Unveil the Secrets of Gothic Horror Music

Dive into the shadowy world of Gothic Horror Music Composition and Orchestration with our specialised course designed for intermediate composers. Whether you're a film scoring enthusiast or a professional looking to refine your skills, "Orchestrating Gothic Horror" offers a unique journey through the art of eerie soundscapes and intense musical storytelling.

Course Highlights:

  • Exclusive Focus on Gothic Horror: Immerse yourself in the genre with lessons on cinema scoring techniques and analysis of the piece we will orchestrate, "The Vampire".

  • Practical Orchestration Skills: Transition from piano scores to full orchestral arrangements, mastering instrumental techniques that evoke Gothic Horror atmosphere.

  • Interactive Learning Experience: Engage with video lectures, audio-text instroductions, and audio-visual presentations that guide you through each topic and exercise.

  • Peer Collaboration: Complete exercises and a final project orchestrating "The Vampire" and participate in a community of peers for feedback and discussion.

Course curriculum

    1. Temporary Course Introduction

    1. Chapter 2 - What are we doing and why?

    2. Preparation Task: Download Score & NotePerformer Rendition of "The Vampire"

    3. Preparation Task: Listening to "The Vampire" / Preparing for Analysis

    4. Take control of your studies

    5. Overall Structural Analysis

    6. Task: Label up your Score - Overall Structural Analysis

    7. Melody/Phrase Analysis

    8. Task: Label up your score - melody/phrase analysis

    9. Harmony Analysis

    10. Task: Label up your score - chord labelling / harmony analysis

    11. Performance Marking Analysis

    12. Task: Annotate your score - Performance Marking Analysis

    13. Textural Analysis

    14. Label and annotate your score: Textural Analysis

    15. Full Complete Analysis Score

    16. Conclusion / Optional Task: Planning Ahead

    17. Chapter Survey (5 optional questions - please help me improve my courses and teaching)

    1. Introduction - From Piano to Orchestra

    2. 3 Ways of approaching (Piano) scores for orchestration

    3. Lesson: Orchestral Transcription

    4. Download: Orchestral Transcription Supplementary Files

    5. Exercise: Orchestral Transcription

    6. Lesson: Idiomatic Translation

    7. Download: Idiomatic Translation Supplementary Files

    8. Exercise: Idiomatic Translation

    9. Chapter Survey (5 optional questions - please help me improve my courses and teaching)

    1. Manipulating Pitch #1 - Vibrato (and Non Vibrato)

    2. Manipulating Pitch #2 - Glissando

    3. Manipulating Pitch #3 - Natural and Artificial Harmonics (for strings)

    4. Manipulating Pitches - The Sketches

    5. Manipulating Pitch - The Sketches (Downloads)

      FREE PREVIEW
    6. Exercise: Manipulating Pitch

      FREE PREVIEW
    1. Pizzicato (& Snap/Bartok Pizzicato)

    2. Col Legno (Tratto & Battuto)

    3. Idiophones: a shortlist

    4. Percussive Attacks - The Sketches

    5. The Sketches (Downloads)

    6. Exercise: Percussive Attacks

About this course

  • 83 lessons
  • 4.5 hours of video content

Testimonials

Taken from "Introduction to Orchestration 2023" Course Feedback Surveys

“I found it very enjoyable and engaging. The feedback and assignments where invaluable to helping me grow as an orchestrator. The course material was concise and were given with great examples. Also the recommendations on other books was helpful.”

Graeme

“I thought the course was great! It was thorough and we learned a lot in a short amount of time. I really enjoyed the lectures and I got a lot of value out of the written and video feedback! George, you are a very good teacher.”

Denis McGrath

Reviews

Taken from "Rule Based Music Composition: Tintinnabuli" course reviews

5 star rating

Excellent course!

Carmine Pastore

I really enjoyed the course. It is very well structured and full of interesting compositional concepts. I find Arvo Part’s music and compositional techniques very unique. I highly recommend this course to composers of all levels. Thanks again. Car...

Read More

I really enjoyed the course. It is very well structured and full of interesting compositional concepts. I find Arvo Part’s music and compositional techniques very unique. I highly recommend this course to composers of all levels. Thanks again. Carmine Pastore

Read Less
5 star rating

Simple technique with profound results

Robin Willis

I couldn’t be happier. I started the course with only rudimentary composition skills. Now I know through George’s class and the work of one of my musical heroes that beauty is not complex and the divine is always close by, you just have to open yo...

Read More

I couldn’t be happier. I started the course with only rudimentary composition skills. Now I know through George’s class and the work of one of my musical heroes that beauty is not complex and the divine is always close by, you just have to open your eyes, ears and heart.

Read Less

Instructor(s)

George Marshall

Composer, Instructor & Founder

For over a decade, I’ve dedicated my life to music—composing, arranging, and teaching. From crafting scores for video games and films to writing works for the concert hall, my passion has always been helping music come to life. I hold a PhD in Music Composition from the University of Hull, where my research focused on how creative constraints shape the composition process. Throughout my career, I’ve composed for over 60 projects, including internationally screened films and video games showcased at EGX. One of my proudest achievements was winning the 21st Century Classical Music Solo Piano Composition Competition in 2018 for my piece Nocturne, originally written for a video game. My work extends beyond composition. In 2017, I was commissioned to create three scores for the Hull Maritime Museum’s City of Culture installation, an exhibit visited by over 100,000 people. Working with student volunteers, I composed, conducted, and produced the final recordings—an experience that solidified my love for collaboration and education. These days, my focus is on sharing knowledge. My analysis and composition videos have reached thousands of viewers, with my most popular videos on tintinnabuli receiving more engagement than those on John Williams, Chopin, Mozart, or Bach. I’ve worked with students from all backgrounds, helping them develop their own musical voices by embracing structure and clarity in their compositions. Now, through this course, I want to pass on what I’ve learned. Whether you're new to composition or an experienced musician looking for a fresh perspective, I’m here to guide you through the fascinating world of music composition step-by-step.