70 !!Chapter 5
The sonic quality of the vocals can have much to do with the choice of
microphone. Some microphones sound thin and cutting, whereas others
sound warm. The same microphone used on different singers will have
various sonic results. Experimentation is the only way to determine the
appropriate choice.
Listen to the sound of the overall mix.Does the mix have an ambi-
ence? Many rhythm-and-blues mixes sound dry (very little reverb) with
loud and warm-sounding vocals. Some of the mixes contain layered back-
ground vocals (overdubed [recorded] two or three times) that are promi-
nent in the mix. In many rock-and-roll mixes, the guitars are louder than
the vocals. In dance music, the kick drum, hi-hat, and snares are usually
prominent.
Listen to the overall instrumentation.If the assignment is to imitate
the sound of a specific recording, try to use the same instrumentation. For
instance, is most of the instrumentation live? It is difficult to program
strumming guitars or rock-and-roll guitars that sound live using synthe-
sizers and/or samplers. Some musical styles are almost impossible to cre-
ate on synthesizers; they require the feel of live musicians. Other
instruments sound appropriate on synthesizers. If a string pad is low in
the mix, it is difficult to distinguish it from a live string section. The budget
for most commercials is not substantial enough to hire a complete string
section.
Listen to the elements of the arrangement and the orchestration.
Since the goal is to imitate a particular sound, the harmonies and general
feel of the orchestration must be similar. For example, are the strings writ-
ten with closed harmonies, or are the violins playing in a high octave and
the remainder of the strings playing a low pad (chords)? Is the guitar play-
ing a rhythm pattern or playing solo fills? Try to follow the basic format of
the musical example.
An assignment might be to write in a certain genre without hearing
a specific sample.For example, if the assignment is to write a contempo-
rary hip-hop track, listen to the most popular tracks on the music charts
and observe the common musical elements. The tempos might range
between 95 and 98 beats per minute; the tracks may contain a minimalist
approach (sparse instrumentation), and the drum sounds may be sampled
from a Roland 909 or 808 drum machine. Observing the most current
musical trends will present composers with ‘‘musical guidelines’’ that will
help them to complete the assignment successfully.
Underscoring
The termunderscoringgenerally refers to instrumental background music
that is written to accompany a film. Vocals, usually without words, are
often used as a part of the orchestration. Many film scores and commercial