How To Write an Orchestral Sketch - Orchestration Techniques

In this episode we explore how to write an Orchestral Sketch. This is an eight stave orchestral reduction of a cue from John Williams 1978 Superman film score. This is how film composers can write a 2 hour score without getting bogged down in the orchestration details. This is what he hands off to an orchestrator. The entire orchestration is contained in this 8 stave sketch.

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[metahed]

Man, I love this guy. He could have easily setup some website and required payment for access to all this awesome content and yet he continues to share it with us for free. What a stand-up guy. Spread the word!

[GrumpyOldMan]

Knowing that Williams wrote this without hearing a digital orchestra pre-playing. That just didn't exist yet. Thx for this insight, Rick.

[jamesheinz]

My musical understanding grows with every video you produce. Thank you so much for what you do.

[BenMPMercer]

Thanks for this video. I am a beginner orchestrator and I have never thought about just doing a rough sketch of what I want for my piece, i always just went straight in with the full score lol. Doing this should stop me from getting lost, I can't believe I never thought of just sketching first.

[gavinvonmeyer]

All old skool stuff were way, I mean way way way ahead of their time - It's like the level of genius is beyond comprehension - Man I am humbled by such geniuses and efforts of the many people who added their talents, crafts and skills to making such beautiful products, from instruments to electronics like tape machines, etc... Thanks Rick Beato, you too, are a genius.

[thomasmcgill]

This video is a must for film composers!

[hectormadrigal]

You're such a great producer, musician and teacher, thanks for share your knowledge

[marcstoneslade]

Please do a video on the compositional techniques of Ennio Morricone. Love your teaching style by the way, perfectly paced and thoroughly elaborated

[margaretstewart]

Reading comments...so it's not just me who get sooo much from your videos. Thank you so much for you unstoppable willingness and capacity to create and share.

[billspeer]

The John Williams score is incredibly powerful. I'm inspired to learn so much more about composition. Wow!

[nolan]

It's good to see more people covering up their webcams. Incredibly elaborate yet comprehensive content all around, rick. I'm hooked on these videos!

[TimBoulette]

Rick, this (along with a cue in Empire Strikes Back, where Yoda uses the Force to lift Luke's X-wing out of the swamp) is one of my favorite cues in all of movie music -- thanks for breaking it down!

[MrDevastatorHD]

The orchestral sketch consists of 8 staves and they are:

- Woodwinds
- Trumpets
- Trombones
- Horns
- Strings (2 staves)
- Timpani

And what about the stave above the strings?

[itbe]

I am absolutely loving these. I feel like I'm an apprentice sitting down with a wizard. You're showing me all these little details that make the bigger picture. Thank you so much!

[paulc]

Another great video Rick, many thanks. I will probably make some of you jealous now because I have the opportunity to listen - properly, as in a live orchestra with real instruments, playing the music live - to this piece. This is because the local orchestra I am in is doing this piece. I play bass mainly but just took up french horn and played the horn part of this (well, an arrangement of it). Its fascinating to see the different harmonies once you're "in the middle" of them compared to playing the bass. And John Williams is a brilliant composer, he certainly doesn't make it easy for us french horn players! But the lines are wonderful and its a challenge to do them justice.

Unfortunately we never quite get the full "orchestra" sound experience when you're sat in one - you obviously hear the instruments around you louder than others more distant, unlike the proper spatial effect an audience member hears. And we're all squished up in a smallish rehearsal hall too.

[djb]

You know what Rick. I think these vids are great. Came across you by accident looking at metal scales. You teach without patronising and explain without confusing me. Love it all.

[simpleeye]

Excellent breakdown as usual! This is such a beautiful piece. I love C-major, I never get tired of it. There are many other great songs to be written in C major.

[garysalyers]

This video is mislabeled. It is a great breakdown of John Williams Superman Kryptonite que, but doesn't teach anything about how to write an orchestral sketch. I would love to see a video on how you go about sketching ideas for a score or composition.

[VallaMusic]

i always found it funny how John Williams would say the Superman movie didn't take itself seriously and was somewhat tongue in cheek - and then you watch the movie and hear it begin with the Krypton track - one of the most profoundly glorious and sublime sequence of sounds ever composed for the cinema

[robinampipparampil]

Dear Rick, Thank you very much for your videos. I love music and would like to know more about the techniques of writing music and orchestration. I never had a teacher and could never afford one. Now because of YouTube and people like you I am getting to learn music. I thank you very much. I especially love the music of John Williams, he makes characters come to life and creates visual imagery in my brain. I thank you very much.