Behind The Scenes - Hobbit 3 campaign / Armies, Dragons and Rings - Template

A behind the scenes look at the creation of my track for "The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies" advertising campaign.
Check out the full track here - / armies-dragons-and-rin...
You can find more of my music at the sites below:
Website: blakus.com
SoundCloud: / blakus-mfm
Facebook: / blakusdotcom

[@MrDovafox]

I literally shed a tear at 3:00. I never actualy thought that "Lord of the Rings" theme could fit so well with the rest of the instruments used, it actually shocked me..

[@DV7Dave]

You are without question one of the best digital orchestrator I've ever had the pleasure of listening to on KZbin. Some day, I'd love a behind the scenes on how you run such a gigantic composition with so many samples. I understand you use slaves and other magic to get it all to work? Great stuff! Love it!

[@Garthritis]

Google - Vienna Ensemble Pro setups

[@arvidpeterson]

"simple music is good" your music is anything but simple, but familiar and emotional. I think those attributes are timeless and you nailed it. What's simple and natural to the creator is evocative to the listener.

[@Blakus]

Arvid Peterson Thanks so much. Love your thought provoking comment!

[@SteveMonti]

got totally immersed in that,thank you you humble fella :)

[@Blakus]

+Steve Monti Thanks Steve!

[@Swidhelm]

Wow! Great use of that ring theme.

[@Jiwpgakis]

Blakus love your mockups they're always like the best quality a mockup can have. Also the orchestration keeps still some classical genes , which is great

[@aLoudSi1ence]

Truly awesome Blake. Thanks for sharing.

[@KarlONeillK37]

Awesome, thanks for sharing that journey, it was very good to watch. i look forward to more like this.

[@ephjaymusic]

That sir is UNREAL! Absolutely flipping incredible!

[@TDM87]

The velocity programming you did especially on brasses and strings and the overall production and mixing is damn near perfect to my ears.

[@RodionZonov]

Wow! So powerful composition!

[@ovonisamja8024]

Wow! Nice programming! Might as well be the best one I've heard so far! Wow! The attention to details is just insane!

[@marguerittetwinkle3624]

This is an AMAZING and beautiful instrumental. I am out of words, this is poetry to me, bravo!

[@72jsmit]

Damn, don't be so hard on yourself . I think you did an AWESOME job . I love your work !

[@bobibobio1999]

Dude... The way you implemented the LoTR motif with the harmony is genius. Definitely a top-notch material worthy to stand on the same level with Zimmer and Shore himself. Thanks for the video.

[@andyhardwickmusiccomposer]

You did this in two days!! Stunning work - thank you so much for sharing.

[@MarkVanCleaveTrumpet]

Thanks for posting!! As a Cubase user, i really appreciate seeing some of your workflow on this type of EPIC mock-up!

[@UntoldStoriesProductions]

I love these videos man, and I literally cannot get enough of them. As you said there are "nerds" out there who love seeing how others put their pieces together, i am definitely one of them, especially when it comes to your music. Really brilliant work as always. How you get so many different instruments to sound so well balanced together is beyond me, but you seem to have it nearly perfected.... What really inspires me though is your work with brass, if only I could pick your brain and steal some tricks life would be great.

[@DutchVikingGuy21]

You're very humble :) I really loved this piece and you inspire me to become just like you. Practicing a lot!

[@rossquaresmini5834]

The big composer to you amazzing !! Talent

[@ptmcgraw328]

Oh, and I agree with a previous poster, would really be interested in learning from you regarding mixing.

[@ChristopherByrumHarris]

Secret Sauce = Blakus Cello

[@Table-Top]

Great job. You're blessed to have so many great libraries. I got Albion One recently. Spitfire are rumoured to be coming out with a choir library, so I'm holding out for that. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@VisualAudioV]

I love your new theme! Just wow!!!

[@Blakus]

The Joker Thank you!

[@welp1249]

I literally want to work for you and be mentored by you. You're like a god/legend

[@AdrianCharras]

You are a FACKIN GENIOUS ! Sounds AMAZING.

[@HumanTouchArt]

some mixing tutorials on brass choirs and strings woul be amazing :D love your videos keep it up :D

[@MiguelGortari]

Just AMAZING! Incredible! Sure It is not real? Thanks a lot. More videos like that please please...

[@Smashbuttons]

I just came to your page to watch a previous tutorial of yours (again) and was pleasantly surprised to see this new upload! (This video didn't show up on my "subscriptions" page for some reason, even though I'm subscribed) Thank you so much for sharing this with us. You did a truly fantastic job. I've listened to this track at the gym a few times and felt like I could overhead press an oliphaunt! I'll send you the medical bill when I inevitably throw my back out. ;-]

[@TheFilthyMcNasty]

Excellent and inspiring. Thank you.

[@ScottK4NE]

nobody gets bored of this epicness!!!

[@Bashanvibe]

Scott Kane I agree

[@eljawwed]

Wow impressive ! Thanks you for sharing. Can you tell us more about the libraries you use ?

[@ChristerWibert]

You're back! Finally! :D

[@Blakus]

Christer Wibert Woohoo! Haha. Finally figured out a less complicated way to do these videos. It doesn't feel as tedious anymore :)

[@Drcfan]

Your tutorials really show me how to do it right :D Thanks Blakus

[@worldgonegood]

Man this was awsome. I like your video style.Very honest. And i hope you took the wife out for a proper dinner to make up for the snacks you forgot! I have sent this to my lad, i remember i bought him the DVD of the first LOTR when he was a kid and now he's 20 and still collects all the stuff. It's not the worst thing to get him into i wreckon. Great story of good and bad. He's a great young man now and i put allot of it down to this movie franchise. Glad i came across this. I'm getting into my forties and now going from guitar and singing into the digital world of music - don't have a clue but i'll stick with it and this has been a great help so thanks fellar. Scotland respects your work.

[@Blakus]

Thanks for the message! Keep going with your music adventures! :D

[@worldgonegood]

Thanks for the message blakus i'm honoured to converse with a great musical mind, a few folk i know played big parts in the movie and have given me autographs and bits n bobs for my lad, it kills him when i tell him i've worked on set with the likes of Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, and several others in the past (i like to wind him up) - I write for theatre and fiction now but not hit 'the big time' yet but one does it not for the accolades bit the passion within so i aint so fussed over that as i've seen the inside enough and it is just all momentary. It's happiness in one's self and one's own work that is the key at the end of the day, I digress once more but suffice to say i am really hoping to spend more time on my big passion music, even if i'm crap i'll still do it as my studio is my world where non believers stay at the door ha ha. Thanks and best sunny xmas wishes to you over there in a land down under. Tosh :D

[@remon563]

very good job on this ! some insight into mixing for media would be awesome.

[@michalsmorawinski7117]

Extremely helpfull man. HUGE thanks! :) Keep going.

[@2047Musicvisions]

Ok, I just read your pc specifictions - very big..great !!

[@JoshuaHults]

this is great!

[@blancodeplomo]

Mixing tutorial please!!!!! I love you!!! hehehe

[@Dozerbeatz]

+FridoomAssassin Right, I want to see the reverbs..

[@ptmcgraw328]

That was so awesome. I've been listening to your tracks on Soundcloud as well. You are really talented. And you have come such a long way in just 5 years. You must have really good ears. Question - you seem to have totally given up on SM brass. Can you share your thoughts?

[@BrendonComposer]

"Wiggle that modwheel, baby!"

[@charleswestphal9566]

Legendary

[@capraise]

This is absolutely amazing! Your set of plugins is astonishingly huge and it's also unbelievable that you made the rough version in only two days. You surely have a great overview over your capabilities and great skills! And I can assure you that if I happen to make music, it looks even more messier, but who am I ^^ May I ask how long it took you until it was completely finished?

[@caspianarts3490]

Wow. A*M*A*Z*I*N*G. Enchanting and inspiring. I hope you give God glory for giving you those skills - that's not ordinary talent - that's high talent. Good job!

[@Blakus]

Thanks so much!

[@riktascale4]

Awesome!!

[@adirkse]

Wow, I think its great!

[@xxMohamedElBatrawyxx]

Great informative videos. Thanks for sharing the knowledge. May I ask you though to make a tutorial for strings quartet arrangement? Something simple like your "green acre" for which you've shared the pdf. I don't read notes so it'd b helpful if you show it in midi roll. Thanks again :)

[@brianpatrick6102]

I cant believe you didnt reference Shore's tracks. You really captured the essence of The Hobbit with this "out of your head" composition. And, incredible! incredible job bringing life and realism to virtual instrumentations. I wish I had a tithe of your creativity and skill.

[@IanKnowland]

+brian patrick He did reference Howard Shore's tracks...there's an incredibly memorable melody throughout the piece that was used in the Lord of the Rings trilogy in reference to the ring itself. I'd say the whole track is based on that melody. Start the track at 1:42 and you'll hear it.

[@brianpatrick6102]

+Ian Knowland He says in the video that he didnt reference the tracks, he just went by memory. And by reference I mean he didnt have the original score loaded on a track in his DAW that he could listen to (reference) as he was working.

[@IanKnowland]

Oh I see what you mean. When I hear "referencing" I think of it in composer terms and not producer terms!

[@brianpatrick6102]

+Ian Knowland I kinda meant it in both regards, but yeah... the parallels to the original score are unmistakable.

[@yinyuelongzi]

wonderful!!!!!!

[@kimsparx5412]

"secret sause" is your embertone blakus cello or some other custom cello of yours? also it reminds me of cinesamples tina guo cello legato. Do I get the prize lol?

[@itsnejd]

Hey man, first i want to applause and congrats you for all your work, you are talented, wishing you the best, i wanna know please your computer performance because i'm planning to buy a good computer that will help me producing without lagging and sound crashing, i actually have a bad computer that don't let me continue my projects and i wish you can respond me as what performance you suggest me ? Thanks man, and keep up the good work !

[@Metalpazallteway]

I love that male choral dissonance. Is that some sort of Tibetan Monks library?

[@ArnieRodriguez]

Great vids- I love your content and style. more more!! ;) Don't be afraid of long run times, go deep and get as super-nerd as you can.

[@ArnieRodriguez]

And what is 'secretsauce43' ??

[@2047Musicvisions]

Really good !!! very interesting music and your tips. - Blakus I would like know your equipment to support such a burden on kontakt...you know...ram ssd cpu - thankx in advance -

[@riktascale4]

The type of samples he used is very important too! .....for the mix/master i.e.

[@72jsmit]

And thank you so much for sharing !

[@alekseyberezkamusic]

You work very cool! Tell me please, what libraries are used? String and brass instruments are interesting!

[@LoRDoNuR81]

Great job, congrats. Could you write us please some details about your computer hardware ? Specially mother board, proccesor, Ram and storage. Also question is inturments arrangement with modulatic, you are so closer to real symphnoy orchestra with your modulatic effect. Modulatic is = Main Volume or different something.? Because i am also use Cubase 8 pro but i did not find " Modulatic " Thanks

[@overload8741]

I just start making some scoring films/game music, im far of that result for the moment, but realy interesting video. PS: the CPU voice was realy funny 😂🤣.

[@Chamilawarna]

hi thanks for great video !! what are the pc capacity you have ?

[@HiLoMusic]

Great piece! What was used for the vocal phrases?

[@Mgenis1]

8:58. strings slide down - was it spitfire solo strings or smth else? I'm looking for libraries that have gliss and port articulations,that sound as real as possible.

[@dededindra]

Hi Sir. Your work is amazing, this is so awesome. I'm new in Cubase, may I know what plugin are you using for making this composition (like string, brass., timpani, etc.) thank you Sir! Blessings.

[@rossbarnes5899]

Tis on his website blakus.com/my-setup

[@badazgamaz]

hi man great video! witch plugins are you using ? vsl ? east-west ?

[@TandelovAlan]

Amazing BTS video! Love your work! Would be amazing to see the same stuff about Battlefront II DLC Music you made recently! =) BTW, i was always wondering - which is being made first- the music for the trailer or the arranged footage itself? Do you get some footage as a reference for the orchestration? If the music is the one being being written first then didn't it limit the pace and the order of the footage (or vice versa)?

[@Blakus]

Thank you! For the Battlefront trailers, I receive rough footage first. The editor and I then work simultaneously to create the finished product. Working this way is a lot of fun, but unfortunately isn't always possible!

[@reneiloe_m]

The string arrangement reminds me of the Mummy for some reason

[@TylerTripsTunes]

How many layers of each voice of the strings are you using to create that lush string sound? love the arrangement 👌🏾

[@Blakus]

BMOG I've only really got one layer per voice. I'm just choosing to use different libraries for each layer. Apart from some slight sus patch layering underneath - nothing hugely complex going on! Thanks btw!

[@ChristerWibert]

Did you mix/master this track yourself? While watching this, I didn't notice any CC7 or 11 rides at all, so I guess a lot happens in the audio groups? Would love to see behind the mix as well :D

[@Blakus]

Christer Wibert Hey mate! I did mix/master this one myself. There wasn't a whole lot of automation required. The automation that is present is all done with the audio groups/DCA's etc. :)

[@KAI-ql7bl]

awesome！！！！！！！

[@DorinelMusic]

PROFESSIONAL COMPOSE, Nice....

[@salvatorelegname5882]

When you edit please tell us what library you used,thanx😉

[@TheDuhallo]

But..but what about the secret cello? It sounds awsome!

[@kerchicks]

Great sounding, even though u thought it's half decent. I agree that the midi CCs really blow some life into the samples. I love your commentaries, dash of jokes here & there.

[@johnhoge2557]

I love Storm Choir (only have 2 though). I'm just wondering, which mic positions do you turn on? Loading them all is extremely CPU intensive, so I've been trying to figure out a combination of a few of them to use that sounds best and isn't too taxing on my system! Do you use them all simultaneously, or just turn on a few?

Hi, what do you use for the vocal chorus? It sounds really smooth and organic

[@blancodeplomo]

Please link to download project file!!! Epic!!!!

[@RalfKurtsiefer]

Cool Track...Love it :-) What Choir Libs do you use?

[@Blakus]

Ralf Kurtsiefer Orkpack Storm Choir 1 and 2 mainly. A few VOXOS shouts.

[@josuefox]

thanks for the video do u EQ your instruments ? i have problem when brasses and cello play together, i can't hear well my timpanis if i raise the volume, it's clipping .. i know it's about panning and EQ, but i can"t get good resul :( any tips? make a video lol if i hire u for the mixing/mastering part, how much? lol

[@nikkhmarov6490]

Please, say me - how you create sub bas? That is it library? In general, what libraries did you use?))

[@EduardoVillalobosPiano]

Hi, this is an amazing video, thank you for sharing. One quick question though, where can i learn to do this? did you learn by yourself or in a school? (im a music major but want to compose using midis and want to get this result)

[@Blakus]

I haven't gone to any school to learn composition/orchestration, mainly just self study of other composers and orchestration resources.

[@riktascale4]

Hi did you mix with a sub for this? If so what size/brand?😀

[@foivosgrouezas1763]

That was great,but the Cpu load is REALLY heavy...would you care to tell me your pc specifications? Because,from what I can tell there must be at least 24 Gigs of RAM involved here!

[@Blakus]

Foivos Grouezas I'm using an i7 4770k, 32gig RAM, 4x 1TB SSD drives (I think these SSD's make the largest difference)

[@martinfamily01]

Has your reverb changed ever since the last walkthrough?

[@Techdrome]

wow! :O

[@Dozerbeatz]

What reverbs are you using, they sound amazing?!

[@Blakus]

+Dozerbeatz - Mixing/Mastering ITB 2CAudio B2 was used on this track

[@sleeplessgiant7407]

WOW amazing, insta sub

[@MiddKnight13]

PLEASE TELL ME WHERE THOSE VOICES COME FROM?? I've always wanted distinct sounding vox plugins like the ones used in this! Please someone help!

[@Blakus]

Storm Choir 1 and 2 :)

[@srgttamtam]

dude i laughed my fucking ass off.. I am a composer myself.. these lil hints every now and then.. Too funny hahah :D

[@VisualAudioV]

I have a question. Do you submit your mixes to RSM for mastering? There's a consistency between RSM's tracks and a really clean master in the final result.

[@Blakus]

The Joker I'm not sure about other RSM composers, but I mix and master my own work.

[@VisualAudioV]

+blakus | music for media Thanks for the reply. :)

[@gurvishalsandhu2053]

Excellent video! I had a question for you about your set up. what are your computers specs? I'm currently trying to run ewql Hollywood strings, brass and woodwinds gold on my MacBook pro but the loading time for my template is just under an hour and a half. After Loading the samples on to my internal drive the loading time issue was resolved but the system no longer can cope with reading and writing data from the same drive. what do you think the best solution would be to getting my loading time down and having my session run smoothly? My machines specs are listed below. 2.0ghz quad core i7 16 gigs ram 256gig ssd Thanks in advance.

[@jwbjjbllb]

+Gurvishal Sandhu Get more SSDs. All your sample libraries should be on SSDs. I currently have 2 TB of external SSDs (spread across three disks) for sample streaming, a 1 TB HD for scratch audio, another 1TB HD for media content, and an internal 1TB SSD. I don't have the EWQL Hollywood series, as I prefer Kontakt libraries, but the biggest gain in performance I got was shifting to all SSDs, even more than shifting from 8GB to 16GB of RAM. You will probably also want a Thunderbolt hub to increase the number of USB 3.0 ports (my hub also has the capability to run additional monitors). Once you have everything on SSDs, your next bottleneck will be RAM, as 16GB is marginal for running orchestral templates (you generally have to do some cheating/freezing to get 16GB to work for orchestral music unless you use ensemble libraries like Spitfire Albion One).

[@gurvishalsandhu2053]

Thank you!! I've decided to get to get the samsung T3 to run to sample libraries from now.

[@jwbjjbllb]

+Gurvishal Sandhu I'd be curious to hear whether you found that streaming samples from an SSD improved your performance as much as it improved mine.

[@KACROTE1]

can anyone tell me what are cc curves ? like @28 mins . I want to know what they control in general btw i am not a cubase user .

[@Kraflyn]

kacrote \m/ Hi. CC stands for continuous controller. There are more than 128 of them, denoted by cc1, cc2 and so on. Standard ones are: cc7 - volume; cc11 - expression, kinda same as volume; cc1 - modulation, makes sample sound different; cc73 may control attack of the sample... The sample must be armed with a script telling it what to do when some cc is activated. For instance, a sample may have several layers, lowest layers being some quite sleepy strings, and as higher layers are being added in, the sound becomes more dramatic. So, You have this kind of layered sample. How to use this best? Control layers by cc1, ofcourse. Make a curve, rising up as dynamics rises, for cc1. And so on. Ccs can be defined in a sample-player by user -- say, in Kontakt. Or, ccs may be pre-defined by the sample manufacturer, as in, say, EastWest symphonic orchestra. The more ccs one uses, the sound becomes more and more realistic. Well, if used properly. If abused -- some horror music is done then :D If not used at all, the sound will be as if a baby plays a synth for kids :D Cheers :3

[@KACROTE1]

Oh wow thank you very much for such detailed information , i learned something new today :)

[@user-nh3oq3js3w]

yeah! good teaching,I am from china

[@SatoriZei]

What's the soft you using there for voices please?

[@Blakus]

Storm choir 1 and 2 by Strezov Sampling

[@SatoriZei]

Thanks for the information. very good job. Reach Your level is my purpice now ;)

[@Kraflyn]

Hi! So what's the SecretSauce43? We all have to know now :D Or We shall die in horror otherwise, instantly, of course :) Cheers :3

[@consonaadversapars]

My only gripe... those synths really don't feel right being used in music for Tolkien's world.

[@Joker25076]

6:30 L - O - L :-)))

[@Blakus]

Joker25076 haha! Was feeling a little silly last night!

[@TalmoTheSell]

*makes the best song ever* Balks: It's a bit boring

[@TheUKNutter]

This seems really complicated for me... :(

[@tubbycustard8866]

+TheUKNutter That's cause it is.. for everyone :(

[@TheUKNutter]

Tubby Custard But I really really REALLY want to do something like this

[@tubbycustard8866]

TheUKNutter same!! I know how to use fl studio but the plugins are what really make it sound real. I actually thought this was a real orchestra when I listened to his work.. amazing technology!

[@TheUKNutter]

Tubby Custard I need the plugins

[@tubbycustard8866]

TheUKNutter We must go on a quest to find them

[@lifelessalarm]

Really impressive stuff. It's reassuring to know that the techniques you have described here are the ones I also use. But what I am most impressed with is the speed at which you achieved this in 2 days, it takes me many months to finish projects and I wish I could devote more time to it (I am currently in a full time PhD totally unrelated to music). Do you also have other work or is the music full time? Thanks for the inspiration!! Check out my soundcloud if you like: soundcloud.com/lifelessalarm