This is topic No More Orchestra? in forum Other Television Shows at Flare Sci-Fi Forums.


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Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
 
Just looking here to see that they aren't using an orchestra anymore in scoring Trek!

This is wrong, very wrong.

The Simpsons and Star Trek were the last bastions of orchestral scores on TV. Now I guess it's just the Simpsons. [Mad]
 
Posted by Wes (Member # 212) on :
 
I honestly don�t mind and cant really tell the difference. We've gotten to the point where we can get pretty damn close to a faithful reproduction of all the instruments necessary, and if you are going to have to cut a budget somewhere, I would probably start there too.

Also, that forum is a pile of shit. "you can't post email messages unless you have the consent of the sender"

Someone knows nothing about internet law.
 
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
 
Someone knows nothing about being polite, either.
 
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
 
Weird, I doubt that Enterprise's budget has been cut past, well, Babylon 5 levels. But even they could afford a partially orchestrated (sic?) soundtrack. If that post is correct and "everything is done electronically" thats pretty sad.

Then again, TV Star Trek has never made the best use of its orchestra so, meh. (e.g. from Voyager, I'd be hard pressed to hum a single theme other than the open credits)
 
Posted by Futurama Guy (Member # 968) on :
 
That's why they need to do like the "Dukes of Hazzard" did and use Waylon Jennings!!
 
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
 
"(e.g. from Voyager, I'd be hard pressed to hum a single theme other than the open credits)"

If it makes you feel better, I couldn't even do that much.
 
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
 
No? The music and visuals of the Voyager credits are very beautiful.

I remember when I first saw "Caretaker" that opening was so cool - me and my friends rewound it to watch it again! (We got to see the first episode just about a week after it's premier in the States in early 1995. (Which was pretty good for Australia then - the friend was on his way back home after being on holiday there).
 
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
 
I agree. Voyager's titles were good. Although I did always prefer the Deep Space Nine theme. It felt a bit more original.
quote:
Originally posted by Mucus:
Weird, I doubt that Enterprise's budget has been cut past, well, Babylon 5 levels. But even they could afford a partially orchestrated (sic?) soundtrack. If that post is correct and "everything is done electronically" thats pretty sad.

Babylon 5 was a bit weird though. I always got the feeling that the Orchestra was paid directly out of Chris Franke's salary, for some reason. And even then, I don't think that he used more than maybe 7 or 8 musicians at once. And they weren't even in the same room.

Star Trek, on the other hand, had either the largest or second largest orchestra on TV. That's going to eat into the budget.
 
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
 
The last time I heard the VOY theme was probably the original airing of "Endgame".
 
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
 
Hmmm, trying to find some information.
According to this Star Trek used about 43 musicians on a regular basis.
Babylon 5 looks to use about 20 on a regular basis. It also looks like the only big geographical split is Christopher Franke in the States and the rest of the orchestra in Berlin.

The only mention of salary comes in with musicians in Berlin being cheaper than in the States, which makes sense.

Further down in the thread, the original poster indicates that it looks like about half of the scores from this point on in Enterprise will be fully electronic. No word on whether the actual size of the orchestra has been cut for the remaining episodes.
 
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
 
"And they weren't even in the same room."

It often sounded like they were all in the same synthesizer, though.

OH SNAP!

(Dying Station is the best episode track ever.)
 
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
 
Amen.
 
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
 
What about Stargate's scores - they always sound impressive - mostly composed by Joel Goldsmith (Jerry's son - also did some work on First Contact). Do they use an orchestra?
 
Posted by Wes (Member # 212) on :
 
yes. that reminds me. where the eff is my best of season 1 soundtrack.
 
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
 
Actually, I cannot find a good source for this either way. However, there are a fair number of soundtrack reviews that state that the first season SG1 soundtrack was mostly synth with only the opening and end titles being performed with an orchestra.
 
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
 
Stargate has great scores. Brilliant sets too! That show has the best sets on TV (now that DS9 has gone).
 
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
 
Yeah, SG1 did have more than a few standout scores. The Nox theme from, erh, The Nox, The Asgard theme from The Fifth Race, Apophis's death theme from The Serpent's Song, the Ancient theme from Maternal Instinct and Meridian, and especially Teal'c's sweeping orchestral theme from Redemption (which was very reminiscent of Vader's funeral piece in Jedi, thinking about it)... and all Trek ever produced for the small screen during its 35-year run that was even remotely memorable was that droning BoBW muzak. Pleh, I say.

[ December 01, 2004, 09:03 AM: Message edited by: Cartman ]
 
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
 
There are a couple of othe moments that stick in my mind with regards to Trek music. Not many, and two of them are from Call To Arms. One, the music playing when the Dominion/Cardie fleet is approaching the station (and gets played again when they board the station). Also, the music that plays when we see the Federation fleet at the end. Although that's possibly because I rewound and watched that scene at least 5,000 times. I am a nerd.

The other one is from, er, "For the Uniform" I think, when Sisko vows to take the Defiant out even though it's crippled. The first shot of the Defiant has this lovely horn piece, and throughout the rest of the scene (which is all manual and relaying orders and cool and stuff), the music continues to feel...different from normal. It's goes all the way up until the ship goes to warp, and is very good.

(I also like the music played during the Enterprise pilot as the ship launches for the first time. The end credits thing. Was that every going to be the actual man theme?)
 
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
 
The man theme?
 
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
 
Something played on the man train to get you in the mood. B)
 
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
 
The first appearance of the Borg in "BoBW 1."
 
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
 
I've liked Enterprise's music so far. There have been times I've felt like I was watching a movie
 
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
 
Yes, there have been some good music moments in Enterprise so far. Mainly in Season 3 I think. I did mention the other week for "The Forge" the nice harp-motif which was very reminiscent of TOS when Soval melded with the injured security guy.

DS9 has had the best of the Trek musics though. (although things like "The Inner Light" and "Lessons" were great). I loved the piano theme/motif from "Equilibrium". I think I got to ask Jay Chattaway if he would include that in an album of his scores - but I think he said 'no' [Frown] It was very haunting.
 
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
 
Jay Chattaway is haunting to speak to?
 


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