HiddenDepthsMusic.com

Orchestration / Samplestration

So you've written this brilliant tune, but don't have the time or know-how to orchestrate it such that be shown off in it's finest colours? - That's where HDM comes in!

As an example, here is a project we undertook recently; the input? a solo cello track of a melody (if you just have a melody, we can arrange a live player to record it for you). The task was to orchestrate it in whatever way it struck us fitted it best.

Here is the original:

Nice eh? The melody is wrtten and played by the cellist Deryn Cullen. (and subject to copyright, so don't even think about it!)

Our first thought was to treat it like Villa-Lobos' - Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, but the thought of adding a load of fake solo cellos to a real one just didn't sit right. The vibe however did. The Villa-Lobos melody has a bit of an art-house 1970s French movies feel to it, and this lead us in the direction of maybe giving the orchestration a bit of a Poulenc feel to it. After a little thought and scribbling, we came up with this as an accompaniment:

Now the original file was recorded to a click track - which although it saves a lot of time aligning everything doesn't really fit with the style we had chosen. In addition, the harmonies we chose dictated dynamics which were different to those of the original. There then followed a little time stretching to add some rubato and some volume automation to tweak the dynamics (along with EQ, Reverb etc.), to get it to sound like soloist and orchestra were recorded in the same room - resulting in this:

Quite a complicated project as it involved an element of composition and dealt with the samplestration of quite exposed orchestral instrument (no opportunity to hide things with a few well placed rumpfs!) but we thought it was a good example of the kind of project we could deliver for you if the need arises.

In terms of workflow, we compose in Cubase 7 (if it's good enough for Han Zimmer, it's good enough for us!) and mix in Pro Tools 9 (though we do have Logic, Reaper, Studio One and Digital Performer to allow us to translate in and out where clients require it). We have an extensive 'samplestration' arsenal including libraries from :

Spitfie Audio
Vienna Symphonic Library
CineSamples
SampleModelling
Wallander WIVI
Orchesrtral Tools
Cinematic Strings
AudioBro
EWQL (Platinum & Hollywood)
8Dio
Soundiron
Heavyocity
Native Instruments
SampleLogic
Assorted synths, sound design & fx, sound fx, keyboards, drums, guitars, eclectic & ethnic stuff. etc.

so hopefully we can supply you with files to allow you to carry on where we left off (including VE Pro set-ups, plug-in presets & so forth) based on the libraries you already use (including anything we might add in order to be able to fulfill the gig!).

So, if you think we can help dig you out when your client has compressed your schedule like a whale sitting on a vanilla slice - please feel free to get in touch and see if we can give you some breathing room.

Tracks Available for Exclusive Licence

The tracks below are currently unlicenced and would be available to production libraries either in their current form or modified to your requirements, including:

• Commercial Lengths
• Mastered Stems for Clients
• Unmastered Stems so you can mix/master in your house style
• Extensions, edits, restructures, rewrites, re-arrangements

Covertion
Whether you're peering intently at trace evidence in the lab or setting out with your ski-mask and laser-sighted semi-automatic to take our the terrorist base camp; you are determined, professional, stealthy, cunning - and lets face it just a little bit cool. You may even be the sort of guy who needs to remove his sunglasses in order to deliver a pithy one-liner. Whatever the case, this dark rhythmic track suits you down to the ground.
Instrumentation: Synthesisers, Sound Design, Bass, Drums

Blessed Continuity [Licenced]
Whatever grand and dramatic events play out on the main stage, everywhere else, life carries on as normal. This track celebrates the continuity in everyday activities, sometimes happy, sometimes routine, sometimes unusual - but always present.
Instrumentation: Piano, Chamber Orchestra

Zimnal Dark
Reminiscent of a certain movie franchise and a certain composer, this track sets the scene of a city where criminals are dark and the superheroes maybe a little darker. A classic combination of orchestra with synthesisers and liberal use of the Kaboom! button.
Instrumentation: Cinematic Orchestra, synthesisers, sound design

Marimbum Pizzicatus [Licenced]
It is a prime directive of International Law that music for Dramedy must feature Marimba, Pizzicato strings and optionally piano. As a law abiding citizen, I have no choice but to comply. There are curious goings on in suburbia, where the white picket fence is decorated by a corpse - waiting to be reburied for fear of inadvertent discovery. And you wouldn't believe the series of events which lead to the corpse's demise in the first place. Who'd have thought a fish tank could be so hazardous?
Instrumentation: Marimba, Strings, Piano, Latin Percussion, Woodwind, Sound Design

Tackleberet
Whether you're smearing your face with military make-up, dusting off your laser-sighted sniper rifle, proceeding silently toward the enemy camp in serpentine fashion or just adjusting your special forces beret - you have the tools you need to get the job done and save humanity to fight another day. Of course these days you are more likely to be sitting at your desk 1,000 miles away from the bad guys preparing to kill them by clicking your mouse - but you're probably equipped with some really cool moody lighting and a really fast broadband connection. Either way, this is music to prepare to adios the bad guys to.
Instrumentation: Synthesisers, drums, sound design

No Survivors
Sometimes a picture is so compelling the music only needs to provide a frame to view it in. Scenes of devastation, the countless victims of a natural disaster, wildlife on the verge of extinction, desert where there once was forest or the devastation of a single individual. This simple track underscores the emptiness when all is lost.
Instrumentation: Piano, Cello, Sound Design

A Time Of War
Solitary trumpet call, sonorous voiceover, three breeds of snare drum - yes, this must be a time of war. Whether its a review of a historic battle or a documentary containing the recollections of veterans and survivors, this is the kind of 'we prepared to attack at dawn' kind of underscore you need.
Instrumentation: Classical Orchestra

Not The Baker's Apprentice
The time has come where one plucky competitor is going to have to make the long journey home. They gather exchanging anxious glances in the boardroom/kitchen - the tension rising as we remember their journeys so far. Then enters the decision maker (who has clearly brought the drum kit with them!) the tension (and emotion) rises to unbearable levels - more anxious glances, then ... silence
Instrumentation: Synthesisers, strings, percussion, brass.

Waltz Triste
In every plot line driven by a tragic love in the past, there comes a time where the happiness before a fateful event is remembered - star crossed lovers dancing a waltz. The melody of the waltz is heard in the present on a solo piano, but as the vision of the past is glimpsed it is joined by an orchestra - and we see them happily swirling across a dance floor now covered in dust, cobwebs and the shadow of regret.
Instrumentation: Solo Piano, Classical Orchestra

Unusual Fruit
There comes a time in the life of every maker of documentaries when you encounter a true eccentric. This character has a unique world view, which although perfectly rational to them seems to us a little 'off'. This is their soundtrack.
Instrumentation: Piano, Zither, Vibraphone, Violin, Woodwind, Strings & Sound Design & General Wierdness

Chocks Away! [Licenced]
The handle-bar moustaches, the old kite, the silk scarf trailing behind, a good thrashing for Bertie Bosch and back to Blighty in time for afternoon tea - Hurrah! A ripping yarn of adventure and daring do before the invention of the unmanned drone and enemies unsporting enough not to wear a uniform. Welcome to the world of Biggles and Alan Quartermain!
Instrumentation: Classical Orchestra

Oversized Shoes [Licenced]
The tears of a clown. Yes a cliché, I know, but as Krusty goes about his antics entertaining the little children, he hides a secret pain that only the most perceptive can see. The less perceptive will of course notice the Jack Daniels empties on the back seat of his car.
Instrumentation: Harmon Brass, Saxophones, Circussy Band

Transformation Time
A view into the lives of those who live in a world different to our own. At first glance they appear fortunate, but in reality are in a bit of a mess and need an expert to come in and offer some helpful advice - which in all probability they won't take. Sophisticated strings and woodwind joined by the obligatory FE Celeste.
Instrumentation: Classical Orchestra

Plans In Motion [Licenced]
All the pieces are in place, all eventualities have been considered and now it is time to put the wheels in motion. The plan commences slowly at first and then gathers momentum. The enemy won't know what hit 'em!
Instrumentation: Classical Orchestra

Taste Of Ashes
A man stands on the precipice, he no longer wants any part of the things he has done in a life he now regrets. Visions of the people he will leave behind flow across his mind, he is reconciled to the end of this life and the beginning of a new one. He is gone.
Instrumentation: Strings, Piano, Sound Design

A Time For Heroes
Archetypal track for that moment when the unlikely band of heroes round the corner in slow motion about to take off in the secret space-ship to save the world one more time. Slow build from heroic undertones to glorious take-off.
Instrumentation: Cinematic Orchestra

Heat Of Battle
The 6th Panzer Army rumbles to engage the U.S. 2nd Infantry in the weeks following D Day. Heavy armour, determined soldiers, maverick generals and thousands of casualties, all reflected in this 'mechanised battle' cue. It builds from the commencement of hostilities to a thunderous climax and fade.
Instrumentation: Cinematic Orchestra

Homespun Wisdom
Archetypal Morgan Freeman Voice-Over underscore for orchestra. Long slow build to the 'moment of wisdom' one-liner.
Instrumentation: Cinematic Orchestra

In general, any track in the Showreels with the Showreel Track

icon, is currently unlicensed.

If you wish to be notified each time a new track comes available for licence, please subscribe to this page with your e-mail address - you will then be notified when new tracks become available.

[Licence Under Negotiation] means that a production Music Library has either said they want the track and we are waiting to review and exchange contracts or that a library has expressed interest in a track and it is currently under internal review for inclusion in a forthcoming release. In either case, if you like the track it may be worth getting in touch as either things may change or we can write you something similar to fill a gap in your catalogue.

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Hidden Depths on Soundcloud

Here is a selection of our music featured on Soundcloud - in case you have mobile technology in hand - and it's now or never!

Marimbum Pizzicatus

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/44932561"]
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/44279990"]

No Survivors

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/43716788"]

Waltz Triste

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/43593198"]

Transformation Time

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/42036447"]

Chocks Away!

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/40726641"]

Covertion

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/40726486"]

NOT The Baker's Apprentice

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/40726141"]

Available for Exclusive Licence

Atlas Mask on Transparent Colorized

The tracks below are currently unlicenced and would be available to production libraries either in their current form or modified to your requirements, including:

• Commercial Lengths
• Mastered Stems for Clients
• Unmastered Stems so you can mix/master in your house style
• Extensions, edits, restructures, rewrites, re-arrangements

If you wish to be notified each time a new track comes available for licence, please subscribe to this page with your e-mail address - you will then be notified when new tracks become available.

[Licence Under Negotiation] means that a production Music Library has either said they want the track and we are waiting to review and exchange contracts or that a library has expressed interest in a track and it is currently under internal review for inclusion in a forthcoming release. In either case, if you like the track it may be worth getting in touch as either things may change or we can write you something similar to fill a gap in your catalogue.

{rscomments off}

Support for iOS / Android Users

Atlas LA ColourizedPE Showreel issues with Mobile Devices

Apologies to any of our visitors who are trying to play our showreels on iPhone / iPad or Android and not having much luck. The problem seems to relate to a 'No Flash' implementation in certain iOS and Android devices.

Individual tracks (such as those posted in the 'News' area or HDM workspace) are playable - but the showreels are a discrete Flash module 'plug-in' which doesn't allow the mobile device to identify the presence of audio. We can only apologise and ask those visitors to view the site from a Mac or PC where Flash is supported, and everything should work fine. This is the best option if you want to focus on a specific production genre.

Once we find a solution we will implement it, or create a special showreel area for mobile device users.

In the meantime, here is an HTML5 audio player featuring a generic selection of our work. This should work on most mobile devices, though maybe not quite so 'pretty' - or indeed as functional as we'd have liked! (these devices create their own player over which we have little control). The drop-down menu will show you the track names, but has no effect on what the player does - it is there to select tracks for download. You can advance to the track you want to hear using the prev / next (< >) links / player buttons or @ Prev / Next>> text links.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

If all else fails, and you have the Soundcloud App - some of our tracks can be found here:

1	Septiq [2:20]	David Gosnell	Mixed Percussion / Acoustic / Electric Ensemble
Quirky ensemble piece in 7/4 with an upbeat groove. Edgy romantic or black comedy or children's fantasy drama. Fun, happy and festive with a twist. Lots of unusual percussion, driven by bongo/conga rhythm and jazz bass. Cool vibe for ads, corporate or film/tv.
2	Il Cuoco in Francia [1:39]	David Gosnell	Orchestra, Mandolin, Solo VIolin
Imagine yourself walking or driving in the Italian countryside, pausing at a local market to buy fresh food and vegetables before settling down back at your villa to watch the sunset. Perfect for advertising that car driving through deserted scenery or a travel programme - with space for voice-over.
3	Updraft [2:50]	David Gosnell	Guitars, Drum,s Mandolin Piano String Quartet
Starts with a simple piano theme joined in turn by Mandolin, acoustic guitar, drums and syncopated string quartet, building into a confident optimistic high energy rock track. A build repeat and final fade offer much opportunity to edit for Corporate, TV, Film, Sports, Website, Documentary or Drama
4	Twinkle Toes [1:06]	David Gosnell	Classical Orchestra, Celesta Solo
The little elves are hard at work in the toy workshop and the fairies flit around the flowers adding the morning dew. A solo celesta weaves a 'sugar plum fairy' dance above a string and woodwind, creating a magical and ethereal atmosphere. Perfect for Christmas, fairy tales or reality tv make-overs!
5	Blessed Continuity [1:54]	David Gosnell	Piano, Chamber Orchestra
Whatever grand and dramatic events play out on the main stage, everywhere else, life carries on as normal. This track celebrates the continuity in everyday activities, sometimes happy, sometimes routine, sometimes unusual - but always present.
6	Positively Fabulous [02:04]	David Gosnell	Ukulele, glockenspiel, kalimba, jazz bass, drums, finger clicks, claps, piano, organ, bass, guitar.
You're bouncing down the street with a spring in your step, the birds sing, passers-by smile and everything is right with the world. An upbeat track, contemporary, but with a hint of the '60s!
7	Bossa Man [1:51]	David Gosnell	Strings, Latin Percussion, Saxophones, Alto Flute, Oud, Harpsichord, Santoor, Byeon, Piano, Marimba
He's the cool guy with the slicked hair who, no matter what obstacles are placed in his way, used his suave charm and slick moves to get the girl and win the day. His cool and his look have a retro feel, as does this track with Latin influences and a touch of 50's/60's smooth. Adding Harpsichord, Oud, Santoor, Byeon and Marimba means the outcome will be achieved with a little added quirk!
8	Marimbum Pizzicatus [1:40]	David Gosnell	Marimba, Strings, Piano, Latin Percussion, Woodwind, Sound Design
It is a prime directive of International Law that music for Dramedy must feature Marimba, Pizzicato strings and optionally piano. As a law abiding citizen, I have no choice but to comply. There are curious goings on in suburbia, where the white picket fence is decorated by a corpse - waiting to be reburied for fear of inadvertant discovery. And you wouldn't believe the series of events which lead to the corpse's demise in the first place. Who'd have thought a fish tank could be so hazardous?
9	Oversized Shoes [1:18]	David Gosnell	Saxophones, Strings, Woodwind, Drum Kit, Harp
The tears of a clown. Yes a cliché, I know, but as Krusty goes about his antics entertaining the little children, he hides a secret pain that only the most perceptive can see. The less perceptive will of course notice the Jack Daniels empties on the back seat of his car.
10	Trailicus Maximus	David Gosnell	Classical Orchestra and pseudo-Latin Vomiting Choir
An archetypal trailer track for the overly muscled sword-wielding type. Complete with oversized brass, pseudo-Latin-vomiting choir, a few anvils and liberal pressing of the Kabooom! button.

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Tracks Available for Exclusive Licence

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