Insiders on how digital orchestras are used in film

This is a long and fascinating discussion about the use of digital instruments in the production of orchestral film scores.

You’ll be able to see four versions of footage from Peter Jackson’s King Kong. Version 1 has no music; Version 2 has digital orchestra only (and this step is now a regular occurrence in the process of making film scores); Version 3 is acoustic orchestra only; and Version 4 is the final version, which is, perhaps surprisingly, a combination of the digital and acoustic versions.

If you are interested in video game music, you may want to skip to the final 15 minutes to hear a discussion between audience member Filippo Beck Peccoz, composer and founder of the Berklee video game music club, and the panelists. It’s a vivid demonstration of what used to be called the generation gap!