How do I make music like this?

Jonathanthomas83

I really love this emotive sountracky type stuff, and M83 is a genius IMO. 

Any idea what drums he's using in the first video and how to get such an atmospheric feel as the second video (around 2.30 it gets good and a perfect example of what I'm after!). Mainly looking for VST advice here, I think.

I love the huge drums at around 4:42. 



This one is a better track but the drums are too low in the mix to really get a feel for what I'm after.



Cheers for any help and advice! :-)

goldtop

Layers and layers of orchestration, no? Have you looked at Junkie XL's channel? Another score writer, and he shows how he does some of it in his videos.

Never sure what comes first with movie music, a little batch of musical ideas ready to use, or driven purely from the visual cues. One of my WTF-do-I-do-with-this tracks is something I call "Return of Hobbits (some dead) to The Shire", which came out of nowhere when noodling. Not even sure if I've subconsciously ripped it off from LotR. :-/

Layering a few tracks of Integra and Emu string ROMples makes it sound huge. Question is whether I waste weeks turning it into something finished and 'just for fun'...

stratman3142

I think the drum sound is a lot to do with the reverb.

Have you already got a drum VSTi? If so, you could try applying quite a lot of reverb using a good reverb VST such as ValhallaRoom. I believe there's a free demo. One of the chamber presets might get you close.

octatonic

It is more than just reverb- a lot of it is the drums in half time against the rest of the track and it is all about that big slamming snare.
It sounds programmed but by someone who is either a drummer or knows how to think like one.
If you get the parts right then you don't actually need a lot of reverb.

So in the first example you have a sound stage established at around 106bpm.
You have a fairly busy 16th note synth bass thing that at times has a 2 over 3 feel to it and a lot of long notes from synths.

When the drums come in they do at 53bpm they have a rather epic feel.
That is why drummers play a half time feel - it sounds dramatic.
There is clearly a lot of reverb on the snare- but it is probably originally a Ludwig LM400 or 402 (because that is what everyone uses- they work) with quite a bit of short reverb mixed quite high and then gated.
You'll find a lot of drum libraries that can get this sort of sound- you want a big metal snare- just have it slam on the 3 of every bar (if counting at 106bpm, if counting at 53bpm then play it on the 2 and 4 of each bar).

On half time feel more generally- there are two pieces of music worth studying.

The first is this:



It won't fit your tune but it essentially a masterclass in half time playing.
Bonham is the guy that most drummers go to for this stuff.
He didn't invent it though- check out the Purdie shuffle.

The second is the song 'This is the Day' from the film Ronin.

I only have it on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6Ly7BRGkYT5kSine3Ow6BY

At 0:56 it comes in with a half time groove that basically rips off Bonham.
If you listen to Rosanna by Toto you hear a similar groove.

stratman3142

It depends how fussy you are

Here's something quick and dirty I made using just the snare and kick  from MT Power Drum Kit 2, because it's the cheapest drum VSTi I've got. I had to sample the snare and drum sounds and pitch them down a bit in Reaper and add bit of Eq using ReaEQ. Then I added reverb using the ClearChamber preset from ValhallaRoom. Clip below.

https://app.box.com/s/4iggjp4o82xut6a66aamxb49gqnilacs

Grunfeld

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Any idea what drums he's using in the first video and how to get such an atmospheric feel as the second video (around 2.30 it gets good and a perfect example of what I'm after!). Mainly looking for VST advice here, I think.

I love the huge drums at around 4:42. 

There are more than a few cinematic VSTs aimed at epic scoring, games etc.
The Stormdrum series from EastWest would tick that box.
I've used SD1 and 2.  Good product, although if you don't like PACE then look for something else.

octatonic

This was done in about 10 mins with stock plugins using Logic.
LINKY
Essentially you need a 16th note pattern bass type thing, some strings, some half time drums and some crescendo elements to cue different sections.
I would be wary of using too much reverb, because everything will turn to mud.

Here is just the drums by themselves.
LINKY
The reverb is timed to end quite precisely so it doesn't get in the way of the rest of the tracks.
Obviously you would need to spend a lot more time to get anything sounding like the Oblivion soundtrack.

If you were curious as to part of the history of this sort of soundtrack music then check out Vangelis, particularly about 2min in.

Jonathanthomas83

goldtop said:

Layers and layers of orchestration, no? Have you looked at Junkie XL's channel? Another score writer, and he shows how he does some of it in his videos.

I'll check out Junkie XL, thank you...looks like he's got a lot of cool stuff on his channel :-)

stratman3142 said:

https://app.box.com/s/4iggjp4o82xut6a66aamxb49gqnilacs

Sounds great, mate, thank you. I need to check out those reverbs, sound lovely.

@octatonic SO much great information there, thank you. It's helped clarify things for me a lot and I appreciate your time. I've got a Ludwig snare on EZDrummer which sounds great now I've taken the time to try it, I've got it sounding great on a track I'm working on. Just need to find the right reverb now. 

Been a big fan of the Blade Runner soundtrack for years, it's always an inspiration. I love that atmospheric style. It's good to know how it's done and your advice has been invaluable, thank you! :-) PS, nice clips! :-)

Fretwired

Native Instruments Komplete is pricey but has everything you'll need ... pretty sure the Oblivion soundtrack uses NI stuff.

KINETIC METAL

DRUMLAB

CINEMATIC AND ORCHESTRAL

ACTION STRIKES

ACTION STRINGS

DAMAGE (massive drums)

RISE AND HIT

EVOLVE R2

EVOLVE MUTATIONS 2

EVOLVE MUTATIONS

Check them out here:

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/bundles/komplete-11-ultimate/included-products/

stratman3142

+1 for NI Komplete.
Instruments from Komplete Ultimate are all over the entry I recently submitted for the Composition Challenge #19.

Snap

Fretwired said:

Native Instruments Komplete is pricey but has everything you'll need ... pretty sure the Oblivion soundtrack uses NI stuff.

KINETIC METAL

DRUMLAB

CINEMATIC AND ORCHESTRAL

ACTION STRIKES

ACTION STRINGS

DAMAGE (massive drums)

RISE AND HIT

EVOLVE R2

EVOLVE MUTATIONS 2

EVOLVE MUTATIONS

Check them out here:

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/bundles/komplete-11-ultimate/included-products/

this, tons.

Also Battery - though this is more electronic. If you have your acoustic kit, layering the same pattern, but in battery gives cool edge to your beats.

With Komplete though, there is so much in there its a little overwhelming! I often just sit there bangin out rhythms and get nowhere. Then the next issues I find is wanting to bung just about everhting into one track so it ends up as one big percussive noise. Not always a bad thing, but it don't half wind up the rest of the family!!