Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL): The Madness of Modern Film Scoring

In this clip, composer and DJ Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL) discusses how technology has caused vast changes to the landscape of film scoring in the last 10 years.
Original Video Here: • Tom Holkenborg (Junkie...
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[@EricWatkins7]

Dang Rick, you are becoming an interviewing legend in the film score world as well. Please keep it going!

[@whattherec]

I could not take my eyes off those modular synths...total trance!

[@afaydilek]

totally agree!

[@massapower]

The ANALOG ROOM... Luv it 😁👍🏻👍🏻

[@Ishai1]

Tom's own channel had videos of him teaching modular synthesis using that large wall behind him

[@MartinKoolhoven]

Thom is a great composer and a fantastic human being.

[@Legendoftherock]

Love this, Rick! You're living the best life. How in the world do you navigate through arranging all of these interviews - contacting and booking everyone?! Mind blown

[@Funkybassplayer]

Hey Rick. His appreciation of the art of learning a instrument. I recognize this feeling. 3 years ago I started learning the bass and now Everytime I see or hear an experience bass player my jaw drops. Such skill and making it look so easy. Leland sklar for instance. Just amazing.

[@BossLevelAudio24]

5:13 "There's ten different ways to play a staccato note". It's so true. As astounding as string libraries are these days, it just cannot compare to real players because of the seemingly endless ways they can play a note. It would fill a hard drive alone to capture all the expressions. I go as far as legato, staccato, tremolo and pizzicato and I adjust velocity afterwards. I'd never rate hans Zimmer as a composer of melody like say, John Williams but he's brought this whole new production sound of layering strings with synthesis that's the way forward for game and film/tv composers. If you haven't got an orchestra in your back pocket, then go the Zimmer way.

[@IwatoHyena]

Dream Lab/Studio Set-up. Modular overload!

Tom is a wonderful person! Respect Brilliant musician and programmer

[@alleyway3215]

I'm glad you included your interlude explaining Rick Beato 2. I didn't realize that, so now I'm subscribed. I enjoy watching your facial expressions, Rick, as you interview. I cannot help in notice you seem a little giddy interviewing other such talented musicians, in this case, a film composer. It's a joy to watch. I like what Tom said beginning at 5:04. I once spent four hours programming an 11-second string part including violins, violas, cello and bass (with a bit of brass) - but I got it right:)

[@Erdnase23]

Love hearing them both enthusing about favourite music and players.

[@FussellFilms23]

This was so fascinating a great interview.

[@colinmitchell1287]

Man, another interview with Tom would be awesome. They have done a lot more recently and moved studios.

[@preciseaudioblog]

Big time 👍

[@prisonbread]

Had no idea that Junkie XL (who’s been making records for like 30 years) does film scoring. Super interesting

[@hotdog1214]

@@prisonbread I only knew him for Little Less Conversation that was super big in the early 2000s and hadn't realised he was film scoring until I recently wondered who scored the movie wonder woman theme - turns out it was Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL. Learn something new everyday! And then the icing on the cake, an interview with the man himself by Rick.

[@0OolIi]

Dutch legend!

[@ChanceTheChancenator]

Helemaal mee eens 😁🇳🇱

[@sundamusik]

Dat klopt!!

[@rolands50]

He isch schow cool... :-)

[@0OolIi]

@@rolands50 ferry mutsj

[@Gnurklesquimp2]

I've known him since playing SSX 3 as a kid, since that had his Fischerspooner - Emerge remix on it, never even realized he's dutch too!

[@singthroughyourguitar]

Enjoyed this fascinating interview, and that studio looks amazing. Spaceship vibes 🌟⭐️🌟

[@oliverefremov6633]

In Tom's studio, every day is New Year's Eve. I want to visit Tom's studio too.

[@Ishai1]

I'm pretty sure Tom moved back to Holland and this is his old studio in LA that no longer exists.

[@oliverefremov6633]

@@Ishai1 It was a joke on all that analog equipment :) (Not a mean one, though, I love this guy) I bet he's got plenty of Christmas lights in his current studio too :)

[@ezydoesit993]

This could be a 5 hours talk. Tom is such a lovely music and tech nerd

[@Gnurklesquimp2]

In case you didn't know, this is from the same interview as Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL) The Future of FILM SCORING, a Rick Beato video from back in 2019

[@nicholasvarley6747]

Fantastic interview. More please !

[@williamscolaro1159]

Awesome interview. Tom is great!

[@realityboost4405]

Another reason to record in sections and deliver cues in multiple stems is because the score can often be orchestrated, recorded (and indeed mixed) BEFORE the picture is locked. Meaning you need the control/flexibility to re-edit the delivered cues to the final picture, later on. This is critical.

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

Plus it saves thousands of $$$$ in the long run. Imagine contracting an entire orchestra AGAIN for fixes, plus recording studio, crew etc.

[@FrankJonen]

Also you can arrange reprises that way to pick up a theme after the fact.

[@sz7932]

Amazing content! Thank you so much!

[@therantingboy]

These interviews you're landing are insane rick

[@rosapang2386]

Great interview, Rick.

[@williamrobinson7435]

Wishing Tom every success with his violin! Good basic technique is key. I've often wondered how the physical separation of orchestra sections is reconciled with the need for contiguity in fast runs etc.. Interesting! I am compiling an Electric Violin Curriculum, and wrestling with the theory section, you know if it's non classical specific (which is what I was thinking of) then there's no point in stuffing the melodic and harmonic minor scales down people's throats and that there's only 1 flavor of major, ie Ionian, there's a whole bunch of issues whereby such a curriculum differs from classical training ideally, and I'd love to have the opportunity to pick Professor Beatto's massive brain (check out the sycophancy here!) on the theory aspect teaching people to become SV gods and goddesses.. This is such a cool channel. Thank you for your wonderful work! 🎶🌟👍

[@shayneoneill1506]

God I'm envious of Holkenborgs gear walls. Thats probably the biggest moog modular setup I've ever seen, and thats not even touching on the utter behemoth on the wall behind Rick.

[@LearnCompositionOnline]

And he sold a lot if his gear recently;)

[@grantasticbeats]

Great videos Rick!

[@pjdahmen]

Great interview!👍🙏

[@MrJoshameeGibbsVideo]

Mode film scoring interviews please!!

[@user-vs5tj9mx1k]

Sometimes I really do feel good being Dutch. Tom is a humble hero. Driven by the force of music. Says cheese on every note. Gouda! (Gold)

[@LearnCompositionOnline]

Does gouda mean gold

[@user-vs5tj9mx1k]

@@LearnCompositionOnline Gouda is cheese. Tomo is gold.

[@nerdvana2]

Tom's incredible as are both his studios. Looking at those 2 incredible walls of tasty gear in his LA place though, I can't help thinking that it's in big-time earthquake country. Sure hope it's all beefed up for the shakes.

[@davidsummerville351]

Fascinating.

[@McSlobo]

Cool. Something different this time. Still remember when my friend got Saturday Teenage Kick demo from a radio station and played it to us. (We all listened to Prodigy so we thought it was pretty awesome.)

[@frippeno]

I was waiting for him to say Bladerunner 👏👏👏 That is just the best marriage of score and film IMO. Sounds both futuristic obviously but also timeless and has me asking ‘how’d he do that’ with 1981/2 era technology. Amazing.

[@phadde]

I don’t wholly agree, after hearing it recently. To me it sounds like a gimmicky film noir score with saxophone and synths. The main theme though and the intro scene is Classic. But a lot of awkward music.

[@wsplatinum]

@@phadde what do you mean by gimmicky? the choice of sounds?

[@phadde]

@@wsplatinum no, the jazz feel to a smokey detective, basically the same approach as Naked Gun.

[@davidsummerville351]

Fascinating

[@joetamanini4372]

I love all of this content and this interview is great! You're killin' it! Impressive to see so much growth and content coming out of you! Side note, maybe turn the auto-focus off on the cam settings to the sensor isn't freaking out when people move their hands, etc. No criticism at all! Just a thought!

[@TomStrahle]

Great interview Rick. More film composers. Interview some of the game composers next.

[@DarrylDCHIThomas]

Subscribed to both channels! HEJ FRÅN SVERIGE!!!!! HELLO FROM SWEDEN!

[@questfortruth665]

Looks like you're on the bridge of the Enterprise! More cowbell! We need a LOT more cowbell! 😁

[@watermelon1147]

Look at all the stuff😮.

[@MaPa60]

Oh yeah, this is great, more film music would be cool!

[@Ahmad-Mounir44]

Would really love to see Rick interviewing Zimmer next time

[@frankinthesnyderverse1488]

Tom is the goat!! 🐐

[@andreasoberg2021]

Just subbed!

[@aquabot]

If you've never heard it, you should listent to Tom's band Nerve, especially the Blood & Gold album.

[@vxla]

Rick, can you try and do an extended interview with John Williams on the issue to get his opinion on traditional methods of scoring? Would love to see it!

[@dkpitt3912]

There are an astronomical amount of knobs back there. I’m intimidated just looking at that.

[@bobbyvee9950]

I can understand the director wanting control. I know I'm not young but I have do say: if it was good enough for Steven Spielberg and John Williams to produce what they have, are they really making a better product? Not really fair but it is how I feel.

[@rosssoutherland8118]

Wow!

[@kendouble9705]

I cannot take my eyes off that modular synth

[@scatterbrain33]

It's the stuff dreams are made of

[@JamesinCanada]

He put out a video of him playing it in real time.

[@TiagoNugentComposer]

which one? haha

[@dagjomar]

Rick: So what's your favorite score Tom: So my second favorite keyboard playing would be.... 😆

[@awakenwithoutcoffee]

Love to Tom ! When Tom mentioned that the orchestra had to play their parts separate for mixing purposes I wondered if there isn’t an AI application that is able to split the instruments perfectly while allowing the orchestra to play together. With good mic setups this should be possible no?

[@nickpmusic]

Wow I thought Tom was downgrading his hardware arsenal but looks like he's expanding it :)

[@chaosme1ster]

This is his old LA studio. He has a new downsized studio in Amsterdam.

[@iggswanna1248]

this is his old studio in LA isnt it? how old is the interview actually? loved it! really loved it

[@ereceeme]

Vangelis, chariots of the Gods. r.i.p.

[@maxmeier532]

Tom's studio looks like a filmset of Stark The Next generation.

[@tdmduc]

Tom, from the Netherlands 🇳🇱. I remember that day when half of his studio stuff was stolen in The Netherlands 😢

[@mk1st]

Nice wallpaper

[@ReznaQay]

i remember ssx blur soundtrack was by this guy

[@universalmeditation8631]

Wow still can’t believe he sold all that gear a few years ago!

[@jos_t_band3912]

He is a busy man.

[@georgecarney3083]

Great interview, but if you get a chance an interview with Emily Bear on film scoring for films.

[@kimblez]

CUBASE !!!

[@emanuelle350]

I don't know if this is the place.. but you should interview Dave Abbruzzese. Just to complete the grunge legends 😄🙌🙌🙌

[@cremersalex]

"The way that Vangelis used music against what happens in the picture was very groundbreaking." So what does Junkie mean by that? Anyone care to elaborate? Thank you.

[@fakshen1973]

I'd like to hear more about the politics of scoring. Projects go through several layers of approvals and everyone has to get their 3 squirts of territorial piss on it to feel like they are a part of the process. The video edit can change, an executive can not like particular tracks... you can always be chasing revision. How is that handled... contractually, time management, creatively?

[@tbgtbg6311]

Come on Rick, this is OLD OLD OLD!!!

[@taossmith85]

Is there a particular Zimmer score that started this?

[@aztlangrooverecordz]

Junkie XL Legendary!!!

[@Guitarist888]

I thought that was Kane in the thumbnail! 😂

[@ViolenDarkstalker]

Hey man, maybe it's time to have Tom Back.

[@CallousCoder]

We actually played many of the same stages and festivals as Tom. A really nice and talented guy! And now I understand why the last 5 years so many films are mixed so poorly! That the music is ear shatteringly loud and the dialogue hardly can be heard. It’s probably the director’s vision (hearing). And it’s annoying as hell to sit and watch a movie and not hear dialogue and squint from the orchestral or SFX onslaught.

[@sidalientv]

Agree to your point 150%. One of the main culprits ist Hans Zimmerman.....

[@CallousCoder]

@@sidalientv Schon Wieder?!

[@sidalientv]

@@CallousCoder Ja.

[@IanPatton]

Holy shit!

[@preciseaudioblog]

Film mixing is just insane...

[@jimmygillard]

Remember when he first started doing soundtracks and I was like "the guy who did that horrible Elvis dance remix?" Now love his film work

[@nissimtrifonov5314]

Serious question: why, in studios filled to the brim with very expensive synths, belonging to people who obviously have the money, am I seeing cheap and low end studio monitors?

[@maxrovers100]

Looks like a space ship 😊

[@PUBHEAD1]

Does this guy make music or control Apollo 13 with that gear

[@YumanoidPontifex]

lol i was going with bladerunner two minutes before he got to say bladerunner :)

[@andrzejkopalnia]

Is he on Furiosa as well? Please!

[@hishamdahud]

Yup

[@WaitingForTheHook]

Looks like a mad scientist's lab

[@jollyvoqar195]

All your content is good - even if stuff like this and Kip Winger could've been the usual 2-3 hours long - so why 2 channels? Put it all on the main channel and if folks don't want to watch some stuff that's on them. There is no such thing as "bad" Rick Beato content. Bring it all on.

[@monsieurd.]

it’s important to precise that they are talking about music score for blockbusters that why directors can so much control on the music files. This can explain why block busters music score are lacking of uniqueness. Business wise.

[@monkeonthee]

Ilaiyaraja should be checked out by you lot. The greatest pen and paper composer imo

[@tullfan2560]

The best film score I saw was Scarface. Highlander was pretty good too.

[@desbarry8414]

Jerry Goldsmith was doing mock ups long before Zimmer lol

[@MarkRLeach]

What is going on in the background? Is that stuff functional? 😮

[@tinkerwithstuff]

I....want...that...synth...rack!

[@DJDavis844]

The issue is that people are using the sample libraries too much. Playing a cue on the piano prevents the director from getting used to sampled sounds and it will train their ears to hear a reduced version on the piano and wonder what it will sound like in the recording session. From what I hear....the musicians HATE being separated from each other when in recording sessions. They see it as a few things: 1. the composer is trying to get the players to do things that they can't replicate from the samples because they are human and not a computer, 2. they can't orchestrate or control the orchestra so they divide them up with walls or record them on separate days and use faders to replicate that orchestras can do ANYTHING

[@wesleydraves1281]

The only soundtrack of his I’ve listened to is The Dark Tower, and while I hate the movie for being such a horrible adaptation of Stephen King’s masterpiece that spans 8 books, I still really enjoyed the soundtrack

[@jonnyhead]

Mental❤

[@johnpandolfino8663]

The Untouchables soundtrack and score....

[@-303-]

Does he need to buy carbon offsets for that room?

[@benjamink7105]

Tom lives on the set of 1970s science fiction film.

[@hetnon]

Said the mics were incorrectly placed. Too much reverb Tom's voice.

[@AndyA1234]

Looks like the lair of a Bond villain. To think that a modular synth (on the left kids) can now be modeled on a few chips and a bit of software.

[@samgilton3850]

doubt you’ll see this. idk if you had any relationship to him but i’m sure at the very least you know him…would love to hear your take, as someone in the industry, on the legacy of the great steve albini. whether we as individuals know it or not his work has impacted everyone in music. if you’re willing and able i would love to hear you’re thoughts. rest in peace steve.

[@galetinm]

I don't doubt he respects the guy, but their general view of recordings and sound is different. Rick likes it polished, Andy Wallaces mix of Nevermind for example, Steve liked it raw and he never liked how Nevermind was mixed, he preferred the Butch Vigs Devonshire mixes. And Rick was never that much into the underground styles of rock Steve was doing. Nirvana is probably their only connecting point, but from totally different perspectives. I would like if he did a tribute, but I doubt he will do it.

[@bigjoescientist]

Just gonna slide this in here, unrelated: Yuja Wang interview?

[@TheJAMF]

Please tell me there is more than just 11 minutes!?!? 🙏

[@chad_mackinson]

Whoa, I remember, back in the day the committee - it was in Eastern Europe - literally laughed at me during my music academy entrance exam when I presented a medley of my Philip Glass-esque pieces as "film score". Like an honest laugh. And it wasn't THAT long ago. Jesus, it was. Anyway, the idea of getting away with a film score without John Williams-style leitmotifs, or melody as such, or ANY substance to be honest seemed funny here. I guess right now everybody's at least a bit fed up with all the empty arpeggios and stuff again, everywhere, but anyway...things, thank God, always change.

[@Wolfbabypuppylove]

Isn't this his old studio didn't think he had that modular wall anymore ..?

[@vincasb10]

❤😊😊