Pakbuzz Q&A is proud to present an exclusive, in-depth interview with David Libby, the composer of the scores for the Greg Pak films “Happy Hamptons Holiday Camp for Troubled Couples,” “Super Power Blues,” and “Planet Hulk Trailer.”
[UPDATE: Libby has launched BroadwayDemo.com, a demo and website production service for musical theater actors — click here to visit the site.]
Greg Pak: We’ve worked together on three different short film projects now, but I’m realizing I have no idea how you work your magic — I email you video and tell you some of my ideas for the score and you email me back links to gorgeous music. Walk us through the process a bit. First, the technicalities — what kind of equipment and computer system do you use? Is all the music generated through synthesizers and computers or do you do any live performances? And how do you keep the neighbors from calling the cops with noise complaints?
David Libby: I have very cool neighbors, no doubt! I’m always playing piano and my wife is a singer, and we’ve never had a complaint. Actually, we’ve even gotten requests to play louder because they like it! The only down side to this is that I can never move.
Once I get the video file you email me, I import it into music production software called Sonar. I have a Kurzweil PC88 keyboard which is connected to my computer, but I don’t use the keyboard for sounds. I only use it to trigger sounds that are generated on my computer by a software sampler called Gigastudio, which produces the most realistic sounds currently on the market. So, when I play my keyboard it triggers sounds that are generated on my computer by Gigastudio, and those sounds are recorded on my computer by Sonar. I also use Reason and Acid type loops for sound generation, and Sibelius for music notation when I want to write something out.

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