When creating my percussion score I was mainly influenced by Thomas Newman’s music from American Beauty movie. This time I was trying to kind of recreate his composition Root Beer but with my own flavor. The reason for being influenced just by this guy is that his score is so different that any other for this kind of movie. And I wanted something similar in my composition. For the first part, when cheerleaders are dancing, I just did a simple beat to match the background music and the rhythm. When creating this I just did my own thing and I wanted to make a beat that is kind of “jumpy”. When making the second part where there is a solo dance I did try to make a sexy feeling there, very relaxing and dreamy. I also created this exotic flavor that matches this scene perfectly because of the nature of it, and exotic is somehow erotic. And that scene is like that. I created similar percussion composition that in original sounds like tibetan singing bowls to me. In my composition it’s more like just metal bowls but the effect is not too bad. Apart from that I have got a sitar sound that with modulation creates this “sexy in a dream feeling”. I worked with it plus african, latin and oriental drum kits with effects on it. There is also a bass sound to enhance the composition and to create a wider range spectrum. Here are just few clips that had an impact on me. I am sure Thomas Newman when creating soundtrack for American Beauty was touched by something greater : )
Here’s Root Beer:
American Beauty:
Walk Home:
Bibliography:
Film:
American Beauty. (1999) [Film] dir. S. Mendes. USA: DreamWorks Pictures
Music:
Thomas Newman (1999) Root Beer, USA: Universal I.S. B00001X4Z6. CD, 1.07min.
Thomas Newman (1999) American Beauty, USA: Universal I.S. B00001X4Z6. CD, 3.06min.
Thomas Newman (1999) Walk Home, USA: Universal I.S. B00001X4Z6. CD, 1.20min.
