What this book covers
This book is organized so you can jump around from chapter to chapter to grab the tools required for your project. It is arranged in a logical sequential order, but most of the topics can be learned independently:
Chapter 1, The Business of Composing for Clients, gives you the street smarts you need to get hired for composing jobs. You'll learn how to land composing gigs, learn about networking and get advice on marketing. You'll learn how to deliver a film or game score in a professional way when working with clients.
Chapter 2, Navigating Through the Key Features of FL Studio, introduces you to the digital audio workstation, FL Studio. Here, you'll learn the key tools of FL Studio, including the Channel rack, Piano roll, the Playlist, the Mixer, and the Browser. You'll learn how to record audio in FL Studio and how to export music from the software.
Chapter 3, Designing Music with Themes, Leitmotifs, and Scales, provides you with the music theory to give you a solid foundation for composing songs. Here, you'll learn how to use themes, motifs, and leitmotifs to make your music connect with your movie or game project vision. You'll learn how to use scales, modes, and the circle of fifths chord wheel to give structure to your music arrangements.
Chapter 4, Orchestral MIDI Composing, shows you how to create music for orchestral instruments. You'll learn how to make software plugin instruments sound just like live instruments. You'll learn techniques you can use to compose for string instruments, such as violins, violas, cellos, and basses. You'll learn how to compose MIDI for orchestral chord progressions and considerations for mixing orchestral instruments.
Chapter 5, Creating Sheet Music with MuseScore, Scoring with Fruity Video Player, and Diegetic Music, shows you how to create sheet music from any FL Studio project with ease so live musicians can read and play your music. You'll also learn how to use Fruity Video Player. If you want to compose for films or video game cut scenes, Fruity Video Player lets you sync music to visuals. Then you'll learn about designing sound effects.
Chapter 6, Influencing Mood with Music and Designing Emotional Music, explores how to compose music for a variety of genres. You'll learn how to compose music that scares your listener, such as music for horror films and games. You'll learn how to design terrifying jump scares, as well as how to compose happy music, sad music, romantic music, and how to create tension and epic music for trailers.
Chapter 7, Creating Interactive Music for Video Games with Wwise, teaches you how to compose interactive music for video games. You'll learn about the Wwise software and see a demo game with sound integrated into it. You'll learn about the interactive horizontal re-sequencing and vertical remixing music techniques and see how Wwise can be used to implement these techniques. You'll also learn how to create music in FL Studio for use in vertical remixing.
Chapter 8, Soundtrack Composing Templates, provides you with tips for overcoming writer's block. You'll be provided with template lists to make your composing efficient and production-ready. You'll also learn about resources to continue your music journey beyond this book.