Category Archives: Songwriting

Echos & Edges: Revisiting a Song Collection from 2016

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At the start of 2025, I decided to revisit a set of songs I originally wrote in March 2016. Back then, the writing process was unexpectedly fast and cohesive—about nine songs came together in a single week, including melodies, chord progressions, lyrics, and charts. This was a stark contrast to my earlier experiences, where writing music felt difficult and slow, often yielding only a few scattered ideas over the course of a year.

The turning point came from a simple question my wife asked: “Why can’t you make an album in a week?” At first I looked at her with an expression of “you don’t know what you are asking…” but stopped and really considered “why can’t I”? I decided to act as if writing music was easy. That mindset shift resulted in a burst of creativity, and it’s a technique I’ve continued to use on subsequent projects, including Music Sketches, Realworld Beatcamp, Equinox, my Berklee degree, the Chigiana Film Scoring Intensive, and more.

Songwriting Process

I made early handwritten charts and lyric sheets for each song, which proved essential—without them, these songs likely wouldn’t have been recorded. While I didn’t document the process step-by-step, I know that once ideas started flowing, they came quickly. My daily studies of scales, chord scales, and resources like the Songwriting Sourcebook often sparked chord progressions and melodies. For lyrics, I relied on timed free-writing sessions followed by focused work on the song’s theme.

At the end of 2024, my wife and I committed to making 2025 a year of personal projects, which prompted me to finally bring these songs to life.

Arranging and Notation

For lead sheets, I used Dorico (which I absolutely love to work with). Its logical workflow made the process efficient and clear, particularly when working with lyrics. When I encountered challenging syncopated rhythms, I turned to targeted ear training with Ear Master, which has improved my overall musicianship.

Lead – Don’t Say GoodbyeDownload

Rehearsal Approach

Early on, I practiced songs in a freeform way and only used proper recording setups on the day of tracking, which was stressful and rarely yielded satisfactory results. I changed my approach to rehearse with a microphone, audio processing, and a click or drum track from the start of each week. Recording rehearsals and focusing on looping tricky sections helped clarify arrangements and improved the feel of each song.

Recording Workflow

Before recording, I made sure to define the essentials for each song: key, meter, tempo, and rhythms. I found an effective microphone position for recording guitar and vocals simultaneously—placing a condenser mic at shoulder height, with the back pointed toward the right corner of the room.

I used templates in both Luna and Logic, which sped up the technical side of recording. This was my first project entirely at a 96kHz sample rate, which struck a good balance between clarity and manageable file sizes. I also used Logic’s chord track feature and recorded the click to an audio track, automating its volume to minimize headphone bleed during softer passages.

While I enjoyed recording in Luna, I returned to Logic for its strength in working with MIDI in case I ever wanted to add any additional instruments. The songs are ready for further development if I choose to revisit them.

Mixing and Mastering

All songs were mixed in a single Luna session using consistent signal routing and templates. I relied on plug-ins like UA Voxbox for de-essing and Brainworx SSL 9000J for clarity on both vocals and guitar. Parallel compression, distortion, and reverb (using Capitol Chambers) added depth, while UA’s Studio D provided stereo width. The mix bus chain included SSL G Bus Compressor, Fairchild 670, ATR-102, and an 1176 used as a limiter.

Final mastering was done in Logic, with level matching and Ozone for polish.

Cafe Show & Tell (CST)

My wife and I created a weekly “Cafe Show & Tell” to share the progress we were making on our respective projects. These regular deadlines provided accountability and helped us stay on track. For my project, in addition to rehearsing and recording a new song, I performed two songs each week—one that was recorded and one for the following week.

Performing for someone else, even a close partner, felt very different from solo practice and highlighted the importance of preparation. Small details, like avoiding shirts with sleeve buttons (which can create unwanted noise), became apparent. Warming up 30 minutes before performing, closing my mouth when not singing, and pushing through mistakes were all practical lessons learned.

We also had weekly review meetings every Sunday night to help us reflect on progress and plan next steps, that made a significant difference in maintaining momentum.

This project has reinforced the value of mindset, preparation, and incremental progress in creative work. Revisiting these songs has been both a technical and personal journey, and the process itself has become as meaningful as the finished recordings.

The album is now available on all streaming platforms (such as Spotify), but you can also listen to it here on Bandcamp.

Colossal Re-Score

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As a composer, I recently had the exciting opportunity to participate in the Spitfire Audio Colossus Re-Scoring Competition. This challenge allowed me to flex my creative muscles and dive deep into the world of dystopian soundscapes. In this blog post, I’ll take you through my process of creating an original musical score that evokes tension, unease, and drama.

Conceptualization

My goal was to create a score that would complement dystopian imagery, building a journey from quiet suspense to dramatic intensity. I wanted to capture the essence of a blockbuster production while maintaining a unique and engaging sound.

Tools of the Trade

To bring my vision to life, I carefully selected a variety of high-quality sound libraries and software:

  1. Spitfire Audio’s Contemporary Drama Toolkit
  2. Abbey Road One (various orchestral sections)
  3. Olafur Arnalds Cells
  4. Spectrasonics’ Omnisphere 2

These libraries provided a rich palette of sounds, from orchestral elements to modern synth textures.

Production Process

My workflow centered around Logic Pro as my primary Digital Audio Workstation, with notation work done in Steinberg’s Dorico. This combination allowed for both detailed audio production and professional notation capabilities.

To enhance the audio and achieve a polished, professional sound, I employed several signal processing tools:

  • Universal Audio’s SSL G Bus Compressor
  • Fairchild 670 Compressor
  • Ampex ATR-102 Master Tape
  • Logic’s built-in Limiter, Distortion, and EQ
  • Izotope’s Ozone 9 for final mastering

Reflections

This project was a great experience as it challenged me to blend diverse elements seamlessly and push the boundaries of my creativity. The process of crafting a score that can stand alongside blockbuster productions was both daunting and exhilarating.

I’ll be doing a more behind-the-scenes look at my composing process in another post, where I’ll focus on what worked, what could have gone better, and what I want to remember moving forward.

Thanks to Spitfire Audio for providing the opportunity to be part of this.

Hope for the Hopeless

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One of the highlights of the Fall 2022 Term was a collaboration that I did with fellow Berklee Online students Adriene Mixon and Parker Sanders as part of the Project Management For Musicians course we were in. 

The song features Adriene’s beautiful lyrics, Parker’s well-crafted guitar solo, and me handling the rest. I really like how this one turned out. 

Thank you, Adriene and Parker, for working on this with me!

Photo by Joseph Driscoll on Unsplash

Talk About It

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One of the highlights of the Spring 2022 Term was a collaboration I did with fellow Berklee Online students Brianna Bernhard and Myrone Davis as part of the Songwriting for Film and TV course we were in.

The song features Brianna’s amazing vocals, Myrone’s keyboard parts and me handling the rest of the production. We each added bits to the melody and lyrics, but it was Brianna who brought it all together in the final version. I really like this and think it turned out well.

Thank you, Brianna and Myrone, for making something this cool with me!

Photo by Wilhelm Gunkel on Unsplash: unsplash.com/@wilhelmgunkel

Contemporary Techniques in Music Composition 2

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I actually really enjoyed Contemporary Techniques in Music Composition 2, much more than CTMC1. Perhaps I already had an idea of what to expect this time around, or maybe it was due to the way the material was presented or just the type of material that was covered.

In any event, this course ended up being a highlight of the term for me and I really enjoyed the pieces that I came up with for it. I’ve added a SoundCloud playlist highlighting some of the pieces towards the end of this post.

Here’s what was covered in the twelve weeks.

Week 1 – “Extended Techniques for Strings, Winds, and More”, Apr 2 – Apr 8
Introduction, Meet and Greet, Writing for Strings: Expanding Harmonics, Glissando, Seagull Effect, Exercise 1.1: Transcribe a Melody with Harmonics, Discussion 1.1: Gyorgy Ligeti’s String Quartet No. 2, More String Effects: Pizzicatos, Bow Techniques, Beyond the Fingerboard, Bow Techniques, Extended Techniques on Violin, Discussion 1.2: Lachenmann’s “Pression”, Extended Techniques for Winds, Quiz 1.1: Identify the Extended Techniques, Extended Techniques for Harp, Extended Techniques for Accordion, Assignment 1: Compose Using Extended Techniques, Recap

Week 2 – “Microtonality and Tunings”, Apr 9th – Apr 15th
Introduction, Temperaments and Tunings, Equal Temperament and Just Intonation: a Brief Explanation, Workshop: Equal Temperament and Just Intonation, The Microtonal Pioneers, Ben Johnston and La Monte Young, Harry Partch and John Luther Adams, Alois Haba, Charles Ives, Ezra Sims, Enno Poppe, Jon Catler, Workshop: Microtonality Perception, Notation and Instrumental Limitations, Workshop: Order the Standard Notation Microtone Accidentals, Workshop: Order the Sims-Maneri Accidentals, Discussion 2.1: Limits of Microtonal Composition, Microtonality and Notation Software, Assignment 2: Microtonal Composing, Recap

Week 3 – “Writing for Voice”, Apr 16th – Apr 22nd
Introduction, How Our Voice Works, Vocal Registers and Ranges: A Quick Review, Vocal Registers, Bel Canto, Writing for Voice Today, Discussion 3.1: Vocal Techniques, Text Setting: Playing with Meanings, Discussion 3.2: Text Setting, Text Setting in Practice, Twentieth Century Text Setting, Exercise 3.1: Text Setting, Assignment 3: Vocal Composition, Recap

Week 4 – “Serial Music”, Apr 23rd – Apr 29th
Introduction, Historical Context: The Need for Something New, Discussion 4.1: Atonal Music, The Core Concepts of Serialism, Expanding the Row: Transposition and Canonic Transformations, Exercise 4.1: Transposition, Inversion, Retrograde, and Retrograde Inversion, Transformations and the Magic Square, Exercise 4.2: Twelve-Tone Row, Series as a Theme, Rhythmical Devices and Serial Counterpoint, Other Serialisms: Total Serialism and Beyond, Discussion 4.2: Serial Music, Assignment 4: Serial Techniques, Recap

Week 5 – “Process Music/Textures and Soundscapes”, Apr 30th – May 6th
Introduction, What is a Texture?, Monophonic, Homophonic, Heterophonic, Polyphonic, Quiz 5.1: Identify the Texture Type, Texture in the Twentieth Century: The Context, Composing with Texture/I: Morphing, Composing With Texture/II: Stratification, Micropolyphony, Discussion 5.1: Texture and Your Listening Experience, Assignment 5: Texture-Based Piece, Recap

Week 6 – “Minimal Music”, May 7th – May 13th
Introduction, Core Concepts/I: Silence, Limited Material, Repetition, Core Concepts/II: Texture and Tonality, Core Concepts and Techniques/I: Phasing (Steve Reich), Motive Transformation (Philip Glass), Workshop: Clapping Music, Core Concepts and Techniques/II: Motive Transformation (Philip Glass), Other Minimalists: Rzewski, Adams, Laurie Anderson (2.40 Glass), Discussion 6.1: Your Perception of Minimal Music, Assignment 6: Composing Minimal Music, Recap

Week 7 – “More Rhythmic Devices”, May 14th – May 20th
Introduction, Expanding Meter/I: Polymeter and Charles Ives, Expanding Meter/II: Metric Modulation and Elliott Carter, Expanding Meter/III: Metric Modulation in Practice, Exercise 7.1: Metric Modulation, Other Uses in the Twentieth Century: Serial Rhythm, Accelerando/Rallentando Patterns, Rhythm and Meter/I: Polyrhythm, Rhythm and Meter/II: Hemiola, Rhythm and Meter/III: Polyrhythm and Non-Western influence, Discussion 7.1: Rhythm and Pitch, Exercise 7.2: Compose a Polyrhythm, Assignment 7: Rhythm, Recap

Week 8 – “Postmodernism, Musical Quotation, and Appropriation”, May 21st – May 27th
Introduction, What is Postmodern Music?, Quotations and Classical Music: a Never-Ending Idyll, Quotation in the Twentieth Century/I: The Early Years, Quotation in the Twentieth Century/II: After 1945, Exercise 8.1: Identify the Quotations, Pushing to the Limit: Multiple Quotes and Humor, Quotation vs. Music Appropriation: Imitating Style, Discussion 8.1: Quotation, Assignment 8: Past as Present, Recap

Week 9 – “New Tonality, New Spirituality”, May 28th – Jun 3rd
Introduction, Looking at the Past, Hinting at Tonality, Discussion 9.1: Neo-Tonality, Tonality as Spirituality: Pärt, Tavener, Discussion 9.2: New Spirituality, Assignment 9: New Tonality, Recap

Week 10 – “Spectralism”, Jun 4th – Jun 10th
Introduction, What is Spectralism?, The Precursors: Proto-Spectralists, The Spectral Composer at Work: Basic Techniques and Terminology, Discussion 10.1: Grisey’s “Partiels”, More Techniques and Terminology, Software Tools: Preparing for your Assignment, Assignment 10: Sound Analysis Composition, Recap

Week 11 – “The Early Pioneers of Electronic Music”, Jun 11th – Jun 17th
Introduction, Noise, Electricity, and Experimentalism: Electronic Music and Sonic Arts, The Early Electronic Instruments: Theremin and Ondes Martenot, Discussion 11.1: The Role of Technology, The US: Minimalism and other Experimentalisms, Germany: Elektronische Musik, France: Pierre Schaeffer and Musique Concrète, Hands-On: The Key Techniques of Early Electronic Music, Workshop: Composing Tape Music Today, Assignment 11: Compose a Collage Piece, Recap

Week 12 – “Looking Ahead”, Jun 18th – Jun 24th
Introduction, Tape, Instruments, and Live Electronics, Composing with Live Electronics, Music and Multimedia, Music Installation, Beyond Spectralism and Minimalism: Saturiation Music and Totalism, Discussion 12.1: The Future of Composition, Assignment 12: Write for String Quartet, Recap

Music Composition for Film and TV 2

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Music Composition for Film and TV 2 was the other class that I took during the Fall of 2021. As with other courses authored by Ben Newhouse, this was a great class that went over everything in a clear, logical and methodical progression. It was nice having Ben as an instructor again as he always provided useful, helpful, and thoughtful feedback.

Here’s what we covered during the twelve weeks.

Week 1 – “Slow Drama”, Sep 27 – Oct 1
Introduction, Meet and Greet, Course Structure, Slow Drama Cue: Deadline Main Title, Harmony in Deadline Main Title, Melody in Deadline Main Title, Rhythm and Tempo in Deadline Main Title, Orchestration in Deadline Main Title, Score Analysis: “Giza Port” from The Mummy, Slow Drama Cue: “Wreckage” from Alien 3, Melody in “Wreckage”, Harmony in “Wreckage”, Rhythm and Tempo in “Wreckage”, Orchestration in “Wreckage”, Discussion 1.1: Analysis “The King Dies” from Atlantis, Slow Drama Cue: “Mr. Gateau” from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Melody in “Mr. Gateau”, Harmony in “Mr. Gateau”, Rhythm and Tempo in “Mr. Gateau”, Orchestration in “Mr. Gateau”, Exercise 1.1: A Dramatic Progression, Slow Drama Cue: “Run to the Church” from The Sixth Sense, Harmony in “Run to the Church”, Melody in “Run to the Church”, Rhythm and Tempo in “Run to the Church”(Page 4), Orchestration in “Run to the Church”, Slow Drama Cue: “Tender Dismay” from Women Warriors: Voices of Change, Harmony in “Tender Dismay”, Melody in “Tender Dismay”, Rhythm in “Tender Dismay”, Orchestration in “Tender Dismay”, Slow Drama vs. Sad, Slow Drama Template, Quiz 1.1: Slow Drama, Assignment 1: Score a Slow Drama Scene, Recap

Week 2 – “Playful Comedy”, Oct 2nd – Oct 8th
Introduction, Comedy Cue: “Toy Store Jam” from Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Tempo and Rhythm in “Toy Store Jam”, Harmony in “Toy Store Jam”, Melody in “Toy Store Jam”, Orchestration in “Toy Store Jam”, Exercise 2.1: Write a Comedy Vamp, Comedy Cue: “Triscadecaphobia” from Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Tempo and Rhythm in “Triscadecaphobia”, Harmony in “Triscadecaphobia”, Melody in “Triscadecaphobia”, Orchestration in “Triscadecaphobia”, Activity: Score Analysis of “Mr. Magoriums Wonder Emporium”, Score Analysis: Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Comedy Cue: Alf Clausen’s Car Scene, Tempo and Rhythm in Alf Clausen’s Car Scene, Harmony in Alf Clausen’s Car Scene, Key Movement in Alf Clausen’s Car Scene, Melody in Alf Clausen’s Car Scene, Orchestration in Alf Clausen’s Car Scene, Discussion 2.2: The Simpsons, Comedy Cue: “A Note from the Teacher” from Peter Pan, Melody from “A Note from the Teacher”, Harmony from “A Note from the Teacher”, Tempo and Rhythm from “A Note from the Teacher”, Orchestration from “A Note from the Teacher”, Comedy Template, Quiz 2.1: Playful Comedy Music, Assignment 2: Score a Comedy Scene, Recap

Week 3 – “Moderate-Intensity Action 1”, Oct 9th – Oct 15th
Introduction, Moderate Intensity Action Cue: “The Myrmidons” from Troy, Melody in “The Myrmidons”, Modes in “The Myrmidons”, Harmony in “The Myrmidons”, Rhythm and Tempo in “The Myrmidons”, Orchestration of “The Myrmidons”, Exercise 3.1: Listening and Discussion of “Tunnel Chase”, “Helicopter Ride” from “Underworld: Evolution, Harmony in “Helicopter Ride”, Rhythm and Tempo in “Helicopter Ride”, Melody in “Helicopter Ride”, Orchestration in “Helicopter Ride”, Exercise 3.2: Add Rhythm to a Chord Progression, “High Wire Stunts” from Jurassic Park, Melody in “High Wire Stunts”, Harmony in “High Wire Stunts”, Modulation in “High Wire Stunts”, Rhythm in “High Wire Stunts”, Orchestration of “High Wire Stunts”, Score Analysis of “Helicopter Ride”, Score Analysis: “Helicopter Ride”, Moderate-Intensity Action Cue: “Hook-Napped” from Hook, Melody in “Hook-Napped”, Harmony in “Hook-Napped”, Tempo and Rhythm in “Hook-Napped”, Orchestration in “Hook-Napped”, Assignment 3: Score a Moderate Intensity Action Scene, Recap

Week 4 – “Moderate Intensity Action II”, Oct 16th – Oct 22nd
Introduction, Moderate-Intensity Action Cue: “Duel of the Fates” from Star Wars: Episode I, Melody in “Duel of the Fates”, More Melody in “Duel of the Fates”, Harmony in “Duel of the Fates”, Tempo and Rhythm in “Duel of the Fates”, Orchestration in “Duel of the Fates”, Exercise 4.1: Write an Ostinato, Moderate-Intensity Action Cue: “Capitol Hill”, Harmony in “Capitol Hill”, Tempo and Rhythm in “Capitol Hill”, Melody in “Capitol Hill”, Orchestration in “Capitol Hill”, Score Analysis: “Bible Study” from Yuma, The Moderate-Intensity Action Template, Sneaking Around Example: “Stealing the Game” from Zathura, Harmony in “Stealing the Game”, More Harmony in “Stealing the Game”, Melody in “Stealing the Game”, Tempo and Rhythm in “Stealing the Game”, Orchestration of “Stealing the Game”, Discussion 4.1: Analysis “The Package” from Psycho, Sneaking Around Cue: “Huh?” from Flight of the Phoenix, Melody in “Huh?”, Harmony in “Huh?”, Tempo and Rhythm in “Huh?”, Orchestration in “Huh?”, The Sneaking Around Template, Quiz 4.1: Terms and Concepts, Assignment 4: Moderate-Intensity Action, Recap

Week 5 – “Lyrical Grandeur”, Oct 23rd – Oct 29th
Introduction, Lyrical Grandeur Cue: “Flicka” from Flicka, Melody in “Flicka”, Perfect Intervals in “Flicka”, Harmony in “Flicka”, Rhythm and Tempo in “Flicka”, Orchestration in “Flicka”, Discussion 5.1: Analysis “Grow to Hero”, Lyrical Grandeur Example: “Camelot” from First Knight, Melody in “Camelot”, Harmony in “Camelot”, Tempo and Rhythm in “Camelot”, Orchestration in “Camelot”, Score Analysis: “Fanfare for the Common Man” by Copland, Lyrical Grandeur Example: “American Hero”, Melody in “American Hero”, Harmony in “American Hero”, Tempo and Rhythm in “American Hero”, Orchestration in “American Hero”, Exercise 5.1: Compose a Lyrical Grandeur Melody, “Light of Olympia” Trailer, Melody in “Light of Olympia”, Harmony in “Light of Olympia”, Rhythm and Tempo in “Light of Olympia”, Orchestration in “Light of Olympia”, Orchestration in “Light of Olympia”, Lyrical Grandeur Template, Quiz 5.1: Lyrical Grandeur, Assignment 5: Score a Lyrical Grandeur Scene, Recap

Week 6 – “Action Heroes and Villains”, Oct 30th – Nov 5th
Introduction, Action Hero Theme: Indiana Jones, Melody in Indiana Jones, Harmony in Indiana Jones, Tempo and Rhythm in Indiana Jones, Orchestration in Indiana Jones, Activity: Score Analysis of “Going After Rourke” from Atlantis, Score Analysis: “Going After Rourke” from Atlantis, Action Hero Theme: Star Wars, Melody in Star Wars, Harmony in Star Wars, Rhythm and Tempo in Star Wars, Orchestration in Star Wars, Exercise 6.1: Compose a Heroic Chord Progression, Action Villain Theme: “Imperial March” from Star Wars, Harmony in “Imperial March”, Tempo and Rhythm in “Imperial March”, Melody in “Imperial March”, Orchestration in “Imperial March”, Orchestration in “Imperial March”, Activity: Score Analysis of “Evil Doers” from Hellboy, Score Analysis: “Evil Doers” from Hellboy, Action Villain Theme: “The Mummy” from The Mummy, Melody in “The Mummy”, Harmony in “The Mummy”, Tempo and Rhythm in “The Mummy”, Orchestration in “The Mummy”, Action Hero Template, Action Villain Template, Discussion 6.1: The Hero/Villain Dichotomy, Quiz 6.1: Action Heroes and Villains, Assignment 6: Score Action Hero and Action Villain Cue, Recap

Week 7 – “Action Adventure I”, Nov 6th – Nov 12th
Introduction, Action Adventure Theme: Jurassic Park Theme A, Melody in Jurassic Park Theme A, Harmony in Jurassic Park Theme A, Rhythm in Jurassic Park Theme A, Orchestration in Jurassic Park Theme A, Exercise 7.1: Compose a Heroic 8-bar Phrase, Action Adventure Theme: Jurassic Park Theme B, Harmony in Jurassic Park Theme B, Melody in Jurassic Park Theme B, Rhythm in Jurassic Park Theme B, Orchestration in Jurassic Park Theme B, Key Points in Jurassic Park, Activity: Score Analysis of “Crimson Gump” from Forrest Gump, Score Analysis: “Crimson Gump” from Forrest Gump, Action Adventure Theme: “Flight to Neverland” Theme A, Melody in “Flight to Neverland” Theme A, Harmony in “Flight to Neverland” Theme A, Rhythm in “Flight to Neverland” Theme A, Orchestration in “Flight to Neverland” Theme A, Exercise 7.2: Orchestrate a Heroic 8-bar Phrase, Action Adventure Theme: “Flight to Neverland” Theme B, Harmony in “Flight to Neverland” Theme B, Rhythm in “Flight to Neverland” Theme B, Melody in “Flight to Neverland” Theme B, Orchestration in “Flight to Neverland” Theme B, Discussion 7.1: Listening, Beethoven Symphony #3, Assignment 7: Compose an Action Adventure Theme, Recap

Week 8 – “Action Adventure II”, Nov 13th – Nov 19th
Introduction, Action Adventure Theme: “Back to the Future” Theme A, Harmony in “Back to the Future” Theme A, Melody in “Back to the Future” Theme A, Tempo and Rhythm in “Back to the Future Theme” A, Orchestration in “Back to the Future” Theme A, Score Analysis: “Main Title” from Zathura, Action Adventure Theme: “Back to the Future” Theme B, Melody in “Back to the Future” Theme B, Harmony in “Back to the Future” Theme B, Tempo and Rhythm in “Back to the Future” Theme B, Orchestration in “Back to the Future” Theme B, Exercise 8.1: Compose a Lyrical Theme B for an Action Adventure Cue, Action Adventure Theme: Star Trek Theme A, Harmony in Star Trek Theme A, Melody in Star Trek Theme A, Tempo and Rhythm in Star Trek Theme A, Orchestration in Star Trek Theme A, Discussion 8.1: Listening, Polar Express, Action Adventure Theme: Star Trek Theme B, Harmony in Star Trek Theme B, Melody in Star Trek Theme B, Tempo and Rhythm in Star Trek Theme B, Orchestration in Star Trek Theme B, Exercise 8.2: Orchestrate a Lyrical 8-bar Phrase, Action Adventure Template Theme A, Action Adventure Template Theme B, Quiz 8.1: Action Adventure, Assignment 8: Score an Adventure Scene, Recap

Week 9 “Practical Logistics in Film Scoring”, Nov 20th – Nov 26th
Introduction, Responsibilities of the Composer and Orchestrator, Examples of a Composer’s Sketch, The MIDI Orchestrator, Exercise 9.1: From a Composer’s Sketch to an Orchestrated Score, Music Supervisors and Music Editors, Exercise 9.2: Music Supervision and Editing, The Recording Session: The Musician, The Recording Session: The Engineer, The Recording Session: The Conductor, Exercise 9.3: Music Preparation, Timelines, Quiz 9.1: Practical Logistics, Assignment 9: Scoring Cops, Recap

Week 10 – “Long Term Form in Jurassic Park”, Nov 27th – Dec 3rd
Introduction, Leitmotifs in Film Scoring, Jurassic Park: Positive Action Adventure Theme, Positive Action Adventure Theme: Statement 1, Positive Action Adventure Theme: Statement 2, Positive Action Adventure Theme: Statement 3, Positive Action Adventure Theme: Statement 4, Positive Action Adventure Theme: Statement 5, Positive Action Adventure Theme Summary, Exercise 10.1: Theme and Variation I, Jurassic Park: Hymn Theme, Hymn Theme: Statement 1, Hymn Theme: Statement 2, Hymn Theme: Statement 3, Hymn Theme Summary, Exercise 10.2: Theme and Variation II, Jurassic Park: Moderate-Intensity Action Theme, Moderate Intensity Action Theme: Statement 1, Moderate Intensity Action Theme: Statement, Moderate Intensity Action Theme: Summary, Jurassic Park: Velociraptor Motive, Velociraptor Motive: Statement 1, Velociraptor Motive: Statement 2, Velociraptor Motive: Statement 3, Velociraptor Motive: Statement 4, Velociraptor Motive Summary, Discussion 10.1: Find a Leitmotif Statement, Recurring Musical Templates, Recurring Musical Template: Slow Drama, Slow Drama: Example 1, Slow Drama: Example 2, Slow Drama: Example 3, Slow Drama Summary, Recurring Musical Template: Mystery and Awe, Mystery and Awe: Example 1, Mystery and Awe: Example 2, Mystery and Awe: Example 3, Mystery and Awe Summary, Discussion 10.2: The End Credits, Recurring Musical Template: High-Intensity Action/Chase, High-Intensity Action: Example 1, High-Intensity Action: Example 2, High-Intensity Action: Example 3, High-Intensity Action: Example 4, High-Intensity Action Summary, Discussion 10.3: Additional Music for Special Circumstances, Jurassic Park: Long-term Form Summary, Assignment 10: Scoring Cops, Recap

Week 11 – “Long Term Form in Atlantis”, Dec 4th – Dec 10th
Introduction, Atlantis: Positive Action Adventure Leitmotif, Starting the Journey, Progressing on the Journey, Moments of Triumph, Emotional Triumph, Positive Action Adventure Leitmotif Summary, Exercise 11.1: Theme and Variation I, Atlantis: Awe Leitmotif—City of Atlantis, Discovering Atlantis, Learning the History of Atlantis, Atlantis Finale, Atlantis Leitmotif Summary, Atlantis: Awe Leitmotif—The Crystal, Crystal Leitmotif Scene 1, Crystal Leitmotif Scene 2, Crystal Leitmotif Scene 3, Crystal Leitmotif Summary, Exercise 11.2: Theme and Variation II, Recurring Musical Template: Playful Comedy and Mickey Mousing, Playful Comedy and Mickey Mousing – Example 1, Playful Comedy and Mickey Mousing – Example 2, Discussion 11.1: Listening, Mickey Mousing, Recurring Musical Template: Gamelan/Orchestra Hybrid, Gamelan/Orchestra Hybrid – Example 1, Gamelan/Orchestra Hybrid – Example 2, Exercise 11.3: Blending World and Film Music, Recurring Musical Template: High-Intensity Action Chase, High-Intensity Action – Example 1, High-Intensity Action – Example 2, Discussion 11.2: The End Credits, Atlantis: Long-term Form Summary, Assignment 11: Scoring Cops, Recap

Week 12 – “Long Term Form in Back to the Future”, Dec 11th – Dec 17th
Introduction, Back to the Future: Action Adventure Leitmotif, Action Adventure Scene 1 – First Time Travel Trip, Action Adventure Scene 2 – Escaping the Barn, Action Adventure Scene 3 – Return Trip, Action Adventure Summary, Discussion 12.1: Listening, Action Adventure Final Scene, Back to the Future: Action Chase Music, Action Chase Scene 1 – The Terrorists, Action Chase Scene 2 – The Terrorists Revisited, Action Chase Scene 3 – Skate Board Chase, Action Chase Scene 4 – Return Trip, Action Chase Summary, Exercise 12.1: Theme and Variation I, Back to the Future: Mystery Suspense, Mystery Suspense Scene 1 – Past Neighborhood, Mystery Suspense Scene 2 – In the Barn, Mystery Suspense Scene 3 – Town Square, Mystery Suspense Scene 4 – Uncovering the Car, Mystery Suspense Summary, Discussion 12.2: Additional Mystery+Leitmotif Cues, Back to the Future: Moderate Action, Moderate Action Scene 1 – Preparing for Time Travel, Moderate Action Scene 2 – Preparing for the Trip Home, Moderate Action Summary, Discussion 12.3: Listening. The Picture Motif, Back to the Future: Intimate Ballad Theme A, Intimate Theme A Scene 1, Intimate Theme A Scene 2, Intimate Theme A Scene 3, Intimate Theme A Summary, Back to the Future: Intimate Ballad Theme B, Intimate Theme B Scene 1, Intimate Theme B Scene 2, Intimate Theme B Scene 3, Exercise 12.2: Theme and Variation II, Back to the Future: Source Music and Songs, Source Music and Popular Songs – Example 1, Source Music and Popular Songs – Example 2, Source Music and Popular Songs – Example 3, Source Music and Popular Songs – Example 4, Source Music and Popular Songs – Example 5, Source Music and Popular Songs – Example 6, Source Music and Popular Songs – Example 7, Source Music and Popular Songs – Example 8, Discussion 12.4: The End Credits, Back to the Future Summary, Long-Term Planning in Film and TV Scoring: Tools and Techniques, Assignment 12: Scoring Cops, Recap

Orchestration 1

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This was the class that I had been looking forward to taking ever since I was accepted into Berklee Online’s “Music Composition for Film, TV, and Games Degree” program. It took me five terms to complete the prerequisite courses in order to take this class. The best part is that this was my favorite class so far.

Everything about it was as good or better than I had hoped for in a class. The teacher, Ben Newhouse, who is also the author of the course, was fantastic in every regard. He gave really helpful, useful and timely feedback on all assignments and communications, and was very inspiring as an instructor. The course materials were clear, coordinated and well thought out. Each week built logically on the previous and everything made sense to me. I can’t say enough good things about this class and feel very fortunate to have studied with Professor Newhouse.

Here’s what we covered during these twelve weeks.

Week 1 – “Technological Considerations”
Course Structure, Samples, Samplers, MIDI, and Sequencers, Signal Flow in a MIDI Orchestration Studio, Signal Flow in a MIDI Orchestration Studio, How Sampling Patches Are Constructed, Trumpet Patch, Bass Drum Patch, Sequencing with Patches, Creating Dynamics in Your Sequence, On-Velocity, Beethoven Passage, Volume, Lyrical Melody, Expression, Separating Mixing and Dynamics, Dynamic Layers and Modulation, Workshop: Working with Dynamics, The Two Rules of MIDI Orchestration, Samples as Performers, Listening Exercise, Assignment 1: Technical Considerations

Week 2 – “Musical Considerations”, Jan 16th – Jan 22nd
Orchestral Sizes, Woodwinds and Percussion, The String Section, Historical Use of Orchestral Resources, Mozart Symphony, Tchaikovsky Symphony, Mahler Symphony, Movie Score, The String Section, Listening Exercise, Clefs, The Percussion Clef, Transposition, Transposition, Common Instruments and Transpositions, Title Page, Instrumentation Page, The Score, An Orchestral Score Page, Transposed and C Scores, Equivalent Scores, Multiple Parts on a Single Staff, The Part, Notation Programs, The Overtone Series, Checklist for Notated Scores, Assignment 2: A Notated Score

Week 3 – “String Writing I”, Jan 23rd – Jan 29th
String Instruments and Their Ranges, The Violin, The Viola, The Cello, Double Bass, Open Strings, Notating String Preferences, Strings and Key Signatures, Double-Stops, Effective Double-Stops, Shostakovich Symphony, Viable Triple-Stop Triads, Viable Quadruple-Stop Triads, Sample Types: Sustained, Using Sustained Samples, Sample Types: Tremolo, Sample Types: Staccato, Sample Types: Pizzicato, Sample Types: Crescendo and Diminuendo, Sample Types: Trill, Sample Types: Runs, Sample Types: Articulations, Transition Sounds, Repeated Notes, Sample Types: Additional Samples, Long and Short Samples, Phrase Samples, Sample Types: Conclusion, Combining Samples: Alternating, The Violin I Part, Combining Samples: Key Switches, Combining Samples: Layering, Acoustic Bowing Techniques, String Notation, Slur, Detache, and Staccato, Spiccato and Slurred Staccato, Bowing and Dynamics, Choosing Bowings, Sequencing Implications, Additional Playing Techniques, Jete and Sul Tasto, Sul Ponticello, Col Legno, Con Sordino and Trills, Tremolo, Natural Harmonics, Artificial Harmonics, Reconciling Acoustic Playing Techniques and Sample Types, Listening Exercise, Assignment 3: String Writing I

Week 4 – “String Writing II”, Jan 30th – Feb 5th
String Writing II, Jan 30th – Feb 5th, Introduction, 4-Part Writing, Haydn Symphony, Tchaikovsky Symphony, Five-Part Writing, Brahm’s Symphony, Doubling and Divisi Writing, Doubling and Divisi Example, Sequencing Divisi Parts, Presenting Melody, Presenting Melody: Violin, Presenting Melody: Viola, Presenting Melody: Cello, Presenting Melody: Bass, Presenting Melody: Octave Doublings, Voicing Chords, Key Points, Harmonic Treatment, String Movement, Harmonic Treatment Guidelines, Incorporating Solo Strings, Text Requirements in String Notation, Listening Exercise, Assignment 4: String Orchestration

Week 5 – “Brass Writing I”, Feb 6th – Feb 12th
Brass Section Introductions, Brass Instruments and Their Ranges, The Horn, The Trumpet, The Trombone, The Bass Trombone, The Tuba, Sample Types, Sample Type: Sustained, Sample Type: Staccato, Sample Types: Crescendo and Diminuendo, Sample Types: Articulations, Trombone Repetition Samples, Sample Types: Additional Samples, Common Phrase Samples, Combining Samples: Alternation, Combining Samples: Layering, Dynamics, Workshop: Sequencing Dynamics, Brass Melodic Presentation, Horn Melody, Trumpet Melody, Trombone Melody, Brass Mutes, Trumpet and Trombone Mutes, Cup and Harmon Mutes, Tuba and Horn Mutes, Stopped Horn Passages, The Cuivre Technique, Listening Exercise, Assignment 5: Brass Arrangement

Week 6 – “Brass Writing II”, Feb 13th – Feb 19th
Brass Section Size, Subgrouping, Acoustic Articulations, Workshop: Brass Articulations, Glissandi, Less Effective Glissandi, Horn, Trumpet, and Tuba, Chordal Voicings, Voicing Major Triads, Other Brass Voicings, Chordal Voicing Inversions, Bad Voicings, Chordal Voicings Wrapup, Using Brass for Harmonic Support, Using Brass to Support Strings, Exercise 6.1: Harmonic Support, Using Brass to Create a Climax, The Brass Fanfare, Brass and String Combinations, Text Requirements in Brass Notation, Listening Exercise, Assignment 6: Brass Writing II

Week 7 – “Woodwind Writing I”, Feb 20th – Feb 26th
Woodwind Background, Instrument Structure, Instrument Categorization, Woodwind Instruments and Their Ranges, The Piccolo, The Flute, The Oboe, The English Horn, The Bassoon, The Contrabassoon, The Clarinet, The Bass Clarinet, Common Sample Types, Sample Type: Staccato, Sample Type: Trills, Sample Type: Runs, Sample Types: Crescendo and Diminuendo, Sample Types: Legato Articulations, Sample Types: Repetition Articulations, Additional Sample Types, Acoustic Articulations, Woodwind Solos, The Flute, The Oboe, The English Horn, The Bassoon, The Clarinet, Listening Exercise, Assignment 7: Woodwind Solos

Week 8 – “Woodwind Writing II”, Feb 27th – Mar 5th
Woodwind Doublings, Possible Doublings, Doubling to Create a Unique Tone Color, Doubling to Create Growth, Doubling to Create a Climax, Doubling Woodwinds with Brass and Strings, Woodwind Chordal Voicings, Enclosure and Overlap, Creating Blend, Chord Tone Spacing, Counterlines, Textural Flourishes, Runs, Exercise 8.1: Using Woodwind Runs, estatement, Harmonic Arpeggiation, Harmonic Support, Listening Exercise, Text Requirements in Woodwind Notation, Assignment 8: Melody, Countermelody

Week 9 – “Percussion Writing I”, Mar 6th – Mar 12th
Percussion Categories, Pitched and Non-Pitched Percussion, Non-Pitched Membranophones: Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Tambourine, Additional Non-Pitched Membranophones, Non-Pitched Idiophones: Crash Cymbal, Suspended Cymbal, Tam Tam, Wind Chimes, Triangle, Woodblocks, Additional Non-Pitched Idiophones, tched Membranophones: Timpani, Impossible Timpani Passages, Reasonable Timpani Passages, Timpani Sample Types, Pitched Idiophones: Xylophone, Marimba, Glockenspiel, Tubular Bells, Pitched Chordaphones: Harp, Harp Pedal Positions, Notating Pedal Positions, Notating a Pedal Change, Enharmonic Spellings, Unorthodox Chord Spellings, Glissandi, Harmonics, Pitched Chordaphones: Keyboards, Celesta, Additional Pitched Percussion Instruments, Listening Exercise, Exercise 9.1: Percussion Arrangement, Assignment 9: Final Project

Week 10 – “Percussion Writing II”, Mar 13th – Mar 19th
Notation Considerations, Staff Types, Mallet Types, Workshop: Notating a Snare Drum Part, Percussion Uses, Accent Highlights, Harmonic Support, Exercise 10.1: Short Percussion Sequence, Reply , Builds and Climaxes, Dynamic Extremes, Solo Statements, Doubling for Color, Listening Exercise, Assignment 10: Final Project

Week 11 – “Expansions of the Orchestral Sound”, Mar 20th – Mar 26th
Expanding the Orchestra with Choir and Ethnic Instruments, Using Choir Samples to Create Grandeur, Choir Parts, Ethnic Instruments, Drum Loops, Saxophones, Guitar, Overdubbing Soloists, Listening Exercise, Review of Key Points, Woodwinds and Percussion, Assignment 11: Final Project

Week 12 – “Full Ensemble Orchestration”, Mar 27th – Apr 2nd
Foreground, Middleground, Background I, Mahler Example, Orchestrating for a Larger Ensemble, Foreground, Middleground, and Background Material II, Mahler Example, Foreground, Middleground, and Background Material III, Full Piece Listening and Analysis 1, Full Piece Listening and Analysis 2, Full Piece Listening and Analysis 3, Full Piece Listening and Analysis 4, Assignment 12: Final Project, Final Exam

Here’s the notated score:

Final_Assignment_Glenn_Schoonmaker

Time

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Found this really useful formula for determining a song’s total time in the Songwriting Sourcebook by Rikky Rooksby (page 170):

  1. Determine the number of beats per minute (e.g. 96BPM).
  2. Determine the number of measures per minute by dividing the BPM by the number of beats per measure (e.g. 96/4 = 24 measures per minute).
  3. Then take the total number of bars in the song and divide it by the number of measures per minute. E.g. 104 measures/24 measures per minute = 4.5m for the total time of the song.

Thanks Rikky!

Enchantment

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“Enchantment” is the first song from the upcoming “Equinox” album. It is also the first symphonic piece that I’ve done in a long time.

Video footage taken while visiting Mt Tamalpais (Marin County, CA), Municipal Rose Garden (San Jose, CA) and the Pulgas Water Temple (Redwood City, CA).

Here’s the backstory…

I had been wanting to do an orchestral/symphonic piece for many years now. Fortunately some of the tools available nowadays makes it possible to create something that sounds pretty compelling in terms of authenticity. 

This song started as a simple chord progression with me humming the melody. Here’s the original sketch:

Once I had decided that I was going to work on this song idea for the concert, I made a full chart with lead melody and chord progressions:

While working on pre-production of the song I watched two very helpful video courses on Groove3:

“Creating Realistic MIDI Strings”

“Creating Epic Cinematic Compositions”

The latter being particularly useful as I ended up mirroring a lot of the approach outlined in the course. 

Here are some of my notes that I referenced while bringing the track up:

  • Follow the “Rules of Harmony” (this video by Rick Beato was particularly informative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuSKULck394)
  • Determine parts per section (e.g. Strings, Horns, Woodwinds, Percussion, misc.)
  • Create new alternate version in Logic per section (to free up CPU resources when using the virtual instruments)
  • Stack multiple virtual instruments per section w/ different articulations to create a fuller sound
  • Quantize, humanize then scale % of quantization applied
  • Use mod wheel to write expression automation
  • Bounce to align (if necessary) 


Parallel Processing

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In the past, I was pretty much an “all or nothing” type of person when it came to studying, writing, recording or performing. Meaning, I would exclusively focus on one area, say studying, for an extended period of time, at the expense of the other areas that are important to me. The great thing about that is you get really focused on a particular subject. The bad thing is all forward motion in any other areas stops completely.

For a long while, I had been wanting to divide my time between study and production. Ideally studying early on in the day with some sort of production later.

So one of my main goals for the first quarter of this year was to do exactly that. Once I got a workable schedule in place, I loved it. It was tremendously rewarding to see progress being made in so many different areas that interest me.

I think the key to allowing all of that to happen was to limit how much time I gave any one area of focus. That made space for everything else.

For my studies I continued with my 5 minutes per subject approach for a variety of subjects: ear training, guitar studies (music reading and chords/rhythm parts), bass, keyboards (scales and chords), songwriting/chord progressions, notation and vocal exercises.

Along with that I started incorporating online studies with courses on Lynda.com (Photoshop, Omnisphere, Battery, Performing with Ableton Live) and Groove3.com (Superior Drummer, Ableton Live 10 Explained, Creating Realistic MIDI Strings, Creating Epic Cinematic Compositions). These were super helpful in preparing for the album and concert.

I also began alternating days of focus. One day of new material, with the next being review of what I had already done. This kept everything very manageable and enjoyable. So much so that I looked forward to studying every day.

For songwriting/production I would do something similar by only allowing 30 minutes per song per day. This helped keep the songs new and interesting throughout the process. It also helped get me “unstuck” when I felt blocked. As soon as the timer went off I would move on to the next song and get positive momentum going again. By the time I came back to the song I was having an issue with I was in a different space and usually found a solution within minutes.