Learn the basics of orchestration, instrument by instrument. This course is ideal for individuals who already have a basic knowledge of music theory and music composition.
Follow mockup virtuoso Rico Derks as he explores how to craft professional-grade productions. From section balancing to precise panning, learn the essentials of producing great-sounding orchestral tracks.
Introduction
Whether you are writing orchestral mock-ups in a sequencer or for a real group of musicians the key to creating an effective result is a strong understanding of instruments and how they sound. This course is designed to give you just that. It will help you understand each instrument family’s unique evocative capabilities, how they work within the context of a symphony orchestra and how to effectively write for them.
Students will follow Rico Derks as he builds orchestral mockups from the ground up, providing a hands-on learning experience. In the process, he will demonstrate essential programming concepts such as section balancing, precise panning and reverb application.
This course is a comprehensive introduction to orchestration and provides a solid foundation to build upon. Through a combination of downloadable score sketches, detailed video lessons and weekly synchronous lab sessions, students will explore the core concepts behind writing for the orchestra from a media composer’s perspective.
Using compositional tools, musical gestures and basic principles of Orchestration Courses, students will learn how to create the proper atmosphere, character and mood in their compositions for the screen. In addition, they will analyze classic film scores from master composers such as Goldsmith, Elfman, Poledouris, Silvestri and Newman. The course will also examine the standard orchestral seating chart, different ensemble sizes and the differences between writing for soloists and sections.
Part 1: Instruments
Whether you’re creating an orchestral mock-up in your sequencer or writing for real musicians, you need to have a good understanding of the instruments you are working with. This course is designed to provide you with that knowledge, including their capacities, timbres and roles in an orchestral piece. Each lesson includes demonstrations by professional orchestra performers, an exploration of their history and technique, as well as discussions about the specific instruments in the course.
In this course, you will explore the bowed string family of violins, violas and cellos. Starting with an overview of the entire family, this course takes you’section by section’ and ‘instrument by instrument’, showing you how to build effective orchestral combinations based on their individual tonalities and timbres.
This course is the first in a two-course series and is a prerequisite for FS-621 Advanced Dramatic Orchestration 2. It examines compositional tools, musical gestures and basic principles of orchestration within a dramatic scoring context. It also explores different ensemble sizes, the standard orchestral seating chart and the differences between writing for soloists and sections.
In this introductory course, you will learn how to use the Spectrotone Instrumental
Tone-Color Chart (included in the First Semester Professional Orchestration Volume
1: Lite Home Study Bundle) and begin developing a more comprehensive compositional approach using polyphonic, chordal, homophonic and arpeggiated textures. You will also gain useful insights into orchestral balance and balance between different acoustic families, particularly in the strings, brass and winds.
Part 2: Writing for the Orchestra
If you want your compositions to sound as impressive as possible when played by real orchestral players, then you need to have a good understanding of the instruments and what they are capable of. This course teaches you everything you need to know about the instruments of the orchestra, what they are used for, their roles in the orchestra and how to write for them so that your compositions sound authentic.
You’ll learn about the history of symphonic writing, as well as the various composition techniques that can be used in the orchestra. You’ll also learn about different timbres, and what effect they can have on the emotional impact of your music. You’ll also gain knowledge of how to use doublings, spacing and voicing in your orchestrations.
The final module of the course will teach you how to write for sampled orchestral instruments. You’ll learn how to create a template, mute and unmute sections, use reverb, use controllers to enhance your instrument placement and more. You’ll also learn how to create a realistic orchestral mock-up using the popular software, VSL’s Synchron Prime.
Skilled orchestrators are a hot commodity in modern times. In this six-week evening course, you’ll learn the essential skills that will help you write effective symphonic music. By the end of this course you will have learned how to write idiomatically for the instruments of the orchestra, and how to compose and orchestrate complex melodies. You’ll also learn the importance of effective composing techniques, such as melodic development and transformation, harmonic progressions and voice leading.
Final Exam
A thorough understanding of the individual instruments and their sound is the first step in orchestration. This course provides an in-depth study of all the different instrument types, their notation, ranges, register strengths and dynamic capabilities, as well as playing techniques. Students will also learn basic concepts for writing for the orchestra, including spacing and voicing of chords and the roles that each instrument and section plays in the overall sound of an orchestra.
The goal of this course is to give you the knowledge and confidence to write any type of music using an orchestra, whether it’s classical, pop, or rock. This course will also help you understand the nuances of scoring for an orchestra and show you how to use articulations, dynamics, and other tools to make your orchestrations more realistic and effective.
Re-released by popular demand, this intermediate level course takes you through the technical and creative process of creating uplifting cinematic orchestral music. Join EMMY-nominated film and TV composer Guy Michelmore as he guides you through the entire process, from initial piano sketch to sampled mock-up to final recording with a 50-piece City of Prague Philharmonic.
This intensive course gives you an insider’s view into the specific orchestration techniques used by master film composers, such as Goldsmith, Elfman, Poledouris, Silvestri, and Newman. Downloadable scores and sketches are provided for lessons, along with a variety of orchestral library samples recorded in different acoustic spaces for hands-on learning.
