Q&A for How to Compose Music for Film

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Do you have any suggestions or ideas for composing a piece of music for films?

Jason Kleinberg
Musician
Jason Kleinberg is a Musician and Music Teacher based in San Francisco, California. He is a Professional Violinist, Songwriter, and Composer who has performed across the U.S., Europe, and Japan, both solo and with the group Diego’s Umbrella. Jason composed the film score for the documentary “Gumby Dharma”, released in 2006. He teaches fiddle and violin lessons online and creates video content through his channel called FiddleHed.

Jason Kleinberg

Musician

Expert Answer

I suggest watching the movie repeatedly to get a feel for it, observing key scenes, and then working as intensely as possible with your director, trying to refine your music to his vision. Work out a compelling theme that would probably glue the score together and create a catchy musical identity. Try out instrumentation, taking in mind the visuals, and pay immense attention to detail so that your soundtrack enhances the storytelling and connects with the audience.

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Question

How can I work out the chord progressions of the piece?

Community Answer

Work out the melody first. The melody is the most expressive part of music, as it is the main voice in telling the story. The melody should come to you in some form (rhythm, pitch, harmony, etc.) when you know what you're trying to say. Once you have the melody (or at least a part of it), you can work out chord progressions that fit that melody nicely. Getting started is the hardest bit; once you have one element of the music, the rest will come naturally.

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How do I get the words to write?

Community Answer

You draw inspiration from something that pertains to you or something you're interested in. It can be tough though, but all the best things come in time.

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Question

How can I compose music for film?

Community Answer

Follow the instructions listed in the article above.

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How do I edit a video?

Community Answer

This is the article you want: How to Edit Videos .

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What is the best software for composing music?

Community Answer

You can use GarageBand and Pro Tools to put it all together. Both programs allow you to print sheet music.

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Question

How can I understand the rhythm of the scene in a film?

Rumey Islam

Community Answer

My process is,that I put the clip on the timeline and run the metronome and vary it till it matches the scene almost 90%, then automate the tempo track. The idea is that the cuts should match the clicks, or at least the downbeats,

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