Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics from Udemy

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" 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...

Emotional music on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelorette, or Bachelor in Paradise
Horror music on the #1 Fiction podcast in the world Dark Dice, starring Jeff Goldblum
Playful 16-bit music on Monster Sanctuary
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 Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics. 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 2023 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 6 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

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to not suck as a composer...
How to spend all your earnings on gear you don't need
How to spell the word "rhythm"
How to argue with me for hours about which digital audio workstation (daw) is the best
How to push the red button in logic pro, ableton live, pro tools, and other software you probably won't buy.
How to drink more coffee
How to abandon sleep
How to cry in a corner when your clients hate your music

How to play to a click (oh wait, you already learned that in your childhood piano lessons)
How to spend weeks automating your orchestral mockups to sound nothing like a real orchestra
How to create your own sample instruments for free so you can save money and buy my book
How to realize in 2 days that composing is actually super difficult and you may not be cut out for this
How to leave a scathing course review
Are you still reading these bullets? go start the course already :)
Show more
Show less

How to not suck as a composer...
How to spend all your earnings on gear you don't need
How to spell the word "rhythm"
How to argue with me for hours about which digital audio workstation (daw) is the best
How to push the red button in logic pro, ableton live, pro tools, and other software you probably won't buy.
How to drink more coffee
How to abandon sleep
How to cry in a corner when your clients hate your music
How to play to a click (oh wait, you already learned that in your childhood piano lessons)
How to spend weeks automating your orchestral mockups to sound nothing like a real orchestra
How to create your own sample instruments for free so you can save money and buy my book
How to realize in 2 days that composing is actually super difficult and you may not be cut out for this
How to leave a scathing course review
Are you still reading these bullets? go start the course already :)
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Welcome Students!

Welcome! Watch This Video First

Meet Your Instructor Steven Melin

WRITING & RECORDING

Essential Music Gear (Part 1)

Essential Music Gear (Part 2)

Gear to Acquire

Best DAW for Composing Music

Best Sample Instruments

The 3 Ways to Record An Instrument

The 3 Writing Styles

Writing Styles & Recording

EXERCISE: Write in Each Style

NOTATING MUSIC

Intro to Notation Software

Types of Notation

Notating Music

EXERCISE: Notate 8 Bars of Piano Music

WRITING EFFECTIVE MELODIES

The Importance of Great Melodies

Common Techniques

Writing Effective Melodies

EXERCISE: Compose a Great Melody

WRITING EFFECTIVE HARMONIES

The Importance of Great Harmonies

Major and Minor Scales

Medieval Modes

Writing Effective Harmonies

EXERCISE: Compose in a Scale or Mode

ADVANCED CHORDS

Dominant and Diminished 7ths

Chromatic Mediants

Neapolitan Chord

Polychords

5 Music Chords Every Composer Should Know!

Advanced Chords

EXERCISE: Compose with Advanced Chords

ELECTRONIC MUSIC

Types of Electronic Music

Synthesis: Creating Your Own Sounds

Sampling: Modifying Found Sounds

Writing Ambient Music

Writing EDM in Ableton Live

Writing 8Bit Chiptune Music

Electronic Music

EXERCISE: Compose 2 Electronic Music Tracks

ORCHESTRATION

The Importance of Orchestration

Instrumentation

Orchestration Case Study - Epic TV Promo

Arranging from Piano to Large Ensembles

Orchestration

EXERCISE: Piano Composition and Large Ensemble Orchestration

MUSIC PRODUCTION

Why Quality Music Production Matters

Mixing Plugins and Chain Order (Part 1)

Mixing Plugins and Chain Order (Part 2)

Mixing: Hero of Legend Case Study

How to Mix & Export Stems for Large Orchestra?

Mastering: Producing an Entire Album

Music Production

EXERCISE: Remix Previous Music Track With Quality Production

WRITING FOR FILM, TV, & VIDEO GAMES

The 3 Types of Music (The 3 L's)

Composing for Film: Scoring to Picture

How to Compose a Film Score as a Beginner?

How to Prepare for a Film Spotting Session?

Composing for Movie Trailers: The Dark Knight

Composing Interactive Layers for Video Games

How to Loop Video Game Music

Composing Effective Loops for Video Games

Writing for Film, TV, & Video Games

EXERCISE: Score 2 Tracks to Picture for a Film, TV, & Video Game

BONUS: How to Train for Professional Composing Speed

Overview of Professional Composing Speed

Tips for Speed Training

3 Tips for Achieving a Great Mix in Less Time

BONUS: How to Build DAW Templates

How to Create Effective DAW Template

Creating a Massive Orchestral Template with Vienna Ensemble Pro

How to Load 200+ Instruments Fast in Logic Pro X with Audio Grocery

BONUS: How to Create a Realistic Sampled Orchestra

Why Mock-Ups Need to Sound like Live Orchestras

Basics of Mixing an Orchestra

Composing for Samples, Not for Score

How to Perform with Samples to Sound Realistic

Plugins used in chain order:

API-550A EQ: https://waves.alzt.net/o9xob
API-2500 Compressor: https://waves.alzt.net/BMNR1
Kramer Master Tape: https://waves.alzt.net/zVAnO IR1
Convolution Reverb: https://waves.alzt.net/0NgRM
NLS Non-Linear Summer: https://waves.alzt.net/OxkyQ
OTT: https://xferrecords.com/freeware
L2 Ultramaximizer: https://waves.alzt.net/R9A29

Popular Waves Bundles that contain selections of the above plugins:
Silver: https://waves.alzt.net/Xe614
Gold: https://waves.alzt.net/y1a4V
Platinum: https://waves.alzt.net/4Nzg9
Horizon: https://waves.alzt.net/MLPRJ
API Collection: https://waves.alzt.net/7NE1A

These affiliate links support my business at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

BONUS: How to Earn First Dollars & Grow a Music Business

How to Get First Music Composing Job (Part 1)

How to Get First Music Composing Job (Part 2)

How Much Should You Charge as a Music Composer?

How to Find Video Game Music Work on Twitter (+Free Script!)

How to Invoice Clients as a Music Composer?

How to Get Re-Hired by Clients

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Music Online

How to Make Money from Streaming Music

How to Build a Music Composer Website

When to Increase Your Custom Music Rates

How to Grow Your Music Business without Working

How to Grow Your Music Business by Hiring Assistants

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Taught by Steven Melin, who has written music for acclaimed media

Examines techniques that are core to film, TV, and video game music composition

Teaches essential music gear, such as notation software and a digital audio workstation

Develops skills in music production, including recording, mixing, and mastering

Covers various music styles, from electronic music to orchestrations to melodic and harmonic writing

Explores the professional side of the industry, including topics like marketing and growing a music business

May require students to have access to specific, non-standard software, such as Vienna Ensemble Pro, Audio Grocery, and OTT

May require students to purchase additional sample instruments

May require students to purchase additional gear

Reviews summary

Music basics for entertainment

According to students, Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics provides a solid introduction to the fundamentals of music composition for film, television, and video games. Students are very grateful for the course, saying that they wish they had found something like this sooner.

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 Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics with these activities:

Form a Study Group with Fellow Learners

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Enhance your learning experience by forming a study group with other students enrolled in the course. Collaborate, share knowledge, and support each other's progress.

Browse courses on Collaboration

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Reach out to other students in the course through discussion forums or social media groups.
Schedule regular meetings to discuss course materials, assignments, and projects.
Take turns leading discussions and sharing insights.
Provide constructive feedback and support to your fellow group members.

Explore Free and Paid Music Theory Resources

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Supplement your learning by exploring free and paid online resources that provide additional guidance on music theory and composition techniques.

Browse courses on Music Theory

Show steps

Search online for reputable music theory websites and platforms.
Identify resources that align with your learning style and goals.
Sign up for free trials or purchase subscription plans.
Utilize the resources to reinforce your understanding of music theory concepts.

Review Reading Music Basics

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Review the basics of reading music notation to ensure you have a strong foundation for composing and producing music.

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Gather materials such as a music theory textbook or online resources.
Review the different notes on the treble and bass clef.
Practice recognizing different note values (whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, etc.)
Identify and understand basic rhythms.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Practice Composing Simple Melodies

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Enhance your composition skills by practicing writing simple melodies using different intervals, scales, and rhythms.

Browse courses on Melody writing

Show steps

Review the different types of intervals and scales.
Experiment with creating melodies using different combinations of intervals and scales.
Practice writing melodies in various rhythms.
Seek feedback on your melodies from a music teacher or experienced composer.

Mentor or Tutor Less Experienced Music Students

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Solidify your understanding of music theory and composition by mentoring or tutoring less experienced music students. Share your knowledge, provide guidance, and support their growth.

Browse courses on Mentoring

Show steps

Identify opportunities to mentor or tutor other students in the course or at your institution.
Prepare lesson plans and materials to guide your students' learning.
Meet with your students regularly to provide instruction, answer questions, and offer support.
Provide constructive feedback and encourage your students to improve their skills.

Contribute to Open Source Music Software Projects

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Gain practical experience in music technology by contributing to open source music software projects. Engage with the developer community and enhance your understanding of software development.

Browse courses on Open Source

Show steps

Identify open source music software projects that align with your interests.
Review the project documentation and contribute bug reports or feature requests.
Write code and submit pull requests to contribute to the project's development.
Collaborate with other developers and provide feedback on their contributions.

Compose and Record a Short Musical Piece

Show steps

Demonstrate your understanding of music theory and composition by creating and recording a short musical piece that showcases your skills.

Browse courses on Composition

Show steps

Choose a specific musical genre or style for your composition.
Sketch out the melody, harmony, and rhythm of your piece.
Record your composition using a digital audio workstation (DAW).
Seek feedback on your composition from a music teacher or experienced composer.

Career center

Learners who complete Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Music Composer

"Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" is a comprehensive guide to the world of music composition and production, specifically tailored towards the fields of film, television, and video games. As a Music Composer, you will be responsible for creating and producing musical scores and soundtracks for various media projects, and this course offers a roadmap to help you achieve success in this domain.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Composer

Video Game Composer

If your passion lies in creating captivating soundscapes for the interactive world of video games, the "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course is an invaluable resource. This course provides a solid foundation in the principles of composing and producing music specifically for video games, helping you develop the necessary skills to bring your virtual worlds to life.

See salaries and explore the career path for Video Game Composer

Sound Designer

In the realm of film, television, and video games, Sound Designers play a crucial role in creating immersive and engaging sonic experiences. The "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course provides a gateway into the world of sound design, equipping you with the knowledge and tools to craft sound effects, ambiences, and other auditory elements that enhance storytelling and gameplay.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sound Designer

Music Producer

The "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course is an excellent starting point for aspiring Music Producers. It provides a comprehensive overview of the music production process, including recording, mixing, and mastering techniques. By understanding these fundamental principles, you can develop the skills necessary to bring musical ideas to life and create high-quality audio content.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Producer

Audio Engineer

For those interested in the technical aspects of sound, the "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course offers valuable insights into audio engineering. You will learn about recording techniques, microphone placement, and signal processing, equipping you with the knowledge to capture and manipulate sound effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Audio Engineer

Film Composer

If your passion lies in creating musical scores for the big screen, the "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course can provide a solid foundation. It covers the art of scoring to picture, exploring techniques for synchronizing music with visual elements to enhance storytelling and evoke emotions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Film Composer

Music Teacher

For those with a passion for sharing their musical knowledge and skills, the "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course can be a valuable asset. It provides a structured and comprehensive curriculum that can aid in developing effective teaching methods and fostering a love for music in students.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Teacher

Multimedia Artist

In the convergence of art forms, Multimedia Artists combine various media, including music, to create immersive and engaging experiences. The "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course provides a foundation in music composition and production, equipping you with the skills to contribute to multimedia projects and bring your creative visions to life.

See salaries and explore the career path for Multimedia Artist

Music Arranger

The "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course may be useful for aspiring Music Arrangers who seek to adapt and reimagine musical compositions for different instruments or ensembles. It provides a foundation in music theory and orchestration, which can be beneficial for understanding the structure and arrangement of musical pieces and creating effective arrangements that suit specific performance contexts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Arranger

Audiovisual Technician

In the realm of live events and entertainment, Audiovisual Technicians are responsible for managing and operating audio and visual equipment. The "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course may be helpful in providing a basic understanding of audio principles and equipment, which can be beneficial for troubleshooting technical issues and ensuring the smooth operation of audiovisual systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Audiovisual Technician

Music Therapist

The "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course may be helpful for aspiring Music Therapists who seek to understand the therapeutic effects of music. It provides a foundation in music theory and composition, which can be beneficial for creating music tailored to specific therapeutic needs and facilitating healing through musical expression.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Therapist

Music Librarian

For those interested in preserving and organizing musical works, the "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course may be helpful in developing a deeper understanding of music theory and composition. This knowledge can be beneficial for cataloging, classifying, and managing music collections, ensuring their accessibility and preservation for future generations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Librarian

Music Journalist

The "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course may be useful for aspiring Music Journalists seeking to develop a deeper understanding of the music industry and the creative process behind music composition. It provides insights into the techniques and principles of music creation, which can be beneficial for analyzing and critiquing musical works and providing informed commentary on the music scene.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Journalist

Music Director

For those interested in leading and coordinating musical ensembles, the "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course may be helpful in developing a foundational understanding of music theory and composition. This knowledge can be beneficial in understanding the structure and interpretation of musical works, enabling effective direction and collaboration with musicians.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Director

Music Critic

For those interested in providing critical analysis and commentary on music, the "Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics" course may be helpful in developing a foundation in music theory and composition. This knowledge can be beneficial for understanding the structure and elements of musical works, enabling informed critiques and evaluations of musical performances and compositions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Critic