Course · Orchestral & cinematic
Tech: Cinematic Minimalism
Five systems from Reich, Glass and Riley for intricate, high-end media music.
- 12 lessons
- 2 hours of video
- Intermediate
- Lifetime access
- Watch online, any time
Some briefs want quiet intelligence rather than explosions. A documentary about something unfolding slowly. An advert for a piece of technology. A trailer that needs tension without noise.
Minimalism is perfect for that, but the masters wrote pieces that last an hour. In media you’ve got about three minutes. This course is about adapting their ideas into short, lyrical tracks that serve a picture.
I break it down into five tools: rhythmic separation, pulsing, phasing, Glass patterns and Riley blocks. Each one is a simple, repeatable system that makes something sound far more complex than it was to produce. I walk you through every one step by step in the DAW.
Play a pattern of three against a pattern of four and you change how fast a cue feels. Layer a few looping chords, add some clever reverb, and you’ve got an instant cinematic bed.
Then we put all five together, using those atmospheres as the starting point for a complete cue.
By the end, you’ll be able to
- Build complex, interwoven rhythms from simple note patterns
- Control the pace and structure of a cue by playing patterns of three against patterns of four
- Create immersive cinematic beds with pulsing, looping, phasing and reverb
- Turn long-form minimalist ideas into short, lyrical tracks that serve a picture
- Use these atmospheres as the starting point for complete compositions
At a glance
Techniques you’ll learn
- Reich phasing
- rhythmic separation
- pulsing chords
- Glass arpeggio patterns
- Riley aleatoric blocks
- cross-rhythm layering
- time-stretching for phase drift
- staggered automation
- timbral layering
- loop-based block writing
- pattern-length variation for perceived tempo shift
- atmospheric pad foundation
Write music for
- documentary underscore
- technology advertisement
- car commercial
- corporate explainer
- film and TV underscore
- video essay scoring
Influences we look at
Steve Reich · Philip Glass · Terry Riley · Moby · Toyota · Mercedes
What’s inside
- Course Welcome and Brief
The core philosophy of cinematic minimalism, adapting long-form techniques into short, lyrical tracks for trailers and adverts.
- Course References
Where music like this gets used, in trailers, high-end adverts and documentaries.
- Rhythmic Separation
Gradually adding notes to a core pattern to build a dense, evolving rhythmic layer.
- Pulsing
Ambient cinematic beds from layered, rhythmically repeating extended chords and clever spatial automation.
- Phasing
Recreating Steve Reich's phasing by slightly altering the tempo of looped audio, for spontaneous, intricate rhythms.
- Glass Patterns
Using Philip Glass's numbered patterns to control pace and tension by layering arpeggios with different note groupings.
- Riley Blocks
Orchestrating simple looping phrases across different timbres to create an evolving soundscape.
- Final Roundup
Combining all five tools, and using your minimalist beds as the foundation for a complete cinematic cue.
This is for you if…
- You score documentaries, or write for technology adverts and corporate films
- You want systematic, repeatable ways to generate atmosphere and structure
- You love Reich, Glass and Riley and want to use their ideas in a modern DAW
It’s not for you if…
- You want big, bombastic trailer hits. Try Hybrid Trailer Music or Action Sound Design
- You want to copy the minimalists' music. You'll learn their systems, not their pieces
Who’s teaching
I’ve written music for ads since 2007 and movie trailers since 2011, and went full time in 2014. My music has been used on over 100 campaigns, including Captain America: Civil War, Glass Onion, WandaVision and The Conjuring 2, and I’ve won eight awards along the way. Since 2017 I’ve taught thousands of composers how to do the same. More about me.
Questions before you buy? Email hello@richardpryn.com.
Questions
What is "cinematic minimalism"?
Adapting long-form minimalist composition techniques into short, emotionally resonant tracks that serve a visual narrative. Think around three minutes rather than an hour.
Will I be copying the original composers' music?
No. You learn the systems and tools the composers used, then use them as a starting point for your own atmospheres and compositions.
What kind of briefs will this prepare me for?
Atmospheric music for documentaries, intricate rhythms for technology adverts, and building tension for film trailers.
What do I need?
A DAW you're comfortable in, basic audio editing skills (looping, bouncing, time and pitch manipulation), and basic sounds like piano, marimba or other tuned percussion, and string or pad patches.
What if it's not for me?
Within 30 days of registering you can ask for a full refund, as long as you haven't accessed more than 30% of the course (not counting anything public or in the Welcome module).
Tech: Cinematic Minimalism
Learn five rhythmic, pattern-based techniques inspired by the minimalist masters to write atmospheric, intricately layered music for documentaries, tech adverts and trailers.
Other courses
Learn to sketch fast at the piano, orchestrate strings, write ostinatos and add big-impact percussion for show-stopping orchestral trailer music.
Learn the orchestration and modal harmony behind mystical, Burton-esque trailer cues, then watch me write one to a real publisher brief.