The Force Theme – Introduction
The Force Theme, also known as Binary Sunset, is one of the most iconic pieces of music in the Star Wars universe. It was composed by John Williams and was first introduced in the original 1977 film, remember the part where Luke Skywalker looks out over the setting suns? The melody has since become synonymous with the Star Wars franchise and is used throughout the franchise to invoke the force.
The Force Theme – The Creation of the Cover
To pay tribute to this legendary theme, I set out to create a new cover that would combine the original melody with my own unique interpretation. For me, the process of creating music is much like painting a picture – I begin with broad brushstrokes, refining and perfecting each element until it sounds like it was (almost!) performed by a live musician. The process often takes many hours of tinkering, going back and forth over the MIDI until every note was just right.
In creating this cover, I not only wanted to capture the essence of the Force Theme but I also wanted to incorporate a few other beloved Star Wars themes to try add an extra layer of depth to the piece.
The Force Theme – The Technology Used
To bring this cover to life, I used a powerful Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) called Cakewalk by BandLab. A DAW is an essential software application that helps me record, edit, and produce audio with ease. With Cakewalk, I have the ability to create and produce audio for a wide variety of mediums including film, gaming, podcasting, music, UX, and more. As an experienced composer, I’ve used many DAWs over the years, but Cakewalk is my go-to tool. There are many DAW out there and each has its pros and cons. I tend to stick with Cakewalk because it is the DAW I am most familiar with.
I also utilised various virtual instrument libraries, including Cinematic Studio Strings, Cinematic Studio Brass, Cinematic Studio Woodwinds, Hans Zimmer Percussion, Spitfire Swarm, and Spitfire Albion. These libraries allowed me to attempt to recreate the sound of a live orchestra.
The Force Theme – Final Thoughts
Creating these Midi mockups is always a bit of a labour of love. I hope I have managed to pay tribute to this iconic piece of film music. I hope that you enjoy listening to my cover as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Thank you for taking the time to read about my process and for supporting my music. If you have enjoyed listening to this piece why not take a look at the Morrowind cover I recently created.
Please also check out my latest album release Starlight