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ExcerptedFrom

OnTheTrack:

AGuideToContemporaryFilmScoring

Revised

Second

Edition

FredKarlin&RayburnWright(2004)

ForwardByJohnWilliams

In an era of rapidly developing computer technology,

several computer programs for solving musictiming

problems in films and television received attention and

praise fromHollywoodcomposersandmusiceditorsas far

back as 1987 and 1988.One of them has nowbecome the

standard inthe industry.TheAuricle:TheFilmComposers

TimeProcessor (knownalsoas theAuricleTimeProcessor,or simply Auricle), developed by composer Ron Grant and his brother, software writer

RichardGrant,andreleased in1984, isasystemsetup todealwith thecomposersneed to

quickly find the best tempos and the best options for hitting cues, and to provide a

programmed, variable click for themusicians tohearwhen recording.This click canhave

programmed ritards and accelerandos aswell as subtler, undetectable tempo changes that

allowthefilmhitstocomeinmorenaturalandacceptableplacesinthemusic.Itcanprovide

7/8,5/8,andotheroddmetersbycombiningdifferentbuildingblockunits.Correctionscanbe

madequicklyonthescoringstageandtheAuricleallowsinstantaneouspickupsatanygiven

point

in

a

cue

for

rehearsing

or

recording

to

picture

from

an

internal

start

in

the

cue.

Data for the filmhits are entered into the computer,where they aredisplayedon the

computerscreenagainstagridrepresentingthepositionoftheclicksatanychosentempo(but

notlimitedtotheeighthframecalibrationsoftheKnudsonclicksystem).Thistimemapgives

avisualdisplayofthewaythefilmhitsandmusicbeatsrelate.Trialrunsofdifferenttempos

indicatequicklyandgraphicallywhich temposprovidethebest hit opportunities.Youcan

feed yourMIDI information into it from another

program and Auricle will work with it. The

program runs on any PC (it is not Macintosh

compatible). Mac users have a separate PC

dedicatedtoAuricle.

RichardGrant explains how a composerwill

work with the system: You tell the Auricle the

music startshere, I think Imgoing tobe in7/8,so

remeter bars to 2+2+1+1+1,it actually clicks

subdividedmeters, and thenhe looks athisnotes

andhelooksatthepicture,hegoes,Well,letssee,

mytempoisabouthere, andhetellsitclickequals

131,playsitagainstthepicture,thatsoundsabout

right, thenhetakesa lookatwherehisobligations

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are,andhegoes,Oh,Imalittlelatehere,letmespeeditup,letmeslowitdown,letmeadda

beat,letmesubtractabeat, andhemapsitallout.Andthenthatbecomesthemastermapand

thenhesdoingthisallthroughthescore.Hesgotnotepaperthere.Ifyoudontwanttouse

clickona cue,you simply type in the streamer locations, turn theclickoff,andconduct to

streamersandclockonly.

Theres no underestimatingwhat those guys have done, says composer/orchestrator

MarkMcKenzie.Whenwereonthescoringstageitissoeasy, Youwanttostartinbar72?

Okay,andone... andyourethere.Thatfast. CuelineApsofDenmarkdevelopedastreamer,

click,andcharactergenerator that iscompatiblewithAuricle,whichhas furtherrevolution

ized this technology.RichardGrantexplainswhat itcando. Theconductorwillsay, Well,

letsdoapickupfrombar40, soyouclickcueonSMPTEfrombar40andboom,onallthe

monitorsitsays,4freeintobar40. Andthenatthebottomofthemonitoritgivesyouthecue

name,likeIM1,andthenitgivesyoutheSMPTEaddressofthedownbeatofbar40. Itcanbe

usednowtodrivetheentirescoringsession,everythinginsync.Formoreinformationabout

Auricle,seewww.auricle.comandCuelineApsofDenmarkatwww.cueline.com.TheAuricle

TimeProcessor[designersearnedEMMYsin1985andwere]awardedanOscarfortechnical

achievementin1987.

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