For the past few months, I’ve been composing music for a new CBC prime-time domestic comedy, 18 To Life. The producers and I decided early on that the music production and performances should not be too slick. I opted for some country-blues inspired music, along with simple jazz-blues riffs and rhythms. I bought or rented a bunch of great instruments for this truly fun project: national steel guitar (also known as a Dobro), harmonicas, a banjo, a late-70s Gibson Les Paul, a kazoo (!), etc. I also rely on software instruments like Spectrasonics’ new Trilian basses, RMX with Cajun and Jazz percussion/drum loops, AcousticsampleS‘ Kawai piano, SAM Symphobia and LASS strings.
Produced by Montreal’s Galafilm, the series will premiere January 4, at 8 pm.
Here are a few examples of my cues:
Close The Blinds
Down Home
Flirting On Bench
Kazoo Boogie
Refugee Hop
The Proposal
February 18th, 2010 at 15:28
Excellent work as usual. This looks like a fun series. I like the playful music and tons of “real” instruments (not that Omnisphere isn’t a real instrument). : >
February 18th, 2010 at 15:34
Thanks Stephen! It’s been a real gas getting back into playing, learning new instruments.
March 10th, 2010 at 16:39
Show looks hilarious.. should be fun to work on. congrats!
March 10th, 2010 at 20:35
Thanks, man! And good luck with your own projects. From your website, it looks like you’re doing some very cool stuff!
March 29th, 2010 at 17:01
Congrats on these great cues Ned, really good banjo playing btw. Great choices of instrumentation as well. Made me discover the Acoustica samples. Tx
April 15th, 2010 at 06:19
Do you know where I can find a list of songs featured on the show? The scoring is great also
April 15th, 2010 at 12:20
Sure! You can read the full list here (and thanks for the compliment;-) :
http://www.cbc.ca/18tolife/music.html