How to Compose Cinematic Music (in a Film/TV Drama Underscore style)

🎵 If you enjoyed this video, make sure to also check out my free training - 'My 3 Secrets to Composing Rich Cinematic Music':
www.composingacademy.com/free...
Learn how to compose Cinematic music in the style of Film or TV drama in 5 easy steps. In this video, I'll walk you through the process of composing a cinematic piece of music, inspired by composers such as Thomas Newman and Harry Gregson Williams. I'll show you how to choose chords, add a simple accompaniment using instrumentation tricks, as well as how to develop your initial idea into a two minute piece of music.
► Get your FREE 'How to Write Cinematic Music for a Film or TV Drama in 5 Easy Steps' here: composingacademy.ck.page/writi...
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:36 - Step 1 - Choosing a chord progression
02:57 - Step 2 - Adding a simple accompaniment
04:58 - Step 3 - Developing the Initial Idea
07:50 - Step 4 - Growing the Intensity
09:15 - Step 5 - End as you began
09:40 - Playthrough with Notation
11:44 - Outro
If you enjoyed this video, make sure to subscribe to the Composing Academy Channel, for more Composing and Music Theory tips and tricks.
Composing Academy is the place to learn how to begin composing your own music. Here you will find easy to follow videos explaining core Music Theory concepts along with various tips and tricks to help you craft that perfect song of cinematic piece of music.

[@ShadowsandEchoesMusic]

I make music since 30 years and still learn from your videos, thank you !!!

[@composingacademy8270]

That's awesome! So pleased to hear that, thank you for the feedback.

[@canaldemais]

This is the best composing channel. I keep going back to all your video to help me improve my compositions. I would love a video on how to modulate from one key to another. Maybe a video on Chromatic mediants (kinda of what you did in you Fantasy/magical chords vid). Maybe some breakdown/analysis of famous film scores to help us understand how composers have used different orchestrations effectively. thanks for all your hard work

[@composingacademy8270]

Thanks so much for your kind words! Great idea - I'll make sure to make a video on Chromatic Mediants. I would love to do an analysis and breakdown of famous film scores - I just don't quite understand how using existing scores will work with KZbin and Copyright :-)

[@dreamvinestudio]

Awesome stuff! I've been looking for tutorials like this for weeks. So happy I found your channel. Thank you!

[@composingacademy8270]

Thanks so much - I hope it proves useful!

[@Frank.Zimmermann]

Oh Simon, how could anyone not love your channel. I suspect your subscriber numbers will go up dramatically in the coming months, and for absolutely good reason. :) Thank you so much for another fantastic tutorial! Best regards, Frank

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi Frank, thank you so much for your kind words! It's been a lot of fun so far, so I'm hoping the channel will keep on growing!

[@yvanroustan4426]

Very clean and complete explanation ! thank you ! i hope this thematic serie will continue !

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you - yes there will definitely be more!

[@seethewaitofficial5137]

I just found your channel yesterday and it has been very helpful. I'm really interested in composing for films/games but since I'm a student with no money, your vids are the best resource. Keep it up! 🔥

[@composingacademy8270]

I'm glad you have found the videos useful - good luck with your composing journey!

[@jimrogers7425]

This is a very brilliant demo of composing a piece with specific guidelines that anyone can apply. So glad that I came up your channel and have subscribed! Cheers!

[@composingacademy8270]

Many thanks for the subscription, and I'm glad you found the video useful!

[@EdokLock]

I feel like this channel is a teaser for what is greater, I can't wait !

[@composingacademy8270]

Haha watch this space!

[@Edcabraltv]

It's beautiful man. Thanks for sharing you talent with us

[@M4T]

I am so happy. At last a tuto on Thomas Newman harmonies .... Thanks so much for that !

[@composingacademy8270]

Haha thanks for watching!

[@Kaissa13]

Thank you Simon. I love your videos!

[@composingacademy8270]

Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@gravidotrueno5786]

Man, you are brilliant as a composer and as a teacher as well. I sincerely appreciate you spend time in sharing your knowledge. The way you explain is unique and very fresh. Looking forward for every video you upload.

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi, really appreciate the positive feedback, thank you! I am so pleased you have found my channel so useful!

[@sprkymrt]

Thank you very much. I will print out the pdf and go over it to analyze the score again and watch the video again for more study. Your videos are very interesting and entertaining. Enjoyed.

[@composingacademy8270]

Thanks so much for watching and for grabbing the score!

[@kaustavacharya]

What a beautiful piece! You're a fantastic composer and teacher, I would love to listen to more of your music.

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you so much, that means a lot!

[@madeinfelingen260]

Very inspiring and great piece of music! Thanks for sharing!

[@composingacademy8270]

My pleasure - thanks for watching!

[@niklasroste4512]

Beautiful, and thanks for doing this. 👍

[@composingacademy8270]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@noefernandezyt]

Beautiful composition Simon. Best regards!

[@composingacademy8270]

Many thanks!

[@brockbah2048]

Wow, it's just that easy! Followed your "how to" and landed the new Avengers score. A+ not clickbait

[@danielrennie8444]

Hey Simon! Fantastic video as usual! Hope the family is doing well too. I really like the concept of taking inspiration from other composers like you did in this video. It'd be a cool idea to do something similar with other composers like John Williams, Danny Elfman, Henry Jackman, Alan Silvestri, Howard Shore, Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, and of course my favorite, Hans Zimmer :) (also a fan of Harry Gregson-Williams Williams from this video). Your channel definitely deserves more credit and more views/subs because you do great work and explain in a clear, easy-to-understand manner that I'm sure a lot of people appreciate! Please keep it up for as along as you can and thank you!

[@jimrogers7425]

Hey Daniel... funny that you should mention Michael Giacchino. Back in 2004, before he had reached the heights that he has now, he was scoring the show ALIAS in his garage... and a friend of mine hired me to help him install Michael's upgrade studio. At the time ALIAS alternated weeks... one week was all synth scoring and the next week was live orchestra. This was back in the days when soft samplers were just beginning and there were still a TON of outboard synth modules generating heat in this San Fernando Valley garage. He was married with two sons at the time and for some reason I don't feel like that marriage lasted, in spite of his career heading off into the stratosphere!

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi Daniel - many thanks for your message. Yes I think I'm definitely going to explore the concept of taking inspiration from other composers more, as if anything, its really fun for me to learn from them myself!

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi Jim - yes Michael is amazing. I was lucky enough to intern with him for an episode of LOST back in the day, as part of the film scoring program at USC. He was writing so much music so quickly for that show! Easy to imagine all of that outboard generating heat!

[@tb9383]

Thank you for this... I have no formal orchestration knowledge and this has completely changed the way I compose tracks for cinematic pieces.

[@composingacademy8270]

I am so pleased I could help, thank you for watching!

[@Najibhusein]

Great video tutorial... very clear

[@composingacademy8270]

Many thanks - I hope it was helpful!

[@omarirm]

Simplemente excelente. Tus tutoriales de composición son los mejores de todo KZbin. Gracias!!!

[@composingacademy8270]

Oh wow, thank you so much for your kind words!

[@martijnvanbeek4387]

Totally agree!

[@kukuruyukyukyuk]

This is really informative and helpful. Thank you

[@composingacademy8270]

Glad it was helpful, thank you for watching!

[@1Brayton]

Wonderful video! You should make these start to finish composition type of videos more regularly. They're really helpful and inspiring! Cheers bro, great day ahead!

[@composingacademy8270]

That's the plan, I will get better at uploading these videos quicker, promise! Thank you for watching!

[@Po1itica11yNcorrect]

I learn more from this channel than all the other channels combined.

[@composingacademy8270]

Wow, thank you so much for the kind words!

[@Tanmayomusicvisuals]

stunning music, super clear teaching…thank you…I’m learning sooo much from you.

[@composingacademy8270]

I am so pleased you are finding the videos useful, thank you for the comment!

[@nielssamuels5465]

Hi Simon. Thanks for this video!! Most information or cources on composing with vst's seem to be about creating that godawful "EPIC" or "TRAILER" sound, not something delicate as this piece. Hope to see more of this!

[@kpgonline4995]

Your methods are super. Thank you for this awesome teaching. Now I can make good music for my films. I make shorts for now

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you so much - yes the style of the piece, could well work in a short film, depending on the genre of the film of course. Good luck!

[@TheBubbajuju]

Just wanted to say thanks for the channel and best wishes. Just subscribed. Really helpful videos. Cheers.

[@composingacademy8270]

Many thanks for the subscription - I'm glad you found the video useful!

[@camelCased]

Your videos are of much better quality and usefulness than some paid courses on Udemy. You go straight to the point without redundant repetition and keep the right balance between theory and practice throughout the entire video so that even beginners can relate to the emotions of chord progressions without knowing much of the music theory.

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you for your positive comments, I really appreciate feedback and pleased you have found this useful!

[@netuno_music]

That's a great tutorial. Very well done. Thank you

[@composingacademy8270]

Glad it was helpful, thank you for watching!

[@klaasastley3767]

This piece is beautiful

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you!

[@GreenHope42]

Sounds good well done. It reminds me a bit of the score from American Beauty.

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you - yes I love that score!

[@WaltMusekamp]

Thanks for another helpful and informative tutorial! Interesting that you are using 3-measure phrases for your piece. The long chords seem to give it more suspense. I like the effect!

[@composingacademy8270]

Thanks for watching! I was conscious that this style of music might very well have a lot of dialogue to content with, if it was written to a specific film/scene. Giving more 'space' , by using the 3 measure phrases would hopefully help to achieve the space.

[@WaltMusekamp]

@@composingacademy8270 Interesting! I imagine you could shorten or lengthen the held chords as needed and still keep the overall structure intact.

[@Flutedhana]

Very helpful,inspiring and learning,Thanks a lot!

[@composingacademy8270]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Tsskyx]

This reminds me of the Samsung Onyx Explainer video, whose music became one of my all time favorite short cinematic pieces.

[@GavinNellist]

Such a really nice piece of music. I know if I had tried to compose that I would have made it so overley complicated.

[@composingacademy8270]

Haha! Yes keeping it simple is actually really hard to do :-)

[@Andrewtm23]

wow that was really nice mate. It totally sounds like a Newman piece.

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you!

[@seva-m]

This is really helpful, thanks! Any insight on how sync licensing work for cinematic composers these days? Is it worth it, or is it better to just look for a job in local film studios? What do you think?

[@issiewizzie]

great education just discovered your Chanel

[@HaharuRecords]

Great tutorial, also I THINK UNDERSTANDING Modes or different emotions in harmony and keys is very necessary for specifically film music.

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi, totally agree. I have two other videos, which might be worth taking a look. The Lydian Mode for Beginners & How Thomas Newman makes use of Modes. Thanks for watching!

[@ashokflash]

thank you, give more videos.

[@composingacademy8270]

Thanks for watching - yes more are planned!

[@tuck295q]

This is amazing, do you have any idea how long I've been trying to find the exact guideline you did here? Years. If possible, please do more of this series with 6/8 6/4 5/4 5/8 10/8 11/8. Would you please teach me how to do very hype building transitions and bridges? Thankyou.

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you! I'm the video was useful. When I do another one on percussion, I'll make sure to include the time signatures you mentioned.

[@Andydemelo]

Thank you.

[@composingacademy8270]

You are welcome, thank you for watching!

[@brianvassallomusic]

Very good. I like your channel. Keep creating and here is a list of what you might consider posting here : Composing with moving picture, Mixing, EQ, Mastering the whole track.

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi Brian, thanks for the feedback. Great ideas for content there -I'll add them to the list!

[@ThierryChamps]

Hi Simon, Awesome stuff! Thanks a lot. Why Thomas Newman don't use often the third like in your exemple. Also, there is a lot of parallel fifths? I heard is "not good". What do you think?

[@user-wm7fd6hb3p]

neat! thumbs up!!!!

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you so much!

[@mfmmm1497]

Brilliant Simon. Are you thinking of doing a course or do you offer online 1on1 lessons?

[@ZsigmondKaraMusic]

Everybody lies. (absolutely superb video as always!) Edit: typo

[@technodudy]

Great video. I like to ask, how did you change the accidentals from sharps* to flats* in your MIDI Editor in Cubase?

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi Isaac, there is a checkbox in Edit - Preferences. Under 'Event Display' select 'Chords and Pitches' and on there will be a checkbox called 'Enharmonics from Chord Track' which needs to be ticked. I hope that helps!

[@pjdahmen]

Great tutorial

[@composingacademy8270]

Many thanks!

[@ricardohernandez2771]

Gracias!

[@composingacademy8270]

My pleasure!

[@thenorthstar311]

❤🔥

[@Dimitar_Genov]

What kind of movie scene / storybeat could this music be used for...? I picture handheld camerawork, rain, person inside a train, filmed from the outside thru a glass with raindrops, lowkey, desaturated colors, they're working on something on their laptop; they look outside into the distance and ponder on the meaning of their work; the journey continues, another aerial shot of the train.... 😊 so fun thinking of possible scenes to music ❤😊

[@isaiahmonroe3886]

Hi, what’s the name of the app you do this on? It looks pretty awesome!

[@composingacademy8270]

Its Cubase Pro 11 - an awesome DAW :-)

[@clairecooper1754]

Great video, thank you. What did you mean at the beginning where you say it is "modal and ambiguous" please? | know what modes are (and what you mean by ambiguous), but don't recognise a modal sound I think. Is it C mixolyian?

[@autisticcormorant6881]

You could try thinking about it as being in C major and simply borrowing chords from parallel modes that include the nots Ab, Bb and Eb (In this case only C-minor has the notes to make up Ab and Bb). C-mixolydian only has Bb, so you can't really say that's the mode :) Theory can help and certainly has helped me, but sometimes it's just about trying things outside the scale you're composing in and figuring out how they sound. I find that in C-major some interesting chords to borrow are: D, E, Eb, Fm, F#, Gm, Ab, Bb, B, Bm, and then of course you can try using diminished, augmented and all sorts of extensions and suspensions to get interesting sounds. I'm just a guy who thinks this is fun, but hope it helps in some way :)

[@composingacademy8270]

Thanks for reaching out - I mentioned both 'modal' and 'ambiguous' as an attempt to describe that I didn't want the music to feel rooted in a particular major/minor key, as there's no obvious major/minor key centre. Upon reflection maybe that wasn't the clearest way of describing my composing process. When composing I will often consciously ignore music theory, trying to free myself of any constraints. I often am just playing around trying chords out without being restricted to any particular key or indeed mode. Or another way of describing is that I will often treat all major/minor chords (24 in an octave) as all potential candidates. I find this can present new melodic patterns as well, which I may not have discovered, if I stuck to a particular key. I hope that helps!

[@clairecooper1754]

Yes that makes perfect sense to follow you ears. I was getting caught up in modal neediness! Thank you.

[@clairecooper1754]

@@autisticcormorant6881 Yes, theory can make hinder sometimes. Thank you.

[@Trimer771]

Thank you. Great video. How did you write C5 and F5 in the chord track? Thanks for the answer.

[@composingacademy8270]

Good question - as the Cubase chord track doesn't have the function of being to write open 5th chords, they are actually blank midi regions instead, which I've individually renamed.

[@Trimer771]

@@composingacademy8270 Ah, thanks. Good idea.

[@coloaten6682]

This is such an inspirational video, thanks so much Simon! I'm new to composing and didn't know how to start composing at a beginner level so this video was exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to get started tomorrow morning writing my first piece! Happy to be a new subscriber. P.S. Have you started using Soundpaint yet? Troels has created something special!

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi Col, my pleasure! Let me know how you get on! Re Soundpaint, no I haven't checked it out yet - I definitely will though!

[@martijnvanbeek4387]

How do I know whether I have seen your videos? Quite simple: I just have to watch if I put a thumb up :):)

[@Ioan_S]

Great tutorial SImon! When is the tutorial for epic musics? ^^'

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you! It's on the list! :-)

[@autisticcormorant6881]

To someone who's planning on getting cubase Pro eventually, what DAW would you recommend that's cheap or free to use until Cubase Pro can be gotten? Thanks :D

[@BellsCuriosityShop]

I use Reaper and can recommend. No included instruments though.

[@autisticcormorant6881]

@@BellsCuriosityShop Yeah that's pretty cheap I suppose. Don't mind paying for some good instruments, cause I'm assuming I can just transfer those to Cubase when I eventually get that. Right?

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi Malleboy122, sorry I had meant to reply to your message from a few days ago about this. Have you considered using Cubase Elements or Artist? I use Elements when I'm teaching students in school and it seems pretty feature rich. The main limitations I've found is the amount of tracks you can load, but it would definitely be useful in learning the main functions of Cubase. Any sample libraries you buy would be able to be used in versions of Cubase.

[@allensojan9048]

Can i know which kontakt libraires are used in it? Please reply

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi Allen, firstly apologies for the delay in replying! There's a few different sample libraries - the Piano is Emotional Piano from Soundiron and the Malmsjo from Art Vista. The pad sounds are mostly from Omnisphere with the strings mostly from Spitfire Audio's Chamber Strings. Finally for the plucked sounds I'm using a lot of Spitfire Audio's free Labs range in this piece. I hope that helps!

[@roggo_x]

Hi, im new to this channel, very good video, but i dont read musical notation , so please show the midi notes of each track at least 2-3 seconds (i pause de video) to see de midi notes, or share the midi file, or cubase project better, thx

[@AliasgarVirdiwala5253]

Sir please while initiating teaching us, mention scale, candences, and how you chose the chords

[@composingacademy8270]

Thank you for the feedback - I'll make sure to talk about those in future videos!

[@AliasgarVirdiwala5253]

@@composingacademy8270 Thank u so much sir

[@sharmarustam]

Please play every instrument you add seperately so that we get an idea how they sound

[@rickhood]

One question I have: this sounds like something that someone else may possibly have already composed. Is there a good method to try to find out if this is too close to something someone else has already done? I am not sure Shazam would work, but maybe? Do composers have a favorite method for figuring this out?

[@composingacademy8270]

I'm not aware of any service/method, but it would be extremely useful to me if there was one. I often have doubts if a melody I have written has been composed before. One thing I always do is 'sleep' on it, listening the next day with fresh ears, to see if my perspective has changed. I will also play something to loved ones to see if they think it sounds familiar. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but if you find a service, do let me know!

[@martijnvanbeek4387]

@@composingacademy8270 Hi Simon, here's a huge admirer of your work;) In one of his music courses Guy Michelmore says he has a good friend with a huge knowledge base in music which he consults about music he has written. If this guy (another one than Guy) says: it's okay, then Guy can trust the music he has written doesn't infringe on anybody elses music. You need to have a 'guy' or 'gal'!

[@martijnvanbeek4387]

...anybody else their music

[@PramodKumar-js8nw]

How create own tunes

[@radiozelaza]

Very MessageInABottly

[@bonbonpony]

01:07 Yeah, but why these particular chords? I don't suppose you just picked them at random, but you never explained HOW did you pick them and HOW do they do what they do; what's their ROLE in the composition.

[@jaminschmitt]

Arpeggios. Lots and lots of arpeggios.

[@user-eq8nf1dp1r]

Hi Simon, can you please tell me what software are you using

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi, the main software I'm using us Cubase Pro 11

[@ISLANDGAMERx]

Can you make a tutorial without the use of the expensive vsts:? some of us can't afford these libraries lol

[@composingacademy8270]

Yes, definitely plan to. I am a big believer in making composing available to all so a fan of free VST's!

[@karaoke6861]

stock music

[@sanjaycolaco]

I am going to stick to your channel - your pace of teaching is good. Try to include info about - why use a particular instrument to create which mood or why use a certain rhythm to convey which mood? In most of the videos that I have seen on KZbin, the "WHY" part is not satisfactorily answered.

[@composingacademy8270]

Hi, appreciate the suggestion. I will try and incorporate the Why more in future videos. Thank you for watching!

[@DrGameTazo]

little like radiohead ..

[@composingacademy8270]

Interesting, haven't compared the two but will take a listen. Thanks for watching!