BBC News Music Remakes

I'm back with more BBC News remakes

Firstly, the BBC Spotlight new music introduced a few weeks ago:
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20Spotlight%20Remakes/BBC%20Spotlight%20Remake%20Version%201.mp3

If it won't play, here's a direct link.
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20Spotlight%20Remakes/BBC%20Spotlight%20Remake%20Version%201.mp3
Version 1, so not completely finished, but finished enough to share with you now, as I won't be able to make version 2 until 6 weeks time.

Secondly, the BBC South Today music.
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20South%20Today%20Remakes/BBC%20South%20Today%20Remake%20Version%201.mp3

If it won't play, here's a direct link.
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20South%20Today%20Remakes/BBC%20South%20Today%20Remake%20Version%201.mp3

And finally, Version 2 of my Outside Source remake. I'm messing around with different instruments trying to get it sounding as good as possible.
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20Outside%20Source%20Remakes/BBC%20Outside%20Source%20Remake%20Version%202.mp3

If it won't play, here's a direct link.
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20Outside%20Source%20Remakes/BBC%20Outside%20Source%20Remake%20Version%202.mp3


I'll be back with more updates in 6 weeks time, when I'm back at school, but other than that, I'd love some feedback on the music.

The things that stick out like sore thumbs for me are the lack of bass and percussion. It all sounds too tinny. But definite improvements on your previous attempts James - keep at it.

Spotlight sounds almost spot on - really well done.

However I don't see the point in the North West Tonight recreation. All you've done is layered extra strings onto your existing regional news music, which makes it sound nothing like the real NWT music (which you can listen to here).

I'll try adding more bass, or reducing the volume of the strings since they may be overpowering the bass


Thanks for that, I'll have another go at NWT, starting fresh rather than using my existing regional news theme as a template

Don't remove anything, just try adding another layer of bass - legato this time. A few more cymbals would be welcome too.

Hello TV Forum!

It's been quite a few months since I posted my last BBC News music remake, so today I have 2 more improved versions with more bass (as requested) and I've also reduced the string volume a little bit and added some harmonic strings to make the music sound fuller.

BBC News Countdown:
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20News%20Countdown%20Remakes/BBC%20News%20Countdown%20Remake%20Version%205.mp3

If it won't play, here's a direct link.
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20News%20Countdown%20Remakes/BBC%20News%20Countdown%20Remake%20Version%205.mp3


BBC Spotlight (2015):
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20Spotlight%20Remakes/BBC%20Spotlight%20Remake%20Version%202.mp3

If it won't play, here's a direct link.
http://files.jamescraker.com/Music/BBC%20Spotlight%20Remakes/BBC%20Spotlight%20Remake%20Version%202.mp3

From my musician's ears:

There's absolutely no depth to your countdown music. You seem to have forgotten the 3D aspect of music - you can line up any number of instruments to play together you like and fiddle about with the volume, but unless some are at the back of the room and some are at the front it will still sound flat. You need to get the soundmix right before you master, it's no good trying to correct a sound that already exists. Consider the thunderclaps. They aren't the same sound repeated at lower volumes, they are an echo. That's the sound you need to emulate. Your bass needs reverb, it needs to be a thicker sound, and it needs to be front and centre. Your strings are monosyllabic - there's no texture or dynamics to them - it's just one sound. Finally the drums are too quiet and too tinny as well - they get swallowed up. Also the ending is a complete wimp out. It doesn't end, it just sort of gives up.

I don't know if you're using a keyboard or an app or a MIDI controller or what, but something needs to change in your creation process.

Thanks for the feedback. As stated in the post details, I'm using Garageband which is designed for simple music. I am pretty pleased with what I've done with the music, since Garageband is very simple software. I am pushing the software to it's limits, it doesn't have features to allow me to make these changes, and since this is a recreation, I don't think it should sound exactly like the original.

I don't think it *should* sound *exactly* like the original. You should put your own spin on it. But what you've come up with is insipid and has no purpose, use or function. Neither you nor the piece of music itself have come out of this exercise in any glory. I've never used Garageband but it seems to me you aren't using the correct tools for the job.

I've spent years fiddling about with Garageband with varying degrees of failure and no proper training and i find balancing/mixing audio extremely difficult so i can appreciate your frustrations.


However, a poor workman blames his tools. To suggest you have pushed the software to it's limits is arrogant. Just because you have been unable to proficiently use Garageband to achieve your stated goal does not mean it is impossible.

This is the closest i feel i ever got to replicating the BBC News theme. It was produced in Garageband in 2012...
BBC News Titles
I find Drums to be the most complicated thing to get right. I am certain that a more proficient user could do better. Whether they could be bothered is another matter.

You can improve upon what you have already achieved. You need to fiddle around with ALL the settings on ALL the instruments. Even if you only have the default instruments and none of the BandPacks you will still be able to achive a great many things. I also recommend working on some non-BBC projects, you'll learn more about the software and find solutions to problems you can apply to this mock.

It may look like a simple program but it is very capable of producing complex projects.

Keep working on it and you'll see an improvement.

Thanks, I wasn't really blaming my tools as such, I was just claiming that I didn't think I could do much better in Garageband. Your BBC News Title music has proved me wrong. Is that all default instruments or are some bandpacks?