a simple, impactful and melodic musical theme that is essentially ‘catchy’ and easily reproducible across a variety of instruments and sounds.

The acid test of any good ‘tune’ is essentially ‘can you play it on the piano?’. This is one reason why good song writers write on the piano, because good songs and pieces of music can be boiled down to strong chord progressions and lead lines. Think of the Mission Impossible Theme for example. The first few notes are almost instantly recognisable and are easy to play on virtually any instrument (”bum, bum…bum, bum…bum, bum…bum, bum!”).

This of course is nothing new, but a good theme can be simplified and introduced and blended into a number of different musical contexts with instant recognition. A good example of this is the James Bond Theme that is subtly woven into the soundtrack throughout all the Bond movies. Some times the theme is full blown and ‘in your face’ as Bond saves the day yet again, and more interestingly it appears as a subtle ’calling card’ for Bond’s character, often woven into the main soundtrack.

2. Harmony & Enhancement

The second common trait across these themes is that they all naturally compliment and enhance the story or character of the movie they were composed for. This may sound obvious but remember the composer’s main task is to add a dimension to the movie that ehances the story whilst hopefully capturing and defining an extra layer of meaning. Generally speaking themes are built around characters and not so much the films they are in. The soundtrack can introduce feelings and moods that are not directly conveyed in the visuals and at the same time can enhance other aspects of the story to become larger than life.

For example the boldness of John Williams’ Star Wars theme brings an epic feeling of drama and heroism through the sheer volume and scale of the orchestration. However think now of the Imperial March from The Empire Strikes Back and this brings on an immediate feeling of foreboding and threat that signifies the malevolent Empire. My point here is that a good theme really echoes the character it was designed for - good, bad, heroic or tragic (think Jaws - the character is not even human). Interestingly as movie characters become richer and more complex so do their themes - and this I think explains why many movie themes are more understated and subtle these days.

3. Credibility & Realism

This is something a little more abstract. I think many good themes ’sound’ like they are a credible part of the character’s world. I am speaking in terms of the sound and instrumentation of the track itself. Think of the opening of Shaft as Richard Roundtree walks the streets of 70s Harlem and the slick Theme jangles in the background. The music feels almost like it could be playing from a stereo on the street or coming from a live band in a local bar. Some of this is due to the ‘in sound’ at the time and some of it is very intentional - it feels credible and real.

Take another example. The Great Escape Theme almost has the feel of an official piece of music being played by a military band (with a cheeky British twist of course). This blends seamlessly with the substance of the film itself and again feels credible and real for the wartime setting.

4. Boldness & Scale

Related to the earlier point of contextual relevance, a good theme has a feel of epic boldness that is usually a reflection of the movie itself. This does not mean to say though that the sound itself is epic and bold. Musically the sound could be quite understated. Think of the Pink Panther Theme - its swagger and style is quite different to large orchestration of Star Wars but both make bold musical statements about their characters.

However in the main soundtracks tend to upscale the impact of the movie. They bring a further enhancement to the story and visual treatment. Try watching Gladiator without the soundtrack and the experience is quite limp. But look at how the Lawrence of Arabia theme is introduced as the main character enters the desert and the epic sweeping desert landscape is enhanced by the bold theme. At this point both sound and vision come together perfectly to define a historic moment in cinema.

A more recent favourite of mine is the Batman Begins soundtrack and in particular the recurring string theme which is deliciously dark and moody. The music is more mood than up front lead theme but it accompanies Bruce Wayne’s transformation to Batman throughout the film and grows increasingly grand as his ‘power’ strengthens towards the end. This is truly great stuff.

5. Flexibility & Adaptability

Lastly, and building on the elements above a good theme is flexible and adaptable so that the key element of melody can be reused, reinvented and reinterpreted many times over - both within the movie saga or franchise, or outside it in other contexts. Think how the main Star Wars theme appears originally in the glorious opening bars of the soundtrack and then later over a minor chord progression to signify low points or sad moments in the story line. The lead line is the same but in a different mood - subtle yet powerful.

Think of how many times the Mission Impossible Theme has been reinvented - each time building on the original track and remaining true to its routes. Again, this is a powerful composition that has so much flexibility in it. Think how powerful this concept would be in the hands of a song writer or pop producer?

Conclusion

In this post I have tried to open up some of the common elements of good film themes from the perspective of both musician and the producer. Whilst I am a big lover of ‘themeology’ (see John Barry’s Soundtrack Collection) as a listener and movie fan, it also fascinates me in terms of composition and the way it can influence my own musical ramblings.

We have seen how the key elements of a good theme range from the memorable catchiness of pop music to having the flexibility and adaptability to be applied in many different musical contexts. However in general a good theme is both true to its film character and brings a rich dimension to the movie itself. These elements of emotion and boldness run directly into the world of modern music - whether it is epic rock or funky pop.

Take a look at Film Score Monthly which is a good site for more details. Hopefully this will provide some guidance and spark some ideas the next time you sit down to write a song or piece of music. Good luck!

However it is not so much that a lot of guitars sound alike, it is more that they don’t sound like anything in particular, other than an ‘electric guitar’. So at the risk of total meltdown I have decide to list below the 5 truly distinguishable guitar sounds….

1. The ‘Classic Strat’ sound

Simultaneously the soulful godfather, swaggering king and screaming diva of guitars, the Fender Stratocaster is as recognisable as the Queen of England and as classic as exciting as ‘all you can eat’ barbeque.

It’s difficult to summarise how influential the Stratocaster has been not only in the evolution of the electric guitar itself, but the also the role it has played in the history of blues and rock over the last half century. The Strat sound is the sound that is probably most recognisable to ‘the general public’ when put side by side against other guitars. It probably helps that the Strat has been used by some of the ‘greats’ – from Buddy Holly to Jimi Hendrix, to Steve Ray Vaughn. Eric Clapton’s ‘Blackie’ Fender Stratocaster guitar sold for $959,500 (£528,976) to the US chain The Guitar Centre at Christie’s in New York, USA on June 24, 2004 (more history here).

The Stratocaster is a versatile guitar with a wide range of capabilities – from clean warmth, to blues crunch to wailing Texas soul. However the Strat sound is nearly always recognisable from its close cousin the Telecaster and comes head and shoulders above the rest. The sound has a lot of depth and character and played on the neck pickup has a warm crunch that is classically deep and distinguishable.

And yes, it is worth mentioning that the Strat has become an enduring icon of good design since its birth (but hey don’t let looks deceive you).

If you are thinking about buying one, don’t think anymore. Go out and get it now. But take some time to play the range of stats available. Fender have made a global industry out of the Strat and the product range is divided across a wide variety and prices and levels of quality. In this respect Strats are like Sofas – get a cheap one and it will last you a couple of years – pay extra and you get something for life.

However if you are looking for ‘the latest technology and design’ in your guitar you may want to consider other brands. Whilst Fender themselves continue to incorporate the latest technology and developments into their guitars, there are other guitars with thinner necks or lower actions. But this is like saying the Subaru Impreza is faster than the Aston Martin. Thanks but I’ll take the Aston any day.

The telecaster. The ‘Tele’ sound is synonymous with the twanging rhythms and crunchy blues lead sounds but it has to be said that it is not as recognisable as the Strat so in order to keep this list at a magic number of 5, I have included it as a minor footnote (!).

2. The ‘Les Paul Wall-of’ sound

Originally developed in the 1950s, the ‘Hulk Hogan’ of rock guitars the Les Paul is the solid no holds barred solution to Rock and Roll. Almost incapable of making a recognisably clean tone the Les Paul screams ‘distort me’ at you as soon as you pick it up. This is a monster truck with six strings.

The Les Paul has been the choice of many great rock players since the 70s with players like Jimmy Page, Joe Walsh and Joe Perry becoming closely linked with instantly recognisable body design (more recently think of Slash, Zakk Wylde and James Hetfield).

 

The shear crunch of the Les Paul mainly comes from its chunky (and heavy) body and Humbucker pickups. It is a solid instruments through and through.

3. The Rickenbacker jangle

The Rickenbacker is a guitar that is alien to many but its sounds are recognisable to millions. Think if the Beatles, The Byrds, The Jam, Tom Petty, Paul Weller. It’s that twangy, jangly sounds that almost sounds like two guitars are playing the same rick to together. Actually that is fairly close to the truth as the Rickenbacker is a s 12 string guitar and thus sounds fairly unique.

The famous 300 series were launched in the early 1960s, and were made famous initially by the Beatles.

4. The semi acoustic sound of jazz and blues

 

The choice of many legends like BB King, John Lee Hooker, Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery that soft sweet, jazz tone is another unique sound linked to a unique guitar style. This is general is the Gibson archtop style guitar with a large acoustic body made for sweet tones and resonance. Take a look at the Gibson Ellis ES-165.

 

The jazz sound often doesn’t sound like an electric guitar per se. The clean, soft, muted tone of these guitars can be so sweet as to sound more like their acoustic cousins.

 

There is a good review on how to get a jazz tone here.

 

5. The sound of metal

 

What is the chosen guitar of metal bands? It is very difficult to say with Metal bands often playing a wide variety of guitars, including some of the above. Obviously the one thing they have in common is plenty of heavy distortion which tends to neutralise many of the characteristics of the guitar itself. Think Ibanez, Charvel and Jackson.

That’s it! That is really it. There are hundreds of electric guitar makers around the world from small boutique companies to large corporations. There are a plenty of guitars out there to suit a range of players styles and tastes. Some of them as cosmetically fantastic and some of them are built around playability and great tones. However when it comes to guitar sounds, it is really very difficult to distinguish an electric guitar sounds beyond any of the categories above.

Sure, guitar aficionados will hang me for being so generalist, and yes there are of course infinite layers of subtlety beyond these categories. Yes the tone on a ‘81 Les Paul is better than that on the ’75, but this is like saying the handling on a ’63 Porsche feel better than handling on a ’59 Porsche (who can disagree?).

There is a good article here on popular guitar brands amongst hot players.

However as a player for almost 20 years myself I can tell you that is what is really boils down. The vast majority of guitars will have a sound that falls into one of the above categories, or may claim to be a ‘hybrid’ of two of them. I’d like to hea your thoughts on this gross generalisation…!