Compose Heart-Wrenching Strings in 10 Minutes

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Hey, I’m Zach! I’m a musical world-builder with a passion for public creativity. I compose for games and animations, and coach composers to help them bring their visions to life.
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[@ZachHeyde]

Here's the "Secret to Masterful Orchestration" video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ambJmoSgm9-Ab5o

[@jade8538]

For a beginning composer/orchestrator like me, that was eye-poppingly insightful, Zach. I've been watching many videos by you, Mattia, Anne Dern, Ryan Leach, etc., and studying from textbooks, but it's often difficult to stitch it all together in a coherent way. This video really laid out a rudimentary, understandable process to go from piano sketch to a fuller orchestration. I've considered signing on to your Patreon before, but never did it ... this video has convinced me that it's worth checking out. Thx again for sharing your knowledge -- for a newbie like me this material is invaluable. Pls do more along these lines.

[@ZachHeyde]

So glad to hear it, and thank you!

[@isaiah0969]

I think watching this made me realize part john Powell's genius when he makes some of his scores, It shows me pretty much on how much of a creative man he is, even at the beginning of his career with face/off (even though his music in that movie sounds like hans Zimmer's broken arrow soundtrack)

[@davidpreeceorchestra80]

Honestly a 10/10 video. You explained everything in such a good way, I never felt confused but still learnt alot and I feel so much inspiration after watching this! ❤

[@DaveyPalmer]

Sounds phenomenal at the end! Will refer to this when I write my next piece and see if it improves my strings sound. Love how it brightened up after doubling everything! Very helpful thanks a lot 🎶🎶

[@sp-des60yearsago37]

Hey, playlist idea: each section of a new piece you write is a single video, and in each video, you fully flesh out each section giving tips and tricks throughout. Show all the small details for each section and then build upon it with each new video until the final video where you stitch it all together and complete the piece.

[@FloralFromUnderARock]

I'm using your tips, very basically and now beginning to understand layers far more than before. Thanks for doing all this!

[@davidkozin]

Starting with the piano does help create the separation for natural bowing on what could be easily an overly long unnatural sustain. Very helpful for non-string players.

[@Doc2rjae07]

Amazing work Mr. Heyde

[@liemnguyen9223]

Finally, an unpretentious and honest content from a good channel. I am actually not up to this level but listening to him, I can kinda understand what I need to figure out first before coming back to this video. Unlike most of the other videos, I was just completely lost and did not even know what to ask

[@johnh14159]

Glad to know that you also like the soundtracks/pieces from HTTYD 2. I've done some studies on how he does it, and you've covered almost everything i've missed. I've noticed he uses fast triplet violin runs to add movement and energy without sounding too powerful, especially in Flying with Mother. Thanks, I really needed this video!

[@prestonshark]

Thank you very much for your orchestration turorials. For me these made the difference between all the instruments playing the chord and just creating mush and dissecting a chord to create air for the individual elements. A video from you was enough to internalize and implement it. This gave me the ability to create really beautiful arrangements. Kind regards from Bremen, Germany...Kamu

[@jon_do]

Super fun! Thanks for sharing!

[@OfficialStevenCravis]

Zach, I love those inner voicings and bass movement enhancements you added at 3:17 !

[@Phloxx1]

Zach. You're some kinda musical wizard. You never cease to amaze and inspire me!

[@Ph_Blais]

The part where everything is doubled and suddenly becomes beautiful reminds me of the organ. It’s really comon to add the same familly of stops octaves higher, like flute 8’ + 4’ and 2’. Which a bit like you show here, is litterally just adding octaves. That’s why I think the organ can also sound easily full and "magical"

[@amarug]

"you can always test it by singing individual parts" .... no chance, I am better off just imagining it inside my head. I still get shocked myself how incapable I am at hitting any notes with my larynx, despite having a "very good ear" (which just makes it all the more painful to listen) 😅😅

[@jacquesmertens3369]

Thanks for this tutorial. I would find it a lot easier to follow if you showed the music notation rather than lines with Lego blocks. Is that an option?

[@swessels]

Things became really interesting by the time you got us to step three. Nice tutorial.

[@jeevitjalmimaharjan890]

Beautiful...loved the way you explained the steps....did sound great as you proceeded.

[@yvanroustan4426]

very helpful ! thanks Zach !😀

[@ReubenCornell]

As always, concise and educational. Brilliant.

[@edgarsnake2857]

Outstanding lesson. Thanks.

[@rafaelhernandez5550]

You are amazing the way that you explain to us. Thank you so much.

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

Really enjoyed this tutorial! I've been doing most of these things without thinking about the 'why' part. Thanks! I've smashed all the smashers! Salutations from astonishingly grey & chilly Ireland! ☘☮🤘🏽🤠👍🏽☮☘

[@LionofJudah]

This is a fantastic journey and adventure through sound and teaching. I am so blown away by the talent and simple creations that turn into masterpieces. Thank you brother. 🦁🙏🏽👑❤️

[@timothyreynolds6255]

Wow! Thanks. So excited to have found this channel.

[@ZachHeyde]

Thank you!

[@YuuSen]

Whoa, this was an awesome video! Feels like the video I needed for a while; funnily enough this is something that gets me stuck alot even as my main instrument: making the orchestral arrangement fit instead of being a copy/paste from the piano roll. Often times I end up making a separate piano section to accompany the strings ... 😅 definitely going to keep this in mind for when I just want that emotional soaring solo strings performance. Thanks Zach! 😄

[@user-np4hw4vn1j]

Enormously helpful!

[@ratnacomposerstudio]

i like the part of adding interest and movement!

[@mater5930]

Very helpful video! I've learned that it's fine to start composing with chords but as soon as the basic structure is there, each voice should be allowed to develop it's own melody while remaining harmonious.

[@64guatemala]

Absolutely AMAZING!!!!! 😊

[@Muzisoccer253]

Thanks for these amazing tips Zach

[@Soundofjoy]

Excellent presentation and gives me inspiration to create string parts for songs I've done. New subscriber.

[@RunarLundvall]

Great video, very usefuil stuff!

[@jayantjrathod]

What A Video Sirjee 😊

[@64guatemala]

Love your work, Zach! 😊

[@eduardkrasovsky]

Zach,you are a natura-lborn teacher.Hope one day to see you creating from the melody to the whole orchestra.

[@ZachHeyde]

Thank you Eduard!!

[@DrGroo]

Thanks for another great video. I'd definitely train my dragon to those strings.

[@jsfotografie]

indeed a nice video and very tempting to join your patreo as the basic concept i understand but your last magic step i want to dive deeper into ;)

[@rebeccaleek3852]

This is amazing! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Morris_Off]

Nice explanation. I always try not to place the orchestration on the 1 of the bar all the time. At some point this scheme becomes very predictable and not very innovative. Usually less is more, but variety and unity is an extremely important dynamic when it comes to creating stunning and unique compositions and music harmonies.

[@josephforrest3713]

Nice, good stuff.

[@TRIPLEOSAINT]

OMG bro youre like a lifesaver i thought i was going to have a hard time finding someone on youtube who knows what they're talking about and is talking my language lol its funny cause one of my favorite Film Score is by John Powell From how to train a dragon "Test Drive"! wanted to ask you though for someone who's learned music by ear most of his life but learned how to read and play music at a young age where do you think i should start if i want to take music composing more serious also appreciate that sponsorship they're usually no helpful around youtube but for once when i watched thru your's for cinemagic i was shook

[@chr1llee]

Really nice! 🎉

[@Solcius123123]

Awesome

[@upplysta3497]

If you're interested in composing music effectively, consider enrolling in a music theory course. Such courses cover essentials like notes, intervals, chords, scales, and harmony. Earning a degree in music theory is not only cost-effective but also equips you with formal qualifications. If you wish to go beyond the basics, you might want to take a specialized course in cinematic music production taught by a qualified instructor. This could expand your abilities far beyond writing just a couple of songs. But of course, this is just my personal perspective.

[@nicholasdaly7701]

Can you recommend an affordable degree program?

[@zartic9364]

Very thorough and helpful video - I am, however, confused on how to go from step 5 to step 6 - how do you decide on which instruments take on which phrase and when do you decide, if they should switch from a voice to another?

[@davidpreeceorchestra80]

I agree, voicing the middle register like violin 2 and viola is hard. Maybe just experiment in the piano like zach did and then copy paste to the instruments?

[@ZachHeyde]

This! It's dependent on the register of the idea you've written, and where each line speaks best for each instrument. It's a matter of experimentation and some orchestration experience that was a little too in-depth for this video.

[@zartic9364]

Thank you very much for the quick response - I get it now. It makes sense

[@Vanity0666]

Man if you popped in that basic blocky piano part in at the end it would sound good too

[@amarug]

Btw, why always use the piano for these sketches? I get that historically it was the ideal instrument for orchestral sketching, technically, but now we can choose anything. As much as I love the piano as an instrument itself, it has never really worked as a sketcher. I always actually start with (shitty) strings and then work them into better strings, etc. First of all I seem find more inspiration starting with strings and also, I feel I have a much clearer picture where it's all headed.... just curious if I am the only one?

[@ParadoxMusic-ot4mt]

For me personally I start off each composition as improvisation on my piano then translate that to orchestra, maybe he does the same and used piano in the video to show exactly what it was he came up with originally so there's a better contrast to the final product

[@erkansamc2045]

Awsome🧿

[@charlieflint622]

Hey Zach - amazing content as ever. 1 question: I know you use CSS, which has , I believe, 10 first Vlns and 7 second Vlns. Does that mean then, when you create a second Kontakt instance for example when you double in octaves, there are 20 first violins and 14 second violins? Is this a 'faux pas' in programming strings as it's not 'realistic'? Even if it sound amazing?

[@micwarren21]

I'm curious, what string library are you using?

[@ZachHeyde]

Thanks for watching! All VSTs are listed in my gear list: bit.ly/zhfreebie

[@jeffreyarnold725]

You are basically explaining Bach to a new generation- very nice

[@ExarpOmega]

Oof, looks like I've not been doing my orchestral parts as efficiently as this. I think I just kept doing my bad habits over and over again. Funny thing is that I favor piano to begin with, so I don't know why I did it "the other way around" to begin with.

[@Blargl_Whargl]

Ugh! Melodies are a huge weakness of mine... 😔 Love your videos Zach!!

[@DallasCrane]

Wow!

[@eduardkrasovsky]

Zach,which books have you read to arrange from piano tomstring and from piano to the orchestra?

[@ZachHeyde]

There's actually a great book called From Piano to Strings I recommend checking out!

[@keithevans62]

Hello man , Nice tutoriel, can you tell us the names of your sound choice for strings and brass . Thanks for all

[@ZachHeyde]

Thanks! Listed in my gear list: bit.ly/zhfreebie

[@benjaminpehm1914]

What have played the orchestra, in that short part of the video, you introduced that program?

[@TheMrMRsmoke]

Where is that harpsichord color midi piano came from

[@zurichtravelandreview7488]

YOU MAKE A HELLUVA BOSS SOUNDTACK EP 6 PLICE ❤

[@ajibolaolusheyi6199]

Hi Zach and many thanks for this videos. I am watching from Nigeria I have been trying to join your Patreon page but for some reason I don’t know, it hasn’t been connecting me to the page. Kindly help

[@f0xshadow521]

Loved the progression from piano to the end product. However, when you do the 'add octaves' step, aren't you doubling your orchestra size? 2 cello sections, 2 Bass sections, etc etc? If you wanted to write this for an actual orchestra, would you then have to do it divisi?

[@ZachHeyde]

Great question, and yes, this would be divisi! The sound would be thinner as a result, but more dense in terms of the voicing 👍🏻

[@dewey2065]

what does the modulation do underneath the midi notes

[@daystrainsandtracks1246]

controls the dynamics. (loud and soft)

[@tzokgrec]

Zach what vst do you use for violins?

[@ZachHeyde]

You can find everything I use in my gear list! 👍🏻 www.zachheyde.com/resources

[@Krzychu3005]

2:42 I don't see any link, could someone help me? :D

[@ZachHeyde]

Here you go! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ambJmoSgm9-Ab5o

[@zurichtravelandreview7488]

HI

[@zurichtravelandreview7488]

HELLO 👋

[@rgferreira78]

Thanks for this lesson! I've just started some months ago trying to do this with a piece I like. I'm not quite happy yet (WIP) but I believe I already use some of your advice. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2K1oaWAYp5lla8

[@ancientcoincollector]

In my opinion the final string arrangement is beeing played way to fast. It sounds just not alive and it misses modulation/ vibrato etc. The intention is great - but the result isn`t yet. Thanks anyway!

[@mtscott44]

"Start with basic chord progression"....cool, just need a few more years to learn how that works.

[@ikemmanuel-audu363]

@zac do you take paid jobs? Or you got too much money now. 😂

[@ZachHeyde]

Commissions are still open 🙂 Check out my website to touch base!