What are "recording sessions"?

What are "recording sessions"? What kind of music is meant when music is declared as music of "recording sessions", e.g. music of Harry Potter by John Williams? What is the difference to the (original) soundtrack? And where does that music come from?

It’s most (if not all) of the music recorded for the film including the complete score and alternates.

This^ and most-likely isn’t mastered using compressor/eq/whatever. So, usually premastered tracks.

It’s most (if not all) of the music recorded for the film including the complete score and alternates.
So, the complete score is the music released on an album of the official soundtrack (mostly or always) without alternates. And the recording sessions might contain (more) alternates…and other music?

Soundtrack and score are different?

This^ and most-likely isn’t mastered using compressor/eq/whatever. So, usually premastered tracks.

Means, the sound of such recoding sessions might not be of the best quality? Because the post mastering (or whatever it is called) is missing?

I don’t really want to confuse you, Biffos, but sadly what constitutes a complete score might be different for each individual, in the sharing underworld, at least: I’ve often seen users use "complete score" to refer to all the music specifically written for a movie, as it is heard in the movie [that means mixed/mastered/cut/etcetera], others call recording sessions complete scores (because those should have all the music originally recorded for the movie); then there are those who take the film edits of a movie score, its recording sessions, stick them together in one big album and call THAT the complete score. How to tell wrong from right here? Personally, in my ignorance, I think each "example" I’ve given is partially right.

Means, the sound of such recoding sessions might not be of the best quality? Because the post mastering (or whatever it is called) is missing?
Correct.

Sessions are what complete scores are often mistaken for. Sessions have more meat: alternates, inserts, outtakes, demos, suites, you name it. And they are different. Compare the Superman Returns sessions vs the complete score. Same with TDKR

So, the complete score is the music released on an album of the official soundtrack (mostly or always) without alternates. And the recording sessions might contain (more) alternates…and other music?

Soundtrack and score are different?

Means, the sound of such recoding sessions might not be of the best quality? Because the post mastering (or whatever it is called) is missing?

OST = In most cases, the Official SoundTrack album is made up of selections of the original film score, with some songs from the film thrown into the mix as well. The tracks of score are, in most cases, not cues in their original form, but are instead made up of several cues cut and spliced together. Fairly often, you’ll get a soundtrack album and a score album for a film – the soundtrack containing 90% songs with one or two score tracks, the score album containing just score. Soundtrack/Score albums never contain the complete score as written for the film. There is always missing material.

Sessions = the complete score written and recorded for a film in the raw format that is presented for the filmmakers to use. It’s literally all the recordings that are made in the studio by the orchestra for a film, and often includes alternate versions of cues. After this is presented to the filmmakers, cues are often rejigged a little/mixed differently and so sometimes recording sessions don’t include the exact version of a cue as heard in the film.

Put very simply.

Sessions are the only thing any film enthusiast should be listening to 😉

Sessions are the only thing any film enthusiast should be listening to 😉

Word

Word

Says the guy who says film mixes are the way to go

Says the guy who says film mixes are the way to go

Out of context. When it’s a commercially-released OST vs "sessions" or "complete", those are the way to go.

Film mixes are something that only we know about, which is but a sliver of the general public :p

If one of my friends asks me what’s playing through my iPhone as we’re driving and I say "the film mix of the complete score to The Dark Knight", they’d look at me as if I had 2 heads :laugh:

OST = Official SoundTrack

In earlier days "Original" was used a lot.
Other times it would say ‘original motion picture score’ or some other jumble of collected words.

If it happens to be a soundtrack with songs by pop artists and the like, I think they tend to leave out ‘original’ and use ‘official’ or use just ‘soundtrack’.
If it’s a cover song of the Bee Gees, it’s not original, so the labels try to be more PC about it.

Internetwise, it’s just slain for original soundtrack, regardless of total originality (……..300 :eye: ).
I still love 300. The uncredited cover song is much more revamped.

———- Post added at 06:16 PM ———- Previous post was at 06:11 PM ———-

Personally, I would rather settle on a custom set of a "film mix" and then all the other stuff added last/separate: alternates, inserts, outtakes, demos, suites.

The retail albums can offer different tracks were cues are presented differently than any of the complete or sessions.
So those can be added as bonus, too in the Definitives.

Very many thanks for the very understandable explanations, my question is answered now.

I have found this, Richard Gibbs (the film music composer) says about score / soundtrack: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-a-film-score-and-a-soundtrack

Many thanks again