Limits of Orchestral Mixing

Limits of Orchestral Mixing Be realistic about what is achievable in a professional mix and what not. Especially on orchestra recordings where the whole orchestra has been recorded in the same room at the same time, there is no real possibility to heavily alter the...

Musical Contrasts

Musical Contrasts Musical contrasts can be a great device to write exciting music. Music that puts contrasts next to each other like soft/loud, low/high, solo/tutti, complex/simple etc. can feel very exciting and lively. However, there are two things to keep in mind:...

Musical Logic of Hit Points

Musical Logic of Hit Points Whenever you score a sequence that includes hit-points that need to sync up with the video, many inexperienced film composers go the way of superimposing orchestral effects on top of the music in order to accent the hit points they need to...

Circular Breathing

Circular Breathing Circular breathing is a technique used by woodwind and brass players to create a theoretically endless stream of air being able to play theoretically forever. The technique works in the way that you fill your cheeks with air before your lungs are...