COMPOSER DON DAVIS MORPHS MATRIX MUSIC DIGITALLY

—Digital Studio Houses Four Yamaha 02R96 Mixers—

BUENA PARK, CA (August 29, 2003)—Hot off his success scoring The Matrix: Reloaded, not to mention the Wachowski Brothers' two previous films, The Matrix and Bound, film composer Don Davis is definitely in demand. Before the phone rang with the next call, Davis elaborated on what it's like to be a top composer in an extremely competitive business.

"I'd have to say that a classical music education is absolutely essential for a contemporary film composer," he explains. "I don't know how I could function without the background that I've had, and it seems very unlikely that someone could simply intuit their way through the literature without some sort of guidance, whether in a university or through private study. But it's also important to follow popular music styles and trends, which can only be done outside of the classroom. Some things can be taught, and others can only be intuited. Although most universities are now offering film music programs, the insight that connects musical ideas with the enhancement of visual art is something innate, and needs to come from within."

Yamaha 02R96 Enters The Matrix

Davis's approach to scoring includes the use of four cascaded Yamaha 02R96 digital mixing consoles which occupy the central position in his Hacienda Studio in Calabasas, CA. The facility specializes in film and music synchronization, and is used primarily for mixing. In addition, Hacienda has the capability of handling 5.1 surround mixes with 24-bit resolution, remaining entirely in the digital domain.

"The 02R96's retrievable automated mixes and scene memories are invaluable in managing several different projects at the same time, and accommodating last-minute changes called in from the dubbing stage," he explains, regarding the consoles. "We can transition from a recording environment to a mixing environment almost instantaneously—and recording and mixing at 96kHz provides an exponential leap in sound quality. Also, the analog-to-digital converters are significantly better than those of the previous 02R, and the equalization is sweeter and more transparent. The bussing structure is streamlined, and allows for more efficient studio time management. Each function is now accessible via an onboard interface, so I don't have to hunt around through the system architecture. The automation features, which are an absolute necessity in the film scoring environment, are now all-encompassing, and the Mac interface fully exploits the flexibility that the added processing power offers. But of all the improvements that were made to the 02R board, I think the onboard effects are the most useful."

The four units are installed in a custom desk built by KK Audio, and modified by Tom Steele to accommodate the 02R96s. Other studio items include a Yamaha Disklavier piano and EX5 synthesizer, Digidesign ProTools HD, outboard gear from Lexicon, tc Electronics, Eventide and Drawmer, and a number of synchronization devices.

Davis' scoring trademark often involves layering disparate styles, including mixing conventional orchestral scoring with pop and techno. "Discussions with the director of a film usually determine the stylistic approach," he notes. "That, in turn, determines whether an orchestral medium is needed, or if an instrumentation based on electronics should be employed."

Davis is currently recording his score to the final chapter of the Matrix trilogy, The Matrix Revolutions.

"My any advice to aspiring film composers is this: film scoring is a rewarding line of work, but also a demanding one. Some people assume it can be done within the confines of a forty-hour week. But in reality, a film composer can choose his own hours, as long as he chooses them all!"

For more information on the 02R96, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Professional Audio, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/proaudio.