# How to start sketches for high energy orchestral music



## SimonCharlesHanna (Feb 25, 2015)

Hey all!

I am pretty comfortable writing delicate music for orchestra but when it comes to more high energy action type music I seem to struggle. 

I usually start out sketching with a piano and have run into a lot of trouble on this new piece I am working on. 

Out of interest I played along on keyboard to some high energy pieces I admire and I discovered that they were actually really simple (in regards to chords/bass & melody). I seem to not have sufficient imagination just yet to put simple ideas into a big orchestra context. 

Does anyone have any advice on how to tackle this issue?


Cheers,
Simon


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## RiffWraith (Feb 25, 2015)

SimonCharlesHanna @ Thu Feb 26 said:


> Hey all!
> 
> I am pretty comfortable writing delicate music for orchestra but when it comes to more high energy action type music I seem to struggle.
> 
> ...



1. Ditch the piano (not permanently). Many people think that starting with piano IS ALWAYS THE WAY TO GO. It's not. Many times it can be; there are plenty of times it isn't.

2. Check out some tuts. One good one here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOsVNPMOYoo

There is another I am thinking of, but I can't remember the guy's name. British accent, does a PIP. Has a few vids online; one of them was him writing some action music. If anyone else here knows of which I speak, maybe they can post it... I remember that vid being pretty well done.

3. Start with an up-tempo, aggressive action-ey drum loop. Damage, Evolve, (shameful plug alert!!!) Euphoria, LADD, SF's HZO1/03 using my MIDI packets I have posted here (freebie), etc. Write some string spics over it. Start with C/B in octaves, or maybe violins. Swap out the drum loop for your "own drums" if you are one of those who feels that using loops is cheating. Then, go from there.

Many times, all you need to do is get started. Once you do, the rest can be smooth sailing if you relax, and let your creative juices flow.

Cheers.


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## synergy543 (Feb 26, 2015)

RiffWraith @ Wed Feb 25 said:


> There is another I am thinking of, but I can't remember the guy's name. British accent, does a PIP. Has a few vids online; one of them was him writing some action music. If anyone else here knows of which I speak, maybe they can post it... I remember that vid being pretty well done.


Maybe this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unBil8Ds6A8


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## RiffWraith (Feb 26, 2015)

^ That's the one - good call!


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## Vartio (Feb 27, 2015)

i think the problem come from the fact that a lot of times you end up getting stuck with fucking around with samples instead of writing something meaningful. i usually start with a piano sketch (if i need to and can't pull it off off the top of my head) but that is not something i play in at once. i overdub all the lines i want on a piano because it lets me concentrate on the music instead of the samples. i always keep in mind what I'm writing the line for tho. after fact its easier to go and figure out how o actually pull off the stuff you wrote with a sample library of choice. 
here's something i did way back as a random doodle..

sketch: https://app.box.com/s/pn5sb75i9i7pqjq9luhe

heres the final version: https://soundcloud.com/socq/lord-of-shadows

dont worry about the crappy production, anyways that kinda gives a one look at how to approach this kinda stuff.

ps.
another way i find really good recently is to sing and record the sketch. i was walking to a bus stop one day some time ago and came up with the melody for this one track. i recorded it with my phone and just blocked it out in the sequencer part at a time after i got back home. laid down the string backing figure and played in the lead string melody, figured out the brass voicing etc. just block by block. its good to have some kind of roadmap of what you're doing in this kinda music since its way too easy to get carried away;

https://soundcloud.com/socq/its-time-for-adventure


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Feb 27, 2015)

Thank you all for the responses and help! I'll check out the videos!


Vartio - That is extremely helpful. Thank you for posting the piano sketch that is extremely insightful


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## Vartio (Mar 16, 2015)

good to hear you found it helpful. i actually found another one of these really old sketches (this time its timpani+piano which is actually kinda fun) so ill share it here too if someone finds it useful. i think its worth sharing.
you can kinda see that i don't really follow the sketch too closely and i take a lot of freedom in the orchestration phase. but in the end i think the sketch has a main function of just holding down ideas and it helps me figure out the basics of the track instead of messing about with 100 tracks of midi.

heres the other one:
https://app.box.com/s/p63he7nhpiqa6jq2nwk6dv5clr0j126d

heres the finished track: 
https://soundcloud.com/socq/mechanics

i hope these come handy when thinking about the way to plan out your tracks best.


h


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