Podcast 363: Jeff Rona

Art + Music + Technology

Jeff Rona has fascinated me ever since he first appeared in Keyboard Magazine with his “The Reel World” column. It was a time when music-for-film was becoming interesting for tech-savvy musicians, and his writing fueled a lot of people’s interest in that work. With a background that includes working with Mark Isham and Hans Zimmer, Jeff has been in the mix for some of the greatest soundtracks in the last quarter century.

In our discussion, we review his background in school (with The Dartmouth System!), programming time with Roland, playing with Jon Hassell, working with some amazing producers and then moving into film music. We also get into some of his techniques, how he likes to use particular kinds of hardware, and how he puts together the palette for a film score.

We also talk about his solo work (as well as an upcoming release), and learn a bit about what he is doing in games and TV. We are also very excited about a third edition of The Reel World (the book) which he is wrapping up for upcoming release. You can learn about all of this, and more, at his website: https://jeffrona.com

You can also see all of the soundtracks that he’s been credited for on his IMDB page: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006258/. Sheesh, what a list!

Enjoy!

Transcription available at http://www.darwingrosse.com/AMT/transcript-0363.html

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