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3d • Trailer Music 🎥
New! Live Call Key Takeaways (Feb 10)
Hey everyone! I'm trying something new here. I want to give you a quick recap of what we cover in our live coaching calls, so you can get the key insights even if you couldn't make it. Think of these posts as your cheat sheet for each session. Let me know in the comments if you find this helpful!
If you're not part of Audio Artist Rise yet and posts like this make you curious about what we do in the live calls, check out the program. We do multiple live coaching sessions every week covering everything from trailer music production to game music careers, business strategy, and more. You can find all the details on the Audio Artist Rise page.
Now let's get into it!
🎬 TRACK REVIEWS, HYBRID SCORING AND CHOIR LIBRARIES
Here's your detailed breakdown of the February 10th coaching call. We covered a ton of ground on trailer music structure, layering techniques, choir libraries, game music workflows, and more. Whether you're working on epic hybrid tracks or ambient game scores, there's something here for you.
🎵 TRAILER MUSIC STRUCTURE AND TRANSITIONS
The Empty Bar Problem
One of the biggest structural issues in trailer music is how you handle transitions between sections. If you build tension with risers and then leave an empty bar with just a fade out, you're killing the momentum you worked so hard to create. The goal is always to build tension toward the next part.
Solutions for strong transitions:
- Add a proper riser that builds all the way to maximum dynamics
- Use a full crescendo that actually resolves into the next section
- If you want a gap or breathing space, make it intentional and brief (one beat, not multiple bars)
- Let hits ring out naturally, but make sure the build before them is massive
- Consider adding taiko rolls or other percussive elements to drive the build
Three Act Structure (Actually Four)
Technically, trailer tracks follow a three act structure, but in practice it's really four sections:
1. Intro/Act One: Sets the mood, introduces elements
2. Act Two: Main theme or hook
3. Bridge: Often shorter, creates contrast or adds a chord change
4. Act Three/Finale: The biggest, most intense section
Each section should be clearly defined and cuttable for trailer editors. Make sure your transitions between these sections are strong and intentional.
🎛️ LAYERING TECHNIQUES FOR HYBRID SCORING
Think Beyond the Obvious Instruments
When you feel like a section needs more energy but don't know what to add, stop thinking in terms of obvious orchestral instruments (more horns, more trombones). Instead, layer with:
- Pedal notes: Simple root note pulses on synths or low strings
- Ostinato patterns: Repetitive sixteenth or eighth note patterns in the background
- Texture strings: High violins playing sustained notes or subtle rhythmic figures
- Sound design elements: Anvil hits, rubber ball samples, anything with rhythm
- Orchestral pads: Block chords sitting in the back of the mix
- Simple percussion: Djembe, tabla, or even unconventional sounds playing steady patterns
The Goal of Layering
You want five to ten additional tracks per section to build size and density without changing the main musical elements (melody, bass, main percussion). These layers should be non obvious but audible when you do an A/B comparison.
Practical Example
If you have a second act that feels similar to the first, don't just repeat the same instrumentation. Add:
- A synth line playing steady pulses or arpeggios
- High strings playing texture notes
- Additional percussion playing sixteenth notes in the background
- Sound design risers and transitions
- Doubled choir sections panned differently
Even if these elements aren't prominent in the mix, they create density and forward momentum.
🎤 CHOIR LIBRARIES: COMPARISON AND TIPS
Chorus by Audio Imperia (Top Recommendation)
This library came up as the most used and recommended for hybrid trailer work. Key features:
- Massive sound right out of the box: Minimal processing needed
- Syllable builder: Works straight away without complicated programming
- Fortissimo recordings: These choirs are yelling, which is perfect for epic music
- Women and men sections: Often doubled an octave apart for maximum size
- Flexible articulations: Energetic, soft, and slow syllable options
Processing Tips for Chorus:
- Add a fairly long reverb
- High pass filter below 200 Hz to clean up low end mud
- Switch off sharp S sounds to avoid sibilance with compression
- Use minimal EQ, mostly just cleaning up problem frequencies
Other Choir Libraries Mentioned
Stormchoir by Strezov: One patch with women, girls, and boys together. Used extensively on professional albums. Great for speed and simplicity.
Oceania by Performance Samples: Second favorite after Chorus. Known for natural transitions and human feel thanks to Jesper Blunk's negative delay technique.
8Dio Suite (Requiem and Lacrimosa):
- Used famously by Hiroyuki Sawano on Attack on Titan soundtrack
- Marcato patches are particularly strong
- Can sound dull without proper processing
- Not ideal for commercial licensing with the free versions
VOTA (Voices of the Apocalypse): Historic library with commercial licensing restrictions for trailer music. Always read the fine print on libraries.
The Doubling Technique
A pro tip from Alexandre Desplat's Godzilla score: he doubled the entire violin section and panned them to both sides for a massive sound. In trailer music, this kind of cheating is standard practice. Don't worry about orchestral realism when you're layering choirs, synths, and taikos together anyway.
🎮 GAME MUSIC MIXING AND MASTERING
Different Approach Than Trailer Music
Game music, especially ambient in game tracks, doesn't need the same heavy mastering as trailer music or commercial releases.
Key Principles:
- Balance over loudness: Focus on dynamic balance, not hitting specific LUFS targets
- Avoid over processing: Don't worry about making it as thick or juicy as a trailer track
- Consistency across tracks: Make sure all your in game tracks are roughly the same level so the audio director doesn't have to rebalance everything
- Headroom is fine: Minus six or minus ten LUFS is perfectly acceptable
- Let the game engine handle final levels: They'll adjust everything in implementation anyway
Speed and Efficiency for Game Work
When working on game music under tight deadlines:
- Use stock plugins or channel strip tools in your DAW for speed
- Create your own presets with settings turned off, then adjust per track
- Don't overthink the mixing stage
- Focus on musical content and loop points rather than perfect mastering
Example Workflow:
If you're doing 80 minutes of game music, you can't spend two days per track on mixing. Load basic processing (EQ, compression), make quick adjustments, and move on. The priority is delivering on time with consistent quality.
⚡ WORKFLOW EFFICIENCY TIPS
Preset Strategy
Create your own presets with the plugins you commonly use, but leave all settings at default or turned off. When you load the preset, you have your favorite tools ready to go, but you're not forcing settings from a different track onto new material.
Minimal Processing Philosophy
Many professional composers use surprisingly little processing:
- One EQ to remove problem frequencies (often a cut around 200 Hz for boomy low mids)
- One clipper or limiter catching peaks (maybe 1 to 2 dB of gain reduction)
- That's often it on individual tracks
Don't Overthink Panning
Some professional scores use almost no panning beyond what's baked into the libraries. The stereo image from good orchestral samples is often enough.
Use AI Tools for Research
When looking for library discounts or specific techniques, use ChatGPT or other AI tools to search forums and find coupon codes. Join forums temporarily just to access member discounts.
Challenge Yourself with Deadlines
Try writing a complete track in one day in a genre you've never attempted. Even if it takes 12 hours, you'll learn more in that focused session than in a week of casual experimentation. Next time, you'll do it in six hours.
💰 BUYING TIPS FOR LIBRARIES
Wait for Sales
- Black Friday typically offers 50% off on most Keep Forest and similar libraries
- Spring and winter sales often have 24 hour flash deals at 80 to 90 USD
- Sign up for newsletters to catch these deals
- Evolution Dragon is a cheaper alternative to Devastator with similar content
Upgrade Paths
Some companies like Audio Imperia offer Lite versions. Buy the Lite version first, then upgrade later and they deduct the Lite price from the full version.
Check Licensing
Always read the fine print on commercial use licensing, especially with free libraries. Some free choir and percussion libraries explicitly prohibit use in trailer music or commercial projects.
Alternative Sources
Splice and similar subscription services can provide high quality hits and one shots without the upfront cost of full libraries. Layer multiple sources to create unique sounds.
🔧 SPECIFIC TECHNICAL TIPS
Dealing with Kontakt Library Issues
If Keep Forest or other Kontakt libraries crash:
- Check for multiple Kontakt versions creating conflicting folders
- Look for shared content in Native Instruments folder, Documents folder, and your sample drive
- Sometimes multiple installations create GUI and code conflicts
- Try reinstalling with only one Kontakt version active
Mastering for Different Contexts
- Trailer music: Minus 8 to minus 10 LUFS overall, peaks can hit higher in finale sections
- Game music: Minus 10 to minus 14 LUFS, focus on balance over loudness
- Don't chase specific numbers: Make it sound good and appropriate for context
Building Risers and Transitions
Use libraries like Evolution Devastator, Warzone, or even simple taiko rolls. Layer multiple riser elements:
- Tonal risers (synths, strings)
- Noise risers (white noise sweeps)
- Percussive builds (taiko rolls, drum fills)
- Reverse cymbals or reverse vocals
The combination creates much more impact than any single element.
✅ KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Master trailer structure: Build tension properly, don't leave empty transitions, make every section clearly defined and cuttable
- Layer with non obvious elements: Pedal notes, ostinatos, texture strings, and sound design create size without cluttering the main musical ideas
- Chorus is the top choir library for hybrid epic music, with minimal processing needed for massive results
- Game music has different standards: Focus on balance and consistency over loudness and heavy mastering
- Create efficient workflows: Use presets as starting points, keep processing minimal, and don't overthink every decision
- Buy smart: Wait for sales, check upgrade paths, always verify commercial licensing
- Challenge yourself with deadlines: Writing complete tracks quickly in new genres accelerates learning
- Think hybrid in layers: Combine orchestral samples with synths, sound design, and vocals without worrying about realism
- Polish the final 2%: Professional tracks get accepted because they handle the small details (transitions, builds, balance) correctly
- AB compare constantly: The best way to know if your layers are working is to toggle them on and off
Hope this was useful! Drop a comment if you have questions about anything covered here. See you at the next call!
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New! Live Call Key Takeaways (Feb 10)
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