Techniques: Composing / Arranging / Songwriting

Dubai welcomed in 2019 with one of the biggest spectacles ever staged. Dom Jones created the epic soundtrack.

To mark its 50th anniversary, two bands have taken to the stage to pay homage to Wendy Carlos’s classic crossover album Switched-On Bach.

One of the defining features of the Family Guy TV show is its use of lush musical arrangements and a musical number. While the show’s writers pen the lyrics, it's down to Walter Murphy to turn these into musical pieces that work. In this video, Walter walks us through two musical cues, from turning a script into a song, to creating demos, right through to recording a live, 60-piece swing band on one of the most famous scoring stages in the world.

How does a platinum-selling producer make music on a mobile device? We sit down with MeLo‑X, who found commercial success co-writing tracks on Beyoncé’s Lemonade, as he talks about the real-world advantages of making music on a phone or tablet.

With arbitrary tempo restrictions to contend with and Olympic glory riding on every cut, adapting music for ice dance represents a unique editing challenge.

In this final part of the series, we show how well-chosen instrument combinations and effects will bring your orchestral arrangements to life.

A glorious suite of extras bolsters the core orchestral sound.

Symphonic percussion joins forces with ethnic drums in the modern Hybrid Orchestra.

Scoring a huge ad campaign in four days is no mean feat, especially when you have to record live musicians.

Brass and horns ignite the fire at the heart of the orchestra.

Creative woodwind writing is the orchestral arranger’s secret weapon.

This often-overlooked orchestral family holds the key to a wide range of exciting tonal colours.

Familiarity with a few common articulations is the key to successful MIDI string arranging.

Adding strings to an arrangement is a great way to inject motion into your music.

Our major new series explains how to harness the power of today’s virtual orchestral instruments.

Blockbuster video game Horizon Zero Dawn took six years to make, and required its three composers to invent an entirely new sound world.

Cult TV series Stranger Things has become essential viewing — and essential listening. We talk to the previously unknown composers behind its hit soundtrack.

Just what should you expect when engaging a professional arranger or orchestrator to work on your own production? We find out from some of the best in the business...

We conclude our series with an overview of arrangement techniques and a peep into the world of big-band brass.

A simple, catchy tune with a funky rhythm may be all you need to create a highly commercial horn hook — but harmony is also an essential ingredient in brass arrangements.