Thwak Music! Creates Innovative Superbowl Ad with Yamaha DTX Electronic Drums and The DTX-Multi 12
Yamaha DTX950K Electronic Drum Set
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Thwak! used a DTX950K electronic drum set and the DTX-MULTI 12 electronic percussion pad from Yamaha to deliver a rhythmic, tense original score for the cinematic spot, which promotes the upcoming Xperia Play android phone from Sony Ericsson. The tense drums, eerie sound effects and precise orchestral bursts pace the advertisement, which shows the back-alley creation of a robot – complete with human thumbs – that rises up, ready to use the new Xperia Play.
"My background as a composer and classically trained percussionist made Thwak! the right fit for this project," Verderosa explains. "Working under a tight deadline, we understood that the sound for 'Surgeon' needed to be orchestral, cinematic and tribal – without ever stepping on the narrative. So the challenge is to make a major movie-type score without it getting too dense."
Working closely with McCann Worldgroup Executive Music Producer Mike Boris, Verderosa recorded the spot at NYC's famed Avatar Studios with fellow Thwak! composer Mark Petrie, creating several different options for Murro and McCann Worldgroup. Illustrating the flexibility and ability to reflect almost any creative idea, the DTX drums let Verderosa experiment with varied layers of ethnic drums, strings, and sound effects. The winning score builds gradually to an emotional climax that reinforces the story's visual impact.
"The music helps to illustrate this heroic, epic moment when the robot's thumbs are revealed," said Verderosa, who also served as Music Supervisor on the project, who used internal and custom samples on the DTX950K and DTX-MULTI 12.
DTX drums, the ones to beat, feature the DTX-PAD, which features a Textured Cellular Silicone (T.C.S.) head optimized to provide perfect response for continuous playing and subtle stick work. Yamaha designed its innovative new pad with input from the company's legendary stable of drum artists. The T.C.S. head uses a proprietary manufacturing process that introduces small air bubbles into foamed silicone to provide playability and feel unlike any pad introduced to market. Every nuance and detail of the kit has been fine-tuned so that even the most jaded acoustic drummer will feel right at home with these drums.
The new DTX-MULTI 12 Electronic Percussion Pad, a new split-level multi-pad that adapts sound technology from the flagship Motif XS synthesizer and the DTX drum trigger module, lets drummers and percussionists enjoy three modes of play: with sticks, hands or fingers. Providing 1,249 different sounds and limitless possibilities for creative expression, the 12 touch sensitive pads and sound module are configured in a compact 13.5 X 12.5 inch unit that fits atop a stand. The DTX-MULTI 12 responds to the dynamics of a drummer's performance and the staggered layout makes it easy to hit the right pad. Users can load digital samples for endless sound possibilities and up to four sounds can be velocity switched or layered onto each pad.
CREDITS: SONY "Surgeon" TV :60
Agency: McCann Worldgroup
Executive Producer: Greg Lotus
Copy/creative director: Sean Bryan
Art director/Creative director: Tom Murphy
Executive Music Producer: Mike Boris
Production Company: Biscuit
Director: Noam Murro
DP: Simon Duggan
Editor: Gavin Cutler, Mackenzie Cutler
VFX: Method
Sound Engineer: Joe O'Connell, Blast Digital
Music Company: Thwak!
Music Composers: Tony Verderosa and Mark Petrie
Music Supervisor: Tony Verderosa
For more information on DTX Electronic Drums, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Pro Audio & Combo Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; visit www.yamaha.com/press.