How to Fix Muddy Orchestration

🎁 Grab My Free Film Scoring Guide: bit.ly/zhfreebie
🎬 Get Paid to Compose: bit.ly/zh-bootcamp
👋 Become a Patreon Member: / zachheyde
FREE RESOURCES:
🎬 Film Scoring Guide: bit.ly/zhfreebie
💰 Music Pricing Guide: bit.ly/zhfreebie
💻 Zach's Gear List: bit.ly/zhfreebie
PRODUCTS & COURSES:
🎬 Composing Career Bootcamp: bit.ly/zh-bootcamp
🎻 Orchestral Mockup Course: payhip.com/b/Kpot5
🖥️ Logic Pro Orchestral Template: payhip.com/b/bRtsJ
🎶 Custom Harp VST: payhip.com/b/HE29M
🎚️ TouchOSC Template: payhip.com/b/jXpH6
📃 Sheet Music: www.stemsupsound.com/
WHO AM I?
Hey there! I'm Zach - full-time media composer, passionate online educator, and obsessive coffee roaster. Through my KZbin channel, weekly newsletter, and online courses, I'll teach you how to grow as a composer so you can make cool music and spend your life doing what you love.
CONNECT WITH ME:
📸 Instagram: / zachheyde
📩 Website: zachheyde.com

[@ZachHeyde]

Want more free music tips? Check out my 5-step film scoring guide here! bit.ly/zhfreebie

[@vyllan34]

These are super helpful, I'm a flat out beginner and am just interested in learning how to just break this stuff down honestly. You did lose me a bit on the later parts. I would greatly appreciate if you could do some sort of chronological class from very basic to harder concepts, including your workflow in one video, maybe the program, and basics of breaking this stuff down. You're a great teacher and make this stuff seem pretty simple, but I think in some of these videos the range from beginner to advanced is too far for me, and I imagine some more advanced people might skip the beginner talkings

[@ZachHeyde]

Good suggestion! I am planning a few courses for sometime in the future :)

[@officialnoslenj]

I totally agree. I totally understand everything that you taught in this video. I think you would do great at an orchestration course. I would definitely sign up because I like your style of teaching

[@ZachHeyde]

Appreciate that feedback Jon :)

[@ronniekitchens6502]

Go to school. There are some orchestration text books thatll help you. Work on your theory

[@ondinnonk]

I was gonna ask about workflow and setting up the Workspace, too!

[@Hildegardvonblingin]

I can’t overstate how helpful your videos have been. I’ve been trying to improve my understanding of orchestration and your channel has been a goldmine of inspiration. Thank you Zach! 🙏

[@dbmusicproductions9181]

Your videos always knock it out of the park with the best timing. I can't get enough voicing and orchestration advice.

[@ratnacomposerstudio]

love how you have explained the overtone in this as well the voicings.

[@JesseDanielSmith]

Your directness is very appreciated -- my time was well spent and I appreciate all the nuggets of wisdom throughout 🙏

[@danieldavismusic]

I love the way that you conceptualize and explain winds. Clearer and more concise education than most university professors.

[@murtaboat8515]

your videos are honestly some of the best available in my opinion!

[@harmonyib5677]

Just earned a subscriber my friend. Easily the best explanation I have seen on this topic in years. Thanks for showing the piano roll and the on screen keyboard.

[@Anirudh20]

That was just an Awesome Masterclass on Orchestration zach!. You just taught me a Month's Syllabus in just 25 mins! Thank you so much❤️

[@ZachHeyde]

Heck yeah, happy to hear it!!

[@ivangarnicamusic]

I've been looking for a video about voncings for a very long time. Just what I needed, thank you so much!

[@josiahtobas9172]

Hands down, very insightful and eye opening. Chooses the right structure to show the build up in voicings. Thank you very much ❤.

[@iamfrankbiesta]

A very useful video, Zach. For me it comes exactly at the right time as I'm trying to expand my work from just writing melodies and basic harmonies into creating something which has more depth and width. Thanks!

[@jpdussan]

Great video! Thanks Zach!

[@jenssieckmann]

Thank you Zach, nice introduction. This could easily be expanded to a whole series of videos. I could imagine somethink like: passing tones. voicing with extended chords and combining instruments playing harmony with different rhythms, say short strings and long trombones.

[@petupullo5160]

Im about to go study music production, and I will be bingeing your videos when I compare more orchestral stuff!! Thanks alot for these tutorials! You're amazing! 🤩

[@gabrelconner9146]

Really fantastic channel actually! Thanks so much Zach!

[@AlexisPerezIndal]

Really helpful. I studied music at the Conservatoire for 13 years as a clarinet player, but was always uninterested by theory and orchestration. Now I’m a full time composer for film and advertising but mainly in pop and rock stuff. So these videos help me bridge the gap and get what I’m missing. I’m now going back to using orchestra and it feels soooooo good. Really inspiring! Your videos helped me want to get a lot more into orchestral music :) I clearly owe you this! 🎉

[@FilipLackovicMusic]

Honestly, this is the best orchestration tutorial I've found so far :) The way you explain things really is amazing and helpful. Thanks a lot, I'll binge your content :)

[@richardmillingtonmusic]

This is great, Zach - these tips are really helpful for a piece I'm working on right now! Thanks!

[@DZazzyBeats-lq8pd]

You've done a great job man ❤❤

[@iCookMe]

This is wicked dude, you got great explanations and breakdowns here!!

[@artemisnite]

I'm a guitar player, piano dabler, and I've barely touched my BBC Orchestra plug-in. But dude, you just help me understand it all more than five years of guitar theory gurus and piano tutorials. The concept of the overtones on the third just blew my mind. Now I know why I was often instinctively voicing that way. Thanks so much. Subscribed! ❤

[@willcooper8028]

This is SO much more helpful than other videos I find on this topic

[@grofinet]

Excellent! Well done.♥

[@JohnSk82]

Excellent video dude.

[@nostalgia_junkie]

a concept ive been lost on for years, thank you kindly for making this info accessible

[@Hamza_Aydin]

This was insanely helpful! Thank you so much.

[@anatomicallymodernhuman5175]

Thank you. Very helpful. Sounded massive by the end, which is something I’ve sometimes struggled to achieve.

[@Snowness]

I'm so glad I clicked on this video! I'm literally going to have to watch this a few times to fully comprehend all the great info. Subscribed! 👍

[@MoonWalkersbin]

this is super useful. thank you!

[@RamonRodgers]

I need much much more of this. Thank you! What lead me to you is on my own channel that I am trying to learn exactly this concept through mockups by ear (all orchestrations except one). I know I'm making mistakes or ears are deceiving me. And of course I know why. But I wasn't able to fix it. I am definitely subscribing!

[@ZachHeyde]

Thanks for sharing Ramon, and glad it's been helpful for you!

[@yvanroustan4426]

Very helpful ! thank you 😃

[@darryl2304]

Oh this is my new favourite channel!

[@joe81730]

it really helps a lot for me who just wrote a messy orchestration, big appreciate zach!

[@michaelfeeney506]

Brilliant presentation, easy, no nonsense language to make a wonderful lesson. Thankyou

[@beat2009]

Thank you for great tutorial. Very appreciate.

[@kylejhartman]

I appreciate your philosophy about watching out for thirds in chords. Anže Rozman taught me the same thing, so you’re in great company! Really solid stuff, Zach.

[@ZachHeyde]

Thanks Kyle!!

[@AndreyRubtsovRU]

Ah! Even Anze Rozman himself!! (* Has no idea who he/she is)

[@MustacheVerra]

Thanks Zach.

[@ThePickledOnions]

Very helpful, thanks

[@scottfoster3643]

Great tutorial, thank you very much

[@Sashman077]

Useful, down to earth and practical. Subscribed to your channel.

[@Roland_Geyer]

Thank you, very helpful👍

[@ephjaymusic]

An excellent point! Well presented! That's one of the reasons why learning a bit of music theory can help hugely when writing music for orchestra or multiple voices. Too many people are convinced that theory is all just supplementary voodoo for classical snobs who want to talk music-theory jargon to sound fancy lol.

[@EDUMSOUZA]

Brilliant!! 💯

[@maciej74174]

Interesting, motivating, valuable in terms of knowledge about music. Thank you.

[@prodsgbeatz]

i never had someone explain music theory that easy. thank you!

[@Atezian]

16:07 onwards is great info. Makes so much sense that loud brass has so many overtones so using other instruments to copy it's contents and rhythms is redundant. Same about 2 horns = 1 brass. Thanks!

[@maxeff]

Another clear, concise and informative video!

[@robarkskillie960]

Very interesting insight, never noticed this before.

[@AfterWorkMusician]

I really enjoyed the lesson on chord voicing! You have gift for making this type of lesson easy to watch my friend. Keep up the great work. Subbed!

[@ZachHeyde]

Thank you!

[@es__music]

This is great! Would love to see a video on mixing synth textures

[@fredrikhiller4272]

Amazing!

[@chriszellmusic]

this was way more informative than i expected it to be. thank you very much

[@ZachHeyde]

Glad you enjoyed! 🙌

[@TheClassicalSauce]

Good intermediate - entry advanced lesson for composers. Thanks!

[@seth6string]

This video is a goldmine for me. My background is rock guitar, self taught amateur. I have no formal training but have become so excited about orchestral stuff lately. I don't have access to all the gear, soundbanks, etc. I have my phone and the BandLab app. I'll get an idea while hiking in the woods, hum it into my phone, then work it out later on the little piano on there. It's been so fun to learn more about scales, add harmonies, build chord progressions, break it all apart and orchestrate it for the different sections, etc. But all along I know how much I don't know... I constantly question whether my parts are even playable by a competent musician on the various instruments... I always wonder if I'm committing some egregious theoretical error. I've been reading and watching all I can to learn -- this is one of the best single videos I've found for someone like me. Thanks!

[@ZachHeyde]

So glad to hear it Seth!

[@HinzRafael]

Great video

[@wizendweaver]

Thank you. Most interesting

[@arpantoppo3266]

So orchestrating is all about a very nice harmonization ❤❤

[@itsryanfreeman]

Great points and insight, brother! Thanks for sharing. Just subscribed :)

[@minora6537]

great !

[@rhino948]

Each one of those loops, my brain was screaming to resolve to the tonic 😂😂 thanks for the lesson!!

[@ZachHeyde]

😂 Next video 😉

[@christophercjc2]

You sir, are the reason why KZbin is the most powerful platform ever for learning and growing skills. You have a new subscriber! Hope you have a wonderful day Zach :D

[@ZachHeyde]

Thanks Christopher!

[@andresenfamilyfarms8287]

Nice video. I was dropping the cello and bass on my voicing, but I was keeping a more closed position on the others, I will try opening them up a bit more. ty

[@roundchaos]

Just found your channel. Fantastic content.

[@KrimoErra]

Much thank :)

[@Filacki]

Very educational and useful video! Subscribed :)

[@charlottemcmillan9668]

A very helpful video! I especially appreciate the rules of thumb about range and where to start with orchestrating a chord (melody, then bass, then harmonies). I wonder if you would be interested in doing a video that goes deeper with voicing methods like interlocking, enclosure, overlapping, and juxtaposition. Would love to hear your take on how each of those techniques can be characterized.

[@robertcrowell2297]

Great video. I’ll be tuning in. What’s that device you’re blowing into for the woodwinds ? I’ve never seen that before.

[@ChristianBurrola]

How would you go about voicing jazz chords where 5ths are often omitted and 3rds and 7ths (sometimes 6ths) are the guide tones and are of utmost importance?

[@TheCoolj1212]

Great video Zach! I notice that whenever I make music I usually just go off of what feels right, but I think having a method for the madness could make me a more efficient composer. I would like to ask though, what software do you use for recording? I would like to also start making content about my music making/learning journey and I feel like your videos are some of the highest quality ones that I watch, making them a good metric for what's good. Cheers!!

[@ZachHeyde]

Thanks for the kind words, and awesome for you to start making videos yourself! I use OBS for recording, recording directly from a Sony A6600 mirrorless camera. But start within your means--don't overinvest in gear so early into making content. (Look at my earlier videos for reference on what things looked/sounded like 😁)

[@harperbyrne94]

In my experience as a bass trombonist, when dealing with three or more trombones, the lowest part is always implied or explicitly written as a bass trombone part, at least in modern orchestral practice. This is just me being nit picky abt my specialty though, great content!

[@davidkozin]

Thanks for your expertise as a player!

[@Starfish0.]

Nice video with great tips, not too long and very useful. New subscriber here, thanks for sharing such good content.

[@go-away-5555]

I love the sound of that lower-octave "muddy" triad. But do agree with you about it being muddy. If it's being used intentionally that way it's good. But it's usually not.

[@davidxiu8020]

my mixes sounds clean and better now. thanks.

[@LucasHagemans]

6:04 The famous warm and lush sounding finale hymn in Brahm's sym 1 is for the violins written entirely (except for one high A) in the range you just described as not really sounding best.

[@mikebliss1835]

Orchestration is somewhat like Chemistry (or at least how *I* understand chemistry): certain rules can be bent and broken depending on what other elements are at play. If all the violins are playing a unison melody and there aren't many other instruments playing overtop of them, you can get away with putting instruments in a low register. I myself love the sound of flugelhorn and flute playing in a unison low register. I'm particularly drawn to the blend. But a single flugelhorn will overpower a single flute in that register. So I have to typically compensate for it by having a flute section (in a concert band) all play unison to balance it out against the single flugelhorn.

[@DJaycerOfficial]

Another tip: try to avoid whole note measures for chords. The only exception is if it’s a slower piece.

[@cyrilarih]

i don't even wright orchestral music but this concepts are so helpful anyway 🙊 thanks 🙏

[@danny.ray101]

Wow, that's a really powerful orchestration and good voicings. I am curious how you would deal with more complex harmonies like Cm11 or F triad over E triad.

[@hoppingh907]

The second I heard those first two chords I thought it was gonna be The Great Gate At Kiev

[@user-il5oq5df6l]

I first heard "The Great Gate at Kiev" as the theme music for a Disney Christmas TV special!

[@zayna6668]

Mas vídeos asi bro😊

[@domcolliermusic6390]

you have helped me so much latley, when i get successful you will be the one to thank

[@MrPGora]

Nice Lesson Zach! Thank You for sharing your knowledge in such a great way. Can you tell me what an controller you use for the brass? Haven't seen such a thing.

[@tylerpedraja6049]

Zach, are you focusing on balancing the voices within each section, or balancing them within the orchestra? For example, maybe if the strings section was very 3^ heavy, you could balance it with very tonic/5th heavy brass?

[@vincecomposer]

Thanks for the video! Please may I ask what software do you use for the onscreen piano?

[@georgehetherton4474]

awesome! just curious, how do you split by region colour in the piano roll?

[@jackh7650]

I agree with overusing muddiness. Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish especially when you want to add a lot of "weight" to a song. However, I actually used some muddiness in context to a song that I wrote, and it actually ended up being more powerful than when I used good voicing, especially sing the song is a "dirty rotten pirate" theme lol.

[@g.p616]

Great content! Go into detail on this and you’ll have 100k subscribers in weeks!👍

[@bunglewalden]

thank you kind sir, what is that doohickey you are using for the midi wind instruments called?

[@DreamerInTheCutOfficial]

💎

[@Harlem55]

Be warry of doubling notes in several octaves - octaves will tend to make the note heavier and more conspicuous - being the reason the woodwinds almost never double with themselves.

[@iainthemusic]

this video is so incredible and so helpful. holy. i am curious though, what is the thing that’s around your neck? it looks like you are blowing into it?

[@simon_esse896]

Where did you learn to play the piano so well and music theory? Any tips online?

[@MGGeroux]

What breath controller are you using when you are on a brass track? Thanks

[@zaphodmilkermuffin4870]

Loved the video, what is the device that you keep putting in your mouth when you play?

[@fl2172]

Nice video! My geeky part speaking, what do you call the little black thing you blow whenever you want to play winds or brass? Definitely want to get one of those

[@amitiel9920]

whats the thing you blow into alongside the keyboard when playing wind instruments?

[@Blacklunaproductions]

Hey Zack thanks so much for these videos. I was curious the device you're blowing into ? And is that to control modulation or breath?

[@Thunshot]

Echo this question!

[@Blacklunaproductions]

@@Thunshot hey Zack has a video about this midi device. It's buried in his stuff but if you look it's there. I found it after I made this comment

[@Thunshot]

@@Blacklunaproductions Thank you

[@AlexKurilovMusic]

Hello @ZachHeyde I have a question - do you use reverb in your composing template all the time? Or just for the purpose of the demonstration in the video? I've seen people teach to use separate, and have a completely dry templates. I guess it makes sense for more hybrid projects, than purely orchestra. Wondering what's your take on this.

[@ZachHeyde]

Hey Alex! The setup here is the setup I use--I use a short verb and a long!

[@Charmerband]

So if doubling the third. Keep it upper register?