๐ŸŽฌ Bootcamp

Before You Read...

๐Ÿ“ฉ Join My Free Weekly Newsletter

Join overย 4,000 composersย readingย myย ๐ŸŒŽย Compose & Conquerย Newsletter, and everyย Tuesday I'll send you free resources and strategies to help you master your composing craft and get paid to do it.

๐Ÿ”Šย How to Make Sure Your Music Gets Heard ๐ŸŽš๏ธ production Feb 27, 2024

Today, we’re going to be talking about stems.

This topic was sparked from a great conversation I had with a Bootcamp student a few weeks ago.

(I’m sure he’s reading )

You may already know that media composers are often asked to split their track into stems: individual groups of instruments that “sum” to the total full mix when combined.

In some cases, this...

Continue Reading
๐Ÿ› ๏ธย The Gear You Need to Compose Full-Time ๐ŸŽš๏ธ production Nov 07, 2023

It can often be overwhelming to see big-name film composers with massive setups and thousands of dollars worth of gear.

But here’s the good news:

You don’t need all of that to start getting paid to make music.

Here’s what my setup looked like in 2016:

I’ve got a laptop propped up on a wooden board on a dual keyboard stand, sitting in-between my Yamaha HS5 monitors...

Continue Reading
๐ŸŽปย MIDI Strings Programming Tips ๐ŸŽš๏ธ production Oct 24, 2023

Today’s video shoutout goes to Simon Passmore, a fantastic composer and mockup wizard who I’ve had the pleasure of working with on several projects!

Simon has some tips in his newest video that are almost too good to be free. But free they are, so enjoy

I especially love his suggestion of practicing a VST before recording it. VSTs are a lot like learning new instruments unto...

Continue Reading
๐ŸŽš๏ธ How to Play Your Fader Like an Orchestra ๐ŸŽš๏ธ production Aug 29, 2023

With just one week left until my Orchestral Mockup Fundamentals course release date, I thought I'd share a little preview from the course itself.

Here's a few strategies I use regularly to perform winds, brass, and strings using just modulation from a MIDI fader:

Some key takeaways:

  • Phrase the dynamics of your lines in accordance with the rising and falling of your melody
  • ...
Continue Reading
๐ŸŒŽ Four Cool Instruments from Around the World ๐ŸŽš๏ธ production Jul 11, 2023

The hunt for great orchestral colors can be so captivating that sometimes we forget about all of the wonderful colors that exist outside of orchestral music.

I want to share with you some of my favorite instruments from around the world that I’ve used over the years in my music. I challenge you to find one that sparks excitement in you, and use it in a piece of your...

Continue Reading
๐ŸŽค Mastering Mic Positions For Mockups ๐ŸŽš๏ธ production May 23, 2023

When it comes to adding roominess to your mockups, it's not just about reverb--it's about depth.

Depth can be simulated by sending instruments to shorter convolution reverbs, but the best method is to use the mic positions within your VST.

These instruments were recorded with real players in real rooms. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best

In this (slightly...

Continue Reading
๐Ÿ’ก The Mockup That Started It All ๐ŸŽš๏ธ production May 09, 2023

This piece moved me to tears when I first heard it. It reignited a flame in me to pursue orchestral music production.

But it wasn’t because of the composition—it was because of the realism.

Daniel Beijbom was the winner of a 2019 mock-up competition held by the Virtual Orchestration forum on Facebook. His piece, “The Fields Above the Sky”, is an ...

Continue Reading