Course · Horror & thriller
Dark Thriller
Dark, tense, organic music for thriller and horror trailers. My biggest earner.
- 15 lessons
- 5.2 hours of video
- Intermediate
- Lifetime access
- Watch online, any time
These dark, tense, slightly weird tracks are the music I’ve become known for. They’ve also been my biggest earner.
If you’ve tried to write them yourself, you probably know the problems. You can’t come up with interesting sounds. Your builds don’t land, so the big moment feels like an anticlimax. The whole thing ends up flat when it should feel like something nasty is coming.
This course is my blueprint. I show you how I create my own organic sounds, often recorded from my own voice and breath, and invite you to do the same. Then I walk you through five of my tracks that have been used on trailers, showing exactly how each one was built.
Then we make one from scratch together: recording sounds, designing the atmosphere and crafting a build that keeps the listener on the edge of their seat.
A track of mine on The Pale Blue Eye trailer has me playing cello and violin, and I’m not a string player by any means. Capturing the right mood isn’t about perfection. That’s a lot of what this course is about.
By the end, you’ll be able to
- Create unique signature sounds that make your music stand out
- Build tension that pays off instead of feeling like an anticlimax
- Understand what makes a successful thriller or horror track
- Conjure up interesting atmospheres and sound beds
- Finally make the horror track you've been imagining for years
At a glance
Techniques you’ll learn
- layered percussion
- texture-based development without harmonic progressions
- rhythmic density escalation
- atmospheric pad design
- one-shot sample automation
- organic drum layering across frequency bands
- pitch-shifting and time-stretching recordings
- reverse engineering trailer cues
- close-miking and hot-miking
- loop-based tension building
- three-act trailer structure
- found-sound sampling
Write music for
- horror movie trailers
- thriller film trailers
- TV horror/thriller underscore
- video game horror atmosphere
- dark drama underscore
- sci-fi tension cues
Influences we look at
Dragged Across Concrete · The Report · The Outsider · Lovecraft Country · The Lodge
Proof it works
What composers say
Wish I would have had this years ago as a filmmaker; I would have saved a lot on trial and error. This is THE course you need to make spooky sounds and music.
In this course, Rich talks about Atmosphere, Build, and creating your own organic sounds! Rich shares his tracks ( which got placements and not just these tracks ) and his ways of playing with sounds. Every time I learn something from Rich's courses, I have lots of fun and new ideas and get inspired by Rich's passion for teaching and sharing his composing tips!
What’s inside
- Introduction to the course
Everything you'll learn, then an analysis of dark thriller references to understand what works in the genre.
- Tools & Tricks for Organic Sound Design
How I create unique sounds, plus walkthroughs of several of my tracks used on trailers, showing exactly how each was built.
- Creating a Dark Thriller Track From Scratch
The whole process step by step, from recording sounds and designing atmospheres to crafting the build that keeps the listener on edge.
- Bonus: Ritual and Spiritus sample packs
Ritual is a dark thriller sample pack from my own workflow, from drones to violin plucks. Spiritus is a pack of my breath and vocal samples.
This is for you if…
- You want dark, brooding music with enough power and character for thriller trailers
- Your tracks lack atmosphere and feel flat
- You can't seem to create your own signature sounds
It’s not for you if…
- You want polished orchestral grandeur. Try Uplifting Orchestral
- You're after a deep dive into horror theory and history. That's Horror Music Mastery
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
Do I need to be able to use a DAW?
Yes. You need to be able to use a DAW so you can follow along with the videos.
Do I have to use Logic?
No. Use whichever DAW you like, as long as you know how to use it.
How much music theory do I need to know?
Very little. I steer clear of deep theory in all my courses. Knowing how to harmonise the major and minor scales is plenty.
How long is the course?
Over 4 hours of video, including walkthroughs of 5 tracks that have been used on trailers.
Can you guarantee I will get a placement?
Of course not. The composers who get work are the ones who put the hours in. They also happen to be very nice people (industry secret).
How long do I have access?
Forever. It's a one-time payment, not a membership, and you get all future updates and new lessons free.
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).
Dark Thriller
Learn the sound design, writing and production behind my dark thriller tracks, from recording your own signature sounds to a finished, tense trailer cue.
Not ready yet? Start with the free path
The free learning paths cover the same ground in article form. Work through one first and come back when you want the full walkthrough.
Horror and suspense music