THE
CONTEMPORARY
FILM
COMPOSER

Pitfalls
&
Solutions

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THE
COMPOSER
COLLECTIVE.
SIMULATION
PROGRAMMING

ATTACKS AND RELEASES
Attacks and releases ragged and unmusical
(very common)
Carefully shape the volumes of attacks and
releases, increase release time of strings, use
crossfade patches so you can realistically shape
the dynamics of the attacks and releases.
DYNAMICS
Dynamics in general (samples)
(lack thereof, unrealistic etc)
Use crossfade velocity layer programmed patches
as the primary way to gain realistic dynamics.
Volume should be reserved for balancing the
overall mix not creating dynamics except in rare
cases. Use automated low pass filters for
additional dynamic control. This works really well
on brass and electronica elements but not too well
most other places. Short patches like staccatos
and percussion work well just with regular velocity
controlled dynamics. Dynamics are the absolute
number one key to realism so proper manipulation
is vital. In many cases you may simply need to
program in more dynamics.








IMPROPER SAMPLE/PATCH
Improper or non-ideal sample/patch selection
Make sure you are using the best patches for the
job. For example you might have a solo cello
where it should be celli section or it should be a
very specific patch such as Sonic Implants
up/down bow long notes.
MACHINE GUN EFFECT
One of the biggest banes of realistic mock ups.
Use repetition and alternation patches available in
almost all libraries including percussion libraries.
Use accents and velocity variations. Layer on
other sounds. In extremely important cases (like
the main titles or some other vital cue) there are
very advanced solutions that can be done with
pitch shifting, eq, etc., but these are very time
consuming and don't always even work.
NOTE TRANSITIONS
Note to note transition problems (very common)
Increase release time in strings, use performance
legatos from VSL, slight overlaps between notes,
higher velocity layers for less of the "pumping
effect"
BAD SAMPLE SOUNDS
Our suggested libraries are:
1. VSL Special Edition: for performance legato of
all instruments, and woodwinds in general. Also
good for harp, some percussion, good strings if
used with other libraries to supplement, great
trombones, Epic Horns (vital!)
2. Symphobia for staccatos, huge impact sounds,
special effects, low brass, some string sustain
sounds
3. Sonic Implants Strings
4. Sam Truestrike, Storm Drum 1 & 2
5. FM8 for synths
6. WIVI for brass (needs Altiverb and good
programing skill, very advanced program)
7. Sam Horns
8. Guitar: (Ministry of Rock, Trilogy, Guitar amp),
Yellow Tools Pure Guitars (acoustic).
9. Drum Loops: Stylus RMX, Storm Drum 1 & 2,
Abelton, Battery, etc.
ENGINEERING

REVERB
Reverb (washed out, no sense of space, too dry,
to diffuse, too present)
We recommend Altiverb. Make sure you are
getting the proper sense of space, given the
genre. For example, for a big space opera you'd
want a fairly diffuse large hall sound, for a tense
action fight a tighter drier more impactful sound.


SAMPLE PUMPING
This occurs when there is a slight crescendo on
every note and is extremely noticeable in string
section samples where it is natural for the first
note of a phrase to be played in this fashion
especially at soft dynamics.
Edit the samples so they start later, (VSL has this
built in to some of their samples), use VSL
performance legatos, use volume or modwheel to
create the reverse dynamic (an accent), use
longer notes thereby increasing the time between
pumps and making it less annoying, use higher
velocity layers in general (the higher velocities
tend to have less swell and more attack), layer
with something with more attack, overlap the
notes, increase the release time (strings only) .65
seconds is about as long as you want to go and
helps in these problematic cases.
SIGNAL FLOW
Signal flow, dsp, noise, comb filtering, phasing,
dither and other pre-mastering issues.
Sometimes mixes are indefinably dirty sounding.
It can be a result of poor D/A, poor dsp effects,
improper panpot, noise from lousy sound cards,
bad mp3 conversions, and many many other
minor hard to diagnose issues. If you can rat out
any of these problems it's really helpful because it
can improve all of your future output.
EQ PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS OVER COMPRESSION
EQ problems and solutions, thin, buzz-saw effect Over compression, brick wall limiting, distortion,
strings, brass, presence/diffusion, bass shaping compressor pumping

1. Thin may be the result of a poor mixing
environment and sometimes the improper use of
eq. We recommend more surgical use of EQ or
no EQ at all (good place to start)
2. Buzz-saw strings (a common problem) may
need surgical EQ to remove the horrid
frequencies that exist in some sample libraries
especially in the upper frequencies of the low
strings.
There is simply no need for extreme dynamic
compression in film music. it's going to be
combined with other sounds so it doesn't need to
be "competitively loud." A little compression is fine
for creative reasons but too much is harmful to the
quality of the sound. A limiter for level is fine but
not for the purposes of producing a "loud" mix.

3. Certain brass libraries (mainly VSL) also have

offensive frequencies. Also brass can be
manipulated in a realistic way by EQ for better
dynamics (Altiverb stage position has some great
sounding ways of dealing with both brass and
string buzz saw nastiness)

4. Sometimes we need more presence or

diffusion and both can sometimes be solved with
EQ (Altiverb adjustments can also solve these
issues)

5. Bass shaping, as long as you are on a good

speaker system with accurate bass response, you
can get in there with some EQ or levels and
adjust some frequencies if needed.

PRODUCTION
QUALITY

USING LOOPS & FX PATCHES
Music based on pre-existing drum loops or effect
patches is likely ill-fitted for the scene
Sometimes you get lucky and find something that
fits, but if it's not customizable you are going to be
handicapped. It may sound great, but it’s probably
poorly suited for the scene because it's pre-
existing material. Nothing beats custom
programming/writing.
DRUM LOOPS
Non-varying drum loops
Only use drum loops that either have layers, or
are editable in some way so that they can be
varied and be customized to picture. Sometimes
it's tempting to cut corners and just use one loop
the entire time. Custom programmed drums are a
much better solution as long as they are well
produced. If not, drum loops are actually
preferable.
QUANTIZATION ISSUES
Quantization issues, chaotic sounding,
rhythmically off and other timing issues
Sometimes we want multiple drum loops, but they
don't line up. Sometimes composed material
doesn't line up with drum loops. Sometimes live
instruments (ie: electric guitar) can be a bit sloppy
timing wise. The accents of one line don't align
properly with accents in another line and it forms
a chaotic, disorganized sound. Everything needs
to be in the pocket... the same pocket. Watch
out for these issues any time you are doing
groove-backed music. It's a very common
problem and pretty easy to fix in most cases.
COMPOSITION

LACK OF MOTIVIC DEVELOPMENT
Lack of motivic development, often it is "through
composed" without building on the "nuggets",
basic lack of re-use and variation.
This is by far the most common problem in terms
of composition. Re-using material is extremely
important in film music. Everything you introduce
needs to be repeatable or it shouldn't be
introduced in the first place. The best thing to do
is to find one nugget to be the core of the cue and
build everything off of that one nugget. If a piece
feels unstructured, the reuse of material is the first
place to start fixing. Of course, just reusing
material isn't enough (see “Rule Of Three”), it will
need to be done in such a way that it gets more
interesting each time we hear it, and doesn't bore
us - even introducing new material to vary it up as
needed.
MUDDY ORCHESTRATIONS
Muddy, thin, or block chord/keyboard style
orchestrations
Use the overtone series as the fundamental for
orchestrations. That is: root, octave, P5th, P4th,
major third, minor third, etc. In strings (the most
abused section in problematic orchestrations) use
only one note per section including Violins I and II.
Make sure all instruments are in the same
tessitura. This will lead to better blends and also
overtone reinforcement. If all instruments are in
the same tessitura then they will all be reinforcing
each other's harmonic series by default. These
very simple tips will take care of almost all
orchestration/voicing issues.
GAP FILL PRINCIPLE
If you leap more than a third you need to make a
step-wise motion in the opposite direction to fill
the "gap" that our ear perceives from the leap.
This is not a hard and fast rule but it can be very
effective and useful.
THE RULE OF THREE
You should not repeat something verbatim more
than 3 times unless you are modulating on
subsequent repetitions. This is very important for
upper motivic ideas and noticeable riffs - anything
that the ear notices easily this rule applies to.
TOO BUSY, EGOTISTICAL WRITING
Film music isn't about the composer's prowess,
it's about making the scene work, and the more
common problem is too much writing rather than
too little. Keep trying to serve the scene not
yourselves.
 ABUSE OF "SPECIAL FX PATCHES"
Because we can have an awesome sound from
pushing down one key it's a huge temptation even
for really skilled composers but using the effect
patches pose many problems: They might not fit
exactly timing wise, they may be too dense or too
thin, they may not fit in with the established sound
(of the cue or the score as a whole), they may not
be the most effective solution, they are often
recognizable for what they are.
We recommend orchestrating a new version with
their own sounds, layer with other sounds, use
less frequently, use time stretching to conform to
correct timings, make sure the orchestration of it
makes sense. i.e. no 6 sections of violins and 4
sections of horns. Or simply don't use at all!
ROUGH UNPOLISHED MATERIAL
Rough, improvised sounding, unpolished material
Most people write in a sequencer these days and
a common problem is that music will literally
sound improvised. It will lack motivic development
as in A, be poorly orchestrated, and have some
other problems. We suggest going to a sketch
pad so the structures needed (motivicly,
harmonically, orchestrationaly, dramatically) can
all be more carefully thought out


IMPROPER PALETTE
Improper use of palette of prescribed sounds
We always have a prescribed and limited palette
of sounds, which helps keep the score more
unified. Out of the palette sounds just won't fit into
the score as a whole. Anything really unique
either needs to be used all over the place in the
score or nowhere.
PARALLEL MOTION
Parallel motion in bass and lead line voices when
not in the context of impressionistic writing.
The only counterpoint rules that matters in film
music is between the melody and the bass line -
and it's rarely truly problematic - but it's something
to listen for when you just hear it sounding off and
you not sure why. A good solution often is to use
a different bass inversion.
ABRUPT TRANSITIONS
Abrupt transitions, harsh stringers, overly
emphasized hit points, hit points vs shifting points
1. Transitions are very important yet many people
are happy enough to lay a suspended cymbal roll
between two wildly different sections and be
happy with their "transition”. Much more work
needs to be done in connecting two areas of
contrast.
2. Stingers should be appropriately balanced with
all other elements including what's happening on
screen.
3. You may feel the need to hit all kinds of things
that actually should be played right through
without any needed acknowledgement.
4. Sometimes rather than a hit, a certain moment
needs to shift, meaning it needs to dramatically
change direction in any area possible (ie: high to
low, soft to loud, and many other nuanced shifts.)