composing

I’ve been using REAPER continuously since January 2020. Since then, I’ve heavily customised it to my liking and pretty much built my professional career with it. I’m very fast with it and it can do pretty much anything I want it to, but here are the problems: 1. I’ve started getting a little...

What do the hobby AND professional audience think about live composing streams or live composing "log" videos? - dos - don´ts - suggestions - best and worse examples - visual settings? Some questions: 1. Can you follow it along just by ear? 2. Does the composer needs to talk or not? 3...

The 13th annual Musicworks Electronic Music Composition Contest Opens August 1, 2023 For immediate release: Toronto, Canada, August 1, 2023—The thirteenth annual Musicworks Electronic Music Composition Contest opens August 1, 2023. We invite you to share the with your readers, audiences, and...

Just received an email from Cinesamples / Musio advising of a composing competition for 10 people to win a year of Musio! Information and instructions here: https://musio.com/sound-off/

I found those books I'm interested in: Music Theory and Composition Jazz Harmony Musical Composition Craft and Art If someone has read one of those, I'd very happy to hear your thoughts about it.

Hi there, Been on this forum for a good few years, but not been active for a good while. Big part of that is my mental health, and it REALLY gets in the way of me composing these days. Therefore, I have decided working with a fellow composer, is what I really miss, and would help inspire me...

I am looking for a library that allows me to play chords and distribute the sounds among the instruments of the section. One for the strings, one for the woodwinds, and one for the brass. I know that EW's Orchestrator works similarly, but I would need something much simpler (and cheaper) to...

I am using dorico+NotePerformer on my computer , works great. But I bought Notion mobile for my mobile device,I tested it today to make small things. The sound quality is good enough for me and it runs fast,the handwriting function works well.

35% off select Audiomodern, including Playbeat and Loopmix for $44.85 each: https://www.jrrshop.com/audiomodern?dir=desc&order=special_from_date Bitwig Studio on sale for $299: https://www.jrrshop.com/bitwig?dir=desc&order=special_from_date

Hey friends, I'm so excited to share a brand new composing competition with you! The last one I did was a few years ago, so I thought it would be a great moment to kick off 2023 strong with some music making. For all the details on entry, deadline, and prizes (free courses, libraries from...

Learn More: https://soundiron.com/products/quadral This week you can save 50% on Quadral! A powerful synthesis engine, ideal for film and game composers who need a fast workflow while maintaining their creative spark. This library includes over 200 factory patches of Arps, Basses, Leads, FX...

I reached out to VI-C about AROOF and you guys made TONS of help. That thread can be found here. So, I finally decided to get AROOF with 50% off in the Edu-week. Really liking the library so far! Here is my attempt to make it sit in my template. So far, I find brass and all percussion to be the...

In this Soundiron Session Craig Peters walks you through his demo "Barroom Brawl" which was inspired by reality shows like Rust Valley Restorers, Car Masters: Rust To Riches and TV Advertisements. You'll get insight into the creation of the track as well as an in-depth look into the drum mixing...

Hi everyone! I'm excited to share that I've just prepared a brand new, exclusive free workshop called 'The Composer's Guide to Success', and rather than talking about composing and orchestration techniques like we do all the time on my YouTube channel, this material is designed to tackle the...

I'm not able to write a heroic or happy melodie + chord progression. Is it harder to write something that sounds more "mainstream" or could it be that I'm just more attached to the dark haunting side of things? How could I practice and is it normal that a Composer has a specific palette of...

In this Soundiron Session Craig Peters walks you through his demo "Frozen Heart" which was inspired by movies like the survival drama Arctic and the first-person survival video game The Long Dark. Craig deconstructs the track showing how he composed around an acoustic guitar using Sonespheres 4...

This is the first of 3 short movies about how to write adventurous music for videogames. The music is made for a client, but he was ok with me sharing the process here. In this video, I showcase the pianosketch and share the themes and motifs for the full piece. Part 2 will feature a...

Hi I got question when composing for the pipe organ. Is polyphony prefer more then homophony style? Even in a piece that has a dominant melody should I still think of the accompaniment as it's own but less interesting. Is there any example of organ work in homophony style from Baroque or...

Hey friends! How much complexity do you generally find in your music? Do you use certain devices because they're more impressive, or do they always contribute in a positive way to your piece? In today's video, I'd like to make a case for why keeping things simple is a good approach to start...

Hey friends, happy Monday! As we know, composing and orchestrating music can be an exhilarating experience when everything is going right, but it can certainly feel depressing as well when they're not. I'm currently doing a little research on how we can make composing as a whole more simple and...

In this episode Nathan and Craig talk with Joël Dollié who is a French Mixing and Mastering engineer whose work can be heard throughout the music and entertainment industry. His talents have been utilized by companies including Ghostwriter Music, SPM Music Group, Sonic Symphony, and Cavalry...

Soundiron recently released Hyperion Brass Micro and I put together this video deconstructing my demo "From The Astral Planes". This track was a ton of fun to compose and is heavily inspired by film scores like Spider Man, Doctor Strange, and other Marvel Blockbusters. Enjoy!

I want to improve my ability to write songs that sound great with baritone vocals. My initial instinct is just just make the instrumentation higher pitched; is that a good path to go down, or is it naive? Does anyone have tips or tricks for doing this well?

In this Soundiron Session Craig Peters walks you through his dark moody EDM inspired track using Winterbells, Glitch Hero, Voice of Wind Adey, Voice of Wind: Audrey. Craig talks about the inspiration behind the track, deconstructs the mixing & mastering process, and more. WATCH NOW

Here is the full orchestrated version of my last sketch, written initially for piano, with choir and woodwinds in mind. Link to high-quality audio: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mzZn... Piano-reduction: https://youtu.be/6XsPl4cr4MI https://cinematicstudioseries.com Recorded using...

Learn More: https://soundiron.com/blogs/news/25-days-of-composing-competition To enter the 25 Days of Composing Competition: You must compose an original piece of music (between 1:00-2:00 minutes long) using ONLY the sounds from our free library Desk Bell (Click here to download for free now)...

Hey Gang, Made a fun little video of Composing in the style of squid game. Had a great time using Phoenix Orchestra by Orchestral Tools!

As part of the release of our Lost Piano sample library, we’ve made a short film for you to create your very own score to. The competition is free to enter and you’ll be in with a chance to win some prizes as well as get your work heard by our esteemed judging team. WATCH THE FILM, READ ALL THE...

Hey again everyone. Any comment on improvement are welcome. Or just what you think in general of this sort of thing, Is it embarrassing? Difficult to follow? Too much variation? Like I've heard the track a few times now, and can "follow" it, because I made it. But if I leave it alone for 24...

This is the first video in a small series on how I use Divisimate as a tool when writing orchestral music. The template is based upon these libraries: https://cinematicstudioseries.com Recorded using a breath-controller: https://www.tecontrol.se/ Project Files: https://cutt.ly/rRB4zRl Hope...

Would love to hear some of your methods to getting started with a composition. I’m sure there are some age old composing exercises to get the old creative brain going. I personally have struggled the most with this, but have found limitations to be extremely motivating. Also challenges such as...

In this Soundiron Session Craig Peters deconstructs his track "Wrong Turn" which was inspired by the Netflix show Ozark composed by Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans. Craig takes you step-by-step behind building the track, building tension with minimal instrumentation, creating a dark atmosphere...

Yeah, so uh... Yeah.

Learn more: https://soundiron.com/collections/on-sale/products/bamboo-stick-ensemble For this week only you can save 25% on Bamboo Stick Ensemble! A classic scoring percussion library for Kontakt, these samples capture the tight & powerful clack of long, heavy raw bamboo poles, played more as...

Learn More: https://soundiron.com/collections/on-sale/products/aztec-death-whistle For this week only you can save 25% off Aztec Death Whistle, a deeply sampled folk wind instrument sample library that captures the dark soul of the ancient Aztec death whistle. Made of kiln-fired clay, It has...

I already own a pair of amazing open-back pair of Focal Clear Professional headphones for composing/mixing...when the apartment is actually quiet...which is rare. Problem is, my studio is in the living room behind a big office partition and all the noise from my wife and kid goes right through...

In this Soundiron Session Craig Peters deconstructs his track "Revenge of the Cobra" which was inspired by the Cobra Kai video game composed by Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson. Craig takes you step-by-step behind building the track, layering synths and guitars to create a huge wall of sound...

Hello all! My name is Sam and I run a fairly new youtube channel called secondtiersound. You might have seen some of my videos, particularly about the EastWest Libraries, even though I do much more than that. My channel is small, but growing. About 740 subs as I write this. It is quite a niche...

Hey everyone, I just wrapped up a livestream on Disney style orchestration on my YouTube channel! So much fun!! Feel free to check it out here, all timestamps included! Thanks.

hey! ah, it's nice to join the community finally, often explore these threads and have been very useful over the years. My name is Lucie, I'm originally from Scotland and based in London. I'm a composer for media but also do sessions for video games using my nyckelharpa and voice. I've...

Hey everyone, I just did a livestream today going over 3 methods to earn a living as a composer or working in music! I hope you find this helpful in some way, and you'll find all timestamps listed to help navigate. Please enjoy!

Learn More: https://soundiron.com/products/the-musique-box Musique Box 2.0 is a complete collection of deeply sampled antique music boxes. We recorded 11 music boxes in different environments, from dry studio to a lush concert hall, and even submerged underwater. They can be combined and...

Scalar 2 vs Captain Chords Which is best, any pros/cons for either?

At the loudest part in your compositions, do you Programm the complete orchestra playing fff or do you keep the lower stuff softer and the higher instruments louder ? And is it true that orchestral instruments should be played softer in order to sound better/fuller ? If you play brass softer...

Hi all! I'm a professional orchestrator working from London UK and though it would be cool to share a video breaking down the process of going from mockup to score to studio session in Budapest: There are also some extra long in-depth videos where I do a fly-on-the-wall video of the entire...

Hey everyone! In today’s video, let’s dive into the soundtrack of Super Mario Galaxy 2, and sees what it offers over its predecessor. Please enjoy!

In this Soundiron Session Craig Peters deconstructs this mystical style track featuring the amazing vocals of Francesca Genco. He breaks down the instrumentation from laying down percussion, drones, adding atmosphere with FX, mixing and mastering and how he used Voices of Gaia Francesca as a...

In this Soundiron Session Craig Peters takes you through his track "Nature's Harmony". This was a demo written for the Hopkin Instrumentarium: Rumba Boxes, which is our newest release in the Hopkin Instrumentarium series. In this video Craig will deconstruct the track giving you insight into the...

How do you work with different tempos, time signatures and hit points when working to video in Cubase? I'm using a time signature track and tempo track, working with virtual instruments and audio... I recently had the issue of how do I fix a time signature and tempo at a point in time, and...

In this episode of Soundiron Session Craig Peters deconstructs his track titled "What Lurks Beyond The Grave" which was inspired by film composing legend Danny Elfman. Craig shows how he built the track from the ground up using various Soundiron virtual instruments like Hyperion Strings...

If you have decided to take your composing career seriously, you're likely considering the prospects of applying for internships, trying to become a composer's assistant, or attending college. Today, in between a film cue or two, I decided to talk about all of those things...

Even if the world is in lockdown.

I hope you're all coping well enough during this global crisis. We all need a little pick-me-up now and then.

Hi everyone! As you may know, I'm currently doing a 'Quick Tips' series this month, where I upload a video a day in regards to any topic on composition, arranging, and mixing. I wanted to share this video in particular, which is actually the most in-depth video I've done this month. If you've...

In this video Craig Peters builds a cinematic styled track from scratch using the free sample pack provided for Native Instruments Metapop scoring competition. Craig talks about how he layers drum loops, using one shots for accents and impact, using ambiences for adding to the drama, and much...

Hi Everyone. We are new, this is new. I mean we have been here before. A lot. But not as a company. Here is a preview of what else will be new, very soon: www.nextmidi.com All the best, Steffen & Peter

In this episode of Soundiron Session Craig Peters takes you through his track "Lost At Sea". This was a demo written for ']Sonespheres 3 - Current, which is our newest release in collaboration with Film/TV composer Blake Ewing. Craig deconstructs the track giving you insight into the thought...

I hope this fits right into the category. Just watched a Video by Guy Michelmore called "Keep it simple". Topic: Composing from a blank sheet / templateless DAW project file and let it go. Have to say it was right my alley concerning the workflow. And I think he did illustrate well, how this...

In this special Halloween edition of Soundiron Session Craig Peters takes you through his composition inspired by horror. Musical themes in film scores can connect you to the story and characters in a very emotional way, and horror films are no different. Craig deconstructs his track showing...

In this video Craig Peters walks you through his short composition "Artificial Extinction" showing you how he combined orchestral elements and sound-design with metal. Adding these elements to rock, metal or even pop productions can add a whole new dimension to your music. The libraries used...

Learn More: https://soundiron.com/products/little-epic-percussion Little Epic Percussion is a splendid assortment of small orchestral and ethnic percussion instruments created to complement our existing collection of epic drums. This 3.0 upgrade opens up a new world of percussive possibilities...

Hi there! I'm Andrew, I'm a new member and a growing up composer. I was looking for a good way to getting known into music industry as a composer, I wanted to focus myself into orchestral, cinematic and epic music... Maybe one day being a film composer... But is a distant dream. So... I was...

We're running a 72 hour flash sale on Emotional Piano $99 (MSRP $149)! You'll save $50 on one of our most popular piano libraries. Sale ends Saturday @ 11:59 PM PST Learn more: https://soundiron.com/products/emotional-piano In this video Vivek Maddala shows how he uses Emotional Piano on big...

Introducing Symphonic Organ – Available Thursday 22nd August.

I see a lot of talk about templates when it comes to sample mockup work. I've never really understood all the hoopla. I mean, put an instrument on a track, repeat process, add folders, blah blah, save when you've got all your standard instruments lined up and color-coded in a way that works best...

Hi there, I am a professional musician, however I perform rather than compose. I will occasionally arrange and compose pieces for myself and my quartet but nothing larger than this. I am looking to extend my skills and start composing larger pieces for an orchestra. I would think my music...

Hey all! In today's video, let's explore a fun topic: writing a Disney-style song intro! Using secondary dominants and exploring the circle of 5ths, how can we pull this off? Enjoy :)

Soundiron 30% Off Flash Sale: High School Drum Corps - 3 Days Only Learn more: https://soundiron.com/products/high-school-drum-corps Soundiron's ']High School Drum Corps is a multi-sample drum library focused on capturing the powerful, tight sound of small marching band drum line. This library...

This is a series of different tips & tricks on things like sound-design, tech and tricks within the DAW and more. We would love to hear about some of your go-to tips and tricks that you've built over the course of your music production experience! Here is the latest video below Tips &...

Hello, everyone! The first of my Blank Page videos for Orchestral Tools is up now. This will be a series of quick compositions, rolling out a brief idea within half an hour with a specific library or two. I'm hoping to give those of us creating quietly in a small apartment an idea of what we...

Hi everyone! I'll be streaming fairly regularly on Twitch - composing, mixing, testing sample libraries - whatever you'd like to see. I have a ton of Spitfire (nearly all) and 8Dio libraries and a growing Orchestral Tools collection among many other things, and I'll often do shoot-outs when...

In your opinion which one, and why? I will be using this for film/game/tv scoring. As far as I understand from what I've read so far, SSS is recorded in a drier environment so I would have to add reverb in post. I would love if I could get the SCS PRO but it is so much more than SSS PRO that...

If you could choose only one per category, i.e (Solo Strings, would be separate from the orchestral range of string libraries). Which Libraries are a must-have and why? I am trying to build myself a collection of libraries that I would be able to compose almost any orchestral score with...

Hey Everyone! We recently posted a NEW Soundiron Session on our YouTube channel. This time composing in the style of a gritty dramatic action cue ala The Punisher and Breaking Bad. This uses predominately Modern Animated Percussion, Tines & Echoes and some real guitars. Enjoy! If you would...

In this Soundiron Session Craig Peters take you through his composition in the style of a cinematic fantasy/RPG styled track. Craig breaks down the creative decisions behind the music as well as showing the mixing and mastering process. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://goo.gl/gnrrpY

Do you guys know when and how to use odd time signatures? If you're just starting out, this might be daunting. I did a quick video demonstration on when to use 7/8 for film/tv music. Hope this is helpful for someone out there!

We recently released Mimi Page Light & Shadow, our new ethereal solo vocal and sound-design library in collaboration with singer-composer Mimi Page. In these two videos she breaks down her tracks showcasing both elements of the library "Light & Shadow". Ethereal Dreamscapes of Light Demo...

Hey all. I've just written one of my processes to create an effective melody: Do you have any tips and tricks to share?

Hey all! I've just written a few tips and tricks that I use to create a pattern from a basic chord progression. Maybe some of you will find it useful:

Does anybody know if @mverta has planned his annual thing this christmas? Have been watching it since the startup, and can honestly say it's my favourite way to start the christmas-holidays. Anyone delivered a piece to him for feedback, or know anything about him setting up a folder for...

Hi there, So my wife is really supportive of the time and energy I put in to my composing and studio activities, and for birthday got me the new Andy Hill book called "Scoring The Screen" on Cinematic Composing. Its a great book which provides for some really useful insights. So with Christmas...

Los Angeles based Film/TV composer Leo Birenberg (Cobra Kai, Kung Fu Panda and the Paws of Destiny) invites Soundiron inside his studio. Leo Birenberg Website: www.leobirenberg.com Leo breaks down a few cues from Kung Fu Panda and the Paws of Destiny. He takes us through his thought process and...

Hi fellow composers and producers! Due to popular request, I wanted to share with you today a detailed look into the libraries that I use in my everyday workflow, and how I use them. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Hey everyone! On this Soundiron Session Craig Peters takes you through his Sick 7 demo track. This demo ended up sounding like the soundtrack to hell! Since Halloween is right around the corner we thought this would be a fun one to breakdown. Learn more about Sick 7: Voices of the Dead...

Hi all, please enjoy my demo reel for this year! Would love to hear any thoughts you might have to share. Thank you!

OK!! So i need a g guy with very good logic thinking to help me out I going to write this in a very bullet pointed fashion so its easy to understand -So i compose as a hobby so hopefully one day i become a fulltime composer -At the same time i have a real life job. Im a marketing director...

We take you into the beautiful home studio of singer/song writer/composer Mimi Page. She has worked with composer Inon Zur on Fallout 4:Far Harbor as well as multiple collaborations with DJ/Record Producer Bassnectar. She has also scored The Lighthouse and Zak Bagans documentary Demon House. We...

Hi I'm new here! I've been composing for a little while and decided this past month to post up my original compositions online! This is my latest piece: Hope you enjoy!

Hi all, I wanted to get your thoughts on whether you prefer watching tutorials on the shorter side (30min or less) vs. a 3-4 hour composing video detailing each musical decision (DJ/Dirk Ehlert just to name a few). Which do you prefer and why? Up to this point, I have only done videos around...

Announcing SampleHero’s 2nd Scoring Competition!! The Winner will receive SampleHero’s prestigious “Outstanding Composition Award," to display in their studio! All currently available SampleHero products! (That's over $1,000.00 in goodies!) Their name, face and track will be featured on the...

Hi all, Here's a video on composing and adjusting tracks accordingly with Orb Composer.

So I wasn't sure if this was the right forum to put this thread. I'm struggling with lower back pains and as you all are well aware, we sit on our computers for hours and if you don't have a good chair you might end up with some sore back pains. Now I am not a chair connoisseur, so I would...

I would be delighted if you guys would bother use 4 minutes to listen to my very first track made in august 2017, and my newest piece finished now in january 2018. Feel free to post your comments too. Here is august 2017: And here is january 2018:

Hi everybody, Hope you all have a happy New Year's eve, and 2018 is a good one. Here is my submission to the latest Spitfire Audio competition, enjoy:

Any general tips or suggestions on strategies to compose / produce both more quickly / more efficiently?

Hi! I've been honing my skills for a while now, and would like to take my first steps into the industry. What is the best way(s) to get started nowadays? I've found this "guide", but it's 8 years old so I don't know if it's still relevant. And nearly all the games I've found set to be released...

Hi guys I'm looking forward to hearing your experience at thing of final delivery time and moment when you get final locked picture. How much time you get to finalise composing the music, do all final conforms, record instruments etc for the feature since you obtain a final locked picture? I'm...