Online soundtrack databases

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adamhh
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Online soundtrack databases

Post by adamhh »

Bit of shot in the dark, but might anyone know of a good online soundtrack database for music used in films? Either pre-existing music or especially scored - I'd be interested in both.

IMDB's facility is poor in this respect.
kbarnes70
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Re: Online soundtrack databases

Post by kbarnes70 »

adamhh wrote:Bit of shot in the dark, but might anyone know of a good online soundtrack database for music used in films? Either pre-existing music or especially scored - I'd be interested in both.

IMDB's facility is poor in this respect.
Is this any use? http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/

Kind regards,

Keith
adamhh
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Re: Online soundtrack databases

Post by adamhh »

Thanks Keith, not wishing to sound too ungrateful, but...

Aside from a hideously busy looking interface, this too isn't very useful. Note, they claim they have:

45968 Titles
...
24136 Track Listings

How can they have fewer track listings than films? Makes no sense. Unless it's under-populated, which it is.

Why can't the British Film Institute digitize Sight and Sound/Monthly Film Bulletin reviews/credit listings?? Oh yes, because it'd cost them huge amounts of money. But wow, what a rival to IMDB it would be!
kbarnes70
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Re: Online soundtrack databases

Post by kbarnes70 »

adamhh wrote:Thanks Keith, not wishing to sound too ungrateful, but...

Aside from a hideously busy looking interface, this too isn't very useful. Note, they claim they have:

45968 Titles
...
24136 Track Listings

How can they have fewer track listings than films? Makes no sense. Unless it's under-populated, which it is.

Why can't the British Film Institute digitize Sight and Sound/Monthly Film Bulletin reviews/credit listings?? Oh yes, because it'd cost them huge amounts of money. But wow, what a rival to IMDB it would be!

Fair enough. How many of your movies aren't in their 24136 lisitngs though? If it's quite a few then the site is useless I agree. If OTOH it's hardly any, then isn;t the site at least of some use? It's not an area I have been specifically interested TBH. I agree about the inetrface - it truly is a mess.

Kind regards,

Keith
adamhh
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Re: Online soundtrack databases

Post by adamhh »

Yes it is partially useful, especially for actual CD/LP releases. IMDB is more complete however, but still limited.

Let me give you an example... trying to find the composer Camille Saint-Saëns on both sites:

Soundtrackcollector lists 3 soundtracks
IMDB lists 83.

Yet neither list that Saint-Saëns' 'Danse Macabre' is on Mary Ellen Bute's OR Dudley Murphy's animation (both BTW called 'Danse Macabre'!) Though if you go to the IMDB page for those films you'll find that information.

Then try looking for an anonymously written piece of music such as 'How should I your Love know?' (tudor music quoted in Hamlet)... Impossible.

However, searching for Steppenwolf's 'Born To Be Wild' (famously used in Easy Rider) in SoundTrackCollector yields more hits than IMDB.

My gripe is that searching by music is limited at best. So trying to find that film that you recall Saint-Saëns, Steppenwolf (or hopelessly: Anon) on the soundtrack isn't easy.
kbarnes70
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Re: Online soundtrack databases

Post by kbarnes70 »

adamhh wrote:Yes it is partially useful, especially for actual CD/LP releases. IMDB is more complete however, but still limited.

Let me give you an example... trying to find the composer Camille Saint-Saëns on both sites:

Soundtrackcollector lists 3 soundtracks
IMDB lists 83.

Yet neither list that Saint-Saëns' 'Danse Macabre' is on Mary Ellen Bute's OR Dudley Murphy's animation (both BTW called 'Danse Macabre'!) Though if you go to the IMDB page for those films you'll find that information.

Then try looking for an anonymously written piece of music such as 'How should I your Love know?' (tudor music quoted in Hamlet)... Impossible.

However, searching for Steppenwolf's 'Born To Be Wild' (famously used in Easy Rider) in SoundTrackCollector yields more hits than IMDB.

My gripe is that searching by music is limited at best. So trying to find that film that you recall Saint-Saëns, Steppenwolf (or hopelessly: Anon) on the soundtrack isn't easy.
I can see the problem you have! Maybe someone on here can help with it. I assume you've tried every googled source you can put your hands on anyway. Good luck with it.

Kind regards,

Keith
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