ISSUE 9 OCTOBER 2014 www.fgcomposer.co.

uk
DE ST I NY
The soundtrack to next-
generation space warfare
Also in this issue...

Twin Peaks

Tips for composers

Ondes

SpaceVibe

Doug Woods

And much more

The classics #9
Half-Life series
Valve
All formats
We say: As the world eagerly
awaits the arrival of the next
instalment, theres a mammoth
amount of smooth sci-f
gameplay in the original and its
sequels (Half-Life 2: Episode
2 pictured here). Join Gordon
Freeman and his trusty crowbar
as you try to save the world
from alien invaders.
Is it really 25 years since
Twin Peaks changed the
face of television forever?
Yes, and following months of
speculation it seems were
being treated to a further
nine episodes some time
in 2016. Whether it will be
any good is anyones guess
but much of its brilliance
was down to the incredibly
atmospheric, disorienting
soundtrack by Angelo
Badalamenti, so it seems a
good enough time to refect
on the original collection.
Weve also got features on
Destiny, superb new iOS
apps Ondes and SpaceVibe,
the ukelele, Scandinavian
drama Crimes of Passion,
an interview with the man
behind thesoundtestroom,
and much more!
Enjoy the issue...
F&G Composer is published by Chantelle Hunte, designed and produced by Chris
Ritchie and all articles and graphics within remain the copyright of their respective
authors and owners. Enquiries should be directed to info@fgcomposer.co.uk
in this issue
SOUNDTRACK REVIEWS
4-5 Destiny
10 Te Equalizer
12-13 Twin Peaks
24 Crimes of Passion
APP REVIEWS
6-8 SpaceVibe
14-15 Ondes
INSTRUMENTS
23 Te ukelele
FEATURES
16-17 Audio & Art
18-21 Interview: Doug Woods
22 Broaden your horizons
SOUNDTRACK REVIEW
Destiny
Caterina Richmond goes planet-hopping in this exhilirating shooter...

S
eptember welcomed the anticipated arrival
of Destiny, Bungies latest contribution to the
gaming world following a run of huge success
with its Xbox-exclusive Halo franchise.
Destiny is a fresh title set in space with the player
venturing upon enemy-ridden planets to complete
missions and save the world. This kind of exploration
calls for a futuristic, innovative yet epic soundtrack
and the score for Destiny certainly delivers.
Scored by Halo composer Martin ODonnell,
alongside Michael Salvatori and Paul McCartney,
expectations were high. ODonnell obviously had
great success in composing for Halo, with the
iconic choir chants introducing the game, but when
composing for Destiny he was expected to do so
before the game even existed. Without even any
trailers or gameplay to go on, ODonnell centred his
music on the games ideas, stories and artwork.
The composer joked, I dumped 50 minutes of
music on them and said deal with that. Make a game
as good as that. Despite creating an entrancing score,
ODonnell was ditched during the project so how
much of the score is solely his work is uncertain.
The score consists of one hour 27 minutes of
music and has 36 tracks, with seven tracks for the
main menu and six tracks for when in orbit, which is
where the player decides where to venture next.
For me the music really stood out when playing
the frst boss fght, accompanied by track three:
The Warmind. It starts off with silence to build the
suspense of a battle you can sense is coming. A mild
drumbeat is introduced, replicating breathing which
increases in volume and speed. Strings then take over
following the same beat but adding a sense a danger
and urgency with brass instruments then entering the
track.
As wizards appear during the battle, a short
synth cue is introduced which really enhances the
magical feeling of tackling wizards. Once these
harder enemies are conquered, the music becomes
very intense and serious as the big boss enters with
an increase in tempo and sweeping string notes are

played with booming brass horns.

The wizard cue is still used but quietly in the
background as the scene becomes calmer. It then
builds up again at the end of the fght which creates
a real sense of accomplishment once fnished.
Battles in Destiny are intense and the music equals it
so well that I actually felt a comedown in adrenaline
and a wave of exhaustion after each fght.
Something interesting with the Destiny score is
the number of styles which are used. Other tracks
incorporate choir vocals alongside percussive drums
and strings which give the music an otherworldly and
epic atmosphere. There are also shrill strings which
are used with synth sounds to create a really futuristic
but scary sound.
You can hear infuences from various genres
including heavy metal, garage and opera. The
main menu song (the most frequent one at least)
comprises of slow brass sounds which rise up the
scale and are then replicated by quieter strings. It is a
very calm and serene track but one which
promises adventure.
The fnal boss fght replicates breathing
with drums which echo off into the
distance so that you can almost hear the
approach of the boss. These are coupled
with a Hans Zimmer style of horn. It
then progresses to a synthesized rock
band with robot sounds interjecting
throughout.
This theme loops a few times and then
steps it up a notch with strings and choir
vocals taking over in a swift change of
pace. Fast violin notes with high-pitched
choir make the player feel in grave peril. A whirlwind
of percussion, strings and piano takes over and
builds, with the help of the vocals, then peaks and
breaks down again.
This is how interest is maintained by constantly
building up the suspense to what feels like a climax
and then breaks it down again into another part of
the score, letting the player know that they got past
one wave of enemies but it isnt over yet.
Overall, Destiny is an incredible game with a
mesmerising soundtrack. The battles can go on for a
long time and the composers have done well to keep
the music and the players engaged throughout the
whole fght. The sense of accomplishment once each
fght is over is intense and only heightened by the
epic music.
I personally have never played a game with such
an overwhelming and exhilarating soundtrack and it
plays a massive part in making Destiny as well received
as it has been.
APP REVIEW
SpaceVibe
Chris Ritchie heads for the sonic stars in this astonishing debut
Developer: Yannick Roy
Price: 3.99/$5.99

H
oly mackerel. Gadzooks. Crikey and crumbs!
In place of the most explicit language I can
imagine, these words will have to do when I
describe how much I enjoy using SpaceVibe, Yannick
Roys inspired creation that anyone with a jot of
interest in sonic manipulation simply must own.
The Canada-based developer, a guitarist and axe
enthusiast who apparently one day just decided he
wanted to make one of the best music apps ever, has
nailed the touch screens advantages while trimming
all of the stuff that doesnt matter.
At frst glance SpaceVibe may seem shallow. It
doesnt have loads of screens or options or fancy
social media connectivity. Thats because it doesnt
need them everything SpaceVibe is about and
needs is immediately accessible, right in front of
you, and what we have here is a serious musical
instrument that gets composition and sonic beauty
far more than many apps 10 times its price.
Okay, lets calm down a bit. Firstly, we need
to declare this offcially as a musical instrument,
although it may not look like one (indeed, when I
frst played with it I thought it needed a keyboard but
now realise its better off not having one).
As with all other instruments, your level of success
depends on what you put into it. Many apps simplify
the process of playing an instrument, from guitar
simulators to chord generators. The difference here,
however, is the level of precise interaction that is
possible. Its easy just because it is. If that doesnt
INTERVIEW

make sense, thats fne. It doesnt make a lot of sense

to me either.
SpaceVibe is essentially two x-y grids with a
number of dials on top. The left grid controls key
and scale, range, space and vibe. Have those latter
two activated on the pad and they will affect the dials
above, and in addition there we have power and echo,
which do exactly what you think they would do.
Over on the right is the Noise grid. Vibe speed
and intensity can be set independently of the noise
and this side is pretty much the sub-tweakery area.
This is about fnding notes within notes, those
tiny adjustments changing a sound from rough to
smooth, from urgent to calm but its also capable
of massive sonic power.
The wonderful thing about these grids is the
control and, simultaneously, experimentation that is
possible. You can deactivate the dial-link and either
specify the left grid to work within a particular scale
or key, or let it be frequency-driven. This ability to
hop between actual notes on a scale, to play it like a
real instrument, is simply brilliant.
SpaceVibes other two major draws for me are its
responsiveness if theres any input lag it is beyond
my brains comprehension, and the range of sounds
you can make with it. I wish I could freely scream
expletives to describe just how versatile this app is.
From kitsch sci-f sounds to urgent sirens, beautiful
harmonies to scraping industrial noise, plinky-plonky
melodic passages to drones... this is an extraordinary
soundscaper.
More fun (and usefulness) comes in the shape of
the presets. Numbered 1 to 12 and again on the same
screen as everything else, switching between these
on the fy produces some great results, with echoes
merging into new echoes, tones shifting but not
jarringly (although you can reduce the fade settings
to make it so), and the audio from before the switch
continuing into the new. Its a remarkably organic
process and thats because were not mangling
samples here or post-processing, were literally
shaping sound in real time. Audiobus compatibility
means you can run this through your effects modules
too and record into a DAW or just output for live
performance.
You can save presets by holding down a number
and also save fnger locations on the pads, as well as
delay ranges (from 25 to 10,000 ms). Thats pretty
much it. What you see is what you get, but what you
can do with this little gem belies its shallow exterior.
There are bells and whistles here but theyre not front
and centre. Or maybe they are.
No, its not a new concept and no, its not the
only app youll ever need, but its genuinely one of
the most exciting, versatile and downright fun apps
available, and considering its bordering-on-daft low
price point, everyone should have this. Everyone.
Yannick Roy, creator of SpaceVibe
T
heres a lot of great stuff that comes from
Canada. Labatt Ice beer, Cobie Smulders
and maple syrup, for example, and Calgary-
based Yannick Roy, who has brought us the superb
SpaceVibe. The Quebec-born developer worked as a
structural engineer for 14 years and then quit to start
a software consulting frm. So where does music ft
in to all this?
I didnt play any instruments or sing as a kid or
anything, he says. I picked up a guitar for the frst
time late in my 20s and just went completely bonkers
about everything guitar. I didnt take any lessons and
just fgured out how to play as a hobby. Its been fun.
Along the way I developed a serious gear acquisition
problem and wound up with a fully-equipped studio.
Then the disease spread to guitars, amps, tubes,
cables and effects pedals.
SpaceVibe and the guitar seem to be at different
ends of the musical spectrum. Yannick explains
how the app came about: After being enormously
impressed with Pink Floyds Quadrophonic live
sound system, I just had to try that myself and built a
quad guitar rig with an Eventide H8000. It was crazy
good but very impractical as you might imagine.

Then I moved on to just playing foor effects

through a tube amp and I started developing an
affnity for massive reverbs and echoes. I added a uni-
vibe clone and things just took off from there. I was
so impressed with what could be accomplished with
a basic uni-vibe and delay pedal that I fgured I could
build an app around those two effects.
Having been involved in software development at
one level or another throughout most of his career
and having minored in software engineering at
college, once Yannick got an iPad and downloaded a
few audio apps, the potential of the platform really
struck him and he set about learning how to code for
it.
I had tried to duplicate the massive echoes and
weird noises I could pull off on the guitar with a
couple of nice keyboards with loads of effects, but I
always came up short, he says. So I wanted the app
to make it really easy to create massive soundscapes
and have the great tone and effects to be really
engaging. And it couldnt have any piano keys because
they are just too limiting for me. I wanted the app to
be super-easy to play.
I had a very basic version of the app with the two
x-y pads up and running pretty quickly and then just
improved it from there.
SpaceVibes biggest strength is its playability, yet
much of its pleasure is derived from chaos. Yeah.
One thing I was really keen on as the app developed
was trying to create the sensation of controlling
something thats unstable and can get away from you
and do crazy things all by itself; have the audio engine
throw you some curve balls if you will and then have
it all ft somehow into a larger soundscape.
It was a very impractical design goal for a piece of
software it was like walking on a razors edge. Every
adjustment I made to the audio engine would teeter
the app too far to one side or another too docile or
too crazy and uncontrollable. Getting it exactly right
took dozens of prototypes.
Im a big Floyd fan and one of the cooler things
about their albums is that one song just fows into
another without interruption. So I was really keen
on duplicating that feel in the app. I didnt want the
audio to stop and/or reset when you changed presets.
Everything had to fow together perfectly with echoes
from one preset continuing to another until they
fade.
SpaceVibe seems particularly suited to soundtrack
composers, being able to produce all kinds of
atmospheric sounds. Is this something Yannick was
interested in?
Honestly, no, I hadnt considered soundtrack
composing but it makes perfect sense now. SpaceVibe
was created mainly for me to use those atmospheric
sounds in my music. So it had to be good enough for
me to want to play it and Im happy to say I still get a
big kick out of it!
Are we likely to see SpaceVibe ported to other
platforms? Absolutely. Porting to Android is
something I want to do and possibly to the desktop
as well.
INTERVIEW Yannick Roy (continued)
SOUNDTRACK REVIEW
The Equalizer
Latanya Hunte enjoys this dark and sombre work by Harry Gregson-Williams
O
nce again Denzel Washington has hit our
screens with a blast of excitement. The
Equalizer follows an ex-FBI agent who
faked his death to live a quiet and humble life. He
meets a female who is involved with some Russian
gangsters and after witnessing her being mistreated,
decides he cant sit back and watch without doing
something. This action-packed flm was scored by
Harry Gregson-Williams, an English-born composer
with numerous credits under his belt.
The soundtrack features many slow and coherent
melodies, which are not typical of an action movie.
However, given that the pace of the flm is a little
slower than what you usually expect, it works very
well.
The frst track Alone consists of a slow repetitive
beat with strings played on top. It starts with a few
piano notes before the track is brought to life. This
simple melody encompasses its name very well, with
additional odd instrumental sounds throughout to
really evoke the mood.
Track number four, On a Mission, has an interesting
fow. It features a few electric guitar strums at the
beginning and then has a low drumbeat that is played
in various ways, with long airy sounds on top. It
reminds me of flms such as Inception and The Dark
Knight.
The track
gradually builds
up to a climax of
hard beats and
then ends with
legato violins
and some odd
piano sequences.
It is one of the
shorter tracks on
the album, but the
variance used in
such a short space
of time grabbed
my attention.
What I would
consider to be the most entertaining track is Its a Lie.
The low strings at the beginning, followed by the
gradual introduction of the drums, violin and various
other instruments, including the electric guitar, gives
it an interesting tone.
The staccato violin melody that comes in and out
of the track builds the excitement. Towards the
middle, the musical direction suddenly changes to a
more vivacious beat with electric guitar in places to
keep you on your seat. It then returns to the spacious
and simple feel, with limited instruments.
The musical theme throughout is dark and sombre.
This is very refective of the flm itself. My only
criticism is that it probably wouldnt be a soundtrack
youd want to listen to by itself as it complements the
visuals so well.
The majority of the tracks sound quite similar
and have the same sort of feel. The last track, The
Equalizer, is the most diverse on the album. The beat
is a little more uplifting and engaging.
On the whole I found the flm great and the
soundtrack went perfectly with it. Gregson-Williams
has scored other Washington flms such as Dj vu,
The taking of Pelham 1 2 3 and Man on Fire. He is well
established in his feld and I look forward to listening
to more of his music.
SOUNDTRACK REVIEW
Twin Peaks
Simon Mauser returns 25 years later to Angelo Badalamentis masterpiece
I
f youve been waiting almost a quarter of a
century for the answer to the question Hows
Annie? youre no doubt frothing uncontrollably
at the news of Twin Peaks return to our screens in
2016.
David Lynch and Mark Frosts television landmark,
which has infuenced so much in the last 25 years,
ran for just two series, leaving many fans (those who
werent alienated by the pervading weirdness) bereft
and hungry for more. That this appetite remains so
strong after so much time has passed is testament to
its power: Twin Peaks affected people on a level which
few TV shows, or even movies, can match. This has
so much to do with a perfect collision of writing,
setting, performance and, indeed, soundtrack.
For those not in the know, Twin Peaks follows
Special Agent Dale Cooper as he arrives in the titular
town to investigate the murder of a high school
beauty. Who killed Laura Palmer? became a cultural
phenomenon and as Cooper (brilliantly played by
Lynch regular Kyle MacLachlan) gradually peeled
back the layers of evil and wonder in this sleepy
postcard US town, we were taken through a bizarre
blend of 1950s-style melodrama, oddball comedy
and stark horror while being introduced to a host of
memorable characters.
The timelessness of Twin Peaks must in part be
attributed to its beautifully haunting soundtrack.
Composed by (frequent Lynch collaborator) Angelo
Badalamenti, with spot-on vocal performances from
Julee Cruise, its a collection that nails the feel of
the show and helped to establish it. Its some of
Badalamentis best and probably his most iconic
work.
Establishing their relationship with Lynchs equally
oddball Blue Velvet, the composer went on to work
on more mainstream movies before hooking up with
Lynch again to write this score (a process in which
Lynch, himself an accomplished if unconventional
musician, was heavily involved). Although the second
series came with its own soundtrack, it was the frst
that really set the tone of the show.
Who killed Laura
Palmer? If you dont
know, what are you
waiting for?

Twin Peaks is very motif-driven.

From the melancholy opening
theme sans vocals, Falling, which
sets the mood in much the same
way as, say, the X Files theme by
Mark Snow (no relation, ahem,
to Mark Frost!), there are several
key elements at play here.
Where some theme songs
seem throwaway (US crime
drama Bones, for example) or just
dont seem to ft, this opener is
a simple, repetitive but effective
piece: several key melodies are at
play and it serves to draw you in
right away.
Laura Palmers Theme continues
in the simple mould, shifting
from a slow, haunting motif
into a hopeful, beautiful
approximation of a butterfy
emerging from a cocoon, then
back to the grim reality of her
tortured existence. That a piece of music can so
effectively evoke those emotions felt by the viewer is
the reason Badalamenti is such a valued collaborator.
Much of the soundtrack shifts tack into what was
tagged as cool jazz, often accompanying scenes
of Twin Peaks cast of colourful teenagers. Audreys
Theme is all fnger-clicks and brushed beats, short
discordant horn stabs, winding wind melodies and an
understated double bass.
Freshly Squeezed is similar but more laid-back led
by the double bass and an electric piano, its a playful
plodder that taps into the shows comedic and more
bizarre elements.
The Bookhouse Boys begins with heavy reverb
horns, a skittery beat, tremolo guitar and another
plodding bass riff, opening out into the low tone-
heavy synths that pervade much of the work. Night
Life in Twin Peaks is Badalamenti at his disorienting
best, producing clashing melodies, drums with no
apparent rhythm... its an evolving soundscape more
than a song.
Then we return to the cool jazz stylings and fnger-
clicking fun of Dance of the Dream Man. So much
of Twin Peaks takes place in fguratively and literally
dreamy sequences, with certain characters only
apparently existing in dreams. This piece is again
a variation on the jazz theme but perhaps the least
surprising.
Rounding out the series one soundtrack is the
Love Theme from Twin Peaks, sharing its melodies
and structure with Laura Palmers Theme. Ostensibly
the same song, the switch to more understated
instruments gives it a new feel.
Julee Cruises contribution of three songs to the
soundtrack seems the perfect ft, her breathy style
playing over soft music. Indeed, the opening song
Falling takes on so much more emotional resonance
with her sparse yet beautiful, delay and reverb-heavy
vocals.
While The Nightingale and Into the Night showcase
Cruises talents (dream pop), it is Falling which
drives the mood of the show and which fans will
remember forever. It rounds off a unique, wonderful
collection of music.
Next month: series two gets weirder and Laura
goes down the spiral in Fire Walk With Me.
This iconic imagery
will stick with
fans forever. Its a
classic Lynch design
Musical genius Angelo Badalamenti
APP REVIEW
Ondes
Chris Ritchie tests this expressive, elegant iPad tribute to the vintage original
Developer: Olympia Noise Co.
Price: 5.49/$7.99

O
lympia Noise Co. is one of those developers
which is making waves in the music app
market. Where some devs seem to court
growing hype every time something new is about to
arrive in the store, Olympia has come to join them
with its latest, Ondes.
The developer specialises in interesting variations
on real-world instruments. With Chordion it brought
one of the frst and most considered variations on
the traditional keyboard, simplifying chord access
and playing in an interface that made perfect sense
(after a moment of acclimatisation); dot Melody
was more ambitious, an intriguing blend of hit-
and-hope composition, beats and an emphasis on
melodic generation that works on several levels.
Now, with Ondes, we have a kind of meeting of the
best of these two instruments, a familiar but ideal
interface set-up with a number of powerful tools to
manipulate the basic sounds.
To start with, Ondes is roughly based on an
electronic instrument built in 1928, the Ondes
Martenot, as well as the Theremin. It follows the
increasingly popular style of x and y axes set across
a sliding scale (handily labelled) where the entire
playing area can accommodate as many of your
fngers as you like, making it a very expressive
instrument. But beyond that, its easy to tweak as a
range of dials and bars are accessed from the top of
the screen. This is, of course, where the magic lies.
This may sound very familiar as there are many
apps which follow the same template, such as
ThumbJam and MorphWiz, but Ondes attractions lie
in its engineering.
Programmer Ben Kamen clearly has a good

ear for and appreciation of rich musical textures.

With its assortment of modulators, reverbs, delay
options, flters and oscillators, you can create some
wonderfully rich and expressive sounds here.
Workfow starts with a preset (there are a sweet
16) and from there you make your own, a simple
save as ensuring you dont destroy the original.
The presets are thankfully different enough to make
this worthwhile. The danger for people who rely on
presets is that theyll tire of this meagre selection
quickly, but thats not the point. Although just as
useful to any composer, this just isnt the same as
something like Thor or Sunrizer; but Id venture that
its just as powerful in what it does.
Recommending Ondes is easy. Various key features
such as snap-to and varying the degree of those
parameters keep it in both precision and experimental
camps, there is a good range of modulation options
and its an expressive and responsive interface. For
those who fnd such things appealing, the inclusion
of social media options is welcome.
Drawbacks are a little (probably undesired)
distortion when delay and reverb clash, and for some
the lack of scales (just major and minor here) might
grate, but otherwise its a deceptively simple synth
with enough depth to come up with some great
sounds and giving you the control to play around
with them in some pleasingly effective ways.
INTERVIEW Ben Kamen, creator of Ondes
T
he Ondes Martenot has been a dream
instrument of mine for a long time, but Ive
never had the chance to even be in the same
room as one as they are both rare and expensive.
Making Ondes was really just me wanting to build
an instrument that I could use in my own music that
would emulate the sound and fuidity of the Ondes
Martenot, while taking advantage of the things that
computers make possible.
So says Ben Kamen, the man behind Olympia
Noise Co.s popular apps, and we think many
musicians would agree with this sentiment: there are
so many incredible instruments out there that are
almost lost to most people due to their rarity and/or
price. Digital simulations or tributes narrow this gap
considerably.
Ondes certainly seems more straightforward yet
more powerful than Chordion and dot Melody.
Whats Bens opinion on this?
Id agree with that. With both Chordion and dot
Melody, I was trying to reach out to people who
dont necessarily know what chords might work or
what notes to play, but who still want to make music.
Once you start trying to make
smart decisions for the user about
music theory and stuff like that,
everything gets complicated. It
can quickly become a trade-off
between wanting to make anything
possible and wanting to make it
hard to mess up. So in a way
all the theory bits can limit the
app. Ondes is much more of an
instrument than the others, in the
sense that it doesnt try to do any
thinking for you about theory or
prescribe a way to play it.
Following in the footsteps of the original then
(to a point), how did Ben go about making Ondes?
When I started work on it, I had a really clear idea
about what it was supposed to do, what it would
sound like and how you would use it. I tried to be
really disciplined about the scope of the app so that
I could focus on fundamental things like developing
a robust audio engine and making it playable as a real
instrument. Once I got those basic things down, I let
myself have a bit of fun by adding all the animations
and other details that make the app joyful to use.
Whats up next then from Olympia? Right now
Im working on some new features for Ondes. When
Ondes frst came out, I got a couple of requests
that sparked my interest so Im letting myself go
down that rabbit hole for a minute. One new feature
is a swarm section which is basically two extra
oscillators that can be detuned and lag behind the
main oscillator. Another is a hold function, so
that notes can be sustained indefnitely as a drone
while other notes can be played on top. Im also
adding some new options for confguring the playing
surface, including support for
microtonal tuning systems and
custom scales.
I have three or four ideas to
choose from for my next app, so
Im sort of mulling that over while
I fnish this Ondes update. Im also
slowly collecting my thoughts for
Chordion 2.0. Its going to be a
complete re-write of the app from
the ground up, and Ive got a ton
of ideas for what thats going to be
like
AUDIO & ART
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Chris Ritchie examines the beautiful art and audio of the fantasy adventure

W
hen Nathan Grigg
approached the task of
composing for the latest
gaming foray into the world of Lord
of the Rings, it was, he says, a case of
musical sound design where the aim
was not just to create a bunch of
songs but to effectively score each
moment.
This is most evident in the combat,
which makes up the majority of the
gameplay here and is, to this writer at
least, extremely satisfying.
Playing as a ranger who watched
his wife and son die horribly but who is cursed
not to die himself, Shadow of Mordor is a gritty,
gruesome adventure where the blood and heads fy
as you make (hopefully) light work of the seemingly
endless uruks dotting the landscape. Its exhilarating
and extraordinary, exceedingly well done and
recommended.
The soundtrack is too: almost like a western in
parts, at others kind of orchestral-industrial, during
combat the aim was to incorporate the brutality of
battle into the score. It works effectively, melding
music and sound effects to make you feel more
powerful. While its pretty standard for music
these days to mimic the action on screen, here its
implemented in an innovative manner.
The range of instruments used in this soundtrack
is unusual too, and builds on themes of the east
and west together. These include the waterphone

(a cylindrical neck on top of a resonator bowl

with water in it) giving high and low tones, the
resonating spring drum and plenty of plucked
and bowed strings to add to the textures. Its a
seamless transition from peaks to troughs, and
just all round outstanding sound design.
Its a soundtrack that just fts the game so well.
Where videogames have increasingly gone for
the bombastic, Shadow of Mordor is more about
complementing the visuals. Both are a feast, for
the eyes and ears, as the artwork on these pages
demonstrates.
Examine the art and imagine how you might
write the score. This is of course the challenge for
every flm or game composer, to match the audio
to the visuals. So what would you do?
INTERVIEW
Doug Woods
The man behind thesoundtestroom talks to F&G about his lifes work...

A
s anyone who has headed to YouTube
to fnd out about a new piece of
music software or hardware will know,
thesoundtestroom has become an online institution.
From short reviews to in-depth tutorials, Doug
Woods is one of the few unsung heroes who have
done so much to promote music production tools
but also to help those people who want to make the
most of them.
Now thesoundtestroom is by no means alone in the
online space indeed, there are several outfts with a
similar profle, but Dougs easy and enthusiastic style
has garnered quite a following and there are many
musicians who simply wouldnt invest in anything
without frst getting his virtual nod. Such is the
power of one mans recommendation that its no
wonder the software developing community looks to
him as a key marketing force.
This has a lot to do with Dougs talents, not only
with his ability to convey the intricacies of often
quite complex software, but his musical ability as
evidenced by his demonstrations which often feature
brilliant spontaneous performances that really show
off the tools hes using.
I come from a very musical house, says the
50-year-old. I started out as a drummer at 12 and
from there moved on to piano, bass and a bit of
guitar oh, and iPad, which is a musical instrument
in its own right now I think!
I started to record music when I was about 14.
There were always tape recorders and stuff at home
and me and my mates would wait till my parents
had gone out, then set the tape off and bash
away, literally. Years later I played my dad some of
those tapes he was not impressed and was less
impressed when his violin made an appearance in the
cacophony! We thought it was great though.
These early exploits led to him playing drums in a

band in Liverpool in the 1980s and at the same time

he began to learn sound engineering and production,
working in lots of recording studios as a freelance
engineer and producer mostly for local bands. From
there, it was a natural evolution into passing on his
learned skillset.
My wife Jo and I started thesoundtestroom
channel around March 2011. We were still living in
Spain at the time and had a recording studio called
Fourth Floor. We are songwriters and thats where we
did our thing and it was also a place for others to use
too. We had all this gear and knowledge so we set up
the channel to teach people about music production,
setting up a home recording studio, and to demo the
gear we had.
We had lived in Spain at that point for eight years
and decided it was time to come back to the UK that
September, and we had a big break from the channel,
around six months or so, as all the studio gear was in
storage and we were looking for a place to live and
work. In that time I got an iPad and that was that I
was completely blown away by what you could do.
This is the point where thesoundtestroom
really took off and became what it is today an
entertaining reference point for so many musicians
around the world.
A fast learner
At the start I knew nothing of making music on an
iPad, but I learned quick, Doug smiles. I started to
make video demos for the apps as a way to justify
the money I was spending on them. The frst demos
were not great, but they got some decent views. After
a few more videos, developers started to contact me
and ask if I would demo their app if they sent me a
code.
At this point I had stacks and stacks of apps. I only
did the odd video, so I thought if you want to give
me an app for free, thats cool. Thats really how it
started if you look at the channel as a whole from
beginning to end you can see the transformation and
trace the chronology.
Of course thesoundtestroom is a learning
experience on both sides, with Doug spending
much of his spare time (he doesnt get paid to run
thesoundtestroom) exploring (and more importantly
understanding) not only the major releases but pretty
much anything new that he reckons warrants peoples
attention.
But as a musician himself, does all this effort on
his part suck any of the fun out of using them? A
bit, yeah, he nods. I spend most of my time learning
new apps and moving on to the next one, so its a
double-edged sword all these great apps and no
time to use them!
Its a testament to Dougs effort (and patience)
that he can break down often very complicated or
confusing software to a level where his viewers will
fnd it more accessible. The learning curve for apps
varies greatly some are very complex and some so
simple that anyone of any age can use them, he says.
The only thing I really struggle with is MIDI it
freaks me out most of the time, and iOS MIDI is
a dark and murky world indeed. Fortunately my
business partner in the US, Colin Swinney [see sister
channel thesoundtestroomUS], is a MIDI wiz so he
Hands-on:
the familiar
sight of Doug
demonstrating
apps on
YouTube has
enriched the
iOS developers
market

Family man
Doug with
daughters
Charlotte and
Lydia and his
wife, Jo
deals with all that techy stuff. So if someone sends
me an app that uses lots of MIDI, I run for the hills
screaming and Colin comes to the rescue and all is
well. Actually, when you watch his videos, you see
how easy it can be.
Obviously I use MIDI with the iPad to hook up
keyboards and things and that is very easy, much
easier than hooking up a MIDI keyboard to a PC.
But yeah, Im quite good at learning the basics of an
app once you get your head around iOS its not so
bad and certain protocols are always the same.
Spreading the word
So naturally, through his work in particular on the
iPad as a production studio, Doug has become
one of the real global experts on this platform.
Unsurprisingly, hes quite the evangelist for this
technology: Absolutely! he laughs. Back in the day
it was impossible to do what we can now with DAWs
and stuff, but the iPad has taken music making to
the next level genuine mobility, you can produce,
mix, master and share all from one small device and
for very little money, and of course you can expand
and spend lots on external hardware to hook up to
an iPad, but strip it back to just an iPad and say [all-
in-one production apps] Gadget or Caustic and you
really are good to go. I mean seriously, there are VSTs
that cost more than an iPad and some apps.
So has he turned his back on the more traditional
production options? Not really. I still use my VSTs
and synths and stuff and probably always will, but I
want to show that you can use all this stuff with your
iPad too.
Someone who has so much experience of musical
equipment and software must have a few favourites.
I love my piano Jo bought it for me when I got
out of hospital [Doug was taken ill with severely high
blood pressure earlier this year], and my Alesis ION
Synth. Theres my Wavedrum, Reason is my favourite
computer DAW, and I think the Korg M1 is my
favourite VSTi. Well, that and Omnisphere, which is
amazing.
But the iPad is my most used hardware now.
Cubasis is my favourite iOS DAW. I love TF7 Synth
and Alchemy Mobile, Omenies M3000 and I love the
IK pianos. My best and most used iOS FX would be
the Holderness Media stuff and Kymaticas stuff
very reliable. And of course Audiobus, but there are
so many great apps that this list would be huge!
Back when Doug frst got his hands on the iPad it
was a musical novelty, but he says even though the
desktop DAW currently has more power, theres no
doubt that you can make a full album on an iPad,
even master it too. However, iOS is not without its
own set of limitations. The biggest issue we have
with iPads and iPhones is RAM, he explains. I
think the new Air 2 will have more RAM, hopefully
2gb, but who knows? The other issue is Apples big
updates like this latest to iOS 8. Its messed up so
much stuff thats going to take months to sort out
and by then iOS 9 will be looming ominously on the
horizon, giving developers and users more sleepless
nights. I think we would be better served by smaller
incremental updates if its not broke, dont fx it!
This isnt something Apple is likely to take much
notice of though preventing its relatively small user
base of composers from using their apps is unlikely
to be high on its list of priorities when the majority
of users are not using the iPad as a studio.
Thats true, Doug nods. But imagine if this
happened when Microsoft or Apples desktop OS
were updated. How many recording studios in the
world would suffer unimaginable horrors?
However, all those issues aside, making and
producing music with an iPad or iPhone is the best
way to go in Dougs qualifed opinion. When it all
works its a sublime experience and tactile you are
connected to what you are doing in a very organic
and direct way. I think thats amazing.
Music production on the iPad is only going to get
better and faster and more powerful. You have to
remember that this is a relatively new way to produce
music. As for PC and Mac, I think Reason is heading
in the direction of improving things for musicians
massively. Reason 8 has just been released and
improves workfow greatly, which is the whole point
if youre a musician making music on your own.
Look back only fve years and we could only dream
of what is now possible with just a phone and a few
apps.
Expanding the empire
Having emerged from the fog of his health scare,
Doug seemed to waste no time in expanding
thesoundtestroom and doing what many people
probably thought was long overdue creating a
dedicated website.
Actually the website was Colins idea, Doug
says. He is starting to do web design and offered
to build one for me. We had several conversations
and decided to do it together, so we now have
thesoundtestroomUK, thesoundtestroom website
and thesoundtestroomUS.
It all ties in very neatly. The site will continue to
grow and be a great place for iOS music. We already
have nearly all the videos on there, all 370 of them at
the moment, and we have a great archive page where
you just browse the big list of vids. Our links page is
where you can visit all the other cool sites we like and
you can suggest a site to add to that list.
Then we have our support page where you can
help us out with a donation or join our Patreon
programme, or if you want to take an ad out very
reasonable rates! We need all the help we can get.
Our extras page is where you can listen to and watch
our music videos and download free stuff. All these
will get bigger and bigger as time goes on. We update
and work on the site all the time and were really
pleased with it.
Looks like theyre not the only ones. Doug, we
salute you. Long live thesoundtestroom.
FEATURE
How to be a great composer
Latanya Hunte explains why broadening your horizons is a creative key...
T
he technological advancements that have
taken place over the last three decades have
allowed composers to create music on so
many different platforms. However, although music
production is generally more accessible nowadays,
the fact is it is harder to get recognised due to the
vast amount of competition.
I went on mandy.com to search for composers
and between the US and UK over 5,000 came up.
Wow, and thats just one site. Well, not to worry
because this article is going to show you what other
successful composers are doing and the forward-
moving trends so that you can prepare yourself to be
the next big thing in Hollywood.
In last months issue, I listed my favourite
composers. At number one was Hans Zimmer
(pictured). He has worked on a number of acclaimed
projects, and is recognised as a pioneer in flm music.
In the 1980s he was one of the frst musicians to
incorporate electronic music with orchestral sounds.
He regularly fuses both types of music in his scores
and has developed this art over the years.
Analysing Zimmers work gives an insight into the
type of musician he really is. He is said to have used
an old and out of tune piano to compose the music
in Sherlock Homes. Having purchased it for just $200,
the sounds created suited the theme he was trying to
establish in the flm.
He also travelled around Italy, France and Romania,
researching gypsy music to use in the second flm.
However, Zimmer is not alone. Danny Elfman
spent some years travelling around Africa and taking
inspiration from the locals.
So, one thing that defnitely helps you get ahead
and be creatively different is travelling. Visiting
different countries and exploring their musical
sounds will help unlock your hidden potential and
add some variety to your music library.
Adding to this, you could record unusual sounds
and play about with them in your production
software. Again, Zimmer has used telephone wires,
razors, banging old trains and much more to create
unique scores that would be hard to replicate.
Thinking outside of the box will change the type
of music you can create
and will allow you to
explore new territories. If
youre not able to travel,
use the internet to your
advantage and look up
music from different
regions in the world. You
may only get a glimpse, but
its a good place to start.
Another vital ingredient is networking. Nobody
gets anywhere by themselves. Zimmer created his
company to allow up and coming composers the
opportunity to work alongside him and learn his
techniques. He had a similar experience in his early
career and recognised how much it helped him.
In some of his scores he refuses to take all
the credit, as he knows that making music is a
collaborative experience. It is not just about you. If
you are a flm/game composer then utilising others
experience and inspiration could help in some
projects. Of course if the project is small then it may
be best to work on it alone, but just consider working
with others when the opportunity presents itself.
The flm scoring industry has changed over
the years from its basic orchestral sounds to now
compiling rock, pop, electronic and many other styles
of music. It will continue to advance and change as
the years go on.
One thing I have noticed is that flm music is
becoming more complex with ever-evolving intricate
sounds. As flm music does not follow the order of
traditional songs (16 bars, etc.) you can be free to
create whatever you want so long as it fts the theme
of the image.
Continually listen to soundtracks and compare
them. See what you like about them and also what
could have been done to improve them. Dont be
afraid to try new things after all that is the only way
that things develop and grow.
Finally, remember that music comes from within.
You create the noise from whatever you have, but the
way you use the instruments and sounds is in your
hands as the creator.
INSTRUMENTS
The ukelele
Caterina Richmond looks at the four-stringed jumping fea
T
HE grass skirts, straw huts and sunshine of
Hawaii are always accompanied by the cheery
strum of a ukulele. Resembling a small guitar,
the rough translation of ukulele is jumping fea,
referring to the action of the players fngers.
Despite being a Hawaiian instrument, the ukulele
originated in 1879 by Portuguese immigrants of the
islands. It is part of the guitar family but has only
four strings, typically made of nylon but originally
animal intestines were used.
The shorter scale means the instrument has a
higher tone than its cousins. The fgure-eight body
of the ukulele is usually made of wood. However,
the type ranges depending on the price. Cheaper
ukuleles start from 10 and use ply or laminate
wood, whereas the more affuent designs consist of
mahogany or even koa (a Hawaiian wood.)
Ukuleles exist in different forms, defned by their
size and scale; however, the most common versions
are the soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. Soprano
is the standardised Hawaiian ukulele.
The concert was developed in the 1920s and is
slightly larger with a deeper sound and the tenor
came shortly after, again increasing in size and
volume. The strings of these three
models tend to be tuned to G, C, E
and A.
The baritone arrived in the 1940s
and again lowers in pitch. There is
also a sopranino (higher than the
soprano) and the bass which is the
lowest pitched of the ukuleles.
Playing the ukulele is similar to
playing the guitar; one hand strums
while the other holds the frets.
However, there are some differences
besides the tuning.
Having fewer strings can actually
make instrumental pieces more
diffcult to play as the reachable notes
on the fret board are limited. Players
can use fngers or picks to play, but
fngers tend to allow more control
and speed.
One playing technique is called the stroke where
the player strums all strings in a rapid succession,
using a relaxed, cupped hand to produce a soft
harmonious sound.
The rolling stroke is a more advanced technique
which involves fanning the fngers out to roll over
each string one after the other. This also involves
using the thumb and when played correctly, can
produce a fast paced and upbeat rhythm.
The ukulele has spread worldwide, being
introduced to different regions for various reasons.
For example, the instrument became popular in
Japan in 1929 after a mixed heritage citizen visited
his Hawaiian roots and upon falling in love with the
instrument, formed the Nihon Ukulele Association.
In America, the affordability of the ukulele made it
favoured in Jazz music. George Formby popularised
the instrument in Britain and the Ukulele Orchestra
of Great Britain tours the world.
There was a decline in interest after the 1960s but
the 90s welcomed back the instrument with the help
of YouTube as hundreds of tutorials and popular
renditions re-popularised the ukulele.
Israel Kamakawiwoole and Jake Shimbukuros
renditions went viral and showed the
ukulele in a fresh light, playing songs
such as Over the rainbow and While my
guitar gently weeps with immense skill.
The ukulele is an instrument which
can appear gimmicky and simple
at frst glance; however, a deeper
exploration proves that the ukulele is
more complicated than it seems and
requires skill to be able to master. The
sound has stretched worldwide and
been used in all genres of music.
Using the ukulele can put a different
and original spin on songs and
would be useful in pieces intended to
lighten the atmosphere. The music it
produces is mood-lifting and cheery
and the Hawaiian roots instantly make
the mental association with paradise
when heard.
SOUNDTRACK REVIEW
Crimes of Passion
Clmenche Roche invites you to join a delectable threesome...
T
HREE is usually considered a crowd
but in this latest Nordic noir whodunnit
series, Mrdaren ljuger inte ensam, taken
from the 1950s Maria Lang Swedish crime novels,
the undercurrent triangular chemistry defes its
characteristic claustrophobia as the chemistry
vibrates between the principal sleuth Puck Ekstedt
(Tuva Novotny), her boyfriend then husband Einar
(Eje) Bure (Linus Wahlgren) and the superintendent
Wijk (Ola Rapace), their friend, while they solve
impetuous, frenzied crimes under the midsummer
haze.
The series is a version of Marple meets Cluedo in
knitwear; it exhibits music that yields varying jazz
moods with enriched tonalities depicting the avant-
garde manifesto of the times. Kicking off with Saul
Bass (American graphic designer and Academy
Award-winning flmmaker) styled titles, accompanied
by smoky vocals (performed by Isabella Lundgren),
murmuring lyrics droningly impart predictions of
foreboding and doom.
The opening extract is akin to a John Barry-esque
harmony that includes the chanteuse Lundgrens
ringing vibratos and fnger snapping while a
lugubrious trumpet peels its metallic sound, sliding
through eerie and sensual crescendos in parallel with
the lyricist, occasionally punctuated by drums and
the ride cymbal with bass drum to further the jazzy
sensuality.
The charismatic music is composed by Karl and
Pr Frid, a brother duo who established a studio
in 2008. Despite growing up together, they went
their separate ways in the creative sphere yet
reunited to work on musical compositions for
various projects including flm.
The score for Crimes of Passion settings are
classical in content with orchestral constructions
interspersed with a jazz background (again to
resonate the period of the flm, taking on a
phantasmal personae and showing its homage
to the flm noir defnition); the use of solo
piano and strings as the basis for opening scenes
triggers a dramatic impact and refects internal
monologues throughout the climactic scenarios
while adding their particular stance on the macabre
as the drama unfolds.
Throughout the series, the partners have developed
a collection of blues-inspired sequences that include
the aforementioned main title theme as well as
interspersed short passages that correspond to the
unfolding mystery over a 90-minute period in six
episodes, divided into these tracks: Irma, She belongs
to no one (with a vocalist crooning like old blue eyes
Frank Sinatra), Lars legacy, Etheric strings, Julians song,
Visa frn Nora, The death of a loved one (title sequence),
The corps is gone, Christer reveals Egon.
The ensemble of artists who have joined the
collaboration of underscore and source music with
the siblings are classical and modern afcionados
immersed in the lively Scandinavian jazz scene and
include Eva Lindal, Niklas Gabrielsson, Isabella
Lundgren, Carl Bagge, Martin Hper, Nils
Jansson, Patrik Skoogh, Jonas Wall, Thomas de Paula
Eby and Albert kerman.
The passionate aspect of these incidents may
cause alarm bells to ring, seeing as they take place
in Bergslagen, Sweden, not usually the seat of
emotional extremes yet through the lugubrious and
wanton melodic jazz aura that accompanies the
story-telling, what arises through the crimes is the
restless combination of lust, power, duty, jealousy,
revenge and greed typical of all individuals within
societies both fctional and actual, until they too are
snared by the intrepid trackers.
In the darkest hour
Theres a shadow
Smothering the skies
With chilling fear
Somewhere
Far away theres a
melody
Out of breath
Hear her fnal words
of despair
I love you to death.