http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ Videomaker Community Forums » Tag: music - Recent Posts en Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:13:23 +0000 http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/royalty-free-music-for-indie-films-038-more#post-74236 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:10:12 +0000 Manuel 74236@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Hello,</p> <p>I want to share <a href="http:///www.royaltyfreepianos.com" rel="nofollow">http:///www.royaltyfreepianos.com</a></p> <p>is a royalty free music library that offer piano music tracks for media projects</p> <p>I hope you find this site helpful !</p> <p>Manuel</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/still-confused-about-music#post-74200 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:30:52 +0000 Bill Dillon 74200@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>&nbsp;After checking, YouTube offers free music with apparently no strings attached.</p> <p>I think Vimeo does too but not sure.&nbsp; I guess I will upload my videos to YouTube</p> <p>and use their enhancement feature to select and add their music.</p> <p>Thanks to all who responded.</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/still-confused-about-music#post-74183 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:05:23 +0000 Brian 74183@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Bill, not sure about Vimeo's policy (and they might be similar to YouTube), but usually if YouTube is made aware of a copyright violation, they remove the video from public view and allow the owner to change out the music.  They have a library of free-to-use music that one can drop in.  This is made up of songs that certain artists have allowed to be used.  The "fair use" concept also comes into play when dealing with certain types of video projects that are made for different reasons (parody, educational, etc.). It also may be that the artist or record label doesn't really mind that their intellectual property is being used, and appreciates the publicity.</p> <p>When I was deployed to Kosovo, we produced several video montages (aka "Hooah videos") featuring footage and photos of Soldiers doing their jobs. One video included "He's a Pirate" from Pirates of the Caribbean, and the other was Toby Keith's "American Soldier." They weren't done for profit, or used to sell anything. But guess which one got pulled...? Hint: Disney guards their intellectual property like Fort Knox.</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/still-confused-about-music#post-74180 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:19:04 +0000 Bill Dillon 74180@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>&nbsp;It almost sounds like most of the videos I view on YouTube or Vimeo are illegal.&nbsp; Would that be a fair guess?</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/still-confused-about-music#post-74154 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:24:33 +0000 birdcat 74154@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Everyone has an End User License Agreement (EULA) which spells out (usually) clearly just how you may use any product (royalty free or not, music, graphics, footage, etc...).</p> <p>Most rf music EULA's allow you to use the music in a compilation (video or sometimes audio) and distribute that compilation to a limited audience (e.g. if you were doing a TV show with an expected audience of &gt; one million sets, you may need additional licensing). In no case have I ever seen the right to distribute the music alone.</p> <p>Also be aware not all music used in video is rf - there are other forms of "rights managed" music (such as needle drop).</p> <p>Also, depending on where you show your work, you may need to provide a cue sheet - which for some venues tells them (not you!) who owns the rights to the music and in some cases (like TV or movies) whom they (not you!) have to pay.</p> <p>Confused??  Join the club!</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/still-confused-about-music#post-74153 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:31:44 +0000 Kenkyusha 74153@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>When you purchase royalty-free music, you are&nbsp;paying to use that material (usually with some stipulations, like, you may use it&nbsp;e.g.&nbsp;broadcast, internet, etc., but can't resell the collection).&nbsp; Just because someone buys a finished project from you doesn't automatically entitle them to use of the assets- if that were the case, you would 'lose' control of your own video everytime you sell a DVD or someone views your work online.</p> <p>It's easiest to think of it not as 'owning' the music, but having a license to use it.&nbsp; Unless it's under Creative Commons,&nbsp;songs require acquiring the license from each and every user to keep it above board.&nbsp; HTH.</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/still-confused-about-music#post-74152 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:07:50 +0000 Bill Dillon 74152@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>&nbsp;It still is not clear about royalty free music.&nbsp; If I pay and download some royalty free music, can I attach the music and post on YouTube?&nbsp; What if I attach the music to a video and burn it to a DVD for someone.&nbsp; Do they then "own" the music and can they upload to YouTube?&nbsp; I just don't want anyone to suffer a lawsuit.</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/guest-blog-posts#post-74000 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:20:07 +0000 Priya Saba 74000@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>If you're buying an HDTV or already<br /> have one, then you need to know about smart TV (otherwise known as IPTV). It<br /> means more channels, the latest movies (without late fees), and generally a<br /> whole bunch of extra things that makes Digital TV look old fashioned. Sony,<br /> Panasonic, LG, Samsung, everyone's lining up to be on board. We look at the<br /> hardware, the brands, and everything you need to know.</p> <p><a href="http://www.zerostylus.com/">http://www.zerostylus.com/</a></p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/guest-blog-posts#post-73999 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:17:26 +0000 Priya Saba 73999@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>To save your time in ripping DVD, you'd better tick "Run Enhanced DVD<br /> Analysis" to search valid titles. And this is the difference between<br /> SnowFox DVD to iPad Converter and other similar software. Only main titles will<br /> be added to the conversion list (usually one or two), and other titles will be<br /> ignored. All useful titles will be searched and added to the conversion list.<br /> These titles includes main titles, advertisements, etc. Of course, it will take<br /> more time to find all right titles. Click OK, and it will automatically parse<br /> DVD to find the titles, according to your choice. After parsing, useful titles<br /> will be added to the conversion list. (I choose "<strong>Full title search</strong>"<br /> in this tutorial, so you could see that 7 titles are added.) The title with<br /> longest length is the main title.</p> <p>download for iPad, PC, Mac and Android devices. Are you in<br /> the market for a new car? Do you want to know the best way to keep your motor<br /> in good shape so it will hold its value until you sell it? Then Britain’s<br /> biggest weekly car magazine, Auto Express, is the magazine for you! You’ll<br /> learn everything you want and need to know about cars, motors and maintenance<br /> in no time.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.zerostylus.com/">http://www.zerostylus.com/</a></p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/guest-blog-posts#post-73998 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:14:59 +0000 Priya Saba 73998@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Because the unexpected happens in the most unexpected<br /> places, the Find My iPhone app can help you locate your missing iPhone even<br /> when you don’t have access to a computer. It’s free on the App Store and<br /> available to anyone. So if you misplace your device, download the Find My<br /> iPhone app on a friend’s iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and sign in to find your<br /> iPhone.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.zerostylus.com/">http://www.zerostylus.com/</a></p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73748 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:03:24 +0000 Ian James Smith 73748@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p> Hi There,</p> <p> I have been busy over New Year installing into my computer a music-creation programme known as 'Quickscore', a product of a Vancouver-based organisation, 'Sionsoft'. The upgrade replaces an earlier version of the same programme which I had used since 2008, or possibly late 2007 and it has quite a few useful enhancements over its earlier version.</p> <p> In fact, at the time I installed my original 'Quickscore', literature detailing how it was to be installed to work alongside 'Kontakt' was non-existent and I had to go to various web-sites and see how other software, 'Cakewalk' etc, was installed and then return to my own problem and proceed by trial-and-error, intuition, divine inspiration, guesswork and at times, plain bloody-mindedness. The installation I had achieved failed to 'deliver' more than 80 percent and the outcomes (eg 'wave-files' of each instrument-group for re-mixing), had a background of baffling residual 'noise', which, using the knowledge I have accumulated over the last few days, must have bee due to an 'open' input somewhere in the system. However, with much better and more detailed literature now available, I have been able to create a much superior installation this time, with no background noise to mar the results, which with (now) a sampling-rate of 48kHz (as against 41k maximum, for the 'old' version), and the possibility of 24-bit as opposed to 16-bit 'depth' of the audio previously, I intend to make the most of.  Once I understood the inputs/outputs, MIDI-channels and other details of the operation, the simplest way of getting the desired results has been to use the 'Kontakt' outputs, using a channel specially set-up as a 'master' and with everything outputted through  stereo-track 1 and 2. I tried other configurations, but that resulted in more than two tracks, (eg 'stereo right/left' feeding out up to eight-track material which was incompatible with any other audio software which I use). Therefore the excellent mixing-mastering facilities built into 'Quickscore' have been, effectively by-passed and that work is done in 'Kontakt' instead.</p> <p> However, I went further and have now integrated 'Quickscore/Kontakt' with 'Reaper' my DAW of-choice, by means of 'Reawire'. I am now able to 'write' audio material onto the tracks of 'Reaper', if/when it is of advantage to do-so, and I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the various other 'Rea.....' facilities yet, so further surprises may be in-store in-the-future. Trouble is, that most 'manuals' I have to deal with these days, run to in-excess of 250 pages, or so.</p> <p> And, what does all of this prove? Well not a hell-of-a-lot, as it happens; but it's one of those tasks which it is nice to have 'over' for the present; 'over', that is until I set up my long-awaited 'new' computer in the coming months and have to do it 'all-over-again'. Knowing that, from the outset, the installation I have just done was regarded simply as a 'dry-run' for having to do it all over again in a couple of months, except that next-time, it will be 'just that much easier'. Finally, a word of advice. It was an unwritten rule in the design office which I used to work in that after periods of intense concentration, I (and others), were permitted to go for a walk 'around-the-block' (or 'wherever'), after an hour or so of intense concentration. My advice, when things aren't going-right, is a brisk walk for about fifteen minutes in a cool, breeze. Nothing else I know of, clears the head better than that........and, the only cost is, usually, that of the 'time'. I recommend that, because until yesterday, I had suffered three fruitless days of 'getting-nowhere' with it all, returning to the various 'manuals' and so-on with my head spinning.</p> <p> In the end, it turned out to be so easy and 'obvious' that I couldn't work out what had been holding me up or where I had previously been going-wrong. In fact, I have saved most of the files from previous successful 'tracks' and think I may redo them, with the new improved 'sound' and finally uninstall the 'old' version which I had kept active, 'just-in-case'.</p> <p>Ian Smith</p> <p>Dunedin, New Zealand </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73670 Sat, 31 Dec 2011 06:24:52 +0000 Debby 73670@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p> Hi Michael,</p> <p>When I imigrated to upstate NY, I brought some St. Lous blues and Nashville country with me. We always heard about NY City but I discovered NY Country.  I really fell in love with the Adirondacks, the Hudson River, Lake Champlain and Whiteface! Even Rhinebeck inspires the dickens outta me! Hope your dad enjoys my music! Hugs from New York Country, Debby</p> <p> </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73652 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:48:07 +0000 Ian James Smith 73652@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p> Ted,</p> <p> Contact me with your email address and I will send you the file of the music for backgrounding my arrival at the top of Highcliff, as an 'ogg' file, (since they are nice and compact, and 'travel' well as email attachments.</p> <p> My email is <a href="mailto:artsmith@clear.net.nz">artsmith@clear.net.nz</a></p> <p> Ian Smith</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73643 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:05:10 +0000 efiebke 73643@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p><strong>Hi Ian -</strong></p> <p>I would enjoy listening to your music.  I would enjoy listening to the piece that you describe above. Is there a web-link to any of your compositions/film-scores??</p> <p>Regarding the post that you wrote a few days ago, I'm also a fan of Aaron Copland.  I enjoy a lot of the 20th Century genre of music including Copland. There are couple "21st Century" composers whom I've met on the internet that also write great music.  Sadly, they will probably never get the notoriety that they deserve. They do, however, have a modest following. If interested, I'll share you a link to their home-pages so that you can explore and listen to (what I consider to be) great music written within the past few years.  :)</p> <p><strong>Debby -</strong></p> <p>I see that you're residing in my home state, New York. I'm gonna check out your web-site and listen to some of the country music! :)  My father LOVES country music. I'm sure he'll enjoy listening to the music that you produce as well. :)</p> <p><strong>Michael -</strong></p> <p>Curious. . . what software and instrumental libraries do you use for your film-scoring projects?  Although I already use Logic Pro for my modest compositional &amp; scoring needs, I'm thinking about purchasing Digital Performer (DP7) which seems to be geared more towards film composition.  Do you have any thoughts on DP7?? Also, what video editing program do you use (if any)? Just curious.</p> <p>Anyone else do any film composition??  If so, please feel free to share your work. Please share your work-flow to film composition.</p> <p>In the meanwhile. . . Happy New Year to all. . . and Happy Composing! :-)</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73633 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:50:02 +0000 Ian James Smith 73633@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Ted, Michael and everybody. Despite the weather being just great for Christmas (it is getting on for midsummer here, clear skies for the last ten days and daytime temps up to mid-twenties centigrade). However, I have been keeping out of the worst of the midday heat reworking some music which I wrote during last winter for the climb of a local landmark, 'Highcliff', only about 250m above sea-level but spectactular, especially when close to the summit. The music written previously was for a version in standard definition, shot during last winter. The new version is in Hi-def. and all the better for it.</p> <p> The climactic moment occurs as you approach the very top. Having slogged uphill for something like forty minutes, you've largely lost track of the landscape you have been passing through. Pausing, at the top, reminds you, in a big way, of why you put in the effort, with a steep view down onto a local landmark, 'Boulder Beach' and a considerable swathe of coastline fading into the distance. For once, I had abandoned my principles, and thrown the whole (symphony) orchestra at the audience at the end of a longish build-up and crescendo. It was always hugely effective, if bordering somewhat on being 'over-the-top'. Problem was, the timing of the music no longer fitted the re-edited Hi-Def. version and, worst of all problems, in my experience, I had to write 16 bars of music to ensure a longer 'build-up' and graft it on, at the beginning, but still put the (musical) cilmax in the place it was intended to be. Fortunately, sixteen bars is easy to deal with, as it is the time usually taken, (in classical music anyway), for a 'module' to work its way to some sort of conclusion. Sixteen bars of music, was duly composed, made into 'wave' files by performing from the 'score', (I file-away all scores, on finishing) and mixed in 'Reaper'. I had to work backwards to a suitable key, as the sixteen bars did not conclude in the key it started out in. However, G-minor was what it turned out to be and that meshed nicely with what I already had 'in-the-bag'. The nett result I am quite happy with, especially now that the complete unbroken passage of music continues for something like three minutes, without a break, every part of it 'fits' and the audience is prepared, gradually, for something momentous to take place, but until the final moment, there is little indication of 'what' it is. There is sufficient variation in the screen action, such as changes of landscape, track-gradient, and so-on, and there is a commentary which overlays the whole thing, nicely. So, in all, it was a satisfying day's work and, for my money the music is as apt as anything I have seen from other sources. The whole thing has a 'plodding' theme, quite deliberately, as the nature of the climb, is very much of a sustained 'plod', which, looked at from that angle, is what most tramping, (hiking if you like), and climbing on trails with uphill grades, usually is.</p> <p> Unfortunately 'Digimik', I am on dial-up, here in New Zealand, (waiting, like the rest of the country, for 'High-Speed Broadband' which seem to be no closer to fruition that it was a couple of years ago). For that reason, I have not been able to watch your 'Oregon' piece, as yet. However, if my daughter, (who has broadband, as it is at present), is able to download the file for me after her return from her holidays, then I may get to see it, then.</p> <p> Meanwhile, its' 'back to the coalface'.</p> <p> Happy New year, everybody,</p> <p> Ian Smith</p> <p> Dunedin, New Zealand.</p> <p>&lt;</p> <p>   </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73631 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:44:49 +0000 Debby 73631@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p> Hi There! Sure looks like a fun place to hang out here.</p> <p>I write and produce classis country music with a "Keepin it Country" message for those of us who tire of pop country on the radio.</p> <p>Will come back soon to meet ya'll. Love VideoMaker mag with all the music video tips.</p> <p>Happy New Year from New York!</p> <p>Debby</p> <p><a href="http://www.DebbyTurnerMusic.com">http://www.DebbyTurnerMusic.com</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/DebbyTurner">http://www.youtube.com/DebbyTurner</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.Facebook.com/DebbyTurnerMusic">http://www.Facebook.com/DebbyTurnerMusic</a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73571 Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:19:28 +0000 efiebke 73571@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p><strong>Hi Michael - </strong></p> <p>Just watched the video on Oregon that you shared.  Your music seems to fit the video like a glove, especially with "hitting" certain points of the video.  Never been to Oregon, but I've been to that part of the west coast, near Vancouver, Canada. It's a beautiful part of the continent!!!</p> <p>I don't have a lot of time right now, but I am going to come back to this particular thread and respond a bit more appropriately.  Thank you very much for sharing the video with your music!!  Nicely done!! :)</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73565 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:43:51 +0000 Ian James Smith 73565@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Michael,</p> <p>           There are priobably any number of seemingly heretical things I do to create music. Standardising, where possible, on 120/60bpm, is not all that bad.</p> <p>Since I usually proceed to/from the places where I shoot on-foot, (there is usually no other option), it is quite, in-order, for me to use (say) 120bpm and an overtly 'marching' rhythm for the background at such times. The only danger there, is not to make it so pronounced that feet start tapping in the audience, to the detriment of what is 'really' going-on, on-screen. That is not to say that I don't vary tempo when that is called for, it's just that for purposes of fitting music to what I produce by way of a story-line, I have to have some starting-point, mine being a script, followed by commentary, in a process which has some flexibility, but within limits. I doubt if/when my output is used as film/video 'audible-wallpaper', much in the way of phrasing or fine nuances of tempo, have a significant amount to do-with-it; but then, I am dealing with natural phenomena, 'critters' and aspects of conservation, not 'people' with their numerous foibles, complexities and endless demands; so, by-and-large, I am not giving expression to human emotions. </p> <p> I change key constantly, so I usually write in the key of 'C' (major). That way, I have to specify the exact pitch of all notes by means of sharps/flats, as I go. Incidentally, for most wildlife/natural-history documentaries, passages in 'major' keys tend to be a rarity. My background was largely in the late 19th/early 20th century 'romantic' tradition, and that is, by-and-large, the music I try to create, although music by Aaron Copland has sometimes furnished inspiration to get me started. I am acutely aware of my limitations in that regard. Most aspects of my timing and audio-mixing editing processes are subject to modification right up to a late stage of putting it all together, so a 'mechanical' delivery is something I am always aware of, and do my best to avoid. But, if a sort of musical story-board, flow-chart, or whatever, is what it takes to get my message across and shoe-horn the various components together, then, that's the way I do it. My current video-module, is rather long at almost 45 minutes, but it does cover a lot of territory, and music 'carries' the story-line in several places. After-all, we are into story-telling as entertainment, not simply reciting catalogues of facts, figures, and statistics. Above all, for those without specific interests in geology, geography and zoology, I still have a duty to 'entertain', up-to-a-point.</p> <p> Another very useful device I have adopted, is to compose, usually, in 12/8 time. That, with twelve being divisible by two, three, four and six, makes it very easy to seamlessly switch to another 'beat' or to adjust tempo, at the expense, frequently, of masses of 'dotted' notes. I have no background in tertiary music education, and when I have to listen to some of the stuff produced in this country, by those with such qualifications, I thank my lucky stars, that my background has been that of a lifetime enthusiast and critical listener, and not that of someone with absolutely no aptitude, who has been educated into-it. I guess you know the kind of stuff, I mean; 'No, don't play it again Sam......thanks all-the-same'.</p> <p>  </p> <p> </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73534 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:49:41 +0000 Digimik 73534@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>I'd agree it's a bit off topic - but that's OK. :)  </p> <p>I would suggest that to approach music from a technical aspect of choosing a tempo (120bpm, etc.) so that you can time and edit your videos easier is a bit "anti-musical" if I may boldly say. That's like using ONE flavor or color. It's approaching it from the mindset of an engineer and we're talking about music and picture - which SHOULD evoke feeling and emotion. </p> <p>Music should provoke some sort of feeling(s) and tempo has a massive amount of influence on genre and style - let alone that feeling. I have never approached a musical composition from a static (engineered) point of view. If I did, I would be out of business!! I would strongly encourage you and anyone possibly reading this to approach music as being true to itself - authentic. Then approach your video and story as true to itself - authentic. What is the story? What is the feeling? Is it authentic? Then find the proper partnership between all of those "truths." Look for the right partnership of media based on the feeling and emotion. Not on a static tempo. It WILL translate much better to many more actual feeling human beings.  ;-) m</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73530 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:30:26 +0000 Ian James Smith 73530@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Michael,</p> <p> One thing I have found very handy, has been to standardise on 'beats'per-minute' timing. I write music, where possible, in either 120bpm, or 60bpm. That seems to make it much simpler to time music to be cut to match screen-action, and also vice-versa, where timing becomes critical. The danger, the only one of which I am aware, is to break up this 'pattern' occasionally to prevent the rhythms becoming too predictable. I have recently written an article on the subject, published locally, which also addresses some of the aspects mentioned recently by 'efiebke'. If anyone would like to contact me, personally, using this email address, <a href="mailto:artsmith@clear.net.nz">artsmith@clear.net.nz</a>, I would be quite happy to send a copy as a 'pdf' attachment. My reasons, it may be a little too long, and off-topic a bit, for this thread.  </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73524 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:54:46 +0000 Digimik 73524@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Greetings! I thought I'd jump on this thread. I didn't read it all - it's quite the novel :) but I wanted to say hi. So "hi!" </p> <p>4 years ago, I got into video (delicately) and found out that all of my years as a professional composer (www.EpicSoul.com) prepared me for pacing and flow of video and noticing the dramatic content of the story and such. I JUST finished the latest version of the Dave's Killer Bread Story and I'm pretty happy with it. So is the client! It is the 3rd version in 4 years we have produced and with all the media clips - there are just 100's and 100's of shots and B roll to wade through. It's a little insane but I'm glad we finished. </p> <p>The DKB video shows my vision of using music and audio to really help a video move and flow. Using some songs from some of my artist's also is a nice bonus. I can wade through copyrights with all these things easily and really - <strong>I could NOT edit or produce a video without my music background.</strong> It frees me up to move a story along the right way and not have to worry about rights and big budgets. I'm trying to bring that sort of freedom to other video people as well. </p> <p>If you have specific questions, you can ask I guess. Blessings...Michael Nelson Rizzo</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>THE DAVES KILLER BREAD STORY</strong> (producer/director/editor/composer)</p> <p>I also used some original songs from one of my artists.</p> <p><a href="http://youtu.be/JtYTSao46G8" rel="nofollow">http://youtu.be/JtYTSao46G8</a></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>FINDING OREGON</strong> (composer only)</p> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/32852978?pg=embed&amp;sec=32852978">http://vimeo.com/32852978?pg=embed&amp;sec=32852978</a></p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73434 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 07:26:45 +0000 efiebke 73434@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>It seems that you have a long history and much experience with audio, Ian. It's quite impressive to read that you've built your own audio gear including reel-to-reel audio tape deck.  Very cool! :-)</p> <p>Regaring Kontakt. . . It's a great program.  Been using it for a number of years. Still using Kontakt 4; haven't upgraded to version 5 yet.  But, I haven't used it to create sound-loops yet.  At tempting as it is to explore that aspect of sound-creation, there simply isn't enough hours in the day to go down that path for me. Still, Kontakt 4 has been central for my compositional/sequencing needs.  I've purchased about a half-dozen instrumental libraries (including large orchestral ones) that are powered by Kontakt. :-)</p> <p>My best to you, Ian. I sincerely appreciate the information that you've shared. Again, if you have any finished video and/or music to share, I would enjoy watching/listening to them.</p> <p>Cheers. . . and Happy Holidays! :-)</p> <p>Ted</p> <p> </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73431 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:59:40 +0000 Ian James Smith 73431@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Just a few things which occurred to me after I signed-off last time. My Sennheiser mic. doesn't show a model number, so I am unable to give it. However, it was the usual accessory mic. for use with a range of camcorders and I purchased mine with the black 'hairy-sausage' wind-shield option, usually known as a 'sock', I believe. It has a single 3.5mm standard mini-jack-plug and requires a 1.5v battery for 'excitation'. All bog-standard.</p> <p> Until eighteen months ago I belonged to a club, which I have since quit due to 'philosophical differences', (or more-to-the-point, as a member, I was continually being side-tracked away from my own major-opus). That, plus the fact that the club was high on 'talk' and pretty weak on 'action'. The club, by the way was established in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1936, which makes it the oldest in the southern hemisphere. That makes it the same age as I am, 1936, having been, apparently, a 'vintage-year', (Just kidding). In an earlier time, I was its president for two years. In those days, it was entirely film, of course, although I began filming in widescreen, using anamorphics in the early 1970's, and have been doing so ever since. Unfortunately, at club (and other) levels, audio tends to be the 'poor-relation' and has to invariably take a back-seat to the screen images. You wouldn't have to sit through many of the 'competition' films/videos, that I have done, to realise that whereby some pretty 'bum' footage can pass-muster, at times, poor sound invariably produces that 'finger-nails-on-the-blackboard' syndrome. Way back, I built quite a bit of audio gear, including a high-fidelity reel-to-reel stereo tape-recorder which worked briliantly, despite the fact that it used the dreaded 'BSR' deck, because, that was all that was available in NZ and there were no second-hand 'Ferrographs' or similar, around  with good mechanics. </p> <p> 'Our' club had accumulated some quite distinguished ex-members, (almost as numerous as members, actually), and there is a lot of latent talent available, For example, a friend (expelled from the club about eighteen months ago, on the whim of a member of the committee, who had a 'snitcher' on-him), has built, and is still improving, a telecine machine which, by their own admission, is better than the one at the 'Film Archive', in our capital, Wellington. It uses a standard projector, shorn of just about everything which would 'unbolt', shutter, lamp, lens, you-name it. Instead, it uses a pulsed LED as a light source and the video-camera, using a 35mm camera lens, photographs the film in-the-gate, directly, at a huge magnification. When not earning-its-keep this machine is under constant and on-going development.</p> <p> I don't know if any of you people use 'Kontakt 4' as an aid to music-making. I have found mine to have many other purposes, and one of the most useful is making sound-loops for video 'effects' use. It is usually possible to achieve very good 'matches' for the ends of loops in 'Kontakt'. That consists, essentially, of finding two points where the signal amplitude is similar, permitting a seamless match to be made. Mis-matches, of course, lead to an effect similar to listening to a four-cylinder automobile engine with an engine 'knock' (or a big-end 'gone', which is one thing which may cause it). It is very easy, in 'Reaper', (for which I have a non-commercial user's licence), to vary timing of music and 'effects' segments. I would heartily recommend 'Reaper' over most other DAW's because of its simplicity of action and the 'intuitive' nature of its layout. I have two other DAW's. One is fine, but its strengths are all directed towards 'mp3' as an end-product. The other one would surely require a science-degree to get any worthwhile use out of. However, for all purposes, I use my own kit of carefully chosen VST 'filters', which, as you probably know, are accomodated in almost video/audio editor these days. My favourites, have been, for many years, the Kjaerhus 'Classic Series', available as free downloads from 'kjaerhusaudio' in Denmark. However, 'Reaper' comes with an impressive kit of bits, in its own right.</p> <p> Of course, if you are of a masochistic bent, you may write your own, by means of script files, and probably wind-up writing script-files for a hobby, but doing no video...........Your choice.</p> <p> Must go, my beer glass is empty.</p> <p> </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/guest-blog-posts#post-73404 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:48:09 +0000 crane 73404@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>hahaha</p> <p> </p> <p><a title="crane remote control" href="http://www.nbuting-china.com">crane remote control</a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73401 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:00:27 +0000 efiebke 73401@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Ian -</p> <p>A long time ago (well, at least to me it was a long time ago), I did sound effects for a (one) live theatre production.  (The name of the play was "Damien" (sp?).  It was one-person play about a Catholic Priest who headed a leper colony on one of the islands of Hawaii.)  I recorded each sound effect live using a 1/4" two-track reel-to-reel tape recorder. Forgot the make &amp; type of microphone that I used but it did the trick.  I, then, used my handy-dandy knowledge of the low-tech approach to executing the sound effect: I spliced the sound effects together, separating them by cutting &amp; taping clear, blank leader tape in-between each effect.  In order to (quickly) get the next sound-effect ready to execute during the show, I simply fast-forwarded through the clear tape until I saw the regular tape nicely lined up underneath the playback heads of the reel-to-reel. Worked like a charm! (And I got PAID for this. . . my one and only "gig" as a sound-effects artist! LOL!)</p> <p>And. . . I LOVED every minute of doing that job! :-)</p> <p>I've been meaning to purchase a good shot-gun mic just to capture good (ambient) sound, and possibly begin building up my own sound effects library.  I do own a small library of CDs that are nothing but basic sound effects.  I also own a small library of effects that came with the Logic Pro Studio that I own.  I use any combination of these effects when needed on rare occasions.  But, unfortunately, rarely do I make the time to purposefully make recordings just for the sound.  It would be a nice pass-time/hobby to develop.  Been eyeing the Sennheiser's ME66 for a while.  It seems that this could be a good investment. Yes? No? (I really not an expert on microphones, unfortunately.)</p> <p>It seems like you know your way around creating sound effects from scratch! Thank you for sharing some very cool and informative tricks in creating some sounds! Ain't technology just wonderful?!?!  One can just sit in front of their computer and create an entire synthetic show, thanks to animation programs, sound-generating/modulating/editing software and audio/video editing software. (I also have an interest in animation.  I suck at it, but it's fun spending hours creating five seconds of a "person" walk from point "A" to point "B". LOL!)</p> <p>Right now, I just want to get the best use out of my video cameras.  Been working on video-taping "all manual".  THIS takes lots of practice, I'm finding. I wish I had the luxury of time to practice video-taping in manual mode, and get great results.</p> <p>I'm finding out that being a one-person production crew is quite the challenge. Since video-taping the education in-services at work, I hold a deep appreciation to the "camera man", the "lighting man", the "sound man", etc.  Each knows their craft and responsibilities well. Me?? I know only a little of everything which, for me, does not go to making a great production.  Recently, I've been attempting "green screening".  Did two "major" educational videos (for work) with the performers in front of the green screen.  First, setting up that green-screen was a bear!  (Getting all of the wrinkles out was next to impossible.)  Lighting that green-screen AND the performers was even more of a challenge.  To my very, very modest eyes, all looked good on the camera (after making a dozen or so adjustments to the lights), but recorded footage did not look good to the editing software as I attempted to put the green-screen effect to use.  There was too much variation green to the green screen. UGH!</p> <p>With regards to video, I'm getting to the point that I need to do MORE than just self-learn by trial and error.  I'm thinking that I might have to open up the manuals (no pun intended) and actually READ the "how-to's". LOL!</p> <p>In the end, though, it's all good, even if the footage looks bad.  Video-taping and editing is a process that I'm growing to enjoy more and more.  Still, my favorite part of the process is composing the music to the video. It's the icing on the cake for me.  It's why I started this particular thread! LOL!  It's also what I know best even if the process of film-scoring has SIGNIFICANTLY changed over the past few decades!!!</p> <p>Regarding the "sounds of boots" and time and writing music.  I don't have an inner clock that can accurately differentiate 120 BPM from 110 BPM. BUT I've practiced using a metronome long enough, an sequenced music long enough (going on over 25+ years) that I have become a freakin' working metronome myself! LOL!  Lately, I've found the time of some of my compositions/sequences a bit too rigid in time because of this.  I actually have to manually "spread" the sequenced notes AWAY from the beat to make the music more "human" or "live". During the editing process, I've only recently started to vary the tempo ever so slightly, also to help achieve that more "human" sound.  I started doing this after some fairly harsh criticism from another fellow composer/sequencer who has GREAT chops in doing all of this! One can get TOO rigid, during the sequencing process, to the point of having the music sound to mechanical -- like a metronome. So, it seems that all of those hours practicing WITH a metronome and spending all of those hours sequencing can have a negative effect! LOL! I promise you, if you set the metronome to 120, I can march to that beat and create a fantastic "boot sound" most probably without varying in time even to the millisecond! LOL!</p> <p>Again. . . I would enjoy viewing any finished videos that you may have to share. I appreciate your thoughtful sharing.  I most certainly appreciate the audio effect technical tricks that you shared! Very cool!</p> <p>Cheers! :-)</p> <p>(By the way, I never heard of "brown noise".  Just never heard of the term, that's all. White noise and pink noise? Yes. Of course. But not "brown noise".  To be clear, though, I've heard LOTS of "brown noise" at work! LOL! But that's another topic for another thread for another bulletin board, like a "humor in healthcare" bulletin board, for another day! LOL!)</p> <p>(I used to be a volunteer moderator for a HUGE nursing bulletin board, a number of years ago. The humor on that bulletin board used to get a bit brown at times! LOL!)</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73301 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:12:28 +0000 Ian James Smith 73301@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p> One thing which it is quite easy to do, and which I would recommend, is setting up a sound effects archive. Actually I don't regard these as 'effects' in my case, as they are more in the nature of essentials. Some time ago, I invested in a 'Micro-Track II' audio recorder and I have put it onto a special pistol-grip, along with a sturdy mini-tripod, for use. It is coupled to a 'Sennheiser' microphone which has a particularly broad frequency-response, giving the entire unit a fairly high-performance. Where most of my filming/video is done, there is almost no such thing as a calm day; if there is such a thing, it is usually during winter, when I do a lot of my shooting, to dodge the very harsh lighting characteristic of New Zealand's clear atmosphere, said to be the harshest lighting, contrast, etc, on the planet. Every time I go out, I now take my sound unit with me. In fact, sometimes I go specifically to record sounds, the calls of various native birds, and so-on.</p> <p> However, if you have particularly good audio recorded by your camcorder, it may be able to furnish good 'archive' sound as well if recorded in a calm atmosphere. </p> <p>If all else fails, you 'cheat'. Bear in mind that on some days of shooting, I return home with not one scrap of audio I am able to use. If the missing sounds are those of the sea, (it's always in the background somewhere), I fall back on 'Plan-B', which is to synthesize the sounds of surf, open sea, etc, from 'white noise' in one of its many forms, which includes 'pink-noise' and, my favourite 'Brown noise'. You listen carefully to the faulty wind-blast affected sound to hear if you are able to isolate which, of many 'sea-sounds' it is, then by using one or more samples of 'white' to 'brown' noise, you may synthesise the exact sea-sound you need. I usually employ about 50pc 'white-noise' derived sound, and intermix that with actual samples, where splashes around rocks and other specific sounds are needed. Although, white/pink/brown noise are not frequency-specific, but a mix of all frequencies, they nevertheless respond to being run at speeds different from the originals in a DAW such as 'Reaper'. A few months ago, I found I didn't have the sound of thunder to go with a particularly excellent series of shots taken of a menacing sky building up into a thunder storm. What I used, finally, was a deepish ocean roar, slowed down as far as 'Reaper' would permit, something like 1/20th of the normal speed, or less. What resulted, was highly convincing 'thunder'. Frequently the audio from a particularly well-recorded video-clip may be 'split' from the parent footage, and the audio cleaned-up to give a better signal-to-noise ratio and added to the archive, as well. I frequently have the need for large flocks of black-backed gulls wheeling overhead. Without the accompanying video, such samples are not location-specific and so, they may 'taken' anywhere, (although I draw the line at going to the local garbage-tip to obtain them, all the same). A mere handful of gulls may be built up into a vast flock, simply by adding the same, or similar tracks and mixing together. Needless to say, these need to be staggered a bit in the mixing process, to avoid that 'squeaking bicycle-wheel' effect. </p> <p> A bit off-topic, and not specifically about composition and music, but brought to mind, by the need for me to obtain the sounds of boots, walking along a gravel road. Harking back to Compulsory Military Training for eighteen-year-olds in the 1950's, (I was in the Royal NZ Airforce), I characteristically pace at about 120 beats-per-minute. If my music is 'performed' at the same rhythm, I can go for quite long periods where the footsteps match the beat of the music. Believe me, nothing sounds worse, however, when the paces drift out of time with the music. Like most things 'music', that might seem like something of a black-art, but in such situations as those I have described, ingenuity generally comes through and 'delivers' in-the-end.  </p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73285 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:38:54 +0000 efiebke 73285@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>Ian -</p> <p>Again, much gratitude to you for sharing your story. So much has changed in 50 years with regards to treating strokes. Literally at this present time, I'm editing the video (mentioned in my second post) on managing acute stroke in the ER setting. There is a goal of getting a thrombolytic medication to the stroke victim within 3 hours of the onset of the stroke. That means all physicians and nurses have to work FAST to assess and plan for such a potentially "brain-saving" medication. Some of the stuff that I'm listening to (while editing) is new (based on research) within the past 5 or 6 years!! I've been nursing for 20 years and even during that relatively short time-span management of stroke and many other ailments has changed and improved. My hat's off to you, Ian.</p> <p>It seems that you have a vast and wonderful library of video footage that's archived and available for use. Very cool! If you have any videos to share, I would like to view them. Please feel free to send a "Private Message" (PM) with a link to your work if you wish.</p> <p>Warm regards to you. . .</p> <p>Ted</p> <p>(Back to editing . . . )</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73280 Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:28:46 +0000 Ian James Smith 73280@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p> 'efiebke', One or two points arising from our exchange of views. My stroke paralysed me totally down one side of my body, (the words, 'sub-arachnoid on the right-hand side' still haunt me after fifty years or more). I lived at the time in a small rural district and our family General Pactitioner was a World War One veteran; so, for fourteen days spent desperately ill after the onset of the event, he was trying to persuade me to 'pull-myself together'. By the time I saw a neurosurgeon, I was in a very bad way and expected not to survive. Only lingering result, profound deafness in my left ear; only lingering regret, that 'stereo' sound had been launched on the New Zealand market during my three months of hospitalisation, and so, I had never got to experience it. Haven't yet. Doubt if I will, now</p> <p> Sequencer-wise, I use a Canadian product, Sionsoft 'Quickscore', which I am shortly going to update (after all the Christmas presents for other people have been bought). I work totally from the virtual 'sheet-music' which I write, so I have a 'score', if you would call it that, for everything I compose. 'Wave' files take up too much computer-storage and I generally delete those, after rendering the final downmix, but as long as I 'save' the original 'Quickscore' files, the project may be reconstituted at a later date, albeit with a bit more work. Currently, I have a lot of video hanging-fire waiting for those one or two shots to allow me to put the final 'polish' on everything. That means that I have a huge amount of footage 'in-storage' on eight USB 'satellite' devices at any one time, (They are not necessarily switched-on all at once). I am picking that a lot of work will come to fruition at about-the-same-time, one of these days. In a century and a half of European involvement in our Province the Otago Coastline has seen 93 shipwrecks, and in the 1970's I lugged a heavy 16mm camera and tripod for kilometres down a remote beach and, recorded one of them for posterity. Other key events, a pilot-whale stranding, shots of sealions stealing speared fish off scuba-divers, numerous shots of rare wildlife, and just recently, half-an-hour of hectic footage, which showed exactly how a sealion deals with devouring a fish which is far to big to swallow whole; a 'Little-Blue' penguin, so small that he topples into perfectly ordinary footprints on one of our beaches, and has to 'climb-out' again. 'Natural-History' shooting paradise, as is much of New Zealand's South Island. </p> <p> My venture, is non-profit-making, it is my way of saying thanks to my city and province for many enjoyable years spent working and living here. Incidentally, there are other people, mostly retired, still pursuing video-making in and around the Peninsula, where I live, one an ex-cameraman of BBC 'Bristol' In England; another still 'involved' in the industry, whose name is probably known to those who follow 'Fox' Natural History programmes, since the 'Fox' Natural History Unit is situated in my own city (strangely enough), and has links to a Science Communication Graduate Natural History Film-making course at Otago University, also in Dunedin. What holds a lot of my stuff 'up' is extra material coming to light, commentaries having to be re-jigged, and so-on. I make every project so that it is 'modular' and may be re-constituted, and all files are carefully stored, catalogued and indexed. I may have mentioned, that there, are currently 107 DVD's of DV material, plus 37 discs of the same material carefully transcoded ('Main Concept' codecs), to high-grade mpg2. All 'incoming' AVCHD 'Transport Stream' material, is converted to mpg2 for my use, but also archived, as it came from the camcorder. I have a choice between the 'professional' version of the Magix Editor (VPX) and 'MEP 17 Pro-Plus', for editing, with as many graphics and other programmes able to be invoked by 'stepping-through' the main editor, as possible. Why use 'MEP17' when I also have 'VPX'? Easy, it's because of MEP's longer timeline. (I am currently using the new version 'MX'), all saved files transfer readily between 'Magix' editors.</p> <p> So, it's back to what I shall be doing after dinner this evening. A short piece of music, using a rather 'trudging' theme, of a long walk up a ridge on our coastline, through knee-high grass. As we proceed, we gradually become aware of the presence of the 'Pyramids' three basalt-rock geographical features, the vents of an ancient volcano which was originally sited more than 25 kms away and in one almighty blast created our harbour for us. From slightly above them, (where few people ever get to see them, because crossing the private land calls for permission, which is seldom forthcoming), they are an absolute 'knock-out' visually. And, I am carefully lulling my audience, music-wise into a sense of false security, because 'knock-out' geographical features, also call, for 'knockout' music, and, they don't know it yet, but the chords I have, waiting in store for them, (think lots of brass and timpani), are going to shock them in their virginal simplicity ........I think you get the idea!</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73274 Sun, 11 Dec 2011 13:34:09 +0000 efiebke 73274@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p><strong>pseudosafari -</strong></p> <p>Good to read that you're writing your own music to your videos.  There seems to be a lot that a guitarist can do with regards to layering sounds, etc., especially with the help of midi and guitar-based synthesizers. It seems that almost any instrument can becoming a midi-controller for sequenced-based musical arrangements.  With regards to drum machines, Alesis makes fine ones.  I have an old one somewhere "retired" in my closet somewhere. LOL!  Since about 2006 or so, I've exclusively used computer-based instrumental libraries.  10+ years ago, I had a whole rack of tone generators and keyboards.  ALL of them are now "retired". In fact, computers are getting so "strong" that composer/sequencer can use one computer for large orchestral compositions/arrangements.  Just a few years ago, I used to have a three-computer set-up to spread the work (the CPU power and RAM) for those larger orchestral arrangements.  Ain't technology just cool?!?!? LOL!</p> <p>I'm always learning too.  An important part of learning in the field of music (composition) is listening to other stuff.  This seems to be especially important for film composers.  I enjoy listening to other people's original compositions, especially if they are more "modern" in nature.  This is in addition to listening to jazz, pop, easy listening, classical, etc.  I could do more in the listening department, though.  If you're interested, I can direct you to a couple of composer-focused bulletin boards that show-cases original compositions.  There are some GREAT talent to be found at these places.</p> <p>Anyways, thank you for the warm welcome. :)  I've been a "member" to Videomaker for several months.  I hope to learn more video-related stuff here. I'm sure that I'll be asking lots of questions (although I tend to be more of a "reader" than a "poster"). In the meanwhile, if you have videos/music to share, I would be interested in viewing/listening to them. </p> <p>Cheers. . . :)</p> http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/who-here-composes-music-for-videofilm#post-73266 Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:29:06 +0000 pseudosafari 73266@http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/ <p>efiebke, welcome.  i also produce my own music.  i started on the guitar 25 years ago and like most guitar players, i learned what i learned in the first 5 years and spent the next 15 years just recycling that same stuff.  then about 6 years ago i got into video, and started gradually recording some of my own stuff and making more and more with it.  video and music are a natural combination for creative types.  plus, i can use my stuff with any of my videos and i don't have to look at the licensing or copyright issues.  these days i ONLY use my music.  eventually i'll add my own sound effects, too.</p> <p>i know a lot of people want the popular music in their videos.  i do not.  not at all.  i want my videos to stand out.  i am the only person who uses my music, so they stand out.  there's good and bad to that, but i prefer it that way.</p> <p>i only play guitar.  but i have a roland GR-20 that synthesizes hundreds of other instruments, so i can create almost anything.  even though i've been playing rock and blues all this time, i'm recording a mariachi style song these days, for example.  the roland is pretty versatile.  much more versatile than i am, but i'm learning.</p> <p>i also bought an alesis electronic drum set to add drums to my song.  amazing what you can do these days.  i don't play drums, but by adding multiple layers in adobe audition I can sure sound like i do!</p> <p>that's it in a nutshell.  i'm not a pro at this, either, but i keep learning and growing and that's what this is all about for me.  it's my creative outlet.</p> <p>again, welcome to this forum.  it's great for this kind of stuff and helps me learn!</p>