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  4. The 'Bond' theme .... just for fun ;D (+ Competition)

  • The 'Bond' theme .... just for fun ;D (+ Competition)

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    Hi there.

    Well I've been thinking of doing it for a while now .. and last night I did. I wrote my version of the James Bond theme. It's more of a test of the First edition instruments. Though I have to say that I wish I had the pro-edition cos I'm definately missing some instruments to do the job right.

    In any case. It was a bit of fun, and I think it sounds quite cool. Still a little wet behind the gears, and I may still work on it abit more. All the sounds are from the First Edition, Epic horns, and Garage Bands Jazz Kit.

    So heres a dare. I dare all of you to write your version of a theme that you like. Can be anything. Go on .. it's only for fun and laughs and it may help you to learn how to do things you wouldn't have done.

    Well, theres the dare, I hope you take up the challenge .. if not ;( And please don't feel that you can't do another bond theme ... I'd like to hear what others can do.

    So enjoy my version of the Bond theme.

    http://www.elvenmusic.com/vsl-eng.html

    http://www.elvenmusic.com/vsl-ger.html (German version)

    Hetoreyn
  • P
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    or... or show the tune? [;)] Please go on, or did you decide not to let us hear and work more on it? Thanks [:D]

    PolarBear
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    Hehe, you beat me to it

    Pressed enter accidentally, so only half my post came through .. just edited it ;D
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    Ha! Cool one! Actually I'd go a bit easier on the reverb, but maybe that's me. In the "original" the off-beats are more stressed sometimes.

    Cool effort! Maybe I'll join you and also do a version, you actually encouraged me to, though everytime I think about it I'M abandoning the idea knowing the difficulty to emulate such a well known theme successfully.

    All the best,
    PolarBear
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    I'm missing the heavier sound of the brass... I'm missing some edge... but you sure made a cool and groovy arrangement of it! You can't beat Barry, but leave Eric Serra in the dust.

    [[;)]]
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    @weslldeckers said:

    I'm missing the heavier sound of the brass... I'm missing some edge... but you sure made a cool and groovy arrangement of it! You can't beat Barry, but leave Eric Serra in the dust.

    [[;)]]


    Yeah it's unfortunate but the first edition really doesn't have very heavy brassy trumpet sounds so I couldn't quite get the edge on the brass. Although maybe with a bit more layering I could sort of get it ... I only wrote this piece last night .. it's less than 24 hours old ;D

    I totally agree that there is none better than John Barrys Bond. But again, this is all for kicks, I'm not trying to outdo Barry .. I'm trying to outdo myself. I find that by emulating the songs you love it helps you to know how they were written, and teaches you such techniques ... (That's kinda blinding flash of obvious there ;D)

    What I hope to encourage is a friendly competition between us all to come up with your own versions of famous themes. All in the name of fun and to see just how good you can do. It doens't matter that the original's are better, its just interesting to see what people do. Take a theme and totally make it your own.

    Post your versions here.

    Thanks for your comments .. I may yet improve my 'Bond' song.

    Hetoreyn
  • JBacalJ
    JBacalJ
    Enjoyed listening! There were places that rhythmically i thought could swing a bit more. More jazz less classical. But fun stuff.

    Best,
    Jay
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    ... Hetoreyn, JAMES Hetoreyn ...

    This was the best part of an already great day. Thanks for doing this!

    [:D]
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    That's pretty damned cool...
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    Hey Het! Hat off to you and VSL. Good working team I reckon. I don't want to say anything negative, because my overriding impression of your Bond theme really impressed me - lovely use of growly horns. Loved the low brass. Theme doesn't work so well on the strings as they are. Lovely mix, except the drums appeared a little too in my face. Just the middle bit....didn't swing - that could have been your intention, but for me, I am a little more traditional and love the original swing feel.

    Great job bud....did you really do it in one evening. That is fairly shifting, that is!

    If i had more time I would love to do all my favourite themes, starting with The Simpsons, Odd Couple, Taxi, Thunderbirds, The Onedin Line...Oh God there are so many good theme tunes. There were a lot of cool theme tunes written in years gone by played by proper session bands. These days it's just a bunch of guys sat behind a computer screen.... [:D]
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    Oh...BTW did you have a score to work from. I am good at the old transcription, but that would have taken a while!
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    @Another User said:

    ... Hetoreyn, JAMES Hetoreyn ...

    This was the best part of an already great day. Thanks for doing this!

    [:D]


    Hehe, thanks guys .. glad it made your day!
    Hetoreyn
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    So didya? Use a score?
  • H
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    That's okay Rawmusic. Like I've said this piece was purely done for kicks. I will probably work on it abit more and change a few things. I'm amazed at how quickly I can work these days. I kid you not this piece has about maybe 8 hours of work in it.

    The middle 'swing' is purposely missing because I rather like the 4/4 version that Barry started to use in Moonraker. Someone else had said it's more classical than jazz, that's perfectly true .. but only because I like that version ;D

    I so wish I had the Pro-edition to do this with. I feel certain that the more articulations there are to work with the better it could be, but I'm still quit happy with the first result. Usually I work for maybe 3-4 days on a piece compositionally and then weeks of mixing. This song is a quick pre-mix with a space designer reverb ... I rather like the heavy verb but I may take it back a little ;D

    I didn't have a score to work from. Basically the bond theme was the first tune I learned to play when I first started teaching myself the piano ... when I was 7 years old. Since then I've kinda learned to play it quite well. I know the teme inside and out. As for the little niggles ... I have to say that the piece really isn't mixed yet . it was a very quick job, and I'm sure the next version will be better.

    So Rawmusic ... I'd like to hear your rendition of Thunderbirds .. go on you know you want to ;D

    Still daring you all to make your theme, if you can do better than me (And I'm sure most of you can) I wanna hear it! On your PCs... get set .... GO! (Consider it an unofficial VSL competition .. unfortunately without a prize) ;D

    Hetoreyn
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    I've updated my 'Bond' theme, using some of the niggle requests that people put down. So I've tried to put the swing back into the mid section, taken the verb down a touch and generally put more highlights on the brass.

    I'm still missing a really honking brassy trumpet but I think at this point it ain't sounding too bad at all.

    So, please do have a listen.

    http://www.elvenmusic.com/vsl-eng.html
    http://www.elvenmusic.com/vsl-eng.html (german version)

    Hetoreyn
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    That's pretty freaking awesome. I too love the horns. I have to get the epic horns jeez. Yea the pro edition would help a little but this sounds great. There is still one section you didn't swing that i am so used to swinging. But I agree its cool that way too. I played this with bands before so I am used to the full on in your face swinging version but this is very cool. This is a great demo for epic horns I think. Your drum programing is about like mine in that it sounds kind of forced and not very real. It works though. Good work.
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    @magates said:

    That's pretty freaking awesome. I too love the horns. I have to get the epic horns jeez. Yea the pro edition would help a little but this sounds great. There is still one section you didn't swing that i am so used to swinging. But I agree its cool that way too. I played this with bands before so I am used to the full on in your face swinging version but this is very cool. This is a great demo for epic horns I think. Your drum programing is about like mine in that it sounds kind of forced and not very real. It works though. Good work.


    HEHE, Yeah my drum programming is not very good. The rhythm is functional but if I were doing this for a professional project I'd get someone else to do the beat. Epic horns are just brilliant, the fast legato f, is my favourite. Still working out a few creases in the song but glad you liked it.

    Hetoreyn
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    [H]

    Like it even more now...

    I think it's fun to join your theme-competition... but I can't transcribe by ear and the only theme I acually know is the infamous Jaws motif. But that would get pretty redundant after awhile I guess. (...or should I try it?...)
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    @weslldeckers said:

    [H]

    Like it even more now...

    I think it's fun to join your theme-competition... but I can't transcribe by ear and the only theme I acually know is the infamous Jaws motif. But that would get pretty redundant after awhile I guess. (...or should I try it?...)


    Brilliant! But don't worry about not being able to transcibe by ear. Everything you heard in my bond theme, I guess, is done by ear by again I'm only guessing the correct chords. The Jaws theme ... excellent give it a go. We're not trying to outdo the originals its just test to see how well you do, and how you make it your own.

    Hope to hear a theme from you soon ;D

    Hetoreyn
  • PaulP Paul moved this topic from Orchestration & Composition on