A few weeks ago I got contacted to play a recording gig for Intel. They were interested in recording some video game covers and were looking for a composer to arrange the parts and instrumentalists to record them. I was given full artistic liberty on the project so I started by looking for a video game track that not only meant a lot to the gaming community, was iconic, but would also be nostalgic for all of us that grew up with video games.
Being quite the video game aficionado, I was a little stumped on what to cover. I mused over Halo tracks (some god dam incredible music there), some old PC tracks, and finally decided to cover the original NES 8-bit Legend of Zelda Theme. Although I never played any of the older Zelda games (had Asian tiger parents) I did play breath of the wild, which was absolutely fantastic. So the music was familiar to me and I knew that many of the potential listeners would have many fond memories of breaking pots from hearing the track.
I called up my friend, Sequoyah, who wrote a 12 part arrangement on the Zelda Theme (6 violins and 6 cellos) and we got to work streamlining the parts for the recording session.
Outside of the recording studio in Hollywood.
They recorded the tracks for La La Land in this studio and the day before we recorded, Elton John had a recording session in here. It felt rather surreal recording in the same location that those incredible artists used.
My brother and assistant camera operator adjusting the sound paneling for acoustics.
Although this was a recording studio with its own built in system, we brought our own recording equipment just for comforts sake. I used the same equipment that I used in my last recording session: Neumann k 184 stereo set, SM-81, Schoeps CMIT 5, and Focusrite Red for the audio interface.
Full Production setup.
There were 2 cameras, one set, and one hand held for close ups. I screwed up quite a bit on the recordings but the video quality looks amazing. The green light poles in the back really set the vibe for the whole shoot.
Right before a take, the guy holding the clapper board and the violinist are my brothers.
Wall of recordings that were done in the studio, some absolute classics.
current progress on editing the tracks
Its my first time doing a project like this so there were quite a few stumbling blocks. I realized that intonation and rhythm needed to be perfect in order for the tracks to line up. I had to rerecord some tracks because they were just terribly out of time with each other, quite unfortunate really.
Here's a little preview of the ending bass part for the cover.
https://soundcloud.com/tomsen-su/full-pizz-mix/s-49Aai2hqtuu
It took me wayyyy too long to get this section recorded and edited. Its 3 voices, all pizzicato, all with the same rhythm. My thumb had a blister the size of a almond by the time I was done recording it.
Sounding good! Must be the sound panels :) Sorry for the little joke :)
How cool you got this assignment. How did the people at the studio reacted when they discovered you bringing all your own gear? I have no idea how this all works, so dont mind me asking this kinda 'stupid' questions.
I dare you: click me!
Love the joke but its true, having good acoustics really helps the sound. They didn't mind at all , they see people bring their own gear quite often.
Oww super! Interestingly, the studio is used by you (and others) just for the room and accoustics, not for the equipment. I do understand indeed using oqn equipment is preferred. I know how damn hard it can be when trying to switch on the TV with some media box at my friends places, unless they have the same brand equipment I have. We shall create uniform equipment keyboards and remote controls; One standard applied and adopted by all equipment creators. Hmmmm, more a dream than this will become reality on the short term I suppose :)
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