Romantic Music: Composition & Production from Udemy

My wife and I got married in a truly unique venue, deep underground in the Polish salt mines. We needed some seriously special music - not the usual “off the shelf” stuff. So, I wrote our wedding music myself - and I’m going to show you how to do the same.

Maybe you need to tell your partner exactly how much you love them, but can’t find the words?
Perhaps your parents have a big anniversary year coming up; what could be a more perfect gift than digging out their old wedding video and creating them their very own wedding soundtrack?
What if you’re in the exact same boat as we were, and want that PERFECT piece for your own special day?
Or maybe you're working on a short romantic film and need some tips on creating the perfect score?

This course is a complete guide to writing, arranging, orchestrating, mixing, AND mastering your very own romantic music. I walk you through the entire composing process, including

working out your timings
choosing your instruments
creating the perfect melody and harmony

Then, in a set of "over-the-shoulder" videos, I show you exactly how to:

orchestrate your composition,
make your instruments sound amazing,
give your piece it’s final polish before you unveil it to your nearest and dearest

NB: in this course "romantic" refers to the emotion, not the 18th/19th century romantic period of music. Don't be fooled, budding Beethovens.

Create The Perfect Gift: Express Your Love With Music

Sometimes words just aren't enough. If you really want to show that special someone just how much you care for them, music can be the best way. What's more special than a romantic score, capturing exactly how you feel?

Compose A Romantic Score

Are you working on a romantic film and need some direction? Or do you need to create some music for a special day of your own? Or maybe you want to write your own music for your, or a family member's wedding movie? This course is based around working with specific timing notes, so is perfect for live, or moving image projects - showing you how to structure your pieces to work with exact timings.

The Instructor

I (Jonny Armandary) am an international award-winning film music composer, who has taught film music composition and production at University level. I am also the founder of soundtrack.academy, where my aim is to make composing for the moving image accessible to all.

My Guarantee

I hope that the course is right for you, and that you know what you’re signing up for, but if, for any reason, it's not the right fit for you, I offer a 30-day money back guarantee

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction

Welcome to the course! Here's a brief overview of what to expect, and how to get the most out of it.

Learn about the project we'll be working on, including some of the main considerations.

This is arguably the most important part of the composing process. Learn what you should be thinking about before you put pen to paper.

What are the best instruments for romantic music? Let's find out!

Learn how to layout your composition, thinking about the story you're trying to tell.

Let's look at how timing notes work, and figure out the key timings of our project.

Assignment 1: Create Your Concept

Just how do you write a "romantic" melody? It's all about balancing beauty and complication. Find out how!

What chords can you use to make your melody pop? Some simple tricks to make your compositions more interesting.

See how I setup my projects, in preparation to compose.

Assignment 2: Compose Your "Sketch"

Part I of creating the initial "sketch" - the basic overview of what will become our full composition.

Part II of creating the initial "sketch" - the basic overview of what will become our full composition.

Part I of where the magic happens: how to bring your composition to life, develop your instrument parts, and arrange your piece into a full composition.

Part II of where the magic happens: how to bring your composition to life, develop your instrument parts, and arrange your piece into a full composition.

Part III of where the magic happens: how to bring your composition to life, develop your instrument parts, and arrange your piece into a full composition.

Assignment 3: Orchestrate Your Composition

No one will enjoy listening to your piece if it sounds like a computer is playing the instruments. Here we look at how to make your MIDI samples come alive.

How to setup your project ready for mixing.

The "first pass" of mixing aims to get each instrument sounding its best. Here's how to do just that.

The final stage of mixing is to balance all of our instruments and automate levels to ensure a consistent dynamic throughout.

Assignment 4: Mix Your Track

Part I of the mastering section looks at the basic effects you add to your master channel. This is where you start to add the final polish to your mix.

Part II of the mastering section explores a couple of additional effects you can add to brighten your mix.

Assignment 5: Master Your Track

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Guides learners through writing, arranging, orchestrating, mixing, and mastering romantic music, offering a comprehensive skill set for creating personalized musical pieces

Includes "over-the-shoulder" videos demonstrating orchestration and instrument enhancement, providing practical guidance for learners to follow along and implement in their own projects

Features an analysis of Hans Zimmer's "Kiss Goodbye," offering insights into professional techniques and approaches to composing romantic music for film

Focuses on composing music with specific timing notes, making it suitable for live performances or projects involving moving images, which is useful for film scoring

Requires learners to have access to Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software and MIDI instruments, which may require additional investment beyond the course fees

Uses MIDI samples to teach production techniques, which may not fully translate to working with live instruments or orchestral recordings, potentially limiting the scope

Reviews summary

Composing emotional romantic music

According to students, this course offers a highly practical approach to composing romantic music, framed around a specific project like music for a wedding or film. Many found the instructor's clear guidance and expertise invaluable for learning composition principles and the overall workflow from concept to completion. While the course is praised for being accessible to beginners for composition, the production modules on mixing and mastering may be challenging or require prior familiarity with digital audio workstations, which was a point of concern for some. The course is seen as excellent for creating music for personal, emotionally-driven projects, though its narrow focus on the romantic style might not suit those seeking broader composition or film scoring techniques.

Focuses on emotional romantic style, not broad composition.

"...the narrow focus on 'romantic' was limiting."

"It's very focused on one niche, so if you're looking for general composition or production skills, this isn't it."

"Composition was okay, though the romantic focus is quite narrow."

Instructor is expert and explanations are clear.

"Jonny walks you through the entire process..."

"The instructor's background is a huge plus, and his passion is evident."

"As a complete beginner... Jonny makes it very accessible."

Learn by creating music for a specific event.

"The real-world wedding example makes it so practical."

"I wanted to write a special piece for my wife, and this guided me through every step..."

"Learning how to work with timing notes was very useful for film scoring."

Mixing/mastering challenging without prior DAW experience.

"The production part... though I had some prior DAW experience which helped."

"...the production part was particularly frustrating as it didn't cover my specific DAW and assumed knowledge I didn't have."

"Production was okay, but definitely needs a DAW foundation."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Romantic Music: Composition & Production with these activities:

Review Music Theory Fundamentals

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Strengthen your understanding of music theory to better grasp the compositional techniques taught in the course.

Browse courses on Harmony

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Review basic chord structures and progressions.
Practice writing simple melodies over common chord progressions.
Study examples of romantic period harmony.

Read 'The Complete Film Composer' by Richard Davis

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Gain a broader understanding of film scoring principles to enhance your ability to compose romantic music for visual media.

View Complete Guide to Film Scoring: The Art and... on Amazon

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Read the sections on orchestration and arranging.
Take notes on techniques applicable to romantic music.
Consider how these techniques can be applied to your project.

Compose a Short Romantic Melody

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Practice composing a short melody to reinforce the concepts of melody writing and harmony covered in the course.

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Choose a romantic theme or emotion to convey.
Experiment with different chord progressions.
Write a melody that complements the chosen chords.
Record your melody using a MIDI instrument or notation software.

Four other activities

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Explore Orchestration Tutorials

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Refine your orchestration skills by following online tutorials focused on creating realistic and expressive instrument parts.

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Search for tutorials on specific orchestral instruments.
Follow tutorials on creating realistic MIDI orchestrations.
Experiment with different techniques in your own compositions.

Read 'Orchestration' by Walter Piston

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Deepen your understanding of orchestration techniques to create richer and more expressive romantic music.

View Orchestration on Amazon

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Study the sections on string and woodwind writing.
Analyze orchestral scores of romantic composers.
Experiment with different instrumental combinations.

Create a Romantic Music Portfolio

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Showcase your skills and knowledge by creating a portfolio of romantic music compositions.

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Select your best romantic music compositions.
Record or create high-quality MIDI versions of your pieces.
Write brief descriptions of each piece, highlighting the romantic elements.
Create a website or online platform to showcase your portfolio.

Produce a Short Film Score Excerpt

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Apply your knowledge by creating a short film score excerpt for a romantic scene.

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Find a short film scene with romantic elements.
Analyze the scene and identify key emotional moments.
Compose a score that enhances the emotional impact of the scene.
Record and mix your score to create a professional-sounding product.

Career center

Learners who complete Romantic Music: Composition & Production will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Wedding Music Composer

A wedding music composer creates original music tailored for wedding ceremonies and celebrations. This often involves understanding the couple's story, preferences, and the overall atmosphere they wish to create. This course is highly relevant, particularly if you are interested in composing music for weddings or similar special events. The course content covers writing, arranging, orchestrating, mixing, and mastering romantic music, skills directly applicable to creating unique and personalized wedding soundtracks. The focus on specific timing notes is especially valuable for synchronizing music with wedding videos or live events. This course takes you through the entire composing process from concept to final polish.

See salaries and explore the career path for Wedding Music Composer

Soundtrack Composer

A soundtrack composer specializes in creating original music for various media, including films, television shows, and video games. This course is useful for individuals aspiring to become soundtrack composers, especially for projects that require romantic or emotionally resonant music. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of composing, arranging, orchestrating, mixing, and mastering music. The course's emphasis on composing for moving image projects and structuring pieces to work with exact timings aligns with the demands of soundtrack composition. This course may help you create compelling scores that enhance the emotional impact of visual narratives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Soundtrack Composer

Film Score Composer

A film score composer writes original music for films, working closely with directors and producers to create scores that enhance the emotional impact of the visuals. This course is particularly relevant for those aspiring to be film score composers, especially when it comes to working on romantic films or scenes. The course focuses on composing romantic music, as well as working with specific timings, which are crucial skills in film scoring. You will be given a complete guide to writing, arranging, orchestrating, mixing, and mastering your own romantic music, all of which are essential skills for a film composer. This course may be helpful in giving you a strong foundation for entering the world of film scoring.

See salaries and explore the career path for Film Score Composer

Music Arranger

A music arranger takes existing musical compositions and adapts them for different instruments, ensembles, or styles. This course helps those seeking to become music arrangers, particularly for creating romantic pieces. The course offers extensive training in orchestration and arrangement, providing a step-by-step guide to transforming musical ideas into fully realized compositions. The course content, which also covers mixing and mastering, allows one to present a final product that is ready for performance or recording. If you want to learn how to work with different instruments and create compelling arrangements, this course is a solid starting point.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Arranger

Orchestrator

An orchestrator takes a composer's musical sketch and expands it into a full orchestral score, assigning specific parts to different instruments. This course can be beneficial for anyone wanting to become an orchestrator, especially in the realm of romantic music. The course provides detailed instruction on how to orchestrate compositions, making your instruments sound amazing, and giving your piece its final polish. The inclusion of over-the-shoulder videos showing the orchestration process provides a hands-on learning experience. Someone looking to start a career in orchestration will learn from this course how to create rich and emotive scores.

See salaries and explore the career path for Orchestrator

Music Producer

A music producer oversees the entire music production process, from initial recording to final mastering, ensuring the artistic vision is realized. This course may be useful to aspiring music producers, particularly those interested in producing romantic music for special occasions. The course offers a comprehensive guide to the music production process, including mixing and mastering, ensuring that you know how to create a polished and professional-sounding final product. Its practical approach and step-by-step videos will provide some of the skills and knowledge needed to produce high-quality romantic music.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Producer

Audio Engineer

An audio engineer records, mixes, and masters audio for various applications, including music, film, and live events. This course may interest those of you who aspire to be audio engineers, particularly those interested in working with romantic music. The course offers training in mixing and mastering techniques, which are essential skills for audio engineers. It provides hands-on experience in creating polished and professional-sounding audio recordings. By teaching you how to mix and master your own romantic music, this course can give you the skill set needed for a career as a music-focused audio engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Audio Engineer

Music Instructor

A music instructor teaches music theory, technique, and performance to students of all ages and skill levels. This course may be useful for music instructors looking to expand their knowledge of romantic music composition and production. The course helps music instructors provide instruction to students interested in writing their own romantic music. The focus on practical skills, such as orchestrating, mixing, and mastering, can also enhance a music instructor's ability to teach these skills to their students.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Instructor

Music Editor

A music editor works with composers and directors to ensure that the music in a film or other media project aligns perfectly with the visuals and narrative. This course can be supportive for aspiring music editors, especially those focusing on projects with romantic themes. The course provides insights into the composing process, including working with specific timing notes and structuring pieces to work with exact timings, skills that are relevant to music editing. It provides a foundational understanding of how music is created and arranged, which can inform their editorial decisions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Editor

Video Game Composer

A video game composer creates music for video games, often tailoring the score to the game's narrative, environment, and gameplay. This course may be useful for aspiring video game composers, especially for games that feature romantic elements or storylines. The course provides insight into composing music for moving image projects, working with specific timing notes, and structuring pieces to work with exact timings, skills that can be applied to video game composition. It provides a foundation in creating emotive and engaging musical pieces, which can enhance the player's experience.

See salaries and explore the career path for Video Game Composer

Multimedia Artist

A multimedia artist creates visual and audio content for various media, including websites, video games, and interactive installations. This course helps multimedia artists who want to incorporate original romantic music into their projects. This course offers knowledge in composing, arranging, orchestrating, mixing, and mastering music. It provides you with hands-on experience in creating music that can enhance the emotional impact of visual content. This course improves your artistic skills for multimedia products.

See salaries and explore the career path for Multimedia Artist

Jingle Writer

A jingle writer composes short, catchy tunes for advertisements or promotional purposes. This course may be useful for aspiring jingle writers, especially those who wish to create jingles that evoke feelings of love, nostalgia, or warmth. The course provides a foundation in the principles of composing, arranging, and producing music, all skills that can be applied to jingle writing. It may help one create memorable and effective jingles that resonate with listeners.

See salaries and explore the career path for Jingle Writer

Music Supervisor

A music supervisor selects and licenses existing music for use in films, television shows, and other media. This course may be useful for aspiring music supervisors, especially those who want to develop a deeper understanding of music composition and production. The course provides insights into the creative process behind music, which can inform their decisions when selecting and licensing music. The course provides knowledge about music creation that make one a better music supervisor.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Supervisor

Music Therapist

A music therapist uses music to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. This typically requires a master's degree. This course may be useful for music therapists who want to write tailored musical pieces for their patients or clients. This course helps you write romantic music, which could be utilized in therapeutic settings to evoke positive emotions or memories. The course can provide a creative outlet for music therapists and allow them to offer more personalized musical experiences to their patients.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Therapist

Digital Media Specialist

A digital media specialist creates and manages content for online platforms, including websites, social media, and email campaigns. This course may be useful for digital media specialists, especially those who create content related to weddings, anniversaries, or other romantic occasions. The course helps a specialist to create original music that could enhance the emotional impact of their content. This course can provide a foundational understanding of music composition and production.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Media Specialist

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Romantic Music: Composition & Production.

Orchestration

Save

Classic text on orchestration, providing detailed information on the capabilities and characteristics of various orchestral instruments. It is particularly useful for understanding how to create rich and expressive textures in romantic music. While it may be more valuable as additional reading, it serves as a useful reference tool for composers seeking to enhance their orchestration skills. This book is commonly used as a textbook at academic institutions.

Orchestration

Paperback

$$$

Complete Guide to Film Scoring

Save

Provides a comprehensive overview of film scoring techniques, including orchestration, arranging, and production. It offers valuable insights into the practical aspects of composing for visual media, which aligns with the course's focus on creating romantic music for specific timings. While not strictly focused on romantic music, it provides a solid foundation for understanding the broader context of composing for film. This book is commonly used by film students and industry professionals.

Complete Guide to Film Scoring: The Art and...

Paperback

Romantic Music

Composition & Production

What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Composing emotional romantic music

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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