Instrument in Objects in Space soundtrack by doctroid

FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

Instrument in Objects in Space soundtrack

POSTED BY: DOCTROID
UPDATED: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 19:39
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Saturday, September 30, 2006 12:18 PM

Anyone happen to know what the woodwind instrument is that's prominently featured in the "Objects in Space" soundtrack?

It sounds kind of like a bass clarinet, but not quite; and I wouldn't expect them to use an alto clarinet. Is it perhaps a basset horn?

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Saturday, September 30, 2006 12:34 PM

PENGUIN

Basset's got horns???

King of the Mythical Land that is Iowa

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Saturday, September 30, 2006 12:52 PM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by doctroid:
Anyone happen to know what the woodwind instrument is that's prominently featured in the "Objects in Space" soundtrack?

Oboe I thought. Though it could be bassoon now that I think on it.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

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Saturday, September 30, 2006 12:53 PM

SIGMANUNKI

Quote:
Originally posted by doctroid:

Anyone happen to know what the woodwind instrument is that's prominently featured in the "Objects in Space" soundtrack?

It sounds kind of like a bass clarinet, but not quite; and I wouldn't expect them to use an alto clarinet. Is it perhaps a basset horn?

I believe it's a basson.

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"We don't fear the reaper"

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Saturday, September 30, 2006 2:26 PM

DOCTROID

I won't say you're wrong, because I don't know; but it doesn't sound like a double reed instrument to me. Or a saxophone, which pretty much leaves something in the clarinet family.

You hear bass clarinets in soundtracks pretty frequently (and I always notice, because I played bass clarinet in high school), but this sounds like something between bass and soprano clarinet. If it's a basset horn, it's the first soundtrack I've ever heard of that uses it.

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Saturday, September 30, 2006 3:48 PM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by doctroid:
I won't say you're wrong, because I don't know; but it doesn't sound like a double reed instrument to me.

For what it's worth I just stuck in OiS with Joss' commentary on and he does mention, "either an oboe or a bassoon." Of course Joss could be mistaken.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

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Saturday, September 30, 2006 4:37 PM

FLORALBUNNY

Deffo not a double-reed instrument, though Joss
says "bassoon" in commentary.
I thought "bass clarinet" when I first heard it,
prior to listening to commentary, but have never
played b.c. so will bow to one who has.
Also, think I've never heard a basset horn, or at
least not identified as such, playing in lead.
Nice little mystery for us, or simple solution?
We should ask the composer if he shows up where
any of us are -- will he be at Flan? Can someone
volunteer to ask?

bun
9/30 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, SERENITY!!!!

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Saturday, September 30, 2006 4:44 PM

SIGMANUNKI

Quote:
Originally posted by doctroid:

I won't say you're wrong, because I don't know; but it doesn't sound like a double reed instrument to me. Or a saxophone, which pretty much leaves something in the clarinet family.

I can guarantee that it is not a saxophone: played the alto and baritone is highschool.

It does sound like a bassoon as well (sample):

http://www.eclassical.com/eclassic/eclassical?&song_id=6044&last_page=
small_index&page=more_info

Quote:
Originally posted by doctroid:

You hear bass clarinets in soundtracks pretty frequently (and I always notice, because I played bass clarinet in high school), but this sounds like something between bass and soprano clarinet. If it's a basset horn, it's the first soundtrack I've ever heard of that uses it.

We could settle this is someone has access to the sheet music. Anyone?

----
I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"

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Sunday, October 1, 2006 5:46 AM

NOSADSEVEN

I've assumed it was a Bass Clarinet, but like others, I haven't actually played one, so I defer to those who have. And, I'm not sure what a basset horn is at all, actually.

Definately not saxophone (played 'em), or oboe. As for bassoon (played that, too), I really don't think so, the sound is just too full and round and breathy for a double reed.

Of course, Greg Edmonson didn't get to use a live orchestra for the score, so I don't know if the solos were recorded or computer generated. They sound live to me, but I don't know anything about what computers can do these days (or those days...) so I'm not assuming anything.

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Sunday, October 1, 2006 10:01 AM

ASORTAFAIRYTALE

Yeah, I always believed that it was either a bassoon or a bass clarinet...
one of those really low creepy-sounding reed instruments.

------

"The answers we find are never what we had in mind."

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Sunday, October 1, 2006 10:27 AM

PENGUIN

Does anyone have Greg's e-mail address??

Here's an interview with Greg that I found:

http://www.tracksounds.com/specialfeatures/Interviews/interview_greg_e
dmonson.htm

King of the Mythical Land that is Iowa

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Monday, October 2, 2006 6:26 AM

DOCTROID

I hadn't thought of the possibility it might have been recorded on a sampling synth. (Showing my age, I guess. I hear a clarinet solo, I assume there's a clarinetist playing it.) In that case I can imagine it might be a clarinet sample shifted down in pitch -- or a bass clarinet sample shifted up.

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Monday, October 2, 2006 9:25 AM

DONCOAT

IIRC, the Firefly soundtrack CD has credits for a number of "real" musicians -- soloists on various instruments. I doubt whether you can even get a sampled dobro (for example) that sounds anything like the real thing.

I'd make the same argument about a bassoon -- there's too much fingering noise, breath sounds, and such, which would not simply track the pitch and tempo of the melody line. That is, you couldn't sample a single note - say, A# - and then shift it to some other arbitrary note, and have it sound correct. The pitch of the fingering action would change with the note, but that isn't true of the real instrument.

What's more, the fingering noise depends on the transition, not just the note. As a not-very-realistic example, the sound of shifting from C to A# would not be the same as shifting from F to A#.

(By the way, fingering noise is definitely audible on those tracks of the CD.)

I'll look at the CD tonight and see if there's a credit for a reed player.

Edit: yes, there is. One Chris Bleth is credited with oboe, clarinet, and "ethnic winds" -- presumably bamboo flutes and the like.

There are lots of other "real musicians" credited, too: guitars, oud, bouzouki, etc; violin/fiddle; percussion; piano; cello. Edmonson himself is credited for piano and synth, so as is fairly obvious from certain tracks, synth was used to get the "full orchestra" effect.

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I'm pointin' right at it!

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Monday, October 2, 2006 12:36 PM

DOCTROID

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:
One Chris Bleth is credited with oboe, clarinet, and "ethnic winds" -- presumably bamboo flutes and the like.

None of which is plausibly the instrument in question -- if by "clarinet" they mean the usual B flat clarinet. But that could be shorthand for clarinet family instruments. Which leaves open the question of which one.

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006 7:16 AM

CJB

Hello,

Chris Bleth here... we did use bass clarinet as a solo voice in one episode although I cannot remember the title of any of them. We also used Oboe D'Amore in a couple as well which was kind of unusual for a TV score. Duduk was also featured in a couple which is also heard throughout Battlestar Gallactica.

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006 8:27 AM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by cjb:
Hello,

Chris Bleth here... we did use bass clarinet as a solo voice in one episode although I cannot remember the title of any of them.

That's probably the answer then. Jubel's theme is very distinctive and a bit different from the rest of the scoring for the series. In fact I think he's the only character that has a theme.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006 4:38 PM

FLORALBUNNY

Thanks so much Chris.
We love the music and it's a treat to solve the mysteries of it.

bun, noodling
~Bastards singed my turtle~

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006 5:10 PM

DOCTROID

Quote:
Originally posted by cjb:

Chris Bleth here... we did use bass clarinet as a solo voice in one episode although I cannot remember the title of any of them.

That must be it then... as a former bass clarinet vict... er, player, I always notice bass clarinet solos in soundtracks. As I said, I thought this didn't quite sound like a bass clarinet so thought it might be something close-but-different; but there weren't any other episodes with bass clarinet solos I noticed... therefore "Objects In Space" is it.

Quote:

We also used Oboe D'Amore in a couple as well which was kind of unusual for a TV score. Duduk was also featured in a couple which is also heard throughout Battlestar Gallactica.

Cool.

Thanks!

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006 5:23 PM

JOSSISAGOD

Think Insturmental "Peter and The Wolf," It's probably a Bassoon.

Edit: At least that's what it sounds like to me.
Double Edit: I only read the first post so, I'm a little late in the game here.
Triple Edit: The point is conceded, Bass Clarinet it is!

Fe'nos Tol
JOSSIS(Most Definitely)AGOD

Self appointed Forsaken! Been on the list for a while now!

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006 5:33 PM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by jossisagod:
Think Insturmental "Peter and The Wolf," It's probably a Bassoon.

Edit: at least that's what it sounds like to me.

That was my guess as well but considering the testimony of the musician who would have played it I think we can call this a case of bass clarinet.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006 7:39 PM

NOSADSEVEN

Hey Chris, thanks for joining up to help us out! We really haven't heard much of what specific kinds of intruments were used beyond 'ethnic winds' and whatnot.

I'm thinking the Duduk was used for Niska's theme in The Train Job and War Stories. (BTW, you're mentioned in Wikipedia as playing it in The Chronicles of Narnia, which is how I now know specifically what a Duduk sounds like...)

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