Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics

Why are you here? Yes, YOU here on Udemy looking for a music composition and production course – are you here to dip your toes into the wild world of composing music for a living? Have you always dreamed of writing for Hollywood movies, big commercials, AAA video games, and the like? Have your parents told you to go to business school and find a “real job”?  Whelp, I hate to squash your spirit…but they’re right. If you want to make a career out of writing music, buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

If you’re still reading, then you’re here for something…more.You want to learn from someone who has already paved the path. You want to hear their war stories, understand their lifestyle choices, witness their work habits, study their rhythms, and most of all…learn how they do it so you can do it too.

I’m not here to blow smoke. I’m nothing special. In fact, although I’m an “award-winning composer” with hundreds of credits across virtually every media known to man – films, television, video games, podcasts, audio dramas, advertisements, trailers, corporate videos, animation, musicals, YouTube series, graphic novels, & a motion comic…my music has even been performed in concert halls and played on repeat for a decade inside the National Museums Liverpool! – you’ve never heard of me.Why? Because I’m an Everyday Composer. I’m not famous, but I support my family doing what I love every day and inspiring millions of listeners…even if they never know my name.

Chances are, you’ve heard my music on…

• Emotional music on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelorette,or Bachelor in Paradise

• Horror music on the #1 Fiction podcast in the world Dark Dice, starring Jeff Goldblum

• Playful 16-bit music on Monster Sanctuary

• Epic orchestral music on ad campaigns for FOX, NBC, & CBS networks

• Video game music on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, & mobile

With that out of the way….

Welcome to my course Film, TV, & Video Game Music Composition + Production Basics! Back in 2016, this was my first experience publishing a course on Udemy and it quickly became a Best-Selling course. Don’t take my word for it – read the reviews for yourself…

• When I first ordered this course, I honestly thought I was going to get a lot of the same things I knew about composition work…What Steven did here blows my expectations out of the water. He gives a lot of advanced music theory techniques, as well as detailed help on how to use your DAW, and he keeps you on your toes with some of these quizzes. Especially after you get half way through the course. I don’t regret the money I paid for this course at all, and I’m glad that I have this course to reference when I’m in a bit of a pickle with my own goals. –Monish C.

• Absolutely phenomenal course! All the lectures go into great depth on the lesson topic and explain it clearly. Thanks for the awesome course Steven! –Kenan B.

• This course seems to be exactly what I’m looking for. Steven is taking every facet of the craft and business of modern composing into account and teaching at the perfect pace – the videos are not too long, but are jam packed with great info. – Andrew C.

In this updated 2023 version, I’ve removed content that is no longer relevant and have added hours of bonus contentto showcase my entire comprehensive library of teaching over the last 6 years, including

• How to Train for Professional Composing Speed

• How to Build DAW Templates

• How to Create a Realistic Sampled Orchestra

• How to Earn First Dollars & Grow a Music Business

• Music Composer Lifestyle

• Interviews with Industry Pros

• Public Interviews with Steven about His Music Career

• Selected Live Composing Show Streams

• Student Coaching Calls with Steven

• Level Up Live with Coaching Students

• How to Compose in the Style of Famous Composers

• Nerdy Music Technology

• Case Studies on How I Composed for Projects

• MINI-COURSE: Music Composer’s Guide to Finding Work Online ($297 value!)

The bulk of the core content that originally made this course so successful is still here and will teach you all the fundamentals you need to compose & produce music for Film, TV, & Video Games (and surely other types of media too). The only prerequisite for this course is that you have access to a Mac or PC. We will be using notation software and a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) to write music on a computer, but don’t worry if you don’t have any music software yet. There are multiple free options available and we’ll cover those as needed throughout the course.

I look forward to connecting with you inside. Talk to you soon.

Your Coach,
Steven Melin

Rating Distribution

• 1 stars: 18 votes
• 2 stars: 36 votes
• 3 stars: 160 votes
• 4 stars: 416 votes
• 5 stars: 718 votes

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have access to the course materials?

You can view and review the lecture materials indefinitely, like an on-demand channel.

Can I take my courses with me wherever I go?

Definitely! If you have an internet connection, courses on Udemy are available on any device at any time. If you don’t have an internet connection, some instructors also let their students download course lectures. That’s up to the instructor though, so make sure you get on their good side!