343 Industries and Pyramind Studios Create Halo Anniversary Soundtrack
Pyramind Studios has proudly partnered with 343 Industries and Microsoft Studios to produce the music soundtrack for the upcoming Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary video game. Celebrating a decade of history with the iconic Halo franchise, Pyramind Studios has been chosen to produce and remaster the famed original score for the exclusive Xbox 360 release scheduled for the 2011 holiday season game, which releases November 15th, 2011. Hit the jump for the full Press Release.
Lead by Microsoft Studios Senior Audio Director Kristofor Mellroth and Pyramind Studios COO/Audio Director Paul Lipson, the duo inspired Pyramind Studios industry-leading team to re-orchestrate and reproduce the original score by composers Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori. Talent also includes the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra recorded at world-renowned Skywalker Ranch, and Chanticleer – the Grammy winning men’s vocal ensemble widely considered one of the best in the world.
“It was a huge undertaking to transcribe, orchestrate, and produce every note from the original game soundtrack files” said Lipson, Pyramind Studios COO/Audio Director. “Our team approached every aspect of the music with an immense amount of skill and care, keeping the core Halo sound while updating the production to today’s highest standards.” Microsoft Studios Senior Audio Director Kristofor Mellroth agrees, adding; “This wasn’t just a simple remaster, it was a completely new orchestration and recording using renowned talent and top live players. We are striving to create the ultimate love letter to Halo fans, and celebrate Marty O’Donnell’s and Michael Salvatori’s original vision with grace and
style”.
Pyramind Studios’ production team rose to the challenge of bringing Halo: Anniversary to life, and included some well-known video game luminaries on the Halo: Anniversary music team including: Paul Lipson, Gregory J. Gordon, Matt Donner, Tom Salta, Lennie Moore, Brian Trifon, Wataru Hokoyama, and esteemed vocalist Jillian Aversa. Fans will also appreciate new live guitar performances by Bryan Dale, and the roster of Grammy-winning talent including Skywalker Sounds’ Leslie Ann Jones and the singers of Chanticleer performing the famed Halo Monks choral melodies. For more information on 343 please visit http://www.halowaypoint.com
About the Other Companies Mentioned Skywalker Sound
In keeping with our comprehensive approach to client services, Skywalker Sound lays claim to perhaps the most impressive scoring stage in the West. The main room, measuring 60 feet by 80 feet long with a 30 foot ceiling, easily accommodates a 125 piece symphony orchestra yet is flexible enough to provide an intimate recording environment for a solo performer.
L-R Front: Lennie Moore, Michael Roache, Paul Lipson, Leslie Ann Jones, Dann Thompson
343 Industries and Pyramind Studios Create Halo Anniversary Soundtrack
The main room features an adjustable acoustic system, which allows the reverb time to be varied from .6 and 3 seconds. Three isolation booths, measuring 16 x 16 long with 12 foot ceilings, are located at the end of the main room opposite the control room; a fourth isolation booth is located directly off of the control room.
The control room, equipped with a 72 input Neve 88R-the finest analog console-and Encore automation, is spacious and comfortable. The scoring stage is complete with a large private lounge for rehearsals and relaxation. http://www.skywalkersound.com
Chanticleer
Called “the world’s reigning male chorus,” by the New Yorker magazine, and named Ensemble of the Year by Musical America in 2008, Chanticleer will perform more than 100 concerts in 2011-12, the GRAMMY Award-winning ensemble’s 34th season. Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle for their “tonal luxuriance and crisply etched clarity,” Chanticleer will tour to 21 of the United States, appearing in a wide variety of venues including Walt Disney Concert Hall, and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. A summer trip to Europe encompasses prestigious festivals such as Edinburgh, La Chaise Dieu, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein and Rheingau in August. On a 10-country tour in early 2012 the ensemble will return to Europe’s most renowned concert halls, including the Musikverein (Vienna,) Bela Bartok Concert Hall (Budapest,)
343 Industries and Pyramind Studios Create Halo Anniversary Soundtrack
Pyramind Studios
Concertgebouw (Amsterdam,) Philharmonic Hall (Vilnius.) Other highlights of the season include a return to California’s historic missions with newly reconstructed music from the mission period, and Chanticleer’s first performance of a film score. http://www.chanticleer.org
About Pyramind Studios
Pyramind Studios is the premier audio content provider in Northern California. From compelling music scores to pristine dialog recording, Pyramind Studios produces, composes, manages, and implements pristine audio assets for leading video games franchises worldwide. Located in the heart of the San Francisco creative development community, Pyramind Studios serves some of the most innovative clients in the world – all of whom depend on us to deliver – no matter what the scope. http://www.pyramindstudios.com
L-R Back: Lennie Moore, Janet Ketchum, Wataru Hokoyama, Leslie Ann Jones, Paul Lipson, Gregory J. Gordon, Brian
Trifon, Tom Salta
L-R Front: Michael Roache, Dann Thompson, Andre Zweers, Robert Edwards