As far as debut albums are concerned,
composer/producer/multi-
instrumentalist Chris Field's Sub-Conscious
is an outstanding record: great compositions and arrangements,
first-rate performances and most importantly a defined point of view.
Can you tell I like it?
While I wasn't aware of Chris prior to hearing Sub-Conscious,
I most certainly had heard his music before. And I bet you have too.
Chris has composed trailer music for an incredible number of films. Here
are just a few: The
Lord of the Rings, Pirates of
the Caribbean 2, Kinsey,
Hotel
Rwanda, Terminator 3,
Austin
Powers 3, XXX
and Harry
Potter. Check out Chris' website for his
complete credit list. It’s truly
amazing.
Chris is joined on Sub-Conscious
by a stellar cast of musicians including: drummers Jono Brown, Randy
Drake and Mark Griskey, percussionist Kevin Ricard, bassists Tom Lilly
and Stan Sargent, keyboardists John Rosenberg and Rob Arbittier,
electronic programmer Lupo Groinig and pedal steel guitarist Rick
Schmidt. The album was orchestrated by Jeff Marsh and conducted by both
Jeff and Joseph Kranko. Simon James was the concertmaster and solo
violinist. The beautiful orchestral and choral textures were provided
by the Northwest Sinfonia, Northwest Sinfonia and Chorus and the
Northwest Boy Choir. And last, but not least, Robert Puff was the
copyist.
Sub-Conscious
packs an amazing aural wallop. Crank up the stereo and you definitely
won't be disappointed. Helping Chris to record his album were
recording engineers Steve Smith, Reed Ruddy, Rob Arbittier and Gary
Adante. Chris mixed all of the pieces on Sub-Conscious
except for "Blue" and "DNA",
which were mixed
by Gary Andante, and "Sub-Conscious", which was
mixed by
Steve Sykes. Mastering engineer Brian Gardner put the final touches on Sub-Conscious.
If you'd like to learn more about Chris and his music, please
visit ChrisFieldMusic.com.
Jamie:
It's clear from looking at your list of film credits
that you have been phenomenally successful writing music for theatrical
trailers. What lead to the decision to record your first
album, Sub-Conscious?
Chris:
The album is different from the music I do for movie trailers. I wanted
to create a CD that was good for listening in a more personal way. The
film trailers are designed to create intensity in a short amount of
time to get the viewer excited about the movie. Sub-Conscious
is a smoother journey that lasts longer and can be more personal. It
does have cinematic sounds but flows with a calmer uplifting feeling. I
also want to make myself known to the world and have my music
available. I have a lot of music all over the place but the music is
not available to the public. Sub-Conscious
is the beginning of a path as a solo artist. It's another
outlet for me
to create music and is different from the other music I make.
Jamie:
A tune like "Blue" at 14:07 is pretty much the antithesis of music for
trailers! In fact, with five of the eight pieces on Sub-Conscious
being over five minutes in length, I'd certainly agree you're coming
from a very different place than your movie trailer music.
Do
the cinematic sounds/textures that you use reflect a visual component
in your composing? Are you, for instance, picturing an image or story
in your mind's eye when you are writing?
Chris:
It depends on the moment. Music is an escape for me and when
it's first
coming out, it happens quickly. A song like "Blue" is a journey through
a moment I had after a friend died and my wife was out of town. I
wanted to feel better, so I played some sounds I liked that were
soothing to me. It starts out with a kind of 1940s feel in the strings
and goes through several different sections and resolves on a positive
hopeful ending. That's how I felt. Within fifteen minutes, I
felt
better, and I think life is like that. This album was more personal.
There are little stories I have for several of the songs but I know
that other people might envision or feel something different. That's
what's great about art -- it can affect us all differently.
In "Blue",
I had a pedal steel guitar mixed with strings and a Fender Rhodes type
keyboard sound. The pedal steel sound brings an earthy feeling and
texture that for me feels safe and familiar. My friend was also a
guitar buddy so maybe there's a little theme there to. Its hard to say
because it not really a story but more of a comment on a moment. I
think a lot of music is more suggestive than actually telling a story.
Jamie: I'm so sorry
to hear about your friend. You say that Sub-Conscious
is "more personal" and that there are different stories for several of
the songs. Is there an overall theme or philosophy to the record?
Chris:
Yes. It's about what's going on behind our thoughts, our sub-conscious.
I like to sleep with music very low and once in a while I find my mind
halfway between awake and asleep. I feel and perceive things much
differently then and can get a much stronger perception of my spirit.
Maybe its something like meditation, I don't know. I tried to capture
that in this music. Also, because its not created for film or picture,
I had to draw from my own experience. I wanted a smooth arc in the
music so that it wouldn't be startling for the listener. It builds
smoothly to the peaks. This is something I noticed when falling asleep
to music. If there are too many abrupt dynamics, it can be
jolting. At
the same time, I wanted to keep it exciting when listening at louder
volumes. I think this is what, to me, makes new age music
unique. It
has a smooth flow. There are lots of influences on this album:
classical, rock, jazz and cinema, etc., but I applied the new age
feeling to it.
Jamie:
You not only have many different influences on the record, but your
sonic palette is incredible -- you use everything from synths to live
orchestra. Now I would imagine you have access to some fantastic
samples/softsynths and could have recorded Sub-Conscious
all on your own, but you choose to integrate live musicians. What do
you feel the live musicians added to Sub-Conscious?
Chris:
Live musicians add an expression that is hard to recreate with
samplers. I also like the sound of a real hall; the way the sound
naturally blends in the room is still very unique. I can also hear more
depth in the room than with samples. The imperfections that happen with
a live group can also add character to the music. On the other hand, I
like using synths and samples and blending them with live performances.
They compliment each other well.
Jamie: I think
you're absolutely right about that. A real standout on Sub-Conscious
is the string and choral writing -- completely top notch! Could you
describe how you worked with orchestrator, Jeff Marsh?
Chris:
I use Logic Audio for writing music. The music is recorded in Logic
using MIDI. I get all the notes and as much expression in my mock-ups
as I can. Then I send the Logic file, as well as an MP3, of my mix to
the orchestrator. It helps to send the MP3's so that the orchestrator
is hearing what you are hearing in your studio. The MIDI file contains
all the note information, which the orchestrator can transfer to
Finale, which is a notation program for printed music. The
orchestration process changes based upon what the composer needs. For
instance, the composer might want exactly what was written to go on the
page. Or, the composer might want some parts added. Also, the
orchestrator makes decisions on voicings, balance between the sections,
and playability. I have worked with Jeff Marsh a lot over the years and
we communicate well. An orchestrator makes the process easier.
Jamie:
This might be a good time to talk a bit about your studio... You said
you're running Logic (my program of choice!), so I'm guessing your
studio is computer-based. What role does the computer play in your
studio and in your music in general?
Chris:
The computer is major part of what I do. It is the master control. I
use Logic for writing and MIDI. If I have files from outside sessions
-- for example, live orchestra, choir or drums -- they are recorded
using Pro Tools. Then I bring the files home, edit them in Pro Tools,
and make stem mixes. I bring the stems back into Logic and then I
create new parts using synths and sound design. I also have four PCs
for Gigastudio and other programs.
In fact, I just finished
building a studio in my house. I have a main room for mixing, a
recording room, and a machine room. The mixing room does not have a lot
of gear in it. All the machines are in separate room. I
wanted the
studio to be open and organic. It was designed by Grant Headley, who
specializes in building studios. I love being in there. I was a guitar
player for years, playing in the L.A. area. About 8 years ago, I got my
first computer, and started learning how to compose and produce music.
It is great being able to experiment and try things. There are many
aspects to what I've been learning. Composition, recording and mixing
each take a while to understand. I was told as a kid by a teacher that
there is never an end to learning music. It's true. I just keep on
trying and discovering new ways to do things.
Jamie:
Sounds like you have an amazing studio! And I think you're exactly
right about trying to keep on learning. So, what did you learn from
making Sub-Conscious?
Chris:
I think because it was my first album there was a lot of things I
needed to figure out. There is all the logistics, production, packaging
and promotion as well as defining a direction for the music. I did my
best for that time and documented some music the best I could. Next
time there will be new hurdles but I think there are a lot of things
that will be easier. I think having a studio at home will make the
process easier.
Jamie:
Personally, I love recording at home -- don't think I could ever go
back to working in a studio. Of course, the challenge with a home
studio is not always
working -- for me, the days never seem to end...
The
business side of releasing a record can often consume as much energy as
the artistic side does. As you point out, there are quite a few things
that demand attention and simply have
to be done if an artist wants an audience for his or her music. Today
there are more ways than ever to reach an audience, one of which is the
Internet. What role has the Internet played in the marketing and
distribution of Sub-Conscious?
Chris: The
Internet has endless possibilities. I am learning about new things all
the time. I have my music currently available on iTunes Music Store, CD
Baby, as well as Amazon. Sub-Conscious
will also be available nationally in Borders beginning August 2006.
There also is digital streaming, which is different, because the
consumer does not download the file, but listens to it through the
Internet, in a way similar to traditional radio. There are a lot of
good ways to reach people through interviews online, websites etc. My
wife, Katie O'Brien Field, really is the person getting things done on
that end and we are trying different things. I think you just have to
experiment and have fun with it and see where it takes you.
Jamie: So
what's up next for you? Any new recordings? Live gigs?
Chris:
Well, right now I am finishing up a bunch of music for movie trailers.
After that is done, I will start my next album. I am looking forward to
it.
Jamie:
Thanks for doing this artist-to-artist conversation -- it's been great
getting to know you! Best of luck in the future and please stay in
touch!
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