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What No One Taught Me as a Film, TV, & Game Music Composer

Why are you here? Yes, YOU here on Udemy looking for a music composition and production course – are you here to dip your toes into the wild world of composing music for a living? Have you always dreamed of writing for Hollywood movies, big commercials, AAA video games, and the like? Have your parents told you to go to business school and find a "real job"?  Whelp, I hate to squash your spirit...but they're right. If you want to make a career out of writing music, buckle up. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

If you're still reading, then you're here for something...more. You want to learn from someone who has already paved the path. You want to hear their war stories, understand their lifestyle choices, witness their work habits, study their rhythms, and most of all...learn how they do it so you can do it too.

I'm not here to blow smoke. I'm nothing special. In fact, although I'm an "award-winning composer" (do Webby's even count?) with hundreds of credits across virtually every media known to man – films, television, video games, podcasts, audio dramas, advertisements, trailers, corporate videos, animation, musicals, YouTube series, graphic novels, & a motion comic...my music has even been performed in concert halls and played on repeat for a decade inside the National Museums Liverpool. – you've never heard of me. Why? Because I'm an Everyday Composer. I'm not famous, but I support my family doing what I love every day and inspiring millions of listeners...even if they never know my name.

Chances are, you've heard my music on...

  • Horror music on the #1 Fiction podcast Dark Dice, starring Jeff Goldblum

  • Playful 16-bit music on Monster Sanctuary

  • Emotional music on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars

  • Epic orchestral music on ad campaigns for FOX, NBC, & CBS networks

  • Video game music on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, & mobile

With that out of the way....

Welcome to my course What No One Taught Me as a Film, TV, & Game Music Composer. Back in 2016, this was my first experience publishing a course on Udemy and it quickly became a Best-Selling course. Don't take my word for it – read the reviews for yourself...

  • When I first ordered this course, I honestly thought I was going to get a lot of the same things I knew about composition work...What Steven did here blows my expectations out of the water. He gives a lot of advanced music theory techniques, as well as detailed help on how to use your DAW, and he keeps you on your toes with some of these quizzes. Especially after you get half way through the course. I don't regret the money I paid for this course at all, and I'm glad that I have this course to reference when I'm in a bit of a pickle with my own goals. –Monish C.

  • Absolutely phenomenal course. All the lectures go into great depth on the lesson topic and explain it clearly. Thanks for the awesome course Steven.  –Kenan B.

  • This course seems to be exactly what I’m looking for. Steven is taking every facet of the craft and business of modern composing into account and teaching at the perfect pace - the videos are not too long, but are jam packed with great info. – Andrew C.

In this updated 2021 version, I’ve removed content that is no longer relevant and have added hours of bonus content to showcase my entire comprehensive library of teaching over the last 5 years, including

  • How to Train for Professional Composing Speed

  • How to Build DAW Templates

  • How to Create a Realistic Sampled Orchestra

  • How to Earn First Dollars & Grow a Music Business

  • Music Composer Lifestyle

  • Interviews with Industry Pros

  • Public Interviews with Steven about His Music Career

  • Selected Live Composing Show Streams

  • Student Coaching Calls with Steven

  • Level Up Live with Coaching Students

  • How to Compose in the Style of Famous Composers

  • Nerdy Music Technology

  • Case Studies on How I Composed for Projects

  • MINI-COURSE: Music Composer's Guide to Finding Work Online ($297 value. )

The bulk of the core content that originally made this course so successful is still here and will teach you all the fundamentals you need to compose & produce music for Film, TV, & Video Games (and surely other types of media too). The only prerequisite for this course is that you have access to a Mac or PC. We will be using notation software and a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) to write music on a computer, but don’t worry if you don’t have any music software yet. There are multiple free options available and we’ll cover those as needed throughout the course.

I look forward to connecting with you inside. Talk to you soon.

Your Coach,Steven Melin

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Rating 4.3 based on 126 ratings
Length 83 total hours
Starts On Demand (Start anytime)
Cost $17
From Udemy
Instructor Steven Melin
Download Videos Only via the Udemy mobile app
Language English
Subjects Art & Design
Tags Music Music Production Production

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What people are saying

music theory

He tells you that you need to know music theory before the course but he spents most time talking about scales and chords and not about how to create the melody or harmony.

I have realized the importance of music theory because of this course also and how it prevents writer's block.

The instructor's speech is very clear and his explanations are simple to understand (as long as you have some music theory knowledge).

I think the Steven is very talent and good in music theory and other aspect of music composition.

If you already have basic knowledge of music theory, this is the course you need in order to know how to use that in action!

You do need to already some working knowledge to take full advantage of this course, though, like some music theory and a working knowledge of your DAW.

Like what DAW's are available, some basic music theory techniques, and maybe some mixing help.

He gives a lot of advanced music theory techniques, as well as detailed help on how to use your DAW, and he keeps you on your toes with some of these quizzes.

I also expected to have learned more music theory other than "make something that sounds nice" This has been a mindblowing.

Read more

video game

Thanks Steven :-) I just have to say that this course is great for anyone who is starting to get into writing/producing for film, tv, or video game music.

It's a good introductory course for anyone interested in film, TV and video game music composition.

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video games

Being three very big topics (Film, TV and Video Games), I think it might be a bit too ambitious to fit them all into one course.

I read somewhere that Logic's strings samples are perfectly fine for music that'll likely be heard via a crappy smartphone or computer speaker (in the case of video games).

Steven is more than qualified to teach this course and his insight on the nature of composing for video games is well worth your time.

because I think that course is what i need to upgrade my skills in composing and producing video games, films, and electronic music.

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notation software

This course also forced me out of my comfort zone to start experimenting with notation software and writing for other instruments even though I'm a guitar player at heart, and now I am inspired to learn to read music.

I started using the DAWs and Notation Software and I had no Idea what I was doing.

Because fi at that time 2016 there was no notation software on the tablets, but now there is...

Read more

steven melin

Still, Steven Melin does a great job of doing so, and I really think I learned a bunch!

Steven Melin is a very good presenter with much knowledge to share, and he does it in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner.

Thank you, Steven Melin!

Read more

get started

I particularly missed deeper explanations concerning some topics, but they were useful to get started investigating on my own.

Being someone who has recording experience and rock composition experience, but not specific game and film composition, this course has been very helpful and is serving as the catapult to get started!

The course starts with the basic essentials of what software you can buy to get started and has a basic music theory assessment just to make sure the student will be able to keep up with concepts coming up later on.

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well structured

The course is well structured and covers a lot of different topics.

This course offers a well structured overview of the three professions, with plenty of operational tips.

Read more

Careers

An overview of related careers and their average salaries in the US. Bars indicate income percentile.

Guest Games Host $39k

Senior Inventory Analyst - Kmart Video Games $63k

Head of Technical Video Operations - CBSi Games $70k

Games Project Manager $86k

Marketing Manager - Video Games and Computer Software $86k

Head of Technical Video Operations - CBSi Games Manager $102k

Games Metrics Analyst $104k

Buyer, Video Games $113k

Product Manager, Home Entertainment & Video Games $133k

Senior Head of Technical Video Operations - CBSi Games $140k

Senior Buyer, Video Games $169k

Games Evangelist $172k

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Rating 4.3 based on 126 ratings
Length 83 total hours
Starts On Demand (Start anytime)
Cost $17
From Udemy
Instructor Steven Melin
Download Videos Only via the Udemy mobile app
Language English
Subjects Art & Design
Tags Music Music Production Production

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