...in STAR TREK The Movie

[Steve Marcus]

OK, I suppose that this question was inevitable.

Was it Jim Self? Doug Tornquist? Both? Neither?

There's plenty of opportunity for tuba in Michael Giacchino's score. For instance, in the track, "Enterprising Young Men," there's a big fat low E-flat in the tuba line.

BTW, you'll be musically rewarded if you stay to the very end of the movie. The track, "To Boldly Go," is the familiar Star Trek signature fanfare (A-D-G-F#-D-B-E-A). The End Credits use more of the original Alexander Courage "Classic" Star Trek TV theme than any of the previous 10 motion pictures did.

[Norm Pearson]

John Van Houten plays tuba for most of Michael Giacchino's movie scores. John played all of the Star Trek scoring sessions and I played second tuba/cimbasso. There were some sessions added last October that I was not available for and I pretty sure Justin Jerome played second tuba/cimbasso on those.

Norm Pearson

[THE TUBA]

I'm not sure if it was a cimbasso or bass trombone, but... damn!

[Steve Marcus]

John Van Houten plays tuba for most of Michael Giacchino's movie scores. John played all of the Star Trek scoring sessions and I played second tuba/cimbasso. There were some sessions added last October that I was not available for and I pretty sure Justin Jerome played second tuba/cimbasso on those.

It sounds great. Credit could be given to the sound engineers, but you guys MAKE the sound. Congratulations, gentlemen.

[LARSONTUBA]

I just went to see Star Trek last night, and was blown away by the music. Big time congrats are due to you guys for being part of that experience. I truly enjoyed the film, and the music was extremely engaging, from start to finish. The horns at the beginning was particuarly awesome...

Andy Larson

[Rick F]

If you want to hear some sound clips (and have a cable or DSL connection), just visit the official website. There are 15 clips you can listen to. My wife and I are planning on seeing the movie this weekend.

http://www.startrekmovie.com/

[Alex C]

Bravo to all concerned. Great score and great performances! (etched in celluloid for all time)

[Dylan King]

I saw the movie as well, and had a little bit of a different take on the soundtrack.

I think the music was fine, and addressed the picture well, but I also think it lacked something the original Star Trek scores thrived on; a thematic approach to the "Star Trek experience".

Yeah, there were themes running through the score, but to me they sounded forced and hurried. Perhaps Michael didn't have very much time to finish the score? I would have liked to have more of the old themes, to connect a very different Star Trek to the old movies. Perhaps that connection would have made the alternate-universe a bit more believable to real Trekkers.

In attempting to cast the characters accurately, a thematic approach to the score using Jerry Goldsmith and A. Courage's familiar themes would have made them come to life even more.

The tuba and low brass work was great. But I thought the orchestration sounded thin for a Star Trek film. I heard a smaller string and woodwind section, with beefed up synthetic percussion and a full brass section. For some reason to me, over-tracking strings just isn't the same as a full section. It sounded to me like some bit of compromise was agreed upon in the music budget, but what do I know anyway?

Overall the movie was good, and the soundtrack worked just fine. That's all you need. As one of my favorite composition teachers once said, "Write the main thing, and then the other thing, and then quit." If that's the case with this score, it was a success, but to me, not a smash hit.

[Dylan King]

Anyone this into Star Trek, including myself, has officially "lost it".

[Uncle Buck]

Wasnt there time travel and alternate universes in Voyager, and I might recall one episode in the old Star Trek where Kirk actually did travel to an alternate world. Maybe I'm losing it.

Throughout all the television serieses (how do you plural that word???) and movies, there is probably no more regularly-used and re-used plot device than time travel and alternate univerises (how do you plural that word???).

[Rick F]

(how do you plural that word???).

I think it's already plural.

[Norm Pearson]

But I thought the orchestration sounded thin for a Star Trek film. I heard a smaller string and woodwind section, with beefed up synthetic percussion and a full brass section. For some reason to me, over-tracking strings just isn't the same as a full section. It sounded to me like some bit of compromise was agreed upon in the music budget, but what do I know anyway?

Dillon,

It was a standard size symphony orchestra string section with lots O' brass and percussion players. It was recorded at the Sony/MGM sound stage so this was definitely not a low budget session.

Norm

[Dylan King]

Well then, my ears may be getting a bit thin these days. I sure wish it was my belly instead!

[Dylan King]

Since we are takilng about movies..What Orch. and tuba player play in E.T.1982(John Fletcher)??? Also who played in the L.A studio orh. in 2002 ....At the 20 Anniversary of E.T. the live concert with John Williams??? Thanks Joe

This one would be good as a new thread.

[poomshanka]

Since we are takilng about movies..What Orch. and tuba player play in E.T.1982(John Fletcher)??? Also who played in the L.A studio orh. in 2002 ....At the 20 Anniversary of E.T. the live concert with John Williams??? Thanks Joe

E.T. (1982) was Norm Pearson on the first release of the soundtrack, and Tommy Johnson on the second "expanded" release featuring music directly from the movie. A score can be "program music" in the context of the movie, and as such might be somewhat disjointed sounding when heard by itself. From what I understand, it's not an uncommon practice for the soundtrack releases to feature slightly different cues from what actually makes it into the movie. For E.T., Tommy recorded what made it into the movie (the second release of the score), but Norm recorded what was originally released in 1982. At least that's the story I've heard.

Live orchestra/anniversary performance was Jim Self.

...Dave

Some truncated audio clips from Tommy's version of E.T. can be found here:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8191&p=62323" target="_blank" target="_blank

[poomshanka]

Thanks Dave for the info..Yes I just looked at the 20 year live Concert DVD..yup that was Jim Self..horn looks like 6/4 silver ..Yamaha '' Yam York Protype.....?? or what..??? About the 1982 sound track on MCA record..is it possible to get touch with Norman and find out what horn he used.. wonderful sound ..How old was Norman I thought he was too young to make that recording in 82..Was he still at UCLA at the time???..I guess Tommy used 188 or maybe 190 CC..Wow great stuff once again Thanks Dave for the info ..Joe

That would've been Jim's "Monica" Yamayork for the anniversary performance. Norm was playing his 188, and was very young at the time (just 24 years old!). It was one of his first big "studio dates". Tommy used his 190 for the score, and when I owned it, I used to refer to it as "E.T.". It's really amazing to listen to the clips I posted with a good pair of headphones and actually hear how Tommy's horn "couples" with the acoustical space of the studio. It kinda comes across like the sound is bouncing off the walls and ceiling. Monstrous!

I'm looking forward to trying the new 190 CC when it gets into town here soon...

...D

[David]

I'm not sure if it was a cimbasso or bass trombone, but... damn!

Thats for sure. Even the second time around, its like "damn" when the Romulan theme comes on...

[harrell]

What type of tubas were used on these recordings?

[harrell]

What tubas were used in these recordings? -- That is in Star Trek The Movie, not ET or the other rabbits that are bein chased above?