108 replies to this topic

[Rich Douglas]

Hey everyone!

30 minutes of my scorefor "Bullets Speak Louder Than Words" (007 remix included) is available in mp3 format on the films main site located here:
http://www.007gaming.com/bsltw/

A direct link to my music can be found here:
http://bsltwmedia.inetworld.co.uk/

Let me know what you all think!

Rich

[Tanger]

Wow the music on the site sounds amazing. It's a really well put together site. Good work!

[Tanger]

Just noticed that there's another Bond Smells A Rat track. Are you going to do this on all you scores?

For those who don't know, the title Bond Smells A Rat has been used for the title of three different tracks on three different scores. DAF, MR and NSNA.

[Rich Douglas]

Glad you like what you hear so far. Yup... going to have a "Bond Smells A Rat" track on all of my bond related scores. I always enjoyed the title, and the track certainly has a menacing feel to it for BSTLW so the title seemed to fit.

Rich

[Tanger]

I'm listening to the 007 Velocity Mix as I type. A great little update imo although it's a little too like the original and there's not enough techno. This needs to be technoed to the max! But then I don't know what sort of feel they're aiming for in the film so it'll probably be ok.

Is there any cover art as of yet?

EDIT: (So I'm not spamming;)) Just listened to 007 boards Sub and noticed that you've used bits from the LALD. My favourite bit I might add! How many other scores have you used bits an pieces from?

[Rich Douglas]

There's no downloadable cover art as of yet, I'll talk to the producers and see whats up. I wanted the velocity remix to mainly be an update more so than a remix, and not too over the top, hence just a techno bed with "my" orchestra playing the theme. Glad you caught the LALD reference, . As far as other little homages, here are a few to listen for.

-Unreleased music from Barry's Octopussy pre title sequence
-references to Arnolds trumpet fanfare heard in "Ice Palace Arriva" from DAD

-reference to more of Arnolds unreleased music from DAD (namely the hong kong harbor, and the flamenco guitar version of the Bond theme from "Wheelchair Access")

-a reference to Barry's elaborate string work... used in two tracks.

-OHMSS

Rich

[Harmsway]

You've really outdone yourself, Rich. You've really got a flair for Bond, more so than Arnold, IMO. Love the homages to other scores, especially the LALD reference. Can't wait for Vol. 2!

[Dmitri Mishkin]

Hi Rich,

So far, I've listened to the first couple tracks as well as "Spanish spying". I like what I'm hearing. I especially like the Spanish influences and guitar, along with the interesting spin on the gunbarrel.
The second track feels like a meld of many many things. I hear Don Davis' "Highway Chase" for Matrix Reloaded in there (the techno underlay), a bit of Arnold's DAD theme, some of "Antonov" and toward the end, you threw in a clever snippet of the beginning of "bike chase" from TND. Much of it sounds professional considering you work with your own "orchestra". Well done! Keep it up.

Edit: Nice work in track 3 with the use of electronics. Reminds me of TND Hamburg Break-in and Zimmer.

[Dmitri Mishkin]

Rich, curious, do you actually play the guitar for this score, or do you use special software on your computer? It sounds quite genuine.

[Sensualist]

You're Mine Now Mister Bond....rousing stuff, Rich Douglas. Excellent! Bravo!!

[Sensualist]

Mr Douglas, you're a talent that needs to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world.

I have 18 of the 20 soundtracks (many of them in remastered and extended form) and I can happily say that your work could easily make the grade!

Velocity Remix...Wow! The 007 Theme has'nt sounded this good since the Little Nellie sequence in YOLT (Including the Moonraker 007 Theme which I found disappointingly flat even when I heard it back at the theatre in 1979.)

Top marks.

(I'd have a total sensory experience listening to Velocity Remix while driving my sports-packaged BMW 3 Series at the absolute limits of its considerable adhesion.)

[Sensualist]

Originally posted by Dmitri Mishkin

The second track feels like a meld of many many things.  I hear Don Davis' "Highway Chase" for Matrix Reloaded in there (the techno underlay)

"Monalisa Overdrive", non?

Forget Don Davis. Douglas Overdrive!

[Sensualist]

Exit 007...Q Board Chase - Is this to be a snowboarding/skiing set piece? If so then the touches from "Escape From Piz Gloria" are a fine addition.

It's good to know that Barry's beloved OHMSS theme has its admirers to this very day and amongst a new generation of musicians and composers.

Thanks for putting out some great original work with 'homages' thrown in for good measure, Rich!

[Rich Douglas]

Glad you all like what you hear!! The Nylon guitar is a sample patch I used within gigastudio, it does have a very convincing sound to it. Every instrument you hear in every track I played individually on my synthesizer through gigastudio. lol... yup, track 3 is definately "Mona Lisa Overdrive" + Zimmer ("The Peacemaker") with my own touches. In fact, the Brass stacc samples I used for that track are from the Media Ventures private sound library (dont ask). I wanted to do something very much over the top for bonds escape.

And sensualist.... call me Rich

Rich

[urhash]

Wow this is great stuff...

I have to say though Rich, my favorite piece of yours is the Car Chase (with the asian influence)!

[TonicBH]

Onto the track reviews (take these as Constructive Criticism, everyone, I don't want flames and hatemails, plus these cues have only been listened to a few times):

1. Opening Roll (aka the Gunbarrel): One thing that's bugs me is the way the gunbarrel cue starts kinda differently than the familiar way I've heard it, and it's kinda jarring. otherwise ok.

2. You're Mine Now, Mr. Bond: Starts ok, then a slightly bad uptempo version of the Bond theme. Ehh.

3. Bond Smells a Rat: kinda starts off a bit slow, and fails to pick up momentum, and kinda falls flat.

4. 007 boards sub: a catchy upbeat tune, that makes good use of guitars and electronics. Sadly it's too short and ends a bit abruptly, which I would understand if that part in the film is short.

5. Pillow Talk: Kind of starts off in a style that sounds like John Barry, which is nice. Is this supposed to be the romantic theme? Because if so, this works.

6. Into Factory: Nice suspense cue. Kind of odd how it goes from Orchestra to an electronic/orchestra mix, like a style of Hans Zimmer, maybe Don Davis.

7. Spanish Spying: Nice Spanish flavor (perfectly fits the title), kind of sounds like one of the cues from "Licence to Kill", like a Michael Kamen style of cue.

8. Velocity Remix: Here comes your Don Davis/David Arnold style of cue here. OK remix of John Barry's "007" cue.

9. The Handover: I'm kind of mixed on this cue. I'm gonna leave it at that.

10. Bond to Spain: It starts Spanish-flavored, then kind of goes into a slightly fast-paced cue (like Arnold's "Intro to Iceland" from DAD) before slowing back down. I guess that works.

11. Exit 007 - Q Board Chase: Did I hear portions of the OHMSS theme in this? I swear I did. And this sounds like David Arnold's "Iced Inc." from DAD. Not like that's a bad thing...

12. Virtual Deadliness: This kinda sounds like a Zimmer/Media Ventures cue. Was that your point in this cue, or am I just getting mixed up a little here?

Overall: It's pretty good. And that's all I can really say. Keep up the good work, Rich.

[Rich Douglas]

Everyone is definately entitled to his or her opinion, but I think you'll find that most here will disagree with your comments. No offense, but there's really nothing constructive about your criticism. Dont worry man, Im not flaming you and am not gonna flame you, just dont agree with any of your statements and want to give my opinions:

- the gunbarrel was done in a very traditional Barry style (which is what the producers wanted) and there really shouldnt be anything jarring about it. I styled it after the TLD and OCTOPUSSY gunbarrel's.

- "bad uptempo version of the bond theme"? It was meant to be uptempo as Bond is making a huge escape. I wanted it to sound heroic, not suspensful (like say Arnolds bond theme renditions while Bond is on the stealth boat in TND). I'll be the first to admit, I do wish the trumpet staccs were done a bit differently, but they work, and the producers liked them, so I kept them. This cue is definately a homage to Zimmer and crew at MV.

- "Bond Smells A Rat" is supposed to be a very slow building cue as Bond discovers Milner's plans. If anything, I'd say it has a very nice peak at the end with the bass trombones echoed by a theme on the french horn section.

- "007 Boards The Sub" was supposed to be very short. Think of the bond theme being played as Bond rides the jet ski to atlantis in TSWLM, same kind of scene. Just an interim use of the Bond theme as Bond gets to where he is going.

- "Pillow Talk" - yup, Barry influence all the way for this love scene

- "Into Factory" - It's not odd at all how the orchestra goes from a traditional sound to a contemporary one, so many scores these days do that (including Arnolds Bond scores) and it also is a very bondish smooth transition into the electronics in my opinion.

- "Spanish Spying" - yup, a LTK influenced cue. Short, sweet, and to the point as Bond roams the waterways in Spain.

- "Bond to Spain" - Sure it works man, it's the same style Barry used in his cue "Bond to Holland" in DAF. You have a short buildup as Bond discovers where Milner is, then an all out blast of Bond music as he flies to Spain ending with a nylon guitar as he arrives.

- "Velocity Remix" - as stated earlier, this was more of an update than a remix per se. I just wanted to reorchestrate 007 with my equipment then layer in some electronics echoing the timpini drum line.

- "Virtual Deadliness" - on the contrary, while it has a mild MV sound to it, this was something I did completely in my own style. Just because a cue has zimmerish sounding trombones doesnt make it a zimmersh cue.

I do appreciate the input, but I thought I would respond directly since I just dont see how your criticism is in any way constructive, and I certainly dont want to turn this thread into a large flaming argument. Hopefully my rundown of the cues will help clear things up for you, if you have anymore questions, ask. So unless anyone has anything constructive to say about Tonics thread dont mention anything about it. Otherwise, please keep the input about my BSLTW score coming! Keep in mind as well, I have no formal training and am compltely self taught (in everything from sampling, recording, editing, mastering.. to orchestration, instrument layout, and music theory).

Rich

[TonicBH]

Originally posted by Rich Douglas
I do appreciate the input, but I thought I would respond directly since I just dont see how your criticism is in any way constructive, and I certainly dont want to turn this thread into a large flaming argument.  Hopefully my rundown of the cues will help clear things up for you, if you have anymore questions, ask.  So unless anyone has anything constructive to say about Tonics thread dont mention anything about it.  Otherwise, please keep the input about my BSLTW score coming!  Keep in mind as well, I have no formal training and am compltely self taught (in everything from sampling, recording, editing, mastering.. to orchestration, instrument layout, and music theory).  

Rich

I understand your point. I'm no music maestro myself (far from it, I enjoy music like how some people are).

Now that I think of it, this wasn't that bad a score. there are a few negative points, but that can be said about almost EVERY film composer's score... no score is entirely perfect.

I don't like starting flamewars myself, Maybe my criticism wasn't that "constructive", more like "straight insult." But I digress.

[Bondian]

Hey Rich,

What a brilliant music score....Get rid of Arnie ( I won't be back ) and hire this Guy. We have't heard this type of thrilling music for a long time.

I only have one question Rick, how can you compose this great music in 'pre-production'?. I'll assume that this is just some cue's that would be changed in lenght/time in post-production. Or are they going to fit the visual's with your music?.

From what I've heard so far EON had better watch out....Bond is back in a big way and will prove that you don't have to spend millions to impress.

Good luck Guy's,

All the best,


Ian

[Rich Douglas]

Hey bondian, thanks for the kind words!

Yup, they're going to edit the picture to my music, should be pretty cool! There will also be some additional music that I'll have to do for specific scenes.

Rich

[deth]

how big a team is the production anyways? Are you actually going to location?



......anyways, as for the score, I haven't had the chance to listen to all of it myself, but so far I've enjoyed Bond Smells a Rate the best....

.....I like more "drawn out" techno beats rather than really fast bam, bam, bam, bam type beats...

......anyways, I must say, very impressive!

[trs007]

EXCELLENT SCORE--cannot wait for volume 2 to complete the set.
What about the title song?

[Rich Douglas]

Deth - the production team is a fairly large group of dedicated fans from the MI6 board, Im not sure on an exact number. Since Im in Texas, currently jobless, I wont be joining them for the shoot in europe january.

trs007 - the title track is complete, and is an instrumental (ala OHMSS), should be released with the volume 2 batch.

Rich

[deth]

Originally posted by Rich Douglas
Deth -  the production team is a fairly large group of dedicated fans from the MI6 board, Im not sure on an exact number.  Since Im in Texas, currently jobless, I wont be joining them for the shoot in europe january.

trs007 - the title track is complete, and is an instrumental (ala OHMSS), should be released with the volume 2 batch.

Rich

too bad you won't be there... because, hey, if there is a scene with an orchestra in it, you could make a cameo appearance as conductor!

....

[gkgyver]

Sounds very good to me!

How long do you need to "do" (can't say write, since you don't do that) one piece?
Isn't it a bit tricky if you have no idea of music theory?
Maybe I can dare to give you a small advice: even if it may look a bit wierd at first glance, writing makes things alot easier.

[Rich Douglas]

Thanks!
Actually, to me writing would just get in the way man. That long action piece (Youre Mine Now Mr Bond) took me about 3 hours from start to finish to do. I start with a motif, if I like it I then go on to build upon it with various instruments. I can perform, record, and master a main title for say a horror film that has a length of 2 to 3 minutes in under an hour if I had to. If I was writing, it would have taken 3 hours (if not more) to get that cue sorted out instrumentation wise, its just not as quick, and these days you simply dont have to know how to write to compose. Look at Hans Zimmer, the man couldnt read or write music either, now look where he is. I do know music theory, however Im sure that I learned it in a totally different way than you did, simply from listening to film scores for the last 9 years. Thanks for the offer man, but I think Im good to go.

Rich

[gkgyver]

No hard feelings towards Mr Zimmer, but, maybe it's just me, he may not be the greatest example.
And when I listen to some of the latest stuff, songs or Soundtracks, not just by Hans Zimmer, sometimes I really think that person surely does not know how to compose music.

Personally, I always want to bring a piece into a definite form before proceeding. At first, it may be just another hour of work, but later on, if you want to change your piece, it's a great help to find the "point of interest".

Maybe I'm just too lazy

[Double-0 Six]

Wow! Excellent as always, Rich.

The gunbarrel reminds me of LTK's - It means business. I'm still listening to it all, but I'm very impressed (and somewhat jealous).

Keep up the good work, and we'll do our best to get you working for the Broccoli's when David Arnold steps down. The petition starts here!

[Genrewriter]

Incredible, Rich. I love the gunbarrel, it really gets one into the mood for an amazing adventure.

[Rich Douglas]

Thanks guys! It was actually the second version of the gunbarrel. The first was done with an electric guitar and electronics and didnt mean as much business as the current orchestral one. The producers wanted a more serious feel for the gunbarrel, a John Barry feel.

Rich