Old 07-04-2020, 04:54 PM   #1
kirk1701
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Default Any sight readers?

Okay,

I have a Hollywood score from the 60s with a part I can't quite identify. (It's actually the main Star Trek them from 67/68. Copyright prohibits me from sharing the entire chart.)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sm4r8oel30...ry_li.jpg?dl=0

If you look at the linked image, you'll see I've indicated the mystery instrument.

I've arrived at the conclusion that the part above it is drums with 3 percussion instruments, the indicated is bass percussion of some sort. "Bass-1" seems to indicate a kick or primary concert bass drum. I can't make out the superscript notation.

If this is a percussion or drum part, why would the notes be above the staves and have accidentals? This seems to point to a double bass part, but why would it be all the way at the bottom of the chart? Wouldn't it be with the strings?

I know there are some fantastic sight readers on this forum. Sound in please!
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Old 07-04-2020, 05:18 PM   #2
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I'm not a sight reader. However:
Quote:
Originally Posted by kirk1701 View Post
If this is a percussion or drum part, why would the notes be above the staves and have accidentals?
Tuned percussion, bass clef, high notes (ie, high given that it's a bass instrument)?
It doesn't look like a double bass part. I think it's probably timpani.
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Old 07-04-2020, 05:55 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fex View Post
I'm not a sight reader. However:
Tuned percussion, bass clef, high notes (ie, high given that it's a bass instrument)?
It doesn't look like a double bass part. I think it's probably timpani.
Interesting theory. What leads you to that conclusion?
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Old 07-04-2020, 06:15 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kirk1701 View Post
Interesting theory. What leads you to that conclusion?
1) Your conclusion that "the indicated is bass percussion of some sort" seems reasonable.
2) Pitch is clearly a factor here, and multiple notes are shown. It's not a kick drum.
3) One semibreve every few bars? Not very lively for a double bass part, right?
4) Listening to a treatment of the Star Trek theme on YouTube, I heard high pitched timpani.

(Semibreve = whole note, bars = measures.)
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Old 07-04-2020, 07:19 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fex View Post
1) Your conclusion that "the indicated is bass percussion of some sort" seems reasonable.
2) Pitch is clearly a factor here, and multiple notes are shown. It's not a kick drum.
3) One semibreve every few bars? Not very lively for a double bass part, right?
4) Listening to a treatment of the Star Trek theme on YouTube, I heard high pitched timpani.

(Semibreve = whole note, bars = measures.)
Excellent reasoning! I like this theory ao far.
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Old 07-04-2020, 07:34 PM   #6
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It's basically a process of elimination. I'm not saying that it couldn't be anything but timpani.... only, what else could it reasonably be?
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Old 07-04-2020, 08:03 PM   #7
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Also the marking, though I don't know what it means, is definitely not an upbow and besides they wouldn't indicate that for a whole note. But given how the sharp top right is drawn, I think that's a sharp in the first one. The second one is clearly a natural to me. Without the rest hard to say if there should be a key or not, but it's not uncommon for handwritten charts to not repeat the key on new lines like they should.
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Old 07-05-2020, 12:59 PM   #8
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Is this the original main theme by Alexander Courage? (see link below)

I'd say that it is bass guitar, though the handwriting is difficult to read.

Staff one: percussion (or drums), 3 players, in bar 4 (2/4 time signature) there's a syspended cymbal roll, going over into a crash cymbal in bar 5. Bar 9 is suspended cymbal again.

Staff two: electric bass, bar one has half note with a laissez vibrer (let ring) tie to it (C). Same for bar 5, but E#. Same for bar 8. There's no cleff, for bass I would expect bass clef.

https://youtu.be/EWSp5ijOOfk
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Old 07-05-2020, 04:55 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter5992 View Post
Is this the original main theme by Alexander Courage? (see link below)

I'd say that it is bass guitar, though the handwriting is difficult to read.

Staff one: percussion (or drums), 3 players, in bar 4 (2/4 time signature) there's a syspended cymbal roll, going over into a crash cymbal in bar 5. Bar 9 is suspended cymbal again.

Staff two: electric bass, bar one has half note with a laissez vibrer (let ring) tie to it (C). Same for bar 5, but E#. Same for bar 8. There's no cleff, for bass I would expect bass clef.

https://youtu.be/EWSp5ijOOfk
Yes it is the Alexander Courage theme. I would also have expected a bass clef if it was a bass guitar.

But it's worth a try. There's a low drone in the track, but I'd assumed that was tape hiss or 60 cycle hum from an amp of some sort.
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