Hello everyone,
Here is my performance of Alan Silvestri's "Main Title" cue from the film "Forrest Gump" (1994). Silvestri was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on this film.
I used a combination of Synchron Duality Strings Colors (Flautando) and a small amount of Synchron Duality Strings Regular for the first part of the piece (0:01-1:27). For the middle section I used a combination of Synchron Duality Strings Con Sordino and Synchron Duality Strings Regular (1:27- 2:01). For the final section I again used a combination of Synchron Duality Strings Colors (Flautando) and Synchron Duality Strings Regular (2:01-end).
The flautando strings added a lovely, soft, flute-like timbre to the quieter passages, and the small amount of regular strings added some extra body. The score didn't explicitly call for con sordino strings. But after listening carefully to the original recording, I had the impression that half the violins might be using mutes during the main melody. This prompted me to try adding the Synchron Duality Sordino Violins to regular violins for the main melody. I also used mostly the Stage B mics for the sordino violins because they added a lot of detail and a sense of bowing.
And speaking of bowing, I found that it was challenge to get my performance of the melodic section to feel rhythmically "just right." In the original recording, the strings play with a fair amount of rubato in this melodic section. But when I tried to match those timings, the passage sounded a bit sluggish. Herb Tucmandl gave me the following suggestion:
"You could try is to program Stage A and Stage B on different tracks with slightly different midi programming (maybe not on all notes, just selected ones)."
I took his advice and I was finally happy with that section.
I was also happy to get the chance to use the new-ish Synchron Fazioli piano for the first time for the 2 piano parts. I really enjoyed it's unique timbre at this moderate dynamic and middle register. Finally, I was impressed by Silvestri's decision to keep the piano parts super simple-- nothing virtuosic, basically just monophonic lines-- almost as if Silvestri wanted to treat the piano as a solo woodwind instrument. In my mind, this decision for simplicity reinforces the child-like innocence of the character Forrest Gump himself.
Please feel free to leave any comments or ask any questions.
Happy Holidays (and music-making),
Jay Bacal
ALAN SILVESTRI - Forrest Gump - Main Title
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