Full orchestra scores of film music composers

Hey there,

I didnt really know where to post this topic, so I post it here :)

I was wondering if anyone knows if there are full orchestra scores availlable of film music composers. The scores I especially want to see are those of the following films:

The Lion King (hans zimmer)

The Gladiator (hans zimmer)

(pirates of the carribbean(hans zimmer))

Lord of the rings (part 1 I prefer the most, but parts 2 and 3 too) (howard shore)

Thats it for now.

Anyone knows if there are official scores availlable? Or only arranged pieces by someone else?

Kind regards,

Hugo

Hi Hugo,

As a general idea, the actual full orchestra scores from films are not available, period. You will occasionally find arrangements for large ensembles, or suites for orchestra, but getting the actual full scores in their original form is basically unheard of unless you know the composer or his copyist. Not even the man who's writing the analysis book on the LotR scores has anything but fleeting and occasional access to the scores, and only with Shore accompanying him. That being said, the band or orchestral suite arrangements of Gladiator and Pirates (which can be found with a simple Google search) are pretty good, so you can start there and continue dreaming of the rest.

Hey Marius,

Too bad they don't produce the real scores :(.

I indeed found some arrangements of the gladiator for example, but it said on the front page it consisted of the battle, the barbarian horde and Earth. Now those are 3 songs, where is the rest, I was wondering? And if you ask me, I think the battle and the barbarian horde are pretty much the same. To be paying 75 dollars for that, without having the real score, and without having all the songs is pretty much, unfortunately.

You happen to know an arrangement with all the songs included?

Or you might have some yourself, could you tell which arrangements you consider as good ones?

thx

The only way you're going to find the full scores is to either work for Hans or Howard, or get in contact with them and ask them for a pdf. Both of these ways you'd probably be getting the scores for free.

EDIT: Whoops, I should probably read what Marius posts before I post the same thing. Also, the copyists and orchestrators won't release the scores without the permission of the composer, so you'd have to go through the composer anyway.

You ever heard people you know having the original compositions? :P I already know now, I wont every get in contact with them no matter how hard I try, unless i become the next hans zimmer or something, which is totally not possible, haha.

I have some scores AND mp3s from movies like IRobot, Hellboy, and a variety of other flicks. They aren't 'full orchestral scores', but they're the most authentic I could find. One of the pdfs I have is a handwritten score by the composer. Just search Google for this stuff. It's out there if you're resourceful and creative enough to look for it. I forget how I found it, too. I might have just been perusing the forums here at YC and came across it. I've slept since then, though. If I come across the site where I got the scores and mp3s, I'll post a link to it if you want it.

That'd be great. I want to know what "tricks" and techniques the "real" filmcomposers have used :D And I just like to read the music while listening to it, and not seeing any wrong notes or something :P

If you're looking for more of a comprehensive study guide/lesson/course, I suggest you visit secretcomposer.com and drop $25 USD on his course. It's simple, straightforward, and works through your internet browser (doesn't really install .exe) crap on your computer that takes up more space. I've been composing for years and still got something from it upon review. At least once you've been exposed to this material, you'll know what to look for in the tracks you hear without being handicapped with this need for scores to 'see' what's going on.

Gary Guttman put this thing together. Most of us found it pretty solid material. SO, that's another avenue for you to consider.

Mm sounds good, What the study about? Orchestration or just standard harmonic lessons or.. ?

A little bit of everything really. He goes through a variety of different procedures for writing songs, writing orchestral cues (just the basics, mostly, none of the finer precision techniques of smpte time code or creating a tempo for a film clip), and using certain 'tricks' if you will for creating different 'moods' for different types of cues (comedy, drama, battle sequences, etc).

I recommend starting with his course first and collecting scores/sound files of different pieces along the way. More importantly than the melodies or harmonies in film music is the orchestration, which Guttman covers to some degree. But if you can get some of the basic understanding from his course, you should be able to synthesize (that is, to relate his material to) the scores you find and examine.

Also remember that 'full film scores' are not very practical. The issue is more often that scoring for film is largely done on a cue-by-cue basis. So, your best approach to this would be to find several cues you like and start small. Try listening to them and notating out the melodic material. Then, find the bass, and start experimenting with how the inner voices sound compared to what you hear. This is something that takes a lot of time, but it's a good exercise and something that will surely make a difference for you in the longterm. Always be using that ear to self-assess your aural skills and never be satisfied with yourself until you are 100% confident what you have is what was written.

I've said too much. Gotta go, but yeah. Guttman might be a good starting point for you.

I think you are right about the full film scores, I think I am just going to try and write it myself, and just hear what happens with the music. That way I learn more from it too, i guess.

The course sounds interesting, I think I will give it a try soon.

The best exercise I've ever done is to copy out by hand most of the Rite of Spring.

And what's to say you won't get in contact with them? Try searching for email addresses, phone numbers, everything. A lot of composers are more than happy to give you pdfs if you just put in the time to seek them out. Chris Lennertz, my boss, does it on occasion, though we haven't yet gotten around to sending out the scores we promised to Marius...they're coming, I swear!

Nothing is wrong with trying, I agree, but I think it will be hard to get directly in contact with Hans Zimmer, haha. I am going to try, I can asure you that :).

While you're at it, suggest to him to publish all his works, and get his friends and rivals to do the same. There's such a market, it must be profitable.

Haha, I will suggest it, ;)

Does anyone have IMDB pro? If so: Check out the contact information of Hans Zimmer there please :) I think we can get to his agent with the details specified there!

Here is the link:

http://pro.imdb.com/name/nm0001877/agent

Or go to this page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001877/

And click on contact

Hope anyone can get those details :)

grtz

Of Course I know pages where you can get your scores!!

Pianofiles.com

There are lots of stuff here. You can share your own scores with others and others share with you what you need...Very good page, I could get many full scores and concert band scores form there. Especially I have many John Williams scores :) So give it a try I think...

You shouldn't suggest illegal file sharing :unsure:

Besides, no one on there shares the good stuffs (or so I hear :rolleyes:)

haha, anyone with IMDB pro?

"Besides, no one on there shares the good stuffs"

It was a good joke :):) You definitely knows nothing...I could get many John Williams original scores and Hans Zimmer scores free, I think they are good stuff enough...at least for me.

Most of the people (well, many of them :)) there dont ask you to share with him/her something too..they're are mostly kind. So that statement not true...

Anyway I dont care its illegal or not..I wont pay for someting if I can get it for free...I suggest that site to all of you who needs original scores. Peace.

EDIT:

I just now see that I dont have any Hans Zimmer scores lol. JW yes, Alan Silvestri yes, Howard Shore/Danny Elfman yes, but no Hans Zimmer.

You definitely knows nothing...I could get many John Williams original scores and Hans Zimmer scores free, I think they are good stuff enough...at least for me.

John Williams you can get anywhere. I needed Korngold's Adventures of Robin Hood for an exam, and some people on pianofiles had it but no one replied. Now that is a good score, and tough to get, and tough to judge by ear since it's a 1937 recording.

But yeh, I definitely knows nothing...

Maybe I can get that Robin Hood score if you want...you know that matters HOW you ask for that sheets. :)

Competition! :D

Maybe I can get that Robin Hood score if you want...you know that matters HOW you ask for that sheets. :)

Well I already passed the exam by ear (:phones:) but I certainly wouldn't say no! But don't expend any pianofiles karma on my behalf!