Hello all
I’m actually working on my own original Superman soundtrack and I decided to take a break and make this. I wanted to see how fast I could get it done. The actual composition took about 45 mins (insert Zimmer joke here). It took about another two hours to find/make suitable synth sounds and try to get a “big/overwhelming” mix. Either way I show off a bit of my template and setup here.
Take a look, and let me know what you think.
I think this sounds great. I just got a new sub and I’m in a new room so the mix and impact really stand out. I will go back and take a close look at the screens you included. Two hours well spent
Also went to your website and checkout your reel and blogpost. Very impressive
Sounds very cool man. What VST’s are you using for the orchestra? Just curious. Well done though, specially if you got all that done in less than 3 hours!
I can’t really comment in the detail that I’d like because I’ve never seen the movie nor wish to check out the original soundtrack. I admire Zimmer, I just cba at this moment in time. 
The thing that I will say is this; Going for speed runs to see how fast a workflow you can pick up is great. But it’s completely useless if the quality of the work isn’t there. Could you list the libraries that you’re using? The strings are incredibly ‘machine-gun’ like due to either a wrong patch being selected and/or poor editing or simply an old library that lacks round robin for alternated up/down strokes. Boasting about speed of completion becomes meaningless if the quality of expression isn’t there.
I’m also personally incredibly bored of the constant Zimmer-esque posts on the soundsonline forum. Yeah, Zimmer is effing great but when so many aspiring composers do nothing but mock-ups of his recent work or try to do ‘original’ compositions in that style…well I know from some others comments on that forum that I’m not the only one bored to death by it. 
"Some darker “Batman” type thing I was messing with…
Despite the obvious Batman riff, what do you guys think?? "
^That’s a quote from a recent soundsonline post just to further my point. 
I mean, you’ve made a good effort and the production skills are coming along from something older that I remember you posted and it is your own choice which kind of composer you wish to be of course…but I’d try to drop all the “inspired by’s,” the “rescores” and mockups and focus on your having your own distinctive style without any pressure from others to sound a certain way in order to be classed as skilled or good at the craft.
Hey Jonathan
I’ll be completely honest… I do the Zimmer stuff because it draws views. 
If I post an original piece I get 300 views/listens etc. If I post a HZ related work I get 6K views/listens that I can then push to my original stuff. Some times you have the …wait for it…“Give the people what they want” first before you show them something new.
Here is a fair representation of where I am going as a composer.
http://www.blacklightrecordings.com/son-of-krypton-soundtrack
I’ve still got a little ways to go, especially with the mixing but I’m on my way. I’d love to here your take on that because that is where my focus was.
Funny thing is, I posted my original score last week and it did not draw your attention, but this post did.
Cheers
As long as you’re happy with what you’re doing then that is the main thing. I know of many composers that make a living purely copying and ripping off stuff they’ve heard others do that is popular, and sometimes directors specifically ask them to copy. Thomas Bergersen has expressed in interviews how much he despises that and I have to admire him for being innovative and just being himself artistically. I also admire Zimmer for doing his own thing, directors didn’t like anything that he was doing, then one day they all suddenly loved it and he’s an innovator too.
I’d advise you to even find free or low paid projects to do just for an original demo reel and just keep your head down and work on getting actual contacts in the industry rather than subscribers/views on Youtube. Having Youtube views is not a requirement to work in music, it’s just a myth. . A lot of people think that it is and some just get so caughtup with the image of being this badass composer of “omfg epic!!!” music instead of going for artistic merit and individuality.
http://www.blacklightrecordings.com/demo-reel
I know that you’ve written “inspired by” next to the pictures. But using official copyrighted pictures to promote your work in that way isn’t even legal nevermind being a good idea trying to get popular that way. It’s up to you if you think it’s a good idea or not to promote yourself that way of course. I’ve kept my head down for a long time, I haven’t cared to promote my Youtube channel nor get sidetracked or excited over any views or anything like that and I’m now finally working with a talented professional in LA purely based off just being me and doing my own thing. I don’t say this in the hope of boasting, just to try and argue my case for originality.
I wish you all the success in the world and you clearly enjoy what you’re doing and different paths for different people work equally well. But I’d really scrap using those copyrighted movie posters with your music attached purely for the legal reason nevermind the potential misleading aspect from a client or listeners perspective… I wouldn’t say I’m an expert myself but I’d be more that happy to give constructive criticism on completely original pieces instead of pieces inspired by soundtracks that I imagine you’ve listened to so much that they are just stuck in your head.
This is all just advice though, I may be completely wrong about everything but I’m just sharing a few thoughts and queries really and I hope nothing said is taken the wrong way and in a less serious way than it comes across in pure text. Imagine we’re having a relaxing cup of coffee and a light-hearted conversation. I still respect and applaud the clear effort that you’ve put in but I always have these concerns when I see people doing this kind of thing.
I actually did check the flight scene and although I only Youtubed a clip from the actual movie, they were similar enough in essence that I just decided to focus my comments here instead of on each of your posts. But that’s a problem any person has, if you listen to something so much and try to rescore an already scored film that you know the music to, you will, even if unintentional end up copying it far more than you think that you are. Just forget about views, forget about fans and forget about what you think others want or even demand. Focus on the craft and if you continue putting effort and time into it in the way that you have with these Superman things you will get somewhere.
Jonathan
I appreciate your candor and for the most part I agree with what you are saying. Did you listen to the SOK soundtrack? What about the work I did for the “The Favor”, a short film for the 48 hour film project? What about the work I did for the Money Island website. Not that I feel like I have to justify myself (two guys having a cup coffee 
right?) But it feels like I’m being judged on a partial picture and not the whole pie. In any event, I’m glad you’ve have found your path and I wish you the best in LA.
G