Mixing trailer music | Two Steps From Hell | Chaos Theory | When Light Gets In

[@chrispeh9137]

Insane track. Im glad to be able to learn from one of the bests for free from home in my pyjamas. What a time to be alive.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Hahaa, great way to see it! Thank you so much!

[@Dirk_Ehlert]

Just waiting till you finally get your brass colored yellow, then I'll truly feel at home (all others are same as my color set - but WW is blue) lol. Great content mate, awesome resource not only for beginners!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Hahaha, thanks bro! :D

[@Dirk_Ehlert]

@@AlexPfeffer btw, at 0:53 you have ghosts with ya, at least according to your mouse haha

[@AlexPfeffer]

Hahaha yes, that's quite a funny cut. The Pepper cut! 😂

[@Abbacacci]

brass feels natural (dark) blue to me too :D .. and the WW bright blue

[@महरा-ड2म]

Thank You Very Much! 🙂🙏

[@MarcShake]

I just started with trailermusic. Now this is inspirational.

[@dafingaz]

Incredible

[@jfilbert]

"Don't be shocked when you hear the distortion..." (Shocked when I heard the distortion). Just glad you *intended* to have that in there! =)

[@AlexPfeffer]

Haha, I mentioned this because when you listen to the track in the very beginning the level may be still but after listening to the unmastered file for a longer time it becomes a bit disturbing. This also happens by listening to too much bright or dull tracks and then the opposite.

[@irbomusic]

You know what's funny, I always relate music to cooking too XD. I always watch Christian Henson's videos and watching him make a track and combine all the orchestras together and explain what he did and why reminds me of something like a cooking reality show where the contestants explain everything they did to the judges.

[@GprokYB]

God we all love that FG 401 don't we! simplistic and noble-sounding compressor....

[@AlexPfeffer]

Absolutely! Thanks man!

[@corentinhenrilefur]

I freaking love you.

[@roydhaston]

Alex, can't wait to get in to this one. And here I was thinking it was going to be a boring day. Thank you so much for what you are doing for the community. You're good people!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Haha Royd! Thank you so much! Your comment definitely lightened up my day too! :)

[@mazely]

Absolutelly great, someone who mixes and masters while composing. Thanks God I'm not the only one. It's possible! Great video, very very informative. Love the pieces.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you so much!

[@kasperchristensen8416]

Pure ear candy 🍬 as well as super educational, Alex! :)

[@AlexPfeffer]

Glad you enjoyed it Thank you!

[@FrankZimmermannAudio]

Again awesome work, Alex! Your analogy with cooking is really neat. 😁😂 Makes perfect sense to me, there's no "one fits all" preset or tweak, so I totally agree. Thank you so much! 👍

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you too!

[@markuslehmenkuhler4739]

Thanks for sharing . Very helpful !

[@AlexPfeffer]

My pleasure! Thank you!

[@AdamHarveyMusic]

Thanks so much for this Alex, great overview and great to see how you work when it comes to mixing!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you for checking out my video! 😊

[@pablovivasmusic9345]

Awesome tips.! Thank you.! Alex track sounds massive.!!! 💪🏻. 🔥🔥👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 great work.!!!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you so much!

[@davidclipperton]

Great info! Thanks Alex!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you David!

[@t.henricus9971]

Top-notch content! Thanks for the informative video and great insight!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you!

[@aristotlekumpis7095]

Wow! I love this piece that you did. It sounds amazing. Lots going on here. Thanks for this tutorial.

[@AlienorchestraNetoslo]

Facebook just brought me here, sooo helpful, 'straight to the point' video! love it, btw that track is spectacular!! cheers from Norway...

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you so much!

[@danatunes3984]

Just wanted to say thank you for all the hard work you've put in all the videos!! Truly one of the most helpful and informative channels on KZbin. Thank you so much!!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate it!

[@alanjayreed457]

Im Endffekt ist dein Mix eine Art von Top Down Mixing Methode...ich mache das auch schon ewig so. Ich denke für TV und Trailer Musik ist das mit Abstand die effizienteste Methode

[@leandrobastosmusic]

Great track! Synth sounds are killer, Love it 👏👏👏👏

[@james_wedlock_music]

Thanks for this great video Alex. It’s really helped with a track I’ve been struggling with.

[@DreadPitt]

Extremely good video! Crazy how much the mastering did. Also, I don't mind if you put on a little makeup 😅

[@RomanHeuser]

Many thanks sharing these in-depth views Alex, really inspiring and motivating each time!

[@yuggothproductions]

Great video Alex! I think what you said about the arrangement being connected with the mix is crucial! Having a vision with how everything will fall together always informs what plugins you use and all the details! And as you said just not doing things by default! Fantastic track too!!! Cheers!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thanks so much man!

[@jensloetzsch]

Super helpful stuff as always ! Thank you !

[@StefMeierMusic]

Great to hear you kind of jump around from mixing to some mastering back and forth. I sometimes start messing a little with the master bus as I’m mixing and even writing and I hear a lot of people saying they don’t mess at all with the master bus or even the mixing and just take their writing/mixing/mastering approach step by step in a chronological order. Personally jumping back and forth works for me and you saying you do the same gave me some reassurance haha Great video as usual Alex!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you Stefano!

[@altermoremusic]

Super. Epic. Thnx for this one, Alex.

[@AlexPfeffer]

And thank you too!

[@sourcefor]

Informative as usual Alex!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thanks!

[@burgercat4890]

love it!

[@JonasDenolf]

Thanks !! 🤩

[@LevellerBeats]

Just incredible thanks for doing that for us. Thats not self evident. Thanks for the time steps too ;)

[@AlexPfeffer]

My pleasure! Thank you!

[@SOUNTH11composingdesign]

Great explanation.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thanks man!

[@goreybeydagi]

Thank you as always for sharing Alex. There is so much to learn. Sometimes (frankly usually( I see nightmares about mixing :).

[@AlexPfeffer]

Haha, thank you, yes that happens 😅

[@MHasseldam]

Great stuff, Alex! :-) Thanks!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you, Martin! :)

[@seventearsofhope]

Oh wow.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you!

[@FabianSchock]

I thought I was the only one who sometimes mixes up mixing, mastering and Arrangements and changes things on the arrangements even after the mastering xD

[@FLH3official]

You're not alone, Fabian. We are artists, if we can have more control of what's coming out of our brain it's positiv and personnaly I also come back & forth sometimes from "my almost final bounce" to the mix and even to the midi tracks, changing one note length, a few bits of dynamic or even replay some notes or change an instrument. Even if we use engineers recipes & methods, these are valuable tools, in art the ONLY important thing is the final result. If a mistake sounds good it's no more a mistake. Is it good, is it pleasing, are we proud of it? That the only questions. Period.

[@FabianSchock]

@@FLH3official yes :D

[@mazely]

me too!

[@JAYFLOPROBEATS]

dang that sounded amazing... first thing I envisioned was Skyrim or Dragon Age type feel when listening to the arrangement. I know I have a long way to go in regards to getting on that level of music production/composing. I'm a novice (IMO) when it comes to my knowledge with music theory but while I came into music starting out rapping/singing then producing for local artist within the RnB and Rap/Hiphop genres as well as Lofi, I've always had my sights on getting more so into sync licensing other than traditional industry production.( working with artist would become a side job) I'm glad I found this channel because maybe I could learn a lot more about the essence of creating theme music for games/movies and it will help me in the long run as I continue this journey through music production.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thanks so much! Let me know if you have any other questions :)

[@JAYFLOPROBEATS]

@@AlexPfeffer will do

[@ludovicv1163]

A great one as usual! Thanks Alex

[@AlexPfeffer]

My pleasure! Thank you!

[@achillesamusic]

Well cooking is hard as aswell :P , love your insights Alex!

[@AlexPfeffer]

It really is! :D Thank you!

[@saro2431]

Amazing content! Thank you! Can I ask how did you achieve to get that clean-sounding synths? I own many of Audio Imperia's & 8Dio's products & Serum, but I didn't achieve that kind of sound.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you, so I mostly used Repro1 and Nexus on this album production. Maybe this is the sound you are after?.

[@saro2431]

@@AlexPfeffer Okay, thanks. I think I try to create this kind of synth arpeggio sound. Synth sounds very dry to me, if I compare for example the spiccato strings which you put "back/rear" in the dimensional/depth view with reverb & EQ. These synths create very futuristic and cool atmosphere.

[@i-foundasound]

A great insight! Thank you so much for providing this. I wonder, would you ever consider releasing the project file for us to really dig into and reverse learn? Great track 👍

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you but this would be illegal as I don't have the publishing rights.

[@i-foundasound]

@@AlexPfeffer ah ok, completely understand. Thanks anyways and look forward to more content 🙌

[@musiclover19798]

Awesome insights and great video! I noticed you don't do any panning. Is this because the libraries you use are recording in situ? I know some composers who still pan their strings even in situ. Some even use Waves S1 Stereo Imager to do their panning. Any thoughts on this?

[@AlexPfeffer]

Yep, most libs I used are recorded in situ already and it is just something we were taught to do because it derived from traditional orchestral seating. There are so many who overdub their sections to the full spectrum as Desplat did with the strings in Godzilla.

[@manuelfederici.composer]

oh yes!! This video has so much content.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thanks Manuel!

[@tve5614]

Hello Alex, do you know a good reeverb vst...I like to hear a more beautifuller sound in Cubase 11 pro

[@AlexPfeffer]

There are tons, Seventh Heaven, Cinematic Rooms, Valhalla, Lexicon, Altiverb etc

[@kazr4853]

A wonderful and generous video, thanks! I wonder, how do you deal with stems with so much mastering processing? I've been trying to minimise my mastering so the stems work without mastering, but I'm not enjoying it..

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you. It depends if I have to do production stems or just stems for external mixing and mastering.

[@MyFretboard]

Loving this breakdown of your mix Alex! Watching on a small screen but what do you do in terms of panning across the mix?

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you, to be honest, not that much because all the libs I am using are already prepanned or sound like I like it most.

[@IsabellaCLau125]

Super video Alex!!! Is there a reason you aren't needing to use sidechain compression to fit your impacts and hits in? I'm just wondering how you manage to avoid mud without doing that...

[@AlexPfeffer]

Hey, I usually have my hits on a different stem than the percussions so it functions a bit like side chaining but only for the percussions. I always felt that is enough 😅

[@shea1000]

Thanks so much, Alex, for sharing your time and deep knowlege! One thing I wonder: With all the goodness on your mastering, do you find the latencies add up to the point it gets challenging to write new parts, or do you move all stuff on the master buss while writing/rewriting (as I do), and move it all back?

[@AlexPfeffer]

Hey, not really a problem because mostly I don't use plugins that introduce lots of latency. Of course I would only add these closer towards the end of the writing process.

[@shea1000]

@@AlexPfeffer Understand both the low latency, and toward the end. :) Some of my plugs are indeed massive latency-inserters, and I probably should look for alternatives. Thanks again, Alex!

[@tylerk-composer9529]

I think I asked for this last time, not sure if that's why you made it, but thanks so much for these Alex, learning loads😁

[@tylerk-composer9529]

One question, do you usually do everything on headphones? Or is it just for twitch? Thx

[@AlexPfeffer]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@AlexPfeffer]

No, I basically 99,99% of the time work with headphones.

[@tylerk-composer9529]

Ok thanks🙂

[@Fabi-es1xy]

@@AlexPfeffer If you always use headphones your track may get a little bit to "light" because in the headphones the bass frequencies are displayed on a louder level, therefor you sometimes end up adding not enough bass frequencies, thats my expierience at least.

[@GavinPotter]

Reminds me of Robert Miles, but just on steroids haha. Awesome work Alex.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Aw thank you so much!

[@BrofUJu]

Hi Alex, the mastering of this is fantastic for loudness but still punchy in the low end. Is there a certain RMS or LUFS you're aiming for at the end with the inflator? Thanks!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thank you! Not caring about RMS, LUFs or whatever. Only if it sounds good.

[@DraedenOfficial]

Hey Alex ! Thanks for sharing this. Usually in electronic music, we tend to cut all the low end to make space for the sub. Would you mind explaining why we don't do that in an orchestral piece ?For example, cut all the low ends except for the Tuba Or Double bass. I don't understand why it doesn't cause any phase problems. Thank you

[@AlexPfeffer]

Why should something that exists for hundreds of years create phase problems? ... and yers, of course you can cut all lows from an orchestra and replace it with a sub or synth. I know people who do that. This is their way of doing it, yes I tried to do it too, but to me it depends on the track itself.

[@DraedenOfficial]

​@@AlexPfeffer old habits i guess. Thank you :)

[@metallpt147]

What kind of synths do you use? I love that gated arpeggio type sound!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Thanks, can't check the session right now but it is probably Hive, Repro 1 or Nexus 😊

[@Cxt.2]

Do anyone know where I cand download this master piece? also thank you for this great tips

[@AlexPfeffer]

There is no download and no commercial release. This is an industry album. Thank you so much!

[@Cxt.2]

@@AlexPfeffer Awww... This Is Sad, i would've buy it to use, this is golden to my ears! Good job!

[@dante2804]

Hey Alex, Why reverbs as an Insert instead of Sends? Is it for more control or something else? Thank you!

[@AlexPfeffer]

Hey, the only reason send/returns would make sense to me if I would like to have ONE instance of reverb applied to many instruments with different dry/wet ratios. Otherwise to me send/returns is an old concept that derived from using analog gear. I see no point in using it because I want to have unique reverb settings for each instrument or at least an entire group (e.g. strings)

[@edgarlelezard7529]

@@AlexPfeffer This is a very interesting insight!

[@peteypablo09]

He has less control this way, not more. But he doesn’t need the extra control with the way he wants to use the reverb so there is no point in setting up the send/return channels

[@peteypablo09]

Sorry, I just realized he answered your question already haha

[@mar0k]

Hi Alex, how do you deal with common frequency build-ups usually caused by layering large amount of orchestral samples? I mean frequency stacking causing a mud in a mix.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Trying to find the disturbing frequ and see which instrument causes it, then experimenting to get rid of it with EQ.

[@user-lk3oo5uq4z]

Which string library? How did you get the "measured tremolo"? Which brass library? Using reverb inline on the track rather than a send?

[@AlexPfeffer]

NUC is Nucleus, JXL is Junkie XL Brass. No measured tremolo, you may hear a synth bass line. Yes, I don't use sends for reverb.

[@user-lk3oo5uq4z]

@@AlexPfeffer I apologize for incorrect terms. The "8th note" strings eraly in the video - where the notes are repeated? Hard to create that in many string libraries. Is that Nucleus? OMG incredible music. Thank-you for your videos!

[@AlexPfeffer]

@@user-lk3oo5uq4z no worries, but there are no strings (green tracks) in this track except the ending. What you are hearing are synths.

[@user-lk3oo5uq4z]

@@AlexPfeffer Still confused. I am talking about where you say "Strings" at 4:41 in the video. The "double notes". Nucleus? So sorry to bother you.

[@AlexPfeffer]

@@user-lk3oo5uq4z Oh THAT part! :) Yes that is all Nucleus staccato ensemble patch.

[@dafingaz]

🙌🏾

[@AlexPfeffer]

🙌

[@robin_miller_music]

You know what I'm going to say! How much automation do you use, I saw 1 (2?) in there, I think, is that all?

[@AlexPfeffer]

Yes, once in a while I like to automate a synth or cut down the signal at the end of the track when I don't want to render the instrument yet but need to get of a longer delay that overlaps with the ending or a gap.

[@NicoMaximilianComposer]

You are putting a lot of stuff on your mastering bus. I usually have 2 Pro-Ls and one Pro-MB. Most of the magic needs to happen before the master bus for me.

[@AlexPfeffer]

Would you have heard this if you didn't see the video and just listening to the album?

[@NicoMaximilianComposer]

@@AlexPfeffer I would definitely hear it in my own stuff. But no one other peoples tracks. Or at least I couldn't tell why exactly I prefer a certain sound.

[@AlexPfeffer]

@@NicoMaximilianComposer See, so the question now is: Who cares if it works? :) I am saying this because people simply follow something that they heard and learned from someone. Of course, you are right that the magic should happen before the mastering process ... but that doesn't mean that a lot of magic still can happen at the mastering stage. For example, you are only using a limiter and a compressor. My question would be why? :) Why not Inflator, why no correction EQ because no matter how much you EQ in your tracks, certain frequencies can still add up. There is not only one way :)

[@NicoMaximilianComposer]

@@AlexPfeffer It's just a different Philosophy. For me I don't need anything on the Master Bus, everything I could add would make the track worse. (I tried it) I'm not criticizing, just want to share a different approach. :)

[@JakeyWakey]

I understand both philosophies and I'm really enjoying getting it right at the source and the mix right now. I am guilty of trying to fix my mix in mastering and overcooking my track. Now I just overcook my subgroups. 😆

[@hankscorpio8928]

Alex, do you gain stage your mixes?

[@AlexPfeffer]

Not really. I subconsciously take care of it while working that nothing is too loud and gets in the busses too hot but there is no stage where I actively start doing this.

[@hankscorpio8928]

@@AlexPfeffer thanks so much for the quick reply I sincerely appreciate it! Have an awesome week!

[@Skrscores]

Hey Alex Which Is The Best And Film Scoring Synth Please Suggest Me ☺️

[@AlexPfeffer]

Erm there are many. There is no specific best synth for Film scoring What music do you want to write?

[@Skrscores]

@@AlexPfeffer I'm trying to write epic music please suggest me only one best synth🙂

[@AlexPfeffer]

@@Skrscores with respect, there is NO best synth. Repro-1 is great, so is Nexus, Diva, Hive and Zebra. There are also tons of others and also soundpacks by The Unfinished who creates soundpresets for all kinds of synth. Another one to mention which has probably the biggest library of sounds would be Omnisphere.

[@Skrscores]

@@AlexPfeffer thank you very much ☺️☺️

[@ArmageddonPunk]

i would eat at your restaurant

[@AlexPfeffer]

Hahaha thank you!