Composer David Metzger discusses scoring movies like Disney's 'Wish' and his journey from Oregon to Hollywood. The episode delves into the emotional process of scoring a Disney animated film, the importance of melodic scores, and the evolution of movie score production. Collaboration, emotional impact, and reflections on Disney and music are also explored.
David Metzger discusses his journey from musician to scoring movies like Disney's 'Wish' and his passion for emotional storytelling in music.
Metzger meticulously composes film scores using Cubase for MIDI demos, focusing on accurately representing orchestral sound with distinct instrument parts.
Metzger balances MIDI samples and live recordings, collaborating with musicians for authentic guitar parts, and discusses technology evolution in music production, especially transitioning to Mac studio setups.
Deep dives
David Metzger's Journey in Music and Film Scoring
David Metzger shares his incredible journey from being a musician to scoring movies like Disney's 'Wish.' Starting from orchestrating for the Tonight Show, he progressed to composing scores for major films like 'Lion King,' 'Tarzan,' and 'Frozen.' He describes his passion for melodies and emotional storytelling in music.
The Composition Process and MIDI Demos
Metzger explains his meticulous composition process using Cubase for MIDI demos. He delves into the intricacies of creating MIDI mockups that accurately represent the final orchestral sound in film scores, ensuring that each instrument part is distinctly written.
Integration of Real Instrument Recordings
Metzger incorporates real instrument recordings, like guitars, into his demos for a more authentic sound. He collaborates with musicians like George Doering to enhance the guitar parts in the score, maintaining a balance between MIDI samples and live recordings for a rich, layered musical experience.
Technology Evolution in Music Production
Reflecting on his tech journey, Metzger recalls using Atari ST and Roland samplers, transitioning to Macs with software like Gigas Studio, and finally leveraging Mac Minis and Mac Pros for his studio setup. He discusses the evolution of music production technology over the years and its impact on creating film scores.
Transitioning to Mac Studio and Enhancing Performance
Transitioning from an older system to the Mac studio provided a significant performance boost, allowing for streamlined operations with ample storage and memory capacity. The upgrade to M2 Studio further enhanced capabilities, showcasing improved speed and storage upgrades for seamless music production. The advanced setup included NVMe storage and extensive RAM, providing a transformative experience with minimal system strain and increased efficiency.
Data Backup and Music Production Workflow Efficiency
Maintaining redundant backups, including cloud backups and onsite backups, ensures data safety and protection against potential hardware failures or disasters. The guest emphasized the importance of efficient data management and backup procedures to safeguard critical music production files. By prioritizing redundancy and backup protocols, the guest ensures continuity in music production projects and mitigates the risk of data loss.
David Metzger is a composer, arranger, and orchestrator with a celebrated career that has earned him Academy, Grammy, and Tony Awards. He joins the guys to talk about how the music for some of the most beloved films and shows of our time is made.
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