A common request from directors is to provide mood-setting music that doesn't call attention to itself. One of the best ways to do this is with long, held tones. Making these drone tracks can be quick and easy, but there's also an art to getting just the right emotional flavor. In this episode I share some of my drone variations for the film Twin Cities.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 153, my roundtable discussion with the creative team behind the film Twin Cities. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

A common request from directors is to provide mood-setting music that doesn't call attention to itself. One of the best ways to do this is with long, held tones. Making these drone tracks can be quick and easy, but there's also an art to getting just the right emotional flavor. In this episode I share some of my drone variations for the film Twin Cities. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 153, my roundtable discussion with the creative team behind the film Twin Cities. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

30. Drone Variations

What would you do if you were given a barebones MIDI file, and told to fill it in with whatever sounds you want? That's the challenge I posed to Composer Quest listeners, and in this episode we'll get to hear from them about their experience completing our MIDI Remix Quest. You can download the full tracks at composerquest.bandcamp.com.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 150 with UBK. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

What would you do if you were given a barebones MIDI file, and told to fill it in with whatever sounds you want? That's the challenge I posed to Composer Quest listeners, and in this episode we'll get to hear from them about their experience completing our MIDI Remix Quest. You can download the full tracks at <a href="http://composerquest.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.bandcamp.com</a>. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 150 with UBK. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

29. MIDI Remix Quest

Early video game music was in some ways a revival of Baroque counterpoint. In this episode, I share one of my video game-y tracks inspired by counterpoint techniques, and inadvertently inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 149 with Jess Scherer and Peter Lund. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

Early video game music was in some ways a revival of Baroque counterpoint. In this episode, I share one of my video game-y tracks inspired by counterpoint techniques, and inadvertently inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 149 with Jess Scherer and Peter Lund. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

28. SEGA Counterpoint

What do you do when you've written an A section and B section that don't quite fit together? In this episode I analyze my surf-inspired chiptune track to figure out how to smooth this transition point.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 145: Game Music Melee. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

What do you do when you've written an A section and B section that don't quite fit together? In this episode I analyze my surf-inspired chiptune track to figure out how to smooth this transition point. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 145: Game Music Melee. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

27. Surfing from A to B

To have any real emotional impact, music has to have some sort of payoff, through repeated themes, sounds, or lyrics. When you're scoring a film, you should also keep this idea of musical payoff in mind. Where are the moments in the story when you can resolve the themes that were only hinted at earlier? In this episode, I share some examples from the skydiving documentary I just finished scoring, called Beyond the Thrill.  This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 143 with Crystal Grooms Mangano. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

To have any real emotional impact, music has to have some sort of payoff, through repeated themes, sounds, or lyrics. When you're scoring a film, you should also keep this idea of musical payoff in mind. Where are the moments in the story when you can resolve the themes that were only hinted at earlier? In this episode, I share some examples from the skydiving documentary I just finished scoring, called Beyond the Thrill. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 143 with Crystal Grooms Mangano. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

26. Skydiving Payoff

When you're scoring a film, some scenes have an obvious emotional direction to follow. Other scenes leave you with a puzzle to solve. In this episode, I break down my scoring for two of the hardest scenes to figure out in a film I'm working on.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 142 with Sage Lewis. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

When you're scoring a film, some scenes have an obvious emotional direction to follow. Other scenes leave you with a puzzle to solve. In this episode, I break down my scoring for two of the hardest scenes to figure out in a film I'm working on. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 142 with Sage Lewis. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

25. Film Scoring Puzzles

How would you score a scene where a guy looks longingly at a bag of Doritos stuck in a vending machine? That was one of my recent scoring puzzles I had to solve. In this episode, I share some tips on writing an effective melody in the brief amount of time you're given in a commercial.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 136 with Garrett Hope. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

How would you score a scene where a guy looks longingly at a bag of Doritos stuck in a vending machine? That was one of my recent scoring puzzles I had to solve. In this episode, I share some tips on writing an effective melody in the brief amount of time you're given in a commercial. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 136 with Garrett Hope. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

24. Doritos Melody

Video game music seems to have cliche sounds for different types of levels: ice world music, jungle world music, etc. In this episode, I talk about how I approached making a stereotypical tropical island tune for a video game, with Mario Kart 64 as my inspiration.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 134 with Lena Chappelle. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

Video game music seems to have cliche sounds for different types of levels: ice world music, jungle world music, etc. In this episode, I talk about how I approached making a stereotypical tropical island tune for a video game, with Mario Kart 64 as my inspiration. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 134 with Lena Chappelle. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

23. Tropical Island VGM

Sometimes you have to give yourself weird challenges to get out of your comfortable habits. In this episode, I describe a technique I'm calling visual MIDI improvisation, where I draw in MIDI notes in a visually-pleasing arrangement, without any regard for what they sound like. I also share some techniques you can use to make a listenable track out of these sketches.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 133 with Cyriak Harris. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

Sometimes you have to give yourself weird challenges to get out of your comfortable habits. In this episode, I describe a technique I'm calling visual MIDI improvisation, where I draw in MIDI notes in a visually-pleasing arrangement, without any regard for what they sound like. I also share some techniques you can use to make a listenable track out of these sketches. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 133 with Cyriak Harris. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

22. MIDI Masterpiece

Changing a single note in a chord can drastically alter the mood of a piece, like changing from major to minor. In this episode, I show how different types of seventh chords can give your song a different color. I also describe the technique Queen used in recording their vocal harmonies.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 128 with Kevin MacLeod. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

Changing a single note in a chord can drastically alter the mood of a piece, like changing from major to minor. In this episode, I show how different types of seventh chords can give your song a different color. I also describe the technique Queen used in recording their vocal harmonies. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 128 with Kevin MacLeod. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

21. 7th Chords and Queen Vocals

In this sub-podcast of Composer Quest, I break down tracks of mine and give techniques and tips I learned while creating them. My goal is to give you production ideas for your own composing and songwriting.

I love having this resource to pick up new tips and tricks to apply in my project studio in Arizona.

-Jp October

Another great podcast by Charlie

Charlie’s Music Production Lessons

If you were asked to channel The Beatles and write a new song in their style, how would you do it? That was the challenge I gave myself in creating a jingle for my patron from Liverpool, Luke Thomas. In this episode, I explain my thought process behind each layer of this Beatles-esque song.  This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 122 with the TV composers Fil Eisler and Mac Quayle. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

If you were asked to channel The Beatles and write a new song in their style, how would you do it? That was the challenge I gave myself in creating a jingle for my patron from Liverpool, Luke Thomas. In this episode, I explain my thought process behind each layer of this Beatles-esque song. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 122 with the TV composers Fil Eisler and Mac Quayle. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

19. Beatles Composition Techniques

Challenging yourself to re-arrange a piece of music is a good way to practice your composing skills without having to start from scratch. For this episode, I made it my goal to transform a cheesy soap opera theme into something that I’d actually want to listen to. In the end, it turned into an old-school video game track.  This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 124 with Jon Brantingham. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

Challenging yourself to re-arrange a piece of music is a good way to practice your composing skills without having to start from scratch. For this episode, I made it my goal to transform a cheesy soap opera theme into something that I’d actually want to listen to. In the end, it turned into an old-school video game track. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 124 with Jon Brantingham. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

20. From Cheese to Chiptune

When I’m composing at the piano, I often start by playing chords over and over until a melody pops into my head. In this episode, I talk about how I apply that method to a chiptune video game score. I also test out my new collection of chipsounds.

16. Minimalist Chipsounds

I just got a new orchestral sample library, and I’m really enjoying messing around with these surprisingly realistic instruments. In this episode, I share some things I’ve learned while working on an orchestral score for a new video game.

12. MIDI Orchestration

Sidechain compression. You may not know the term, but you’ve definitely heard the results of this technique, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 20 years. If you’re aspiring to be a pop or dance music producer, this is going to be one of your cornerstone effects. I’d say you can find a use for sidechain compression in almost any kind of production, so I’ve dedicated this episode to explaining how it works.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 77 with Tom Snively. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

Sidechain compression. You may not know the term, but you’ve definitely heard the results of this technique, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 20 years. If you’re aspiring to be a pop or dance music producer, this is going to be one of your cornerstone effects. I’d say you can find a use for sidechain compression in almost any kind of production, so I’ve dedicated this episode to explaining how it works. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 77 with Tom Snively. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

6. Sidechain Compression

One of my secret weapons in my productions is randomness. I often try to set up a system that generates random pitches and rhythms. If you’ve never tried this kind of music making, just Google “generative music,” and that should give you more info on how to get started. In this episode, I show how I use randomness in one of my video game scores. The finished track, called Glibberigwald, can be found on the Star Reaction Soundtrack at untiedgames.bandcamp.com.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 61 with Michael Chadwick. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

One of my secret weapons in my productions is randomness. I often try to set up a system that generates random pitches and rhythms. If you’ve never tried this kind of music making, just Google “generative music,” and that should give you more info on how to get started. In this episode, I show how I use randomness in one of my video game scores. The finished track, called Glibberigwald, can be found on the Star Reaction Soundtrack at <a href="http://untiedgames.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">untiedgames.bandcamp.com</a>. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 61 with Michael Chadwick. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

5. Randomness

How do you start an electronic track? With a synth sound? With a sample? In this episode, I talk about building a track from a single electric guitar strum.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 60 with Brooke DeRosa. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

How do you start an electronic track? With a synth sound? With a sample? In this episode, I talk about building a track from a single electric guitar strum. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 60 with Brooke DeRosa. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

4. A MIDI Seed

Have you ever tried making a song that has both a swung section and a straight section? In this episode, I show how I gradually morphed from a swung beat to a straight beat in one of my video game scores. The finished track, called Sumendi, can be found on the Star Reaction Soundtrack at untiedgames.bandcamp.com.This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 56 with Ducked Ape. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit composerquest.com.

Have you ever tried making a song that has both a swung section and a straight section? In this episode, I show how I gradually morphed from a swung beat to a straight beat in one of my video game scores. The finished track, called Sumendi, can be found on the Star Reaction Soundtrack at <a href="http://untiedgames.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">untiedgames.bandcamp.com</a>. This production lesson originally aired in Composer Quest episode 56 with Ducked Ape. For more music production lessons and composer interviews, visit <a href="http://composerquest.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">composerquest.com</a>.

3. That Video Game Swing

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