I don't know if this question grants a whole new topic, but this has been bugging me for a while. During a lot of instances, Morricone has used a ver particular sound for some of his trumpets that I haven't heard anywhere else before. You can hear very clearly on the "bridge" of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, right at 01:33...
And in one of my favorite tracks from My Name is Nobody, right at the beggining section...
Those are obviously not normal trumpets, but are they synth? If so, what kind? I'm very very curious about it.
There is no synth in there, that's actual playing (lots of short bursts, requires skill). As for the actual trumpets, might have been some piccolos used? Morricone studied trumpet so he's quite aware of its range (which is what I like about his scores).
Those are piccolos?! Whoa! Some outstanding players right there, those passages sound extremly difficult. In fact, in most live concerts, the trumpet players can never get it right (in most cases, at least).
And what is spring reverb? I've searched for it online but couldn't understand it.
Morricone used to hang out with Mario Nascimbene, who had a massive recording studio before any of the other Italian composers did. Nascimbene liked to experiment with speeding up and slowing down passages, and he generously allowed other people to experiment there, they'd all come for parties.
I used to think that the 'trumpet' or piccolo bits were slightly speeded up. I wouldn't like to say so, lest I detract from some great virtuoso renderings. I do think it's clear the GtBatU title piece is quite obviously layered, not a single run-through, so it's quite possible. If so, in those days, I'd imagine a run-through at slightly lower key was necessary to create the right pitch on speeding. IF they did it that way.
P.S. Some arrangements for records, performances etc. of the G.B&U main theme omit that section, and re-recordings usually have those bars played much slower.
Here's an orchestral version where it seems to be played at the same breakneck speed in concert (and we actually see the piccolo trumpets too!) - play from 1:24:
If you look at the woman's fingerings, she's only playing part of the melody, the other trumpet elsewhere is playing the other notes. They overlap like battle-calls, to create a sense of mayhem and very busy 'shooting'. Clever writing.
The arranger of that version has used five-note figures with 'up and down' 4th intervals in the opening flute figure, and kept them throughout, whilst they should really be replaced by four note versions after the first two. 'Down, up, down, up, Down' should become 'Down, up, down, up'.
It's still a little woolier than the OST though, but probably because it's a live concert.
The arranger of that version has used five-note figures with 'up and down' 4th intervals in the opening flute figure, and kept them throughout, whilst they should really be replaced by four note versions after the first two. 'Up, down, up, down, up' should become 'up, down, up, down'.
Yes, I noticed that too and don't know why it would have been done that way. It turns the whole opening into a rather flat and overly repetitive terrain. What a difference one note (or a lack thereof) makes!
This one's pretty close, although the first trumpets shed a couple of notes; but the last ones pick it up inmensly! There's one that even doubles the staccato!
I was just told by Alessandro Alessandroni that the trumpet passage in the GBU main title was played on a 'regular' trumpet (either Bb- or C-trumpet I guess) and piccolo trumpet - playing in the same fast tempo as you hear on the recording (not speeded up!). The trumpet soloist were Michele Lacerenza (1922-1989) and Francesco Catania. Alessandroni was present at the recording sessions.
