How I Make Music

#046 Epic Vista

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The soundtrack in this week's episode is called Epic Vista. It’s an uplifting, climactic piece with a contemporary feel which fuses orchestral and some cutting edge electronic sounds. The track is an emulation of typical trailer music for blockbuster film and useful for depictions of battle, epic action and sensational adventure. As a soundtrack, Epic Vista typically gets used for inspirational moments which require a sense of euphoria in podcasts and audio dramas. Let’s break it down!

IN THIS EPISODE

  • 01:34 The direction in which harmony moves can control the feel. Upward motion is effective in climax building, while downward motion can subdue the listener. In this track, the progression is upward: i - III - iv - VI in F Minor.
  • 02:36 Modern soundtracks fuse orchestral and electronic sounds. I wanted the electronic to be dominating and obvious so I created a lead synth composite of 3 different contemporary sounds: two fuzzy glide leads and a soft bell.
  • 05:11 Thinking in orchestral arrangement means being a little familiar with the parts of an orchestra. For this piece, I separated the 1st/2nd violin parts and the French horn/trumpet parts instead of just using a ‘strings’ or ‘brass’ patch. Whenever you hear high, sustained strings it means suspense. Something is about to happen.
  • 05:47 To build a climax into your string arrangement, use higher inversions of the same chord progressions. Make the music move upwards! But don't clash the ranges too much, especially in the upper registers.
  • 07:27 Some notes on the brass section, a French horn and trumpet ensembles
  • 08:45 Percussion is the power! It comes with great responsibility.
  • 10:41 Notes on the very un-orchestral bass, which is a layer of electric bass and a slap bass sample. I wanted it to be something other than a double bass.
  • 11:40 How I used the euphoric EDM-sounding synthesizer lead melody
  • 13:23 Not everything can be epic! Something has to support the lead melodies. In this case, I chose a piano inversion that slotted into the gaps left by the other instrument groups
  • 14:13 Changing the meter (without changing the tempo) mid-song is a subtle way to create forward motion and variation. Here, I’ve moved from a 4/4 to a more progressive-feeling 6/4
  • 15:41 Dance music teaches you to use a ‘drop’ at the right moment to hit an emotional home run. In tracks like this, though, sometimes a ‘cliff drop’ can work better, where instead of everything huge happening, the whole track dynamic suddenly dips off. This sudden vacuum effect can be more breathtaking than a slamming assault of fresh audio.

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      • SOUNDS & DEVICES USED

      • Heavyocity Evolve Analog VariPad

      • Kontakt 4 Factory Library

      • Alan Vista Chau Gongs

        • ABOUT THIS SHOW

        You’re listening to How I Make Music, a weekly podcast for the musically curious to go behind the scenes of composition for audio storytelling. Hey, I'm John Bartmann. I’m a composer from South Africa. My soundtracks, moods and themes have been used in podcasts, audio dramas, and also in commercial film, TV and radio. Every Wednesday, we break apart one of my own compositions and investigate the stories and insights into how it was made and its effect on listening ears. How I Make Music helps you better understand how to make, select and use music to create gripping storytelling.

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              How I Make MusicBy John Bartmann
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