Film Scoring: What The Pros Know | Getting Started

[@fdschuler7863]

Rick, I'm a 30 yr veteran film composer and arranger producer in Australia. Your videos are without a doubt the best educational material I've witnessed. Great work man.

[@RickBeato]

Thank you!!

[@adriangurung5917]

Any tips on finding work as a composer in Aus?

[@ringoze]

Hi Fd Schuler, I'm an aspiring composer from Australia. Please tell us more about yourself.

[@TerenceKearns]

Hi @@RickBeato, I'd be interested in your opinion of Scaler 2 as an assistive tool for people learning music theory with aspirations of scoring (including me). It's super popular right now among bedroom producers. I'm also teaching myself the piano for same purpose.

[@tonioswan]

this guy has abs on his ears

[@resonanceau433]

😂

[@tarundhamimusic706]

Good observation! Lol

[@RKM8506]

@Deangelo Jace either you have reason to be suspicious, or you have major trust issues. Either way, god speed and good luck

[@fritz2128]

He's a producer, what do u think

[@ReidblunderbussButler]

1:18 "In The Heart of the Sea" 6:50 A "Double Suspension" - a Sus4, Sus2 chord 8:04 HIS SYSTEM: Find the obvious melody line 8:46 "Let's take a loot at some basic TRIADIC FORMULAS... 9:34 "You HAVE to know these..." 9:42 listening to some real film scores... 10:00 "START BUILDING A CATALOG OF SOUNDS" in your head... 12:21 MAJOR SCALE MODE FORMULAS: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian 16:59 Splicing KORNGOLD themes with JOHN WILLIAMS' compositions 18:11 No, John Williams did NOT steal his material from others.

[@jeremiahjackson3248]

Wow, you're a great guy. Thank you!

[@metafull]

Thanks for these captions

[@loicvanhecke6349]

I've always wanted to be a film composer, it's one of my biggest dream ever, but althought I've been producing music for six years, althought I've been pasionnated by music since I'm a little boy, I didn't know how to begin, how to compose. Film scoring was actually a whole new world, and I was completely lost, I couldn't find my way. Rick, I've just discovered your channel, and honestly, I think that I just found my guide in your videos. I've searched a channel like yours for years, thank you so much for transmitting your knowledge and help the beginners who are, just like me, lost in this wonderlful universe of film and orchestral music.

[@Chanellefifteen23]

What is your ig page

[@mal2ksc]

tl;dr: Ear training, ear training, and more ear training. The good news is that this ear training will also serve you well when gigging, not just when transcribing.

[@trapper9856]

"Get coffee" might be the best composing advice I've ever heard.

[@RickBeato]

Haha! Thanks!

[@NovemberXXVII]

I love that mimicry is actually PART of a film composer's normal workflow. I have very little formal training but I've been playing mockingbird guitar over songs I like my whole life -- it's a very natural way to work for me and I honestly love learning that there's a specialization where it's normal&expected to just hear a track and imitate it.

[@LeWaLiD]

I like the strings sound you're using

[@benjiusofficial]

I think he uses EWQLSO

[@Sh-ws5jd]

Might be Albion by spitfire audio

[@shaunobrien8975]

As someone who wants to learn to and hopefully one day compose for film and media all of your videos explaining film scoring and such are invaluable, thank you for taking the time to make these videos, they really are helping me and I'm sure many others work towards their musical goals.

[@mitchellwooldridge5118]

Funny story: George Lucas originally wanted to use programmatic music for Star Wars (alla 2001: A Space Odyssey). Spielberg convinced him to have a chat with his friend 'Johnny'... and the world was never the same again.

[@Charlyfromthenuclearcity]

Good story indeed !

[@mikesmovingimages]

Likely apocryphal. By the time John Williams got work on Star Wars in 1976 he already had eleven Academy Award nominations and two wins (Jaws and Fiddler on the Roof) plus a slew of Emmy and Grammy nominations. Lucas would have known about him and likely already met him; both were nominated for Academy Awards for 1974 films. It was Lucas who temp-tracked the Korngold (a well-known theme in Hollywood) and specifically did not want futuristic sci-fi-ish music for his swashbuckling story. In discussing which composer would be best to execute Lucas' vision, Spielberg suggested Williams, but it wasn't as if Williams was somehow unknown before Star Wars. By the mid-70s, he and Jerry Goldsmith were already ruling the roost, along with Rota, Morricone, Barry and E Bernstein.

[@Fyrlink]

more film scoring? yes. 😎

[@885909431427]

lemoney snicket

[@zcvs-x9k]

Oh Yeah !

[@jockojohn3294]

For me, a beginner, this was fabulous. Not only showing a little system, but how to listen & what to pick out. For some reason your mode section made more sense to me here than all your other vids...it all makes perfect sense and drop dead easy to follow. Can't wait for the other vids in this series. Little by little, this stuff is coming together. Another Great Beato presentation :)

[@georgechadwick8642]

How does this only have 80,000 views? This is definitely one of the most well thought out videos I have seen regarding music theory in general. Absolutely superb my friend!

[@RickBeato]

Thanks George! I’m surprised it has that many haha :) it’s actually a feature of my channel. If you sort by least views, you will usually find that those are the most informative videos. Rick

[@georgechadwick8642]

Haha I guess it makes sense given that the most useful things tend to be the most complex!

[@oneeyedmonster9827]

Ok…have to chime in. You are FANTASTIC! I'm a gear head with my own studio who is an accomplished graphic designer aspiring lifetime musician (jazz guitar) and Metheny fanatic - did a week long workshop with Pat, Antonio Sanchez and Christian McBride. Your videos are so on point and inspiring I just have to give a GIANT thank you. You're an unbelievable resource and a generous person with your wealth of knowledge. Wish I had run across your videos before I started to put my studio together but am thankful to have access to them now. Thank you!!!!!

[@russell_szabados]

Such a great point, "You need to be able to sing the scale the chord scale." That's something I need to teach my students. Thank you for that!

[@vernonwallace4679]

Rick I attended theory class in college and hated it!!! If you were the teacher i would have continued my music career 30 years ago. I am learning a lot. Thanks for sharing your vast knowledge.

[@a.barnard3205]

You stalled your music career because of "theory?" Why didn't you continue on your way as a musician and composer? I did and I could have given a flying leap about "theory" because it just didn't jell with me.

[@wdbearfan]

What a generous lesson, thank you so much! I was once a composition major in another lifetime.and wanted to score films. love your videos

[@JessCorey]

I trained my ear this way, and although I am not bubbling over with the terminology, I learned how to visualize this way when I create characters for my personal writings....

[@ArgoBeats]

Ennio Morricone, Rick... Ennio Morricone...

[@SoundFriendly]

You are really one of the best teachers one can ever have

[@tonemaven]

Thanks Rick ~ just came across your stuff on KZbin ~ not a musician here at all ~ but you so eloquently explain what I hear in my head ~ thank you so much from a frustrated composer who can neither read nor write but only speak.

[@JulioCesarRodriguezEDF]

Rick! I'm so grateful I found our channel!!!

[@Ritermann]

You know Bob Ross? You are Bob Ross for music. You should really have a show on TV or KZbin where do exactly what you do right now. Just talk about interesting music Theories. ;)

[@MockManor]

Aug24th Great analogy!

[@BlenderUnreal]

haha, imagine he would talk also like bob ross. would be funny

[@kenrojas10]

Rick, I have talked several times about the modes with different musicians and this is the first time I understand how the modes work!! Thank you very much!! Great great work!!

[@Inflake]

What Pros Know That You Don’t 1. Make music

[@bartscrivener4634]

Very nice, Rico, very nice. A smooth intro into filmscore thinking. One of your many gifts, my friend, is TEACHING and there is no doubt that you understand how to bring knowledge into the mind from the ground up. I think what I like knowing about ALL music is how the bits and pieces of everyone's music makes the rounds into everyone else's music. In short, it's HARD to be original, isn't it ? But we MUST listen carefully to our own souls and draw from that eternal wellspring !!

[@markusdaxamouli5196]

God bless ya Rick..but it was so over my head so fast. Love how you try, and im sure someone picks this up like STING and a 16year old school girl.

[@benweinman7397]

Best video on copying music or using other music to develop your ear. However, I have been scoring films recently and creating original music for 30 years. I never listen to the temp score unless the director is totally not digging what I'm doing, or I'm running out of time and need to use a guide to make sure I have music on all the spots the editor feels needs it. If I can't watch a scene and help propel the emotion with original composition, why do they need me. Just buy cheap music house music and have the editor place it. Great music theory class though and I love your content. Very informative. Your ear and understanding of music is superhuman. I just choose to try and see what comes out from whatever feels right from years of watching movies and listening to music.

[@Tommyphyll]

YOU ARE NOW MY TEACHER. THANK YOU FOR SIMPLIFYING THIS

[@johnmacleod6001]

You may or may not be aware that John Williams was also a great jazz big band arranger in his earlier career. He called himself Johnny Williams in those days. i'm currently transcribing a whole album he wrote for Jack Sheldon of My Fair Lady. Really interesting linear writing.

[@hyeeunlyu]

Hi Rick I always appreciate about your lectures that don't exist in our country in proper for me Your videos are exactly what I want to learn Although I am a student of classical music, someday I want to do some beautiful and various musics just like you do!! Thank you soooo much😁😁

[@efgdf]

Rick you are a great teacher. I do the same by ear, I don`t know nothing about music theory but I can compose anything ( on keyboards, guitars, etc) taking out what my soul feels.

[@fearitselfpinball8912]

I love this Rick. I've been thinking a lot about the way theory can become this abstracted, conceptual thing--how it can become removed and intellectually quarantined from the 'direct experience' of music (rather than supporting it). Not here. I'm amazed by the extent to which the modal half steps you focus on relate directly to the experience of specific emotional colour in each mode. Tremendous.

[@thomasmcgill6918]

Getting back to film scoring myself, I appreciate even more what you do. Thank you so much!!!

[@RobertDannyDavis]

Good that you mentioned Ralph Vaughan Williams as he is probably one of the most overlooked composers who has a plethora of modal harmonic moves that have made their way into the standard Hollywood sound. JW is smart to study all the past masters.

[@philipboug]

You have just opened an amazing AHA! for me. I watched with my mouth getting further and further open as you drew the little ovals indicating the half steps and... WOW! Everything just gets shifted left! The whole thing just rolls along with the pattern moving left. Off to buy your book :-) THANK YOU!

[@vhollund]

That studio space has an awesome vibe to it

[@arisaris3484]

This is the greatest demonstration I've ever seen on using Ear Training to decifer music, fantastic video. You should have a TV show on a network or in cyberspace.

[@jablosounds]

not gonna lie, I subscribed after the first couple of minutes of hearing you talk. not your voice, but you speak like you telling somebody how to make a pot of shrimp alfredo or something lol super laid back, honest, fun, and not as stuck up as other music teachers

[@bogdanfrincu3226]

Rick,you are amazing,there are no words to express how much i love what you offer,it is changing my life,thank you!

[@JJohnston4Life]

I wish I would have went to school for this when I was younger. It angers me that no one told me this was something you could do when I was younger even though I expressed it to my parents. This is such talent.

[@adampetrie621]

You can still do it with a little patience. Yeah the younger you are the faster you learn. But you never stop learning.. I say go for it..

[@dudleybarker2273]

absolutely agree. I'm pushing 60 and only getting into this stuff now - yes, you do learn more slowly, but you also bring with you a lifetime of music history and experience.

[@stephenjones7752]

Thank you Rick for sharing your amazing body of knowledge, people like you help turn KZbin into an online university.

[@dougweaver9148]

Brilliant as always Rick . Thank You . Great that you raised the topic of "temp" music and 'demoitis' . Temp music or guide music can be really tricky to get along with at times . Even if upon first listen you think to yourself " I don't like that at all " , it's rare that there isn't helpful information conveyed to you by the editors : even if it only relates to tempo ( most often the key if you are writing to a final edit , as is the case for TV ) , mood and/or entrance points etc .

[@kyranlewis4759]

The best artists knick stuff and make them better

[@yodunnit]

ive always played by ear and find most notes. Rick, youre way of putting this theory over to new and budding musicians is fantastic. Im a fellow veteran film composer and arranger here in England. Well done and keep it up! i really enjoyed listening to this :)

[@rileykaiseeker4294]

Please do a video about Danny Elfman and that 1950s horror movies sound he's inspired by. I've noticed he loves the augmented 4th (or diminished 5th, take your pick :) interval, like in his 'Beetlejuice' or 'Simpsons' themes, or as it used to be known 'The Devils Chord'. I'd love to learn how to write like him, specially that scraping stings sound he loves using. I noticed John Williams totally ripped off that creepy Elfman style in his 'Home Alone' theme.

[@BoredomEnsues]

Elfman got most of his sound from emulating Bernard Herrmann who he idolized growing up. Thrown in a bit of influence from Nino Rota scores as well and you have the formula for his early career, but he definitely had a bit of his own flavor due to the wild orchestration by Bartek and the fact that he is a self taught composer. Another chord Elfman loved was the Minor major seventh chord, a chord Herrmann often used as well as the frequent use of the whole tone scale and melodic minor mode.

[@rileykaiseeker4294]

I particularly love the way the 'Beetlejuice' theme has a crazy arrangement. It seems the first three bars are standard 4/4 common time, but the last bar is 6/4 (Except when it isn't coz he keeps changing it.) What would you call that....18/4? (Except when it isn't :)

[@rileykaiseeker4294]

+Impromptu Thank you so much for that. The Gliss technique was indeed what i was referring to. It has a creepy, scrapey, dissonant texture to it. It's something that Elfman has seemed to have made his own in soundtrack music over the past 30 years, as virtually no composer uses it in main movie themes nowadays, which is why when i heard John Williams using it in his Home Alone main theme way back in the early 90s (pretty much the only time i've ever heard him use Gliss as a background texture in a main theme) i instantly thought of Elfman. In fact, it almost felt as if he was saying... *"Hey, Elfman! I can do what you can do! Now let's see you do what i can do!"* :)

[@rileykaiseeker4294]

+Impromptu Oh sure. Williams uses it all over the place in film scores. (The Raiders of the Lost Ark scene where Indy throws the flaming torch into a pit of snakes springs to mind) I was just referring to main movie themes. I think Williams used it in Home Alone because it kinda sounds mischievous, like a little kid sneaking around, up to no good.

[@rileykaiseeker4294]

+Impromptu Hahaha!! *"Violinists...I hate these guys."*

[@BarnieSnyman]

I truly and dearly WANT your grand piano! It sounds fantastic!

[@devinayscue3474]

Rick, just letting you know: if you did a "complete beginner to intermediate" music theory (cinematic scoring) course, I would most definitely pay at least $100/mo. for a 9-month course. I'm serious.

[@maxtofone]

Thanks Rick for this series, very much appreciated!

[@just2turkeys]

You're an incredible help. I have been trying to really understand how theory works. Singing the notes in the scale is an incredible help!

[@viktormusic]

Really looking forward to this film scoring series!

[@alexvaulin1140]

Thank you very much! This is so useful! Never ever music theory was so interesting to learn!

[@shayneoneill1506]

If someone wanted to work off "temp tracks" as a bit of an exercise , theres a great old space-opera anime called "Legend of the galactic heroes" that features lots of huge epic space battles set to various classical and romantic era orchestral tracks (lots of wagner , of course). It'd be a pretty good exercise to take sequences from this and compose pieces to replace the standard orchestral tracks. Its a damn fine anime too, no giant robots or magic space princesses, just good old fashion epic space-opera

[@a.barnard3205]

I've been composing to and adapting "temp tracks" for my own use, all my musical life. Nothing to it. I also call it "Fan Music." :)

[@RobertDannyDavis]

Just to see what someone has to go through here is a quote from James Newton Howard. “I had written a lot of instrumental music, but until you become a film composer, you don't know what the word 'productive' means. You work 60 or 70 hours a week to create six or seven minutes of music. It's a whole new ballgame.” He starts every day full of confidence and by the end of the day he feels discouraged because the expectations are so daunting. “Fear is always a companion and a necessity”.

[@revilomichaels9347]

You are the Boss. I’ve been learning scoring orchestral on KZbin. Thank Good I found you

[@carlreynolds1111]

Looks like super advanced theory. I can somewhat follow the first part of the application on the keys. I can follow based on chord scales going diatonically. I guess come up with melody first. But what you did spreading the chords on the bass was killer .that bottom sound is the sound i fully am into . cheers brilliant teaching

[@dorjanas8532]

I'm a music student playing music for 9 years. But I have never heard anything of this. It's totally different than I used to learn.

[@lukiaffe]

Thank you for these! I want to work as a composer for films and games and this is great! Looking forward for the ucpoming videos!

[@michaelwerner1539]

I wish to do the same. I'm just trying to find a way to put my work out there

[@SkyBen1095]

I want to as well i hope make it one day

I usually end up identifying chords by arpeggiating them in my head and then figuring out what each individual note is from there. No idea why that works so well for me but it does

[@a.barnard3205]

A very good. ear-driven approach!

[@robertparkerpiano]

YIKES!!!!! A virtual fire hose of wonderful, relevant information for someone like me, starting pretty much cold. Thanks much! A six week boot camp and I'd be ready. This is better though, I can sit in the kitchen in shorts.

[@NorbertVarga]

Amazing video! Having been a full time musician for years I've just started to dive into orchestration recently and I found your videos really helpful! Even the things I already know about, it's really beneficial to refresh and take a look at it from a different perspective. Your musical knowledge and intelligence are admirable. I like how you prioritise theory and transcription, the most important tools for any musician. Many thanks and keep up the good work! P.S.: I know there are too many great contemporary composers to talk about, but I'd like to hear your views on the music of my favourite one, Ennio Morricone.

[@CaptKewl]

Great video, Rick. So impressed! Looking forward to the Electronic film scoring series.

[@mr.kaplanmusic]

Rick, thank you so much for your channel and for taking the time to help us in the music world! If you are ever in Nashville, I would love to show you my studio!

[@ricksmith4145]

I'm pretty good at figuring out the chords in a piece of film music (as long as they're fairly basic, non-extended triads). I just did that last night with a piece from Lord of the Rings. My problem is figuring out the exact voicing and inversion of the chord that was used by the composer. I don't know how Rick did that so easily. I mean, I find it pretty easy to come up with _GOOD_ voicings of chords that lead to smooth progressions (i.e., progressions with good voice leading), but that doesn't mean they're the voicings that the composer actually used.

[@thecriminalorchestra2538]

Ur incredible bro ... I need to start at the very first video and go all the way thru...

[@TomRivieremusic]

Great lesson,loved it.Very excited about what is coming next.

[@RobertSaxy]

Glad to see I got step one before watching this, just made my coffee before clicking on your video

[@hideoushiss]

Newman's Lemony Snicket sounds exactly sped up version of Crystal Palace from Conan the Destroyer by Basil Polderous. It toook me a while to realize this. Great vid!

[@captaindavecaptain]

Your videos are so great. I learn so much from them. Thank you for sharing the knowledge.

[@ivancarrillo8809]

more film scoring yes! love your videos, you make all this theory very easy to understand, thanks!

[@cibrshrink]

Hey Rick, I met you at Victor Wooten's Music Theory camp I believe in 2017. I enjoy all your work. I look forward to continuing to follow your video series. Mike Moroney

[@richardlovell3234]

This is pure gold. Thanks Rick!

[@nRGmusicproduction]

You are just amazing. Your videos are pure gold.

[@ashleyblack3941]

John Williams is definitely the master of the wind section.

[@VisualAudioV]

The best vid yet I've seen! Can't wait for more on film score theory.

[@jk-qr4pr]

This is so awesome. Thanks for making this and posting!

[@federicolopezmusic]

This has been the best video so far, for my basic level of understanding, but the title is a bit misleading !! You should make it clearer it a beginner's guide rather than a advanced one. Thanks anyway!

[@PrudenceBernadette]

My god, rick thank you for your videos! You are have saved me over the past 2 weeks as I was asked to score a film and I think I must have watched your videos for 3 weeks straight! You are an incredible teacher! 🎬🎬🎬

[@miafitzgerald4126]

I'm going to be the first irish female film scorer remember me lol

[@CamRebires]

Best of luck

[@tichondriusstormrage]

Hell yeah! YOU GOT THIS!!!

[@misterlucky1416]

Wish all the luck in the world ... I'm gonna remember you Mia

[@evebee4]

geez will i ever get to this level?

[@donovanbryant1874]

I'm going to love this series I aspire to be a film composer

[@rockymountainrocker5630]

Film scoring, awesome! need a Rick Beato Masterclass on film scoring :)

[@zekebeckman]

Thanks! Can't wait for next episode! Also, I would love if you could talk about Marty O'Donnell sometime or perhaps have a Sounding Off with him.

[@damiensmith371]

Thank you Rick! Great video, great series! Can't wait for more.

[@ReidblunderbussButler]

9:56 "When you hear that, you should instantly say, 'that's a major chord,' because you have to start BUILDING a CATALOG of SOUNDS, and you have to be able to recognize them AWAY FROM YOUR INSTRUMENT."

[@SCOREWIZARDSMUSIC]

Can't wait for the future videos in this series

[@gastonsous]

amazing lesson, Rick. Greetings from Argentina

[@simonpaulengland7833]

Great stuff Rick, I am just working a film score ATM & some really cool ideas, nice wishes from Liverpool..........

[@jditty4050]

Good stuff, as always! Really got me thinking deeper about chords

[@canturgan]

This man gives us the impression that he knows what he is talking about. Mainly because he does.

[@jammerco326111]

I love you man !!!! this is what Have been searching for !!!!

[@migueldoliveiracomposer]

And that Rite of Spring chord crops up in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone :)

[@iteachvader]

This is going to help me a _lot._

[@pikasfed]

Man the Lydian scale is fucking awesome

[@xwinglover]

This was a great video. Real examples tied into the theory. Thanks Rick

[@Evli10]

This video was awesome Rick! A lot of valuable information.

[@DestroyingTheDevoid]

Very excited for this series! Great work as always Rick!

[@bobma62]

Great stuff Rick .... really looking forward to this series

[@eikcam55]

Thank you so much.Maybe now you've broken down the modes into an easy system this idiot can finally grasp.I have my work cut out for me.Freat lesson and great teaching style.I can't wait for your electronic sections, but don't skimp on the orchestral tutorials!

[@a.barnard3205]

BIG ears and imagination are more important than "modes."

[@Nezumi99]

Lot of people think film.scoring is easy, but they don't see the work behind. Lot of them thinks once they start they are going to sound like Joh Williams or Hans Zimmer or Thomas Newman. They maybe try to copy their style, thinking now they are going to rule the world and all directors will call them, because they are the rising starts. But it's not like that sometimes it tooks months or years before anyone.even listen to your demo. It's a stressful and hardworking job, but it helps you express yourself in your own way.