Topic Requests

Like many others, I'm here because what you teach in the masterclasses has also improved my life, at least to the extent that I've put in the work. So thanks for that.

More to the point though: being shown the same thing several times in different ways is still really valuable! I think the reason people like to watch workflow videos and request transcription examples is because of the same point you make: a lot of what we learn, we absorb from examples. This process gets better better with effort and practice, but don't discount the value of the examples!

I know you know this, but I want to reiterate it because a plethora of examples that "teach" the same thing does more than repeat the content; it helps normalize and reinforce the concepts on a more basic level. Part of what I like about the musicological classes is seeing the similarities between styles as well as the differences. What's more valuable though is demonstrations of these things in practice and the reassurance on some level that this stuff isn't magic, just a shitload of work.

This is cheesy, but you've got a great theme here and your audience isn't bored with it yet, even if you are.

(One last thought: the masterclass format probably isn't the best way to show people the unteachable. Maybe something more community-based might be better, e.g. more transcription/mockup challenges, blind submissions with feedback, shorter more frequent livestreams? You/we've got a great thing going here!)

 

Actually Mike, in terms of "Topic Requests", here's what I'd love to see:

1. Woodwinds Masterclass in a similar vein as the Brass Masterclass. I don't care if the cost is twice as much. No one in popular media seems to write for woodwinds like the old composers did, as the "epic bwahm" nonsense has rendered it a lost art. I'd love to see strings too, as it would still be unique, but that's more well-trodden ground. I'd love to see the various uses covered too, from the more obvious melodic parts to the crazier Bartok parts.

2. More videos like the "Jingle Bells" YouTube video. The simplicity of purely showing, rather than telling, has probably been one of the most useful and insightful ways I've learned from you. I see what you're doing, the context you're doing it in, the result, and I can try it all myself. It's uncomplicated and encourages really "getting it under one's fingers".

 

Well, besides the Woodwinds, Brass, maybe percussions? and eventually full orchestra live classes, maybe one class on a more aleatoric/contemporary technique (not necessarily horror like), kinda of Don Davis, Christopher young and minimalistic composers (John Adams kinda textures?).

In the composers series, I would like to propose Bruce Broughton, David Newman (or Thomas?), Danny Elfman, and Joel Mcneely.

 

Here are a few I personally need. Score prep, aleatoric and atonal writing and variations on a theme. For the last one I'm not talking about re-harmonizing a theme but writing new material based on the previous, more like B sections.

 

Basic Piano Chops

Hearing Mike talk about the importance of being able to key in MIDI parts (as opposed to drawing them with a mouse) has made me want to learn some keys. Been a bassist/guitarist for years, but piano has always seemed beyond me. Obviously, there's a ton of free resources on youtube, but it's tough to know where to start and who has the right credentials.

Just some basic stuff to avoid bad habits in the future - finger positioning, exercises, etc. Not sure if this warrants an entire masterclass on, but it's something I really could use. If anyone reading this has good resources they could send my way, I'm all ears...

 

Are there any plans for Masterclasses on String Writing, Woodwind Writing and something on Harmony?

 

The chord voicings class has a lot about harmony, as do the orchestration classes. It would be great to have string and woodwind videos like he did for the Live Symphonic Brass.

 

I wish other composers on VI-C and the like would realize how insanely valuable this kind of class is and actually buy it instead of spending half their mortgage on new sample libs. It's criminal how that brass class isn't the most popular thing in the composing community. I would be fine paying double what I previously paid to make a Woodwinds class happen.

 

Yup, me too. When's it happening Mike?

 

+1

From idea to mockup. Maybe just 30 seconds of music or even shorter. Making actually music. Discussing the possibilities within the idea, melody, motive etc.

 

Check this out, it's pretty much what you're asking for:

 

Thanks. Yes, have watched those, and they are great also! Just bought Orchestrating 3, I think it may have some of that too.

 

Playing piano from a composer perspective.

If I took a piano lesson, the first thing I would probably do is showing a video of Mike playing when he composes music or demonstrates something he's explaining to the audience.
Then I'll ask to the teacher what is the best training to play like this.

Because it's pure and efficient. You get everything you need and nothing superfluous.

I regulary try to imitate Mike on my on keyboard but I experience some frustration because :

- my transcribing is not perfect and i'm often tricked by overtones or don't hear a particular note for no reason (maybe he pressed the key too gently)
- the displayed keyboard is useful but not reliable, especially when keys are pressed shortly
- I can't see his hands, I don't know which hand does what and it's probably the most frustrating
- my piano doesn't sound like his and some graceful dissonances become awful on mine

These points put me in a zone where I don't trust what I'm working on and eventually I don't really learn because of constant doubts (I won't re-use it and it's a shame).

I miss the 'why'. Even when I can figure out what he's playing exactly, I can't always understand his choices. Why that voicing ? Why that bass note ? Why he changed the left hand playing octaves to something different ?

Mike says that when he plays he sees many roads to follow and choose one. What are these roads ? Chords ? Patterns ? Can they be listed ? Explained in details ?
Not 'You can go there or there' but more 'if you go there you can do it like that because'.

Instead of asking a teacher to understand what Mike is thinking then doing, it could be more efficient to ask directly to the maestro.

Is it relevant ? A piano masterclass by Mike ?

 

The best class for me was the Live Symphonic Brass! I guess it's a expensive class to make... but I learned 10x more in 2 hours of masterclass than all my hours reading about the subject. I want a Live Symphonic Strings; Woodwinds

 

I'm in the middle of scoring a shit ton of fight and chase scenes for this film, and I'd love to see a Mike Masterclass on "Ostinatos, Ground Motives, and Motors". You know, those patterns you can build to just create propulsive driving rhythms, WITHOUT relying on walls of ethnic percussion. Think of JW's great work on the Jeep Chase in Raiders, or his Jango Escape in Clones (great score, lousy movie).

Alan Silvestri does this well, too... and I'm milking the SHIT out of his Predator score on this film. So, this masterclass would be swiftly and joyfully purchased by me!

PS. You could basically do a variation of this, called "Chase and Fight Music". You get the point... ;P

Mike

 

A Symphonic woodwinds and Strings live class! The brass one is one of my favorite masterclasses ever! @Mike Verta

 

I would love to see a class about picking/assigning Themes.

Like how do you decide what get's a theme and what not?
When to go for a single Theme per movie approach and when do the full blown star wars and lord of the rings thematic stuff.
Assigning Themes to the characters/locations or to the ideas the movie represent?

Is this a directors choice?
If not I'm sure this is different for everybody, still I think it would be an interesting conversation. Maybe looking at different Movies how they have done it and guessing why (or knowing why because Mike or anyone else on here has scored a movie we can take a look at).
What would be different if they would select themes for different things.

I have watched Scoring 1, How to make a Film in 7 Days, Themenator but as far as I can remember the topic never came up.
Would love a class about it.

 

Mike, I remember you bought Project Sam's Swing More library. I think it would make a fun new class focusing on swing/big band music using the library as a showcase tool for the orchestration. Something like "All That Jazz 2". Maybe when you have time again and your system ready you might think about doing another class. You wrote this little cue for the Uncle Bourbon show with Laura Beth, so that could be a nice start.

Cheers!

 

Piano reductions of orchestral scores ! (a.k.a : How to turn an apparently complex orchestral music into an efficient 2 handed piano version)