Course · Orchestral & cinematic
Uplifting Orchestral
Turn a simple piano idea into a soaring orchestral trailer cue.
- 12 lessons
- 3.5 hours of video
- Intermediate
- Lifetime access
- Watch online, any time
You love orchestral trailer music and the way it makes you feel. But when you sit down to write your own, it sounds nowhere near the polished pieces you hear on trailers. Flat, lifeless, a bit loopy.
One of the biggest struggles for aspiring trailer composers is writing authentic orchestral arrangements that actually carry emotion. I made this course to pull back the curtain on orchestration and show you that it’s much simpler than you’ve been led to believe.
These are tracks for big moments: the Super Bowl, major brand launches, flagship shows. Full of emotion, weight and scale.
We start fast. Set up a template, sketch the whole track at the piano, then turn that sketch into a dramatic string arrangement. I’m a guitarist, so ostinatos are one of my favourite things to write, and we spend proper time on them. Then the drums: this style isn’t heavy on percussion, but what you do use has to land.
You get my project files too, plus practice MIDI sketches to orchestrate yourself.
By the end, you’ll be able to
- Create stunning, emotional orchestral pieces
- Turn a simple piano idea into an epic
- Write memorable melodies and hooks
- Create powerful percussion with very few drums
- Orchestrate with confidence, without formal orchestration training
At a glance
Techniques you’ll learn
- three-act structure
- close-to-open voicing expansion
- piano sketching
- string orchestration by register
- short-string ostinato patterns
- layered percussion
- modulation automation
- melodic ostinato
- voice leading
- dynamic swells
- sub-bass layering
- stem organisation
Write music for
- film trailer underscore
- sports broadcast opener
- brand launch video
- movie trailer climax
- streaming platform promo
- video game cinematic cutscene
Influences we look at
Disney+ · Sky · Samuel Barber · A Very British Scandal · Richard Pryn
What composers say
Rich teaches as if you're a friend sitting next to him at his computer. Watching over his shoulder as he creates a trailer track and explains the basics is very contagious and always makes me want to start writing..
I have taken most of Richard's courses and it's really helped me on the structure of my tracks as well as not sounding "loopy", as well as making me feel that success in this industry is entirely possible! I am now writing for a successful trailer music library thanks to Richard's guidance and mentorship. Highly recommended!
I love Richard Pryn's online courses. His teaching style is very easy-going, thorough and accessible and are also a ton of fun. Thanks Rich!
What’s inside
- Introduction to Uplifting Orchestral
What you'll learn, plus a breakdown of references and why they work.
- Uplifting Orchestral structure explained
The role of each part of the structure and what your track needs to do in each.
- Setting up your project
Build a project template made for Uplifting Orchestral with me. A big, often overlooked time saver.
- Quick sketching with piano
My approach to sketching tracks fast, without getting stuck on perfection.
- Orchestrating your strings
Turning a simple piano sketch into a dramatic, powerful string arrangement.
- Crafting effective ostinatos
What makes a great ostinato, and how to write your own.
- Minimal percussion with maximum impact
How to get that massive trailer feel with very few drums.
- Bonus: project files and practice MIDI sketches
My project files from the course, plus complete MIDI sketches to orchestrate and develop into your own cues.
This is for you if…
- Your orchestral pieces feel flat, lifeless or loopy
- You come up with little ideas easily but struggle to finish them
- Orchestration, especially strings, still feels like a dark art
It’s not for you if…
- You want dark, tense or horror music. Try Dark Thriller
- You want heavy hybrid sound design. Try Hybrid Trailer Music
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.
Do I need to know orchestration?
No. The course teaches simple orchestration that works without formal training.
How long is the course?
Over 3 hours of video, with a complete track walkthrough.
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).
Uplifting Orchestral
Learn to sketch fast at the piano, orchestrate strings, write ostinatos and add big-impact percussion for show-stopping orchestral trailer music.
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.
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