Film composers Jonathon Cox, David Mieloch, André Heuer, and Marinho Nobre share their favorite techniques…
Pictured above: Mixing Session. Mölndalsvägen, Göteborg, Sweden.
Photo by John Hult. | twitter.com/iamjohnhult | iamjohnhult.com
4 Film Composers’ Favorite Techniques
“I use a technique that I call chordal-morphing. Basically, I start with a certain chord quality (major, minor, diminished, or augmented) then I move certain pitches of the chord up or down by half steps, while sustaining the remaining pitches. The result is a constantly changing chord structure that displays many different ‘colors’. The technique can add suspense and drama to almost any type of scene. It’s really cool.”
~Jonathon Cox
“When I set out to write a piece of music I take a few moments to think about its purpose and exactly what I want it to do. I then write this paragraph in my journal. With the paragraph written, I put headphones on and play the I-Doser Inspiration Brainwave entrainment track which helps one’s brain to synchronize to a state of optimal creativity. After about a half hour of meditating with my purpose, I start writing. Since I began doing this I’ve been generally happy with the core concept of the first or second thing to come out of my brain.”
~David Mieloch
“I often think too complex when I begin to compose a new score. The result is, that the track sounds a bit ‘confusing,’ and I’m not satisfied with it. I guess it’s often better to think ‘less is more,’ and work with less arrangements and sounds, working with EQ, pan, filter, compressor and right down to the last detail of the sound and arrangement.”
~ André Heuer
“One I learned from a good friend is how to endure the just too many late hours working without sleeping. I make a shake of spinach, carrots and orange juice, in equal portions on a blender with crushed ice. Nothing boosts your energy more than that, it blows coffee away. Much healthier too. The more you drink the better you feel. There’s never too much. It helped me stay up for 32 hours straight during my last feature score.”
~Marinho Nobre
