David Schwartz
"Arrested Development" is considered by many to be one of the greatest television shows of all time. While it didn't earn huge ratings during its original airing, the first three seasons of the show have grown in popularity through word of mouth, DVD sales, and by streaming on sites like Netflix. Years after its cancellation, Arrested Development is now more popular than it has ever been. Netflix took notice, and funded the filming of a completely new fourth season featuring the entire original cast. One of the most crucial elements of the show's original success was the quirky, original music. David Schwartz, original composer, has been hard at work writing new pieces for the recentley completed season 4 of Arrested Development. We caught up with David to ask him how the experience has been.
How was working on this season of Arrested Development different from past seasons?
This one was the most fun and the most intense. Each episode averaged over 30 minutes as opposed to the 21 minute episodes that aired on FOX in the first 3 seasons.
Did you have any goals or specific ideas in mind for the music of this season?
Yes, it was exciting when I first found out about season 4. My goal was to try to get the music to a new level while still retaining the essence of Arrested Development.
What was it like working with the team after such a long absence?
Even more laughter. Everyone involved in the show is so good at what they do. We work really hard, so it helps to have great people to work along side with.
Has your gear, workflow, or method changed at all over the years?
I tend to stay on the bleeding edge of technology and sometimes I've paid the price. That said, I upgraded to DP 8 right as we started the show. After a rough, but brief transition period, I found the new system to be a huge boost to my workflow. I was able to trim down to one computer with all my soft synths running inside DP. This made life more simpler, especially when revisiting a cue from an earlier episode.
Did DrumCore play any part in your demos or final pieces for this season?
When I write groove oriented cues, I usually start with inspiration from drums or percussion. DrumCore is a great source for a variety of cool drum grooves and/or sounds. I love that you can search by style/groove. It's also really helpful once I find a style. DrumCore provides a number of variations I can use to compose with.
What projects do you have on the horizon?
The release of "Timekeeper" the new CD from Lucy Schwartz. I co-produced the record. It will be out August 6th. Hopefully I will have some new TV projects to talk about soon.
Your daughter is a fantastic musician as well, do you perform with her? Where can our users learn more about her music?
Lucyschwartz.com Lucy and I co-produced her last 2 EPs and her new forthcoming record. I find it really inspiring working with Lucy and the players on her records. She will be on tour this summer with Tom Odell. Although I used to play live with her band, these days, she has a fantastic young band of her contemporaries.
