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2h • Music Business 🏢
Live Call Recap 25th Feb 2026
Hey everyone! I'm trying something new here. I want to give you a quick recap of what we cover in our live coaching calls, so you can get the key insights even if you couldn't make it. Think of these posts as your cheat sheet for each session. Let me know in the comments if you find this helpful!
If you're not part of Audio Artist Rise yet and posts like this make you curious about what we do in the live calls, check out the program. We do multiple live coaching sessions every week covering everything from trailer music production to game music careers, business strategy, and more. You can find all the details on the Audio Artist Rise page.
🎵 TRAILER MUSIC COMPOSITION FUNDAMENTALS
One of the biggest lessons from this session was about simplicity. We did a live deconstruction of a Tim Stoney track from his Epic Score album, and it reinforced something crucial: power doesn't come from complexity.
The track we analyzed used a straightforward approach. The chord progression stayed on the root chord (A minor) for extended periods, moved to the relative major (F), and back. Nothing fancy, but incredibly effective. The rhythm stayed consistent throughout, which is the anchor that allows for harmonic and melodic variation without losing the listener.
The melody followed a simple pattern that repeated with slight variations. It wasn't about introducing new melodic ideas constantly. It was about stating a theme and developing it while keeping the rhythmic backbone identical.
When we recreated something similar from scratch, it took about 30 minutes to get close to that level of intensity using only 12 tracks. That's the point: you don't need 50 tracks to create massive trailer music. You need the right sounds and smart arrangement.
🎛️ ORCHESTRATION AND LAYERING STRATEGY
For choirs, a simple but effective technique is to write your main melody in the women's section, then copy it down an octave for the men. This creates an instant wall of sound without complicated voicing. You can refine it later by opening up the lower register if it sounds too muddy (too many thirds stacked in the bass range), but as a starting point, it works.
The libraries mentioned were Chorus (which has energetic, slow, and aggressive syllable patches) and StormChoir. Chorus has an ultimate performance patch that layers octaves automatically, which is why it sounds so rich out of the box. For trailer music, the aggressive or energetic patches are usually the go to.
For brass, one good aggressive horn patch can do everything you need. The example used was Tom Holkenborg brass, specifically the trombones, because they layer marcatos, staccatos, staccatissimos, and sustains into one mod wheel patch. You don't need 50 articulation switches. One flexible patch with good dynamic range is enough.
Strings were kept minimal in this example because heavy trombones and percussion push them to the side anyway. If you do add strings, keep them rhythmic (like violas doing a repeated pattern) or use an arpeggio synth layer instead. Don't add another melody. Layer the same idea across different timbres.
🔧 MIXING AND HEADROOM TECHNIQUES
Clippers are your friend for creating headroom without destroying your mix. A clipper shaves off the peaks of transient heavy instruments like drums and hits, which can save you 6 to 8 dB of headroom. This prevents your limiter from working overtime on the master bus.
The clipper mentioned was Standard Audio Tools Clip (around 25 bucks), and also JST Clip by Joey Sturgis. Put clippers on individual drum tracks, not on the group. If you clip a group with a snare and a low drum together, you lose the ability to control each one's headroom independently.
For reverb workflows, if you use sends instead of inserts, you can still export wet stems by using render in place with a two to four bar tail. Set up a keyboard shortcut for render in place, and it will print the send effects directly into the audio file. Then export those rendered tracks as your stems.
If you're working with orchestral templates and want to keep it simple, just use insert reverbs on group buses (one for strings, one for brass, etc.). Load something like Altiverb or Valhalla Room, set it, and export the group tracks directly. This avoids the send routing issue entirely.
One other trick: if you have a very hot master and want to check your balance, bring your master fader down while working. Just don't forget to bring it back up before bouncing. It's easy to forget and wonder why your track sounds quiet.
⚡ WORKFLOW AND CREATIVE DECISION MAKING
There was a great discussion about getting stuck on creative decisions, like how to end a track. One approach is the "rule of three." Give yourself three attempts or 13 minutes to try something experimental. If nothing works, go back to the tried and true solution. This prevents endless tweaking and keeps you moving forward.
Production music is about efficiency. Every track you finish contains hundreds of moments of doubt. That's normal. The pros have the same struggles. The difference is they limit the time spent on those decisions and move on.
When analyzing reference tracks, don't just listen once. Pull up 5 to 10 trailer tracks and listen specifically to the endings. You'll start to notice patterns: extended root chords, chromatically stacked hits, panic repetitions (repeating a rhythm or note rapidly), or a final chord with a long pull and reverb tail.
You can also cover tracks you admire to get inside the composer's head. Download a track, split the stems using any stem separation tool, and recreate it in your DAW. You'll learn new patterns, MIDI techniques, and sound choices you wouldn't have thought of on your own.
🎮 GAME MUSIC BUSINESS STRATEGY
For those working in game music, start pitching once you have three to five credits on your demo reel. Use LinkedIn to find audio directors and reach out with a personalized message and your portfolio. Aim for three to five contacts per day. It's a long process, but it's how you build momentum.
When starting out, it's okay to charge lower rates like 200 dollars per finished minute. The goal early on is to build relationships and get repeat work, not to maximize income on the first gig. If a client likes working with you and the process is smooth, they'll come back and rates can increase over time.
The value you bring as a composer is the back and forth, the tailored approach to their vision. AI can generate music, but it can't iterate based on feedback the way a human composer can. Developers appreciate that collaboration, especially when the project has a specific emotional tone or narrative need.
One developer specifically requested a soundscape for a sci fi horror game title screen. The brief was to avoid traditional musical structure and create a chaotic, immersive atmosphere with hints of melody. The feedback was that the melody appeared too often. The fix was to thin it out, create more space, and let the tension build with gaps rather than constant melodic presence.
💡 MINDSET AND CONSISTENCY
There was an honest moment about comparing yourself to others. Listening to world class composers like Tim Stoney can be intimidating. But the reality is, your music doesn't have to be as sophisticated as theirs to be successful. Simpler tracks can still get licensed and make money.
Everyone has a different personality and style. The goal isn't to become someone else. It's to develop your own voice and be consistent. Your tracks will get used because they fit a need, not because they're objectively "better" than someone else's.
Consistency is harder than it sounds. It's like fitness. Everyone knows you need to do pushups and eat right, but doing it every day is the challenge. The same applies to music. The instructions are clear (write regularly, analyze references, finish tracks, pitch clients), but execution requires building habits over time.
One practical habit: breathe. Literally. The double inhale technique (two short inhales through the nose, one long exhale with a slight moan) can reset stress and anxiety in seconds. It sounds simple, but most people don't do it even once a day. Little habits like this add up.
🎬 RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
For trailer music reference, check out Epic Score, Precision Music, Really Slow Motion, and Confidential Music. Tim Stoney's recent album with Epic Score is a masterclass in orchestration and arrangement.
Gabe Shadid (founder of Epic Score) has started a podcast where he interviews composers like Yoav Goren, Nick Phoenix, and Tim Stoney. If you want to get into trailer music, these interviews are essential listening.
For finding current trailer tracks, search "hybrid trailer music" on YouTube and sort by view count or upload date. You'll get a snapshot of what's popular and what's working right now.
When studying a track, don't just listen to the whole thing. Focus on specific sections like the last 30 seconds. Listen to five endings back to back in five minutes. You'll spot patterns faster than listening to full tracks.
✅ KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Power in trailer music comes from simplicity: strong rhythm, consistent theme, limited but effective instrumentation
- You can create massive intensity with 12 tracks if you choose the right sounds and arrange smartly
- For choirs, write the melody in the women's section and copy it down an octave for men
- Use clippers on individual drum tracks to save 6 to 8 dB of headroom without over limiting
- If using reverb sends, render in place with tail to print wet stems for export
- Limit creative decision time with the "rule of three": try three things in 13 minutes, then move on
- It's okay to charge lower rates early on if it builds relationships and leads to repeat work
- Study reference tracks by focusing on specific sections (like endings) across multiple tracks in one session
- Your music doesn't need to be as complex as the best in the business to be successful and get licensed
- Build habits around consistency and finishing tracks, not perfection
Hope this was useful! Drop a comment if you have questions about anything covered here. See you at the next call!
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Live Call Recap 25th Feb 2026
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