| NAME:
Justin R. Durban
AGE:
29 - Born Dec, 7th 1977
LOCATION:
Los Angeles, CA USA
Originally from Madisonville, KY
EDUCATION:
University of Kentucky
(Lexington, KY)
POINTLESS MAJOR:
Graphic Design - Art
Studio
I'd like to Say I minored in Music, but I dropped
the one class i took on Music Composition. Does
that count?
"I'm just another moose on the Road."
"Socks, Shoes, Shinguards"
I thought I would do an interview / frequently asked
question (FAQ) with myself so that I can finally
give people a link, and say.. "here.. go read..."
vs. having to fall helplessly behind on emails day
by day. Since I talk to me all the time, it comes
pretty natural. The following questions have been
compiled throughout the years from numerous people.
These questions are based on my music alone. My
art FAQ is a WHOLE other story.
so...get a cup' o' joe and get out your reading
glasses and enjoy.
+CAN I USE
YOUR MUSIC FOR MY PROJECT?
Yes.
As long as it is not for profit. Otherwise, a licensing
agreement must be set in place. (I'm pretty cheap
and more informative than a stock CD music library
:\ More information can be found here:
+DO YOU TALK TO YOURSELF?
Yes. I have
conversations with myself all the time.
+WHY IS THAT?
Do you talk to yourself?
+NO.
Why?
+STOP.
OK.
+THE
NAME EDGEN... WHAT? EH?
Pronounced, "Edge
- in" not "egg-en". It started out
one day (JR. in HS - '95) on IRC. (yes, I talked
on IRC and started the #3dsmax channel on Efnet).
I had the name "Edge". Like.. maverick,
goose, bilbo.. baggins, or Theatros the Warrior..
blah blah. People kept taking my name and it really
started to piss me off so I wanted to change. So,
I literally started with the key "Q",
stuck it to the end, and worked my way through the
keys... qwertyuiopasdfghklzxcv. .b.... then I hit,
"N". Well... I liked it. So hence forth..
"Edgen". I later added "Animations"
to the end because I was always facinated by things
moving. and here you are. reading this stupid FAQ
8 years later.
+HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING MUSIC?
Terminator 2 was on
TV and I just finished eating corn dogs on a stick
and as I sat at the table, I started to bang the
notorious Terminator theme song... "dun dun
da da dun" on my dinner plate. I left the table,
sat down at the piano and started to pick out the
notes by ear. I've been playing and have been inspired
ever since. My first desire to play was hearing
an orchestral version of "Russians" by
Sting. (but I didn't know who it was at the time)
+DO YOU PLAY
ANY INSTRUMENTS?
Nope. I use use my
brainwaves to create those sounds you hear. j/k.
I played trumpet in middle school, and dropped it
because soccer was more important in HS and gawd
forbid being a bando. I play piano and guitar. I'm
wanting to venture into the world of violin/cello
but the lack of funds puts a damper on just about
everything I would "like" to do. I think
it helps to understand the mechanics of an instrument
and how it moves, sounds, and resonates. Without
hands on exsposure, one seems to be missing the
'realism'.
+BUT SOME
OF YOUR MUSIC SOUNDS SYNTHESIZED.. WHAT'S UP WITH
THAT LAST STATEMENT?
I really don't care
what you think.
+WHAT SOFTWARE / HARDWARE DO YOU
USE?
I use Gigastudio as
my sampler. Sonar2 as my MIDI Sequencer. I'll then
use either soundforge or Nuendo to master out the
mp3 music. Hardware? You'll laugh! Its an old piece
of shit casio CT700 keyboard with MIDI in/out capability.
I run windows98 with a SB Live Platinum 1.8 ghz
w/ 512 megs of ram. (I would highly recommend NOT
to get this system). Check out Sonic Control for
the best specs on a home computer system for composing
your own music.
+HOW DOES GIGASTUDIO
WORK?
You load up your instruments
into gigastudio. (i've got a few sample .gig files
in my download
section) Fire up Sonar within gigastudio. Create
a new project in Sonar. Add layers to correspond
with the instruments you loaded into gigastudio.
(ie port#1 channel#1, port#1 channel#2, port#1 channel#3).
MAKE Sure your midi cable into your music keyboard
punched into 'Out to In' and 'In to Out'. Frackin'
thing too me forever to figure out! Name your layers
to match the instruments and then hit record. Rewind,
select layer/channel 2... hit record. boom. you've
got two layers. continue onward adding more instruments
into gigastudio and more layers into cakewalk/sonar.
I really should think about upgrading. But... till
then, it werkz for me'.
+HOW DO YOU
COMPOSE YOUR MUSIC?
I literaly stand up
from my chair. Close my eyes. Spin around about
8-10 times and stumble over to my CT700 and randomly
hit a key. From there, I try to figure out the chord
structure and just start playing. If its a pain
in the arse black key, I'll try it again. :) Then,
I'll add more and more instruments and layers. It
usually gets pretty "epic" by the time
its done. But, I really have no logic besides the
fact I like chords. Then, I'll make the melody once
the chords are in place. Then, off the final mix
where I add my vocalist or other special sound FX.
+THE VOCALIST YOU
USE FOR YOUR MUSIC IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! WHAT CAN
YOU TELL ME ABOUT HER?
Yes sir! you are right!
She is absoultely amazing! Not only with her voice,
but her music composition skills as well. Her name
is LindsayAnne
Klemm and she lives in Michigan.
+HOW DID YOU
GUYS MEET?
She found me online through a mutal Lord of the
Rings video that the folks over at www.theonering.net
created for the first LOTR feature. It so happens
she liked my music and after I heard her work, I
ventured further to hear more. You've gota check
out her LOTR Suite. Its amazing! Then, as I was
going through her music, I heard a piece called,
"Lament" which was an experimentaion of
her voice mixed together. Immediately I fell for
it and had to have something like that in my own
music. So... I asked. She said yes... and We've
been collaborating ever since. I would like to call
her my 'Lisa Gerrard'. She's probably one of the
nicest people I've ever 'encountered' online. And...
One of the nicest people in real life.
+DO YOU AND LINDSAY
PLAN ON COLLABORATING TOGETHER AGAIN ON FUTURE PROJECTS?
Yes Absolutely! I'm
going to do my best to get her as much exposure
as I can. Someone with that much talent should not
go unoticed within this industry.
+WHAT TYPE OF PROJECTS
HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH?
Well, Since I used
to live in Lexington, KY it was kinda hard to find
people there who really wanted to get involved with
movies and films and ones that had the budget. So,
I'm waiting for my silver platter and 300 piece
orchestra to command at my finger tips. Same goes
with Games and the gaming industry. Maybe I should
get off my ass and actually send them my resume
of work? Anyone willing to send it for me.. I'm
all for that too.
Since I 'give' my music away for free, there have
been young and professional filmmakers, flash animators,
3d animators, and production houses across the world
who have used my music for their projects. I've
also had my music in various MODs for games throughout
the years. My biggest project to date would be the
Star
Siege 2845 project. My music was used in the
Tropico 2 PC game, and a 2 disc DVD set of the assination
of JFK out of Dallas TX. It's also amazing to randomly
find my pieces playing as the BG music to websites.
The funniest place I found my music was on the feature
film site, "Princess
Blade". I even found my music on the Sci
Fi Channel website for the series, "The
Triangle". My music is being used as the
background music for their online gaming experience.
I'll occasionally recieve and email from random
people giving me links. Gawd Bless Flashkit and
my loops eh?
My lastest project is the feature film, "Firecracker"
By Steve Balderson starring Karen Black (Great Gatsby)
& Mike Patton (Faith No More). Firecracker just
wrapped the Landmark Cinemas tour. Recently, my
music will be featured in the movie trailer for
the movie, "Taking Lives" starring Angelia
Jolie, Ethan Hawk, and Keifer Southerland. The music
can be heard on the TV trailers and Radio promotion.
Be sure to check out my music redo to "The
Art of the Saber", a Star Wars Fan Film by
the 'Ho' brothers.
I just completed a Short Animation project by Hai
Luu called, "The
Takamori Legend" which can be found on
atom Films and New Grounds. I'm currently working
on a few indy Feature films and many MODs and other
various gaming projects. My latest personal project
is called, "Kings
and Kingdoms" and is a film project for
my next album. Be sure to check out my artwork along
with the music I have created so far.
I also wrapped up "The
Unknown Discovery" and "Twelve Steps
Nowhere" which were made by my friends at Twenty
One Productions. "The Unknown Discovery"
is a Star Wars meets Pulp Fiction Fan film and "Twelve
Steps Nowhere" is dark film about one man's
addiction.
My latest film projects were two films by The Erwin
Brothers Motion Pictures Co. One was a Documentary
on the 911 attacks called, "The Cross and the
Towers" and the other was a colonial re-inactment
of the Declaration of Independence called, "Spirit
of Liberty". I also recently completed a feature
thriller/suspense film score called, "GPS
The Movie" which is about a group of GPS
enthusiasts embarking on an elaborate scavenger
hunt that leads to murder. Visit my music page for
clips of these films. Please check the NEWS
page for my latest projects and updates.
+WHAT IS YOUR INSPIRATION
BEHIND YOUR MUSIC? AND WHY IS IT ALWAYS SO SAD?:
Sad? I'm probably
the upbeat person you'll ever meet. I suppose my
Inspirations come in many ways shapes and forms.
I can't say that I have a sole idea when i sit down
to write a piece. Its usually because I'm stressed
with work and I just want to do my own thing. I'll
load up a few instruments, stare into obivlion for
a bit, and then I'll hit the record button, smash
a few keys down and if I like what I hear, I'll
keep going. If not, I'll start all over again. Sometimes
I'll have 3-4 sketches in a matter of 4-5 hour time
period and I'll never touch them again. What a waste
of my life huh?
Sad music makes me happy. Its the emotional impact
of the instruments and the melodic harmonies that
really gets me in the "I'm gonna go out and
take over the world" mood. I'll then leave
and go eat at Fazolli's and immediately, that attitude
is gone. :)
Since I'm cursed with the ability not to understand
or hear lyrics to songs, I'm forced to like film
music or music without words. To me, it has the
dramatic and emotional impact just as a DMB or John
Mayer song would on everyone else. Its like reading
a book. I'll read an entire chapter, and once I'm
done, I'll have no friggin' clue what I just read.
This type of music gives my imagination a jumpstart
on many of the ideas I have by taking me through
a roller coaster of moods which I drives me day
by day.
+SO YOU LIKE CLASSICAL
MUSIC?
No. Most classical
music to me sucks ass. I really don't care that
much for it. If there was a classical piece I did
like, Its probably because I heard 4-5 notes or
chords that I really liked and I would then base
my entire song with variations of it. The rest is...
eh.. crap. :) Why do you think I like film composer
music such as Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman? Because
they probably thought the same thing I did but never
wanted to fess up to it because their peers would
look down on them for not following the "traditional"
music theories. Which, I think is horseshit. you
should play what you play, and if you like it, by
gawd, you like it. If someone happens to like your
music, that's just an added bonus. But, don't get
me wrong... There are many great classical composers
out there, and it all depends on a matter of taste.
Me.. I absolutely hate friggin' rap and hip hop
music. To others, they couldn't go a day without
it. Synthetic music is what I like to call that
stuff. Manufactured sounds for the common minds.
If that statement pisses you off, stop here. If
not, keep going.
+WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR SAMPLES?
Throughout the years
I've aquired many things here and there throughout
the internet. Most of them were converted soundfonts.
I'm not going to lie... Some probably aren't legal.
But... 'Tis why I give my music away for free. Right?
I can however; totally endorse Project
Sam Horns and their work.
+WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE
PIECES OF MUSIC?
There's quite a few
that I have in my daily playlist:
" Journey to the Line" from Thin Red Line
by Hans Zimmer.
"Leave No Man Behind" from Black Hawk
Down by Hans Zimmer
"Injection" from Mission Impossible 2
by Hans Zimmer
"Cracking Shadows" by Steven Gutheinz
"God Moving Over the Face of Water" by
MOBY
"A Warm Place" by NIN
"Flames" by Vast
"Children of Dune - End Credits" by Brian
Tyler
"Children of Dune - The Jihad" by Brian
Tyler
"The Calvary" from Black Hawk Down by
Jim Dooley
"Elk Hunt" from Last of the Mohicans by
Trevor Jones
"Gothic Power" from LOTR trailer by XDog?
/ Christopher Field
"The Other Side" from Gatica by Michael
Nyman
"Halo Theme" by Marty O'Donnell
"Colliding Worlds" by Jared Hudson
"Termintor Theme" by Brad Fiedel
"Adagio for Strings" by Barber
"The Postman - Main Titles" by James Newton
Howard
"Waterworld - Main Titles" by James Newton
Howard
"Water of Life" by David Arkenstone
"All Is Full of Love" by Bjork
"Requim for a Dream - LOTR Trailer mix"
by Clint Mansel
"Color Blind" by Counting Crows
"Russians" by Sting
"Look Around You" from We Were Soldiers
by Nick Glennie-Smith
"The Last Samurai" by Hans Zimmer (rocks!!)
"Pirates of the Carribean" by Klaus Badelt
& 15 others :)
"King Arthur" by Hans Zimmer (all of it
:))
"The Village" by James Newton Howard
most of Harry Gregson-Williams
and lastly...
"Star Wars - Imperial March" by Mr. John
Williams. My childhood inspiration.
"Batman Begins" by Hans Zimmer and James
Newton Howard
"Battle Star Galatica" by Bear McCreary
(new sci fi series)
+SHEESH, I DIDN'T
EXPECT ALL THAT. WHY DON'T YOU JUST GIVE US YOUR
ENTIRE PLAYLIST?
Sorry, couldn't help
myself. I went on one of my tangents. There are
sooo many great tracks out there. I'm sure I could
name quite a few more.
+DO YOU DO REQUESTS?
Can you pay me lots
of money?
+I REALLY LIKE THIS
MOVIE THEME, COULD YOU DO A REMIX OF IT LIKE YOU
DID WITH TERMINATOR AND HALO THEMES POSTED ON YOUR
SITE?
Chances are, my inspirations
and motives behind liking movies are very different
than yours. So... you can ask, but highly unlikely.
+CAN I USE
YOUR MUSIC IN MY FILM OR PROJECT?
Yes! Absolutely! But,
by George Pete.. Please email me first. A) I'd like
to know what people are doing with my music. B)
I enjoy the emails from you guys. C) I'd like to
get a copy the film/project/flash movie or URL D)
Please give proper credit to the work. E) Spread
the word. F) Keep me in mind for your multimillion
dollar movie budget to hire me to score your feature
film when you get all big and famous.
Music by:(or title of track)
Justin R. Durban
Edgen Animations
www.edgen.com
+I USEd YOUR
MUSIC IN MY FILM OR PROJECT... NOW WHAT?
Add it to my database
if you like. Spread the word. "Word is Bond.
James Bond."
+I'VE GOT
A MOVIE IN PRE-PRODUCTION RIGHT NOW AND WE WOULD
LIKE TO HIRE YOU TO SCORE THE SOUNDTRACK. WOULD
YOU BE INTERESTED?
I dunno. I've been
pretty bad at doing custom music for people. Seems
like its "never quite right". You would
have to be an honest believer in, "You are
the professional, this is how I see it, now you
take my thoughts and make something along these
lines, and I'll absolutely love whatever you come
up with."
Well, that's my ideal world, and if the budget allows..
Sure, I'll be your bitch until I get it right. As
long as the bills are paid, I'm able to go out every
once in a while and drink a beer, take a nice girl
out to dinner. Sure. Fly me in to discuss the project.
Other than that, why would you want me to do your
music in the first place if I spend hours and hours
getting it to your liking? sheesh.
+I USED YOUR
MUSIC FOR MY LAST MOVIE. DO YOU THINK YOU COULD
POSSIBLY WRITE A CUSTOM TRACK FOR MY NEXT PROJECT?
If time allows and
you have the same attitude as the above post. No
gauruntees.
+I'VE
GOT THIS PROJECT BUT I NEED YOU TO SIGN THIS PIECE
OF PAPER SAYING IT IS OK TO USE YOUR MUSIC.
IF... its absolutely
necessary, Email me, send me a self address stamped
envelope to my address, and hopefully I'll take
the whole 10 minutes to mail it off. Otherwise,
damnit.. Just use it as long as you give the proper
credits and help spread it throughout the world.
Just maybe... My Silver Platter or Mr. Golden Opportunity
will find itself knocking on my door.
+I'VE GOT
A PROJECT THAT IS GAURUNTEED TO BRING YOU LOTS OF
EXPOSURE. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO COME ABOARD BUT
WE CAN'T PAY YOU.
You think I'm stupid?
It takes a WHOLE lot for me to actually believe
that line. I've had SOOOO many people tell me that.
However; if I see potential in the project, I'm
all ears.
+I'M POOR
AND DON'T HAVE MONEY BUT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO
TAKE YOUR TIME TO DO THIS, THIS, THIS, WRITE THAT,
COMPOSE THAT, CREATE MY SITE, WASH MY DOG, FEED
MY KIDS, AND ATTEND MY FUNERAL?
I really don't like
hearing sob stories. Just simply say... "Dude..
your music kicks fraggin' ass! Do you think we/I
could use it for our next project? Here's the idea
we had and here's when it'll be released and I'll
email you when its all said and done" . See???
Much more friendlier and relaxed. Lighten it up
a bit. I'm more willing to let you use it if you
are enthusiastic about your own project. When you
hit the big leagues one day and made your millions.
Maybe you'll feel better about spending a few of
that to hire me out professionally.
+DO YOU LISTEN
TO YOUR OWN MUSIC?
You bet! If you can
create something you enjoy listening to and have
the ability to create it, why not engulf yourself
in one's own creation?
+I'VE CAUGHT
A LOT OF GRAMMAR AND SPEELING MISTAKES, WHY'S THAT?
I'm an artist. I'm
allowed and its my right to mess up and mispell
stuff. Math & Calculas.. Sure good thing I took
those in school What would I ever do without them?
+ANY BIG PLANS
FOR THE FUTURE?
To find myself a beautiful
wife who absolutely adores my work and is willing
to do anything to make me laugh. Have 3-4 kids,
Live the good life on some lake front property semi-away
from neighbors and hopefully teach my children the
same things my parents have taught me. If I happen
to make a lot of money from work that I do, that's
just an added bonus. Live and Love your job. If
you are not happy, go out and do something that
will. Don't drag us all down by your inability to
do a job well. (ie.. McDonalds Employees in the
drive through windows)
+DO YOU HAVE
AN IDOL?
My Mom and Dad
+PERSONAL
QUOTE?
"If you know
how to use a pencil to draw, you can draw anything.
Now apply that to everything in life. -Edgen"
+YOUR FLASH
AND ART IS PRETTY COOL! ARE YOU SELLING PRINTS OF
YOUR WORK ANYWHERE?
Its in the future
goals/plans. Till then, my artwork will have to
grace the precence of your current desktop.
+YOU DIDN'T
TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT YOUR ART PROCESS/WEBSITE SKILLS?
WHY NOT?
I'm tired of typing
and its now 9:40 a.m. and I've been here at my office
all night. I'll make that FAQ later. I'm all Faq'd
out.
Check my "REEL"
for my latest work.
If you have any other questions or anything you
would like to see added here, feel free to email
me.
If you want to comment on my work or see what others
say about my work, Feel free to Sign
my Guestbook. I check it out occasionally, and
I do reply to them from time to time.
&... If you Really really want to talk to me
and find out more, come to my Company, All
Media Studios forum. Its full of friendly and
talented people wanting to learn everything about
the internet, music, and technology. I'm always
in there rambling about something. Come to think
of it.. Everyone else is too. See ya there!
...mom?
|
MUSIC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
