Scoring Wildlife Films with Guy Michelmore

Download the 75-minute full-length tutorial, the original film for you to score plus all the stems and final mix. A complete micro course in scoring wildlife films!
thinkspaceeducation.com/signu...
Composing music for wildlife films is a wonderful way to spend time. Guy Michelmore has scored over 100 natural history films and in this film, he takes you with him to witness an amazing wildlife spectacle, makes a short film, and then goes back to the studio to score his own wildlife sequence.
Today he's using a new library from Orchestral Tools called Salu and you can check that out here: www.orchestraltools.com/store...
My thanks to the staff at RSPB Ham Wall reserve
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-...
00:00 Start
03:23 Starlings arrive
04:43 In the studio
08:33. Orchestral Tools Salu
12:14 Scoring the Film starts here
19:13 Adding strings
22:00 Adding harp
27:35 Adding the cello theme
29:40. The final piece

[@rodterrell304]

Guy, you are a great inspiration to us sir. I’m an older retired guy that always wanted to do this kind of music and finding your channel was a great blessing for me. You have taught me a great deal in your videos and have made me realize that just because a person is older does not mean they cannot learn new things. Thanks to you I’m now composing music (as a hobby) ,adding it to video and letting friends and family hear it. Thank you so much for your content sir. I just wish I had started 30 years ago.

[@mikkomalinen2641]

I double this post! Almost word for word my sentiments too!

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Exactly - go for it and enjoy yourself

[@jjc75019]

Never too late to start, trust me. Enjoy every minute of this. When I started (1969) there was no youtube to learn from, we did it all the "hard" way. But the most important thing always is to enjoy it. So, good on you for starting and continuing.

[@steveharesign8324]

@@mikkomalinen2641 - And mine! Limited kit and library but SO inspired to create. Arise Sir Guy!

[@MintaCreativeArts]

Rod, life is to short to think what others may say....Just go for it myfriend 👍

[@drvansteiner967]

Just fantastic. Guy’s generosity of spirit and the effort he puts into his channel is a wonderful contribution.

[@nodrogyendor]

Another oldie who has been by inspired you. Love your sense of humour and wackiness. Love adding backing to my travel videos.

[@theRosiestEver]

Am I gonna watch this whole thing even thought I’m late for work? Yes, yes I think I am

[@maryshaw4399]

This is one of the best videos you’ve made in a long time, thank you! So inspiring and beautiful. Please make more like it!

[@IHBable]

I couldn't agree more :)

[@davidsinclair699]

Thanks Guy for the mini-course. It's brilliant!

[@iansturgess8913]

One of your best videos Guy. I'm in awe of the effortless way you can write in parts like that. Inspirational as always. Fond wishes from further along the south coast.

[@lyravisionmusic]

Bravo bravo Sir Michelmore! Such a great idea combining the arts in this way. Will get on to giving this a go.

[@AymanSaeedd]

Really inspiring! Sometimes the pressure of trying to re-score a scene or works from others becomes crippling. This is a great mental exercise free of external expectation and I'm really looking forward to trying it out. Got a nice lake nearby and will film soon :)

[@ThirteenthOfFour]

Wonderful company as ever Guy - you provide one the space to think clearly and passionately about our Fine Art's here.

[@LindaMissad]

Gorgeous, Guy. Thank you for your continued inspiration. My husband loves to make wildlife videos when we go for walks. This makes me realize I could score some of them.

[@uberdru]

Acolyte of Arvo Part, and never would have found Salu without this video. Magnificent! Thanks!

[@Ahmad-Mounir44]

Guy, I am in my early 40's and you're enjoying your life actively more than I do actually 🤣. Happy for you really ! And love your stuff indeed my good sir 🌹

[@corbyvinson1175]

Outstanding! Thanks so much for what you do!!

[@Orchestral-Tools]

Hey Guy - this has made our day! Beautiful footage and score.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Thank you for a wonderful library - really inspiring to play

[@Markisbeatz355]

Hi again michelmore! Big fan of your chanel please dont stop producing music you just explain so good! Btw great video!

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Thank you

[@jumpsneak]

Beautiful, both music and the view. Great inspiration. Thanks Guy

[@SqueamishCactus]

Music like this is inspiring and absolutely beautiful. Amazing nature is then adding a beautiful piece over it is like adding a cherry to the top. Guy is truly a inspiration. I learn something out of EVERY SINGLE video. It has opened my eyes to composing my own music and how I approach writing tracks and letting the instruments breathe. From one musician to another, I tip my hat to you and your amazing work. *tips hat*

[@BaraMatahariPagi]

The first 5 minutes of this was just so wholesome!

[@aagora]

That's great. Thank you for sharing. 🙏

[@Addict2FX]

I am totally going to download this video and give it a go. Thanks guy

[@markobojovic2242]

Amazing, thnaks for sharing this !

[@oakmystmusicproduction]

Exactly ,scoring own film is a great fun :) great scoring, by the way ! Greetings !

[@foxik7272]

I Hope I meet you in real life once.Thank you for sharing your joy with us.

[@megorra]

Last year, in Ripon where I live, we had murmurations for about three weeks solid, and they were mesmerising and beautiful to watch. It's one of those things that make you appreciate the wonder of nature and we should be thankful that we get the chance to see them. Great video, as always, Guy :)

[@theukuleleclub]

Inspirational...thank you 👍🏻

[@Mkshoffmeister]

Wonderful! I really enjoyed the video, so inspiring. Thx Guy :)

[@charleshoward2456]

Thanks, Guy. That was excellent.

[@brianbutterworth8801]

Such beautiful music, i just drifted off to sleep and had to rewind, your a master, thanks mate.

[@darrellholovach7752]

Guy, thank you so much for your content. I’ve just started making my sheet music come a little more to life with newly acquired BBC Discover, Cubase, and my first MIDI controller. There’s a lot to learn and I can’t imagine doing it without your help. I’m working on my first Symphony which includes a Pastorale movement of the Upstate New York valley I grew up in. I’m also a public school music teacher and hope that one day I can teach a class like this at the high school level.

[@johnfinnis8373]

Informative and helpful as ever (even if somewhat subdued on the madcap front!) I'll certainly be having a crack at scoring this. Thank you very much, Mr M👍

[@jordanheal5760]

BBC Winter watch recently featured a whole archive programme devoted to the Winter of 1962-63 presented by your Dad. Probably still on IPlayer.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Ah.... I was very small back then!

[@omerlikos2549]

thank you for sharing all this process :)

[@dannyacuna]

Absolutely breathtaking. Such a wonderful background against which we can compose music. You are correct sir, there is no better music than the one we can make against the backdrop of the creation by the Ceator.

[@yams900]

You’ve got so many good ideas, heaps of inspiration! Thank you for sharing, you got me going now :)

[@MintaCreativeArts]

Very Inspiring Guy, you, the music and your energy. Bless.

[@NeilBromhall1]

Hi Guy, It’s great to see your workings behind the scenes of how you build the music to fit the images. music brings a sequence alive and sets the atmosphere. A real art. Best wishes Neil

[@veronikatvrda5524]

You are a big inspiration for me. In every possible way. Thank you.

[@rakatafly1978]

That was a good one, Guy! THANK YOU. I can still believe in my dreams thanks to you...

[@ronnyskaar3737]

That sample library was very interesting. I listen a lot to Pärt. Thanks for this really interesting tutorial.

[@brucebarratt99]

Amazing, ty Guy!

[@LeeGee]

Arvo Pärt -- deep thanks for the introduction. Such beauty! As always, thank you for the lovey video.

[@flipperpitstudio]

Finished product like an awesome intro for a movie of a Thomas Hardy-story. 🥰👍

[@tuttib1902]

Great to see you in my part of England

[@lenimbery7038]

Thankyou for this great and informative channel! I love watching all of your videos and I'm learning so much from them!....now to just get out there and do more of my own creations rather than just enjoying watching all of your lessons!

[@shane_taylor]

So, so good.

[@DavidsStockMusics]

I started watching your videos years ago. My DAW could not load video (Tracktion Waveform Pro). Thanks to you, a couple of years ago I wrote a letter to the developer to make such a feature, and he made it. So you also influence the software industry, and since then, I have made several compositions :)

[@joegrint6280]

Great stuff Guy - thanks. Another Arvo Part fan here!

[@FLH3official]

My Friday Guy. My feeding weekly work is finished and with a glass or burgundy wine I can enjoy music and then I have two days to accomplish my masterworks with the help fo Guy. Thank you

[@MikeSmith-or4il]

Thanks for the great video.

[@vleiratfilms2020]

Very interesting exercise. Thank you so much🌝😊

[@silverfireVRgaming]

Wanted to add my comments to others here. I also am a little older and always wanted to get into composing, but never found good instruction (my community college didn't have a good program and so I ended up just dabbling here and there through the years). Recently I've finally gotten back into trying in earnest and your channel has been a big inspiration. Partly from watching your videos and partly from finding another couple KZbinrs with good music composition instruction, I was able to make a "video game" track for a competition and get some positive comments on it. Didn't win, but it was definitely a complete piece and not just a partial idea, which is usually where I've left off in the past. Love your self-deprecating humor and the "sunglasses of doubt." Your seemingly haphazard approach makes sense to me, as that's kinda how my mind works as well; as a result, watching your videos is great inspiration for how to work with that approach and make it work.

[@yams900]

Always enjoy video creations!

[@user-zu2fl8dt6p]

Thank You Very Much! 🙂🙏

[@usermai174]

it would be great to have certain sections of the video in slow mo, it helps bring the majesty of the moment and extract feelings from the viewer. Great score Guy! keep it up

[@laurencelong]

A really beautiful and relaxing cue

[@dafingaz]

Great!

[@KevinPHoltComposer]

Hi Guy, I've been following you for a long while now and love your easygoing approach to composition. I have found your content really useful and inspiring. Just want to say thanks for all the useful tips and effort you put into these videos. Even more exciting for me today when I thought, why do I recognise the music in the background at the start? It was one of mine! Thanks for the use, especially on one of your vids and a person I hold in such high regard. Keep your amazing content coming. All the best, Kevin.

[@DeafBlindHunter]

Very very nice.

[@MattF12765]

As a tip it’s always better to be a little further away and a more wide angle lens to get the effect of a black swirling form.

[@PoundSound]

What a great experience, used to live near where Starlings migrated and occasionally they would break off over the house. The shapes and formations they form are amazing. Only downside was the car would take a right pelting. 😂

[@music_creator_capable]

Nice !

[@EvansAudio]

Great

[@MartinJG100]

0:01 Some good yomping kit there, Guy. Not a great fan of the lowly Starling which I consider to represent the greasy geezer in the birdie world but this is indeed an amazing sight. Seen some fascinating footage of this ritual with some spectacular strafing from Hawks. You would think they would wait till they settle down to roost rather than be suckered into the swirl and waste valuable energy. Interesting to see how you paint this musical picture. Perfect for those frozen string things.

[@TresSeaver]

That was a beautiful fit of music to the filmed loveliness. Thank you so much for sharing it! I did wonder if the celli were the right fit for the second theme: maybe bassoons would've fit the "marshy" theme better?

[@jamesdoanecompositions]

Great video!! I bet it was amazing to witness in person. It inspired me, so I gave my attempt to score this and posted it on my channel if you are interested. Thanks for all you do!!

[@gabrielecardosi5747]

Hi Guy, your videos, and this one in particular, are so inspiring: thanks!!!! Did you consider, some day, to make one about "Music scoring for sports ?"

[@sonicsatsuma1256]

Guy, this is pinnacle you! Amazing stuff. Absolutely one of the best tutors on KZbin, the way you brought this magnificent footage to fruition was truly inspirational. I like it when you’re (almost) serious like this because you’re skills shone so much here. Appreciate you have some top end gear etc. but I definitely believe this workflow is transferable. I also liked the way you kept the composition minimal and used the soundest to its max. People should take heed. No need for massive, muddy chord ensembles, just good textures and the right notes, in the right places. Beats being stuck in a CSV by the sea waiting for fish and chips with a mini keyboard hoping for the next inspiration. Get out there and find the footage on whatever, bring it back, chop it up and make your music. Know your theme first, chase the starlings, it’s worth it.

[@BlueBeeThemeMusic]

Swirly birdies, yay!

[@desoconnor7445]

Life can be very very magnificent 🙏🙏🏿🎵🎩

[@redguitar6062]

This has sparked something in me. I will have a stab. Hope you don't mind if I share here when I'm done, @Guy Michelmore.

[@trioofone8911]

Wow

[@desoconnor7445]

The tension I would have enjoyed as a composer would have been the appearance of the birds ..that would set the aesthetic , the direction established.

[@metacouture]

🙏🙏🙏

[@Grankspoine]

Note to video editor: 'thanks' (bottom-right page-curl, 18:02) doesn't have an apostrophe. And *don't* ('do not'??) be afraid to use contractions! Nick M

[@njkumar1958]

Hi sir.. Macbook pro M2 16inch, For music production ki 16gb ram enough ah or 32gb needed ah This is for accessing komplete 14 collector's edition... plz suggest me

[@grahamsouthern6781]

thanks for this - are you generally using a super small scale template with a load-as-you-go approach these days? or was that just for the purpose of videos like this one?

[@electedmusic7685]

hello Guy, one question, I'm not a pianist, I don't even work with him. mkii, my question is, would it be good for me if I worked on orchestral productions, with an s88mkii like the one you have? Does it feel better to work the strings, brass... with the keys of the s88? Or since I'm not a pianist, is it better that I keep the s61mkii? Please, I would really like to know your advice, to know what decision I take. thank you so much.

[@baileytvforyou]

Hi what was the background music in the start? sounds awesome

[@fallofsapiens]

Nice to see a composer being also a birder ! what lens do you use for info?

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Sony 200-600 :) + 1.4 extender

[@Andrewtm23]

Guy loves his birds... make no mistake about that

[@markholland505]

Hello Guy, I noticed you are back in Cubase for this. What is the reason for going back-and-forth between Cubase and logic?

[@144digital]

He's always been mostly a cubase guy... Most people use more than one daw and go back and forth between them... I don't feel it's strange

[@StutzVanH]

Guy has mentioned before that he is predominantly a Cubase user but many of his ThinkSpace students use Logic and had asked to see some videos done with Logic. So he switches between.

[@tronam]

Learning multiple DAWs is also kind of a fun way to mix things up.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Yes I try to do tutorials on both Cubase and logic though swapping does my brain in!

[@kennethharte5722]

Nice.. Any chance you could release the footage so people can experiment at home.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Absolutely - see the link above in the description! And you can there is no restriction on it so feel free to post it online when youve scored it

[@kennethharte5722]

@@ThinkSpaceEducation I got them. Thank you!

[@avsystem3142]

Although the timing of cuts, fades and etc. may be predetermined by the filmmaker, in the examples of composing to film I have seen on this channel the film editor and composer could/should work in concert. For example a tempo, or tempos, should be predetermined and notable changes in the film should, if at all possible, occur on a beat, or better on the downbeat of a bar. This would make the integration of sound and vision much tighter. This is particularly true if the music has an obvious rhythm.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Well yes and no. There is a growing trend away from that so directors are asking quite specifically for me not to close synch the music. Even in animation.

[@avsystem3142]

@@ThinkSpaceEducation Interesting. Do you know the artistic reasoning behind the practice?

[@IHBable]

Thanks to Guy and his team for putting this together. I hope this is allowed. Here is how I scored the music kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJWWhGOPbsZ5n6M

[@espacekurzweil]

I followed the link to download the full-length tutorial... to a web page saying "Scoring Wildlife...." and at the end of the article it says "Sign up here to start this micro-course!", but there is no link to sign up on the page... so I can't download anything (I'm already registered, and aloready logged in)... any help ?

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Oh I’m sorry email us at [e-mail] and we will sort you out

[@DachMusiK]

Hi Cyril D.E.S., I had the same issue. My work around: I did not login in but just "signed up", i.e. I just entered my mail address and then I received a mail from TSE with a link to all files. Hope it helps. Enjoy and have fun :)

[@espacekurzweil]

@@DachMusiK I also tried thi solution, but it says that a user (me, of course) is already registered with with email...

[@espacekurzweil]

@@ThinkSpaceEducation Done ! ;-)

[@lahattec]

Given that this has birds in it, would a flute or flutes be appropriate, or maybe too many birds for that?

[@kalvinkingdon6256]

13:14 Those are skepticals.

[@robin_miller_music]

I'm such a massive long way away from being in any way qualified, but (!) is it a little too melancholy?

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

You might well be right. It’s the kind of thing you see when you come back to it a day or so later

[@robin_miller_music]

@ThinkSpaceEducation Still very cool though! Maybe that's a topic for a video, something around listening back after a break away from a piece, to 're-hear' it again?

[@carstenaltena]

Ah! A part 2 of "scoring wildlife films", this time without a green screen 😅

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Long wait for part 2!

[@markelvinstudio]

Ummm.....Starling pie with well boiled sprouts drizzelled in two day old gravey, delicious! JOKE! As always, an inspiring tutorial, many thanks. EDIT: DONT CLICK ON LINKS IN REPLY, it's nothing to do with this channel.

[@joshuasnyman6655]

I love your videos! Can I ask if you write to winners and give away iphones and mac books via telegram or is that a scam?

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

It’s a scam - we don’t do prize drawers and I’m not on telegram

[@joeldavidpalmer]

Thank you, Guy - I was inspired to score your little film, though I took a rather different approach! Practice, practice, practice... kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKHNnKWki9qcitk