User:Mooquu/sandbox

Syncing
When writing music for film, one goal is to sync dramatic events happening on screen with musical events in the score. There are many different methods for syncing music to picture. These include using sequencing software to calculate timings, using mathematic formulas and free timing with reference timings. Composers work using SMPTE timecode for syncing purposes.

When syncing music to picture, generally a leeway of 3-4 frames late or early allows the composer to be extremely accurate. using a technique called Free Timing. when using this technique, a conductor will either use either ""(a)"" a stop watch or studio size stopcock, or ""(b)"" watch the film on a screen or video monitor while conducting the musicians to predetermined timings. There are represented visually by vertical lines (streamers) and bursts of light called punches. These are put on the film by the Music Editor at points specified by the composer. In both instances the timings on the clock or lines scribed on the film have corresponding timings which are also at specific points (beats) in the composer/conductor score.

Digital Sequencer
Using a digital sequencer such as Digital Performer, Logic, or Cubase, composers are able to sync music to picture with extreme accuracy using SMPTE timecode. Outline below is one method using Digital Performer :


 * 1) Import the video you to score into Digital Performer
 * 2) Place a marker in the sequencer timeline where you wish to "hit" the event in the scene with music.
 * 3) Note the SMPTE timecode (i.e. 01:00:15:23)
 * 4) Note the start and end measure (bars+beats), and make it's set to an exact beat.
 * 5) If the "end time" (timecode) field is greyed out, click the options button to open it up.
 * 6) Enter the timecode where the downbeat will hit in the "end time" field.

You now will have synchronized an event in the film with a musical event, in time.

Written Click Track
A written click track is a method of writing bars of music in consistent time values (i.e. 4 beats in :02⅔ seconds) to establish a constant tempo in lieu of a metronome value (i.e. 88 Bpm). A composer would use a written click if they planned to conduct live performers. When using other methods such as a metronome, the conductor has a perfectly spaced click playing in his ear which he conducts to. This can yield stiff and lifeless performances in slower more expressive cues. You can convert a standard BPM value to a written click where X represents the number of beats per bar, and W represents time in seconds, by using the following equation:


 * $$\frac{60}{bpm}(x)=W$$

Written clicks are expressed using 1/3 second increments, so the next step is to round the decimal to either 0, 1/3, or 2/3 of a second. The following is an example for 88 BPM:


 * $$\frac{60}{88}(4)=2.72$$

2.72 rounds to 2.66, so the written click is 4 beats in :02⅔ seconds.

Once the composer has identified the location in the film they wish to sync with musically, they must determine the musical beat this event occurs on. To find this, they use the following equation, where bpm is beats per minute, sp is the sync point in real-time (i.e. 33.7 seconds), and B is the beat number in 1/3 increments (i.e. 49⅔).


 * $$\frac{bpm(sp)}{60}+1=B$$