The tip about using different percussion to lead into different sections I think is something I knew subconsciously but have never been told. Amazing video.
Actually when you first played this piece my thoughts were:"This is beautiful as it is". Great tips but don't overdo it. In pro video editing there is a saying, if you can't solve it, dissolve it. Meaning that hard cuts are preferred. In classical music you see hard cuts all over. In film scoring transitions can be very useful if you bring the character of audience gradually from one scene to another with a not sudden change of mood. I value your musical ideas and work and therefore became a Patron.
While that may be true on the surface, the second part had pretty much no punch at all and wasn't really smooth either. If you wanted it to have more of a punch, you would write an unstable transition. If you wanted it to be smooth, you would write a smoothing transition but doing nothing just kind of makes it "here you go, this is the new stuff" while providing little emotion, you get neither emotional punch nor ambient smoothness, simply abruptness. Saying "its fine as is" is a surefire way to be mediocre. Not thinking "how can this be improved" but "good enough" just makes you write lazy music If you wanted a punch, you want to set up it. Simple way would be to use a crescendo, a more complex approach would be to make a new section in between to take the listener out of the comfort zone by doing non structured melodies, odd phrasing and weird harmony for example and then drop them into the next section triumphantly. From my experience, the same section can sound vastly different in quality based on what precedes it, that's mainly why intros exist. This approach is pretty common in classical music but also classic video game tracks, mainly when you need to loop the song around. Though I think they are a bit more adventurous compared to classical music.
I discovered your channel today and saw your video ''Compose Thrilling Orchestral Runs" before this one. You helped me figuring out all my self-rooted-boundaries in a second, thank you and keep up your work on RUclips !
Excellent tips for someone who struggles with these troubles daily and nightly; I appreciate the suggestions and will keep all of this in mind the next time I'm at the DAW!
Really love the videos lately Zach, learned a lot! Especially this one. Transitions had been a hard thing for me to crack, but I think this video is the one I've been looking for and will certainly help the transitions on my next track. Thank you!
Funnily enough I was just struggling with this a few weeks ago haha. Wish I had this video then but I'll definitely be taking advantage of these tips now!!
Dood......you are very good at this. The composing, the Logic skills, the explanations and the video editing. All really well done. I don't do anything musically like this at all, but I dig watching these just for pure entertainment. It's fascinating. Hope this channel brings you great success on YT if that's what you're hoping for. Can't see how it wouldn't. Any up and coming composer is gonna eat this stuff for breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight snacks. Thanks man!
It would take some restraint (for me) to not overwrite the connecting ideas. I wanted the Cl and Fg to keep going 😂 I'm curious about how these tips are teaked for, say, animation, as the shift in mood or pace can be more abrupt (but the connective tissue is still needed.) 🤘🙏
I think there's another solutions. When we think about the core line of these two sections, they're both in high register. This could create some problem, because the attention from listener will stay on the high register, and this issue come from lack of transition. We need attract the attention from listener to another place, make sure they won't notice that two melody line are in the similar place. Thus , percussion rolls like cymbals , big drum rolls can really fix this issue. And, there's two more solutions: 1. Creating energy gap between two sections, For example, let the dynamic of the first section decrease, then the second section pop up. Vise versa, creating a big cressendo for the ending of first section, then the second section start with low low dynamics. 2. Creating the contrast by using different register for different section. If the main melody line of the second section start from a lower register, the gap of pitch difference can cover the issue. For example, not to use violins, try some Horns, or other mid register instruments, avoid using same register for melody line. So, maybe the main concept of these two sections are conflict? Really nice video! I sometimes also struggle for the same problems. Can't wait for your next video!
Seriously... If I didn't know better, I'd swear that you had a fly on my wall 😅. This is one of my biggest challenges... I come up with something I really like... and then... I can't seem to find the way to transition into the next section. This is very helpful 😊.
This is really awesome (and I’m definitely sticking around to learn more) but I really wish you ended the video with a back-to-back before-and-after :(
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The tip about using different percussion to lead into different sections I think is something I knew subconsciously but have never been told. Amazing video.
Comepletely same.
Thanks Zach. It's not easy to find orchestration material on RUclips. Please keep it up. Cheers!
Exactly the video I've been looking for! Your channel is literally a gold mine on how to improve your orchestral compositions.
Actually when you first played this piece my thoughts were:"This is beautiful as it is". Great tips but don't overdo it. In pro video editing there is a saying, if you can't solve it, dissolve it. Meaning that hard cuts are preferred. In classical music you see hard cuts all over. In film scoring transitions can be very useful if you bring the character of audience gradually from one scene to another with a not sudden change of mood. I value your musical ideas and work and therefore became a Patron.
Great points! And thanks for your Patronage :)
While that may be true on the surface, the second part had pretty much no punch at all and wasn't really smooth either. If you wanted it to have more of a punch, you would write an unstable transition. If you wanted it to be smooth, you would write a smoothing transition but doing nothing just kind of makes it "here you go, this is the new stuff" while providing little emotion, you get neither emotional punch nor ambient smoothness, simply abruptness. Saying "its fine as is" is a surefire way to be mediocre. Not thinking "how can this be improved" but "good enough" just makes you write lazy music
If you wanted a punch, you want to set up it. Simple way would be to use a crescendo, a more complex approach would be to make a new section in between to take the listener out of the comfort zone by doing non structured melodies, odd phrasing and weird harmony for example and then drop them into the next section triumphantly. From my experience, the same section can sound vastly different in quality based on what precedes it, that's mainly why intros exist. This approach is pretty common in classical music but also classic video game tracks, mainly when you need to loop the song around. Though I think they are a bit more adventurous compared to classical music.
Erase the last bass notes of the 1st bar then use a femata and drop the leading note of the following bar. Silence is the best transition.
John Cage: hold my beer
Situational
Beyond your clean presentation and clear teaching style, I love your actual demo composition. Excellent melody writing!!
Thanks Daniel!
So many moments where you had me going "oh my god YES of course!". All of this is SO useful
I discovered your channel today and saw your video ''Compose Thrilling Orchestral Runs" before this one. You helped me figuring out all my self-rooted-boundaries in a second, thank you and keep up your work on RUclips !
Super useful for all musical compositions. Commercial pop, Electronica, Avangarde, music concrete even. Thank you. ❤
I was writing a theme and your video on Runs and Orchestral templates help me sooooo much! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your time with us.
So glad to hear it Alexandre!
Very nice. I think you should have showed a comparasion of the before-and-after at the end, just to really drive the point home
Excellent tips for someone who struggles with these troubles daily and nightly; I appreciate the suggestions and will keep all of this in mind the next time I'm at the DAW!
amazing content. please carry on with these vids
Great video, but jesus please make a piece with that part beacuse its freaking brilliant, love it!!!!
It’s just such quality content and amazingly clear info even for someone that’s been writing a long time, thank you Zach!!
Glad it's not just me keeping the composition chops up Ian! Agreed on the quality content.
@@ARZiehm DUDE!! Miss you brother, send me your new stuff!
This is so useful. Saves me a lot of time figuring out what to do next
Great video thank you Zach
Wow, what a beautiful melody this is😮❤.
amazing lesson
Thank you very much Zach for this 😊. I'm one of your subscribers. Very impressive presentation. More power to your youtube channel.
Really love the videos lately Zach, learned a lot! Especially this one. Transitions had been a hard thing for me to crack, but I think this video is the one I've been looking for and will certainly help the transitions on my next track. Thank you!
Funnily enough I was just struggling with this a few weeks ago haha. Wish I had this video then but I'll definitely be taking advantage of these tips now!!
Dood......you are very good at this. The composing, the Logic skills, the explanations and the video editing. All really well done.
I don't do anything musically like this at all, but I dig watching these just for pure entertainment. It's fascinating.
Hope this channel brings you great success on YT if that's what you're hoping for. Can't see how it wouldn't. Any up and coming composer is gonna eat this stuff for breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight snacks.
Thanks man!
Thank you Dave, really appreciate that!!
Another great video! This is the kind of technical precision people look for in orchestration videos
so good!! love the way you teach Zach
Wonderful tips and tricks Zach (as always). Signed up for your newsletter! (I think yours is the only one I signed up in a very very long time)
Thanks Batikan 😁
Awesome content, get tips. I'm here for it. Thanks very much. Have a good day.
Lovely clear demo compositions Zach. They always sound so uplifting and melodic!
Thanks Louie!
Can I ask what main plugins you use to get your great sounding instruments?
Zach, you should join the clairvoyant business. This was exactly what I'm looking for these days.
It would take some restraint (for me) to not overwrite the connecting ideas. I wanted the Cl and Fg to keep going 😂 I'm curious about how these tips are teaked for, say, animation, as the shift in mood or pace can be more abrupt (but the connective tissue is still needed.) 🤘🙏
I appreciate your content ✨️ 😌
What flute plugin do you use? Beautiful.
Interesting topic. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent as always!
Just another gold stuff from you.
can u explain in the next video about all modulations key changes in music theory?
i love ur vids
I think there's another solutions.
When we think about the core line of these two sections, they're both in high register.
This could create some problem, because the attention from listener will stay on the high register, and this issue come from lack of transition.
We need attract the attention from listener to another place, make sure they won't notice that two melody line are in the similar place.
Thus , percussion rolls like cymbals , big drum rolls can really fix this issue.
And, there's two more solutions:
1. Creating energy gap between two sections,
For example, let the dynamic of the first section decrease, then the second section pop up.
Vise versa, creating a big cressendo for the ending of first section, then the second section start with low low dynamics.
2. Creating the contrast by using different register for different section.
If the main melody line of the second section start from a lower register, the gap of pitch difference can cover the issue.
For example, not to use violins, try some Horns, or other mid register instruments, avoid using same register for melody line.
So, maybe the main concept of these two sections are conflict?
Really nice video! I sometimes also struggle for the same problems. Can't wait for your next video!
Seriously... If I didn't know better, I'd swear that you had a fly on my wall 😅.
This is one of my biggest challenges... I come up with something I really like... and then... I can't seem to find the way to transition into the next section. This is very helpful 😊.
What I noticed: just one (1) upbeat from the 2nd part, and it's done. Not a very long transition, not even one bar.
in the beginning, than you develop it :)
Is this an excerpt from a completed piece, or did you just write these few bars for demonstration purposes?
Composed these bars for this video!
This is really awesome (and I’m definitely sticking around to learn more) but I really wish you ended the video with a back-to-back before-and-after :(
Thank you! And yep my mistake, will be mindful in the next one!
What is the percussion library please?
Thanks for watching! All VSTs are listed in my gear list:
bit.ly/zhfreebie
On my tablet, there are no links at all.
HARP！
whats vst are you use?
My full gear list is now up on my site! 👍🏻
www.zachheyde.com/resources
😎😎
I dont understand
If I want feedback from you, how can I contact you?