Composer David Shire Uses Yamaha Pianos for 'Zodiac' Score
BUENA PARK, Calif. Academy Award-winning composer David Shire used Yamaha pianos in creating the score for the upcoming film Zodiac. A Disklavier® PRO DC6M4PRO grand was used to compose and record demos of the piano-based music for the thriller, while a CFIIIS concert grand piano was used in the actual recording studio.
"Yamaha has always been one of my favorite pianos for sound and evenness and consistency of action from piano to piano," comments Shire. "The MIDI features of the Disklavier allowed us to record piano cues on a great sounding instrument and then, through its MIDI capabilities, digitally polish and process them as much as needed for the particular and exacting demands of this film truly a great convenience, luxury and pleasure."
Zodiac's Score Producer Martin Erskine, who is himself a veteran of Broadway, television and film composing, adds, "For my part, it was great to have the piano for post-performance edits, so that David could concentrate on his piano performance and I could retro-fit each performance to picture after the fact. I could then experiment with mic positioning, recording levels, etc. without worrying about losing the performance."
Shire won an Oscar for his song "It Goes Like It Goes" from the movie Norma Rae. He has also composed countless scores for Broadway and television, as well as film. Shire's songs have been recorded by greats such as Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Melissa Manchester, and many others.
Zodiac is based on the book by Robert Graysmith about the real life notorious Zodiac, a serial killer who terrorized San Francisco with a string of murders during the 1960s and 1970s. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Edwards. Directed by David Fincher (Panic Room, Fight Club, Seven), Zodiacis scheduled for release in early 2007.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.
 Academy-Award Winner David Shire |
Zodiac's Score Producer Martin Erskine, who is himself a veteran of Broadway, television and film composing, adds, "For my part, it was great to have the piano for post-performance edits, so that David could concentrate on his piano performance and I could retro-fit each performance to picture after the fact. I could then experiment with mic positioning, recording levels, etc. without worrying about losing the performance."
Shire won an Oscar for his song "It Goes Like It Goes" from the movie Norma Rae. He has also composed countless scores for Broadway and television, as well as film. Shire's songs have been recorded by greats such as Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Melissa Manchester, and many others.
Zodiac is based on the book by Robert Graysmith about the real life notorious Zodiac, a serial killer who terrorized San Francisco with a string of murders during the 1960s and 1970s. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Edwards. Directed by David Fincher (Panic Room, Fight Club, Seven), Zodiacis scheduled for release in early 2007.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.