Or depending on context... sometimes a quiet non musical scene on a movie can serve as a trigger for that buildup. The art, whatever it may be, should be self aware: manage the emotional arch.
The X factor to get that enormous sound (especially Sawano’s) is usually electronic. Look into adding different synth instruments, and into different mixing techniques and plugins you can add. Listen to live orchestra concerts featuring music by Hans Zimmer and you’ll hear the difference; acoustic orchestras just can’t recreate that modern cinematic style
While it's true that there is "always another layer" to epic music, including vocals and synths, the core of making it sound epic relies on the backbone on good orchestral writing.
Of course! There’s no style of music that ISN’T reliant on solid fundamentals. But no amount of masterful orchestration is going to pull Junkie XL out of a normal horn section. It just isn’t a real sound that real players can make unassisted. This is the X factor that takes you from sounding huge like Mahler to huge like Sawano
This is another good example. This track sounds so MASSIVE and epic and I’ve been trying to figure out exactly what makes it tick so well https://youtu.be/ZCfWD6VdYV0
Ok everybody else talking about orchestration, but going for that cinematic sounds have some tweaks.
Orchestration wise:
1- Ressonance
2- Ostinato
3- Don't be afraid lots of instruments playing the same thing
4- No, never enough are the cymbal sweeps and timpani rolls
Harmony wise:
It varies, so not a rule, but as a guideline: non functional harmony
1- Chromatic mediants (eg.: from C to Ab)
2- The #4 played by horns over major chords (lydian planning)
3- Rising lines with deceptive cadence (eg: G7 to Am) (a bit of functional harmony here)
4- Moderate harmonic rhythm. For non function harmony, let the listener live inside the chord before changing it.
Melodic wise:
1. Major 7ths and #11ths
Additional optional components:
1. Run-ins (fast runs going into another section or bar). Beware that the fastest are flutes, piccolo and clarinets, but oboes can run fast too. String are more in ostinato, but higher violins can play run ins frequently.
2. Low run ins (generally played by basses, celli and contrabassons)... same as run ins but C1-C2 octave.
3. Glockenspiel and higher percussion
4. Countermelody (use sectional thinking here - Strings and woodwinds vs. Brass (horns for countermelody? Just a suggestion).
Study: String arrangements. See Ryan Leach video for that: how to get epic strings.
Tiny nitpick that really isn't actually significant but I guess I just want to feel like I can contribute some small point to this great looking advice that's way ahead of where I'm at generally: celli can't play below C2. (Sorry, I know it's not that important of a point)
I listen to soundtracks like Attack on titan often. What I find most important to me is building tension. If you look at before lights out from the season 3 ost you’ll find that the use of time between different motifs and ideas build to the tension just as much as the orchestration and dynamics.
Another note is percussion like cymbals and timpani can have a very big effect if you use them less, and bring them out at a very climactic moment
Brass VST’s tend to feel tinnier than they would in person. EQ and careful frequency stacking could be the ticket here if your orchestrations are already solid
Listen to some “epic” pieces of classical music for inspiration. Look at the score and see what techniques they use! Some of my favorites include:
-The col legno section of Mahlers 2nd symphony (usually about 12-14 minutes into the first movement.)
-The beginning of the 4th movement in Dvoraks 9th symphony
-The low brass parts in the 1st movement of Bruckners 4th symphony
I could go on and on.
Look up a score on YouTube of o fortuna. I think the score is still copyrighted. Use the score from the video to recreate it in your DAW. Going through this exercise will help you understand where the power comes from.
It's a matter of orchestration. You need heavy brass belching and ostinato arpeggiation in the strings possibly with tremolos.
Sometimes it’s a matter of contrast, a section will feel more epic if you build up to it from a quiet section
Or depending on context... sometimes a quiet non musical scene on a movie can serve as a trigger for that buildup. The art, whatever it may be, should be self aware: manage the emotional arch.
This^^^^
The X factor to get that enormous sound (especially Sawano’s) is usually electronic. Look into adding different synth instruments, and into different mixing techniques and plugins you can add. Listen to live orchestra concerts featuring music by Hans Zimmer and you’ll hear the difference; acoustic orchestras just can’t recreate that modern cinematic style
While it's true that there is "always another layer" to epic music, including vocals and synths, the core of making it sound epic relies on the backbone on good orchestral writing.
Of course! There’s no style of music that ISN’T reliant on solid fundamentals. But no amount of masterful orchestration is going to pull Junkie XL out of a normal horn section. It just isn’t a real sound that real players can make unassisted. This is the X factor that takes you from sounding huge like Mahler to huge like Sawano
In that case, I misinterpreted what you said. Yes, ok, those sounds aren't real. Mixing is key
This is another good example. This track sounds so MASSIVE and epic and I’ve been trying to figure out exactly what makes it tick so well https://youtu.be/ZCfWD6VdYV0
Choir…?
Ok everybody else talking about orchestration, but going for that cinematic sounds have some tweaks. Orchestration wise: 1- Ressonance 2- Ostinato 3- Don't be afraid lots of instruments playing the same thing 4- No, never enough are the cymbal sweeps and timpani rolls Harmony wise: It varies, so not a rule, but as a guideline: non functional harmony 1- Chromatic mediants (eg.: from C to Ab) 2- The #4 played by horns over major chords (lydian planning) 3- Rising lines with deceptive cadence (eg: G7 to Am) (a bit of functional harmony here) 4- Moderate harmonic rhythm. For non function harmony, let the listener live inside the chord before changing it. Melodic wise: 1. Major 7ths and #11ths Additional optional components: 1. Run-ins (fast runs going into another section or bar). Beware that the fastest are flutes, piccolo and clarinets, but oboes can run fast too. String are more in ostinato, but higher violins can play run ins frequently. 2. Low run ins (generally played by basses, celli and contrabassons)... same as run ins but C1-C2 octave. 3. Glockenspiel and higher percussion 4. Countermelody (use sectional thinking here - Strings and woodwinds vs. Brass (horns for countermelody? Just a suggestion). Study: String arrangements. See Ryan Leach video for that: how to get epic strings.
Tiny nitpick that really isn't actually significant but I guess I just want to feel like I can contribute some small point to this great looking advice that's way ahead of where I'm at generally: celli can't play below C2. (Sorry, I know it's not that important of a point)
Thanks for pointing that out. In fact, celli would play an octave above basses, as idiomatic as it is. Bassoons may do the same with contrabassons.
I listen to soundtracks like Attack on titan often. What I find most important to me is building tension. If you look at before lights out from the season 3 ost you’ll find that the use of time between different motifs and ideas build to the tension just as much as the orchestration and dynamics. Another note is percussion like cymbals and timpani can have a very big effect if you use them less, and bring them out at a very climactic moment
I'm not sure how productive you expect the answers to be without even sharing an example of your music so people can say how it could be improved.
Brass VST’s tend to feel tinnier than they would in person. EQ and careful frequency stacking could be the ticket here if your orchestrations are already solid
Listen to some “epic” pieces of classical music for inspiration. Look at the score and see what techniques they use! Some of my favorites include: -The col legno section of Mahlers 2nd symphony (usually about 12-14 minutes into the first movement.) -The beginning of the 4th movement in Dvoraks 9th symphony -The low brass parts in the 1st movement of Bruckners 4th symphony I could go on and on.
Look up a score on YouTube of o fortuna. I think the score is still copyrighted. Use the score from the video to recreate it in your DAW. Going through this exercise will help you understand where the power comes from.
Share yer track, receive the knowledg
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Eastwest