ASMAC presents

Hybrid Orchestration

Ross deRoche, Michael Kallin, Damon Tedesco

Real-world advice for creating the best results with hybrid orchestration:

• Balancing samples against the orchestra
  • Enhancing / Sweetening / Stripes
  • Using electronics as an instrument
• Writing for the orchestra you have in front of you (or WILL have)
  • Dos and don'ts of layering.
  • Working within the time constraints of a session and prioritization of musical material.
    • When can you "beat" a sample and when is it best to replace it? Is there a happy medium? (YES!)
  • Understanding what can and cannot be replaced.
  • The sliding spectrum of 'real' sounding instruments.
• Orchestrating with the samples in mind.
  • Treating the virtual instruments as exactly that: instruments
  • Don't try to fight what you already have layered in.
  • Considering the venue (live, recorded, what is available)

With Ross deRoche, Michael Kallin, and Damon Tedesco.

This event is in preparation for an upcoming recording session featuring Hollywood studio musicians at the October ASMAC Conference. The upcoming recording session will feature the following 11 piece instumentation: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, 2 Woodwinds, Trumpet, French Horn, Tuba (with Trombone double), Harp, and Piano.

Saturday, 29 August 2026
12pm PDT (UTC-07)
Check the time in your local time zone.

Bio

Ross deRoche

Multifaceted and multitalented studio musician, Ross deRoche lists an impressive 35 years worth of credits, reading more like a list of “been there and done that” than a resume. Besides his considerable chops as a bass trombonist doubling on tuba, Ross can attribute his expertise as a music copyist/supervisor and contractor/score supervisor to virtually hundreds of motion pictures and television shows.

Notable and recognizable titles to his credits are long running and award-winning television series, “St. Elsewhere”, “Lonesome Dove”, and the recently televised SWAT . Ross’ company, deRoche Music, Inc. was responsible for all the score supervision for “The Revenant” and “Birdman”. He helped coordinate and supervise the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Atlanta and 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic games. He is also the score supervisor for the symphony tour of the very popular Irish vocal group, “Celtic Woman”.

The imposing list of motion pictures to his credit in the same capacity include “Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 1 & 2”, “Birdman”, “White House Down”, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”, “300”, “2012”, “Watchmen”, the comedy “End of the World”, the very popular film, “The Day After Tomorrow”, and the most recent “Deadpool 2”, “Independence Day-Resurgence”, “The Revenant”, “Hobbs & Shaw”, “The Spy Who Dumped Me”, and one of James Horner’s last projects, “The 33”.

On the leading edge of entertainment trends, video game orchestral soundtracks are providing a fertile new ground for the advancing and ever-expanding musical territory which Ross ably overseas. Some of these credits include “Call of Duty-Black Ops II, III, IV & Cold War”, “Bioshock 1 & 2”, “God of War”, “Mass Effect 2”, “Demon Stone”, “Eragon”, the entire “Harry Potter” series, “Advent Rising”, “Myst IV”, “Destroy All Humans 1 & 2”, “Jade Empire” and the very exciting US and World “Video Games Live” tour produced by Tommy Tallarico.

Michael Kallin

Michael Kallin, DMA, is a sought-after native Los Angeles musician, active as a performer, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, educator, and music-preparation specialist.

As a freelance trumpeter, he has performed across the U.S., Europe, and Asia in orchestral and popular settings, and as a soloist and recording artist for film and television.

He has conducted, arranged, and orchestrated for leading Los Angeles musicians, working with world class soloists (Anne Akiko Meyers, Thomas Hooten) and collaborating with members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Long Beach Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, Hollywood Studio Symphony, and Synchron Stage Orchestra.

Dr. Kallin has contributed to many high profile media projects, including film (MaXXXine, Ebenezer, Onward), television (Pluribus, Echo, The Night Agent, The Old Man), and video games (Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 & 7). In addition, Michael has helped facilitate and supervise recording sessions in Los Angeles, Nashville, Budapest, Austria, and Germany.

In addition to his work as a player, arranger, orchestrator and conductor, Dr. Kallin is currently the Trumpet Lecturer at the University of California, Irvine.

Damon Tedesco

Damon Tedesco grew up surrounded by musicians and recording. His father, Tommy Tedesco, was a session guitarist and part of a group of musicians fondly known as The Wrecking Crew. Often attending sessions with his father during his teen years, Damon knew that he wanted to become a recording engineer.

For the last 25 years, Damon has specialized in recording music for film and television. He has recorded and mixed music for hundreds of commercials, TV shows, films, and documentaries. He recorded orchestra for Inside Out 2 for composer Andrea Datsman, mixing music for Family Guy and American Dad for composer Walter Murphy, Warner Bros. Looney Tunes Cartoons for composer Carl Johnson, Emmy Nominated Animaniacs for Steve and Julie Bernstein, Disney Junior's Mira, Royal Detective with composer Amritha Vaz and Loud House Movie for composer Philip White.