Trailer music hub
Trailer music: how to write it, and how the industry works
From the smallest ping to huge orchestral recordings at Abbey Road, this is everything I've written about trailer music, in one place. Whether you want to know how a trailer cue is structured or how to take your tracks to the next level, start here.
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Follow the free path
The route I'd take if I were starting trailer music today. Understand how trailers work, build a track act by act, learn the signature sounds, make it sound real, then get it heard.
Trailer music, from first cue to first placementWrite trailer music that gets placed Getting started
New to trailer music? These explain what a trailer editor needs from a track and why trailer music is built the way it is.
- How to Make Trailer Music How to make trailer music in any genre: trailerisation, three-act structure and stopdowns, trailer hits, transitions, signature sounds and chord choices.
- How to structure your trailer music for the win How to structure trailer music with the three-act trailer format plus a fourth act, what each act does, and a simple template with timings for each part.
- TMCP 003: The Five Rules of Trailer Music · Podcast Five guidelines for writing trailer music: three-act structure, building a sonic world, constant growth, real impact and adding your own signature sound.
- TMCP 004: Five Common Mistakes of Aspiring Trailer Music Composers · Podcast Five mistakes aspiring trailer composers make, from busy intros and early full drum patterns to flat third acts, overused samples and too many drop-downs.
- Is it too late to get into Trailer Music in 2024? Is it too late to get into trailer music? Why fears of an oversaturated market are misplaced, and how community and an abundance mindset make room for you.
Writing trailer music
Blueprints for each act, and for making an orchestra sound real.
- The 7 Rules of an Amazing Act 1 Seven rules for writing a strong Act 1 in trailer music: start small, think in landscapes, build atmosphere, imply distance, grab attention and hold back.
- 5 Simple Steps to a Better Act 2 Five steps to a better Act 2 in trailer music: driving pulses, moving patterns up in pitch, bringing in brass early, breaking the pattern and building.
- How to Make your Act 3 Sound MASSIVE How to make your trailer music's Act 3 sound massive: wider arpeggios, soaring top lines over roaring bass, big hits, silence, choirs and frenzied rhythms.
- Act 4 - WTF!? What the fourth act in trailer music is, what goes into it, how it gives a final push before the title card and how long it should be, with examples.
- How To Write Epic Percussion: In 7 Simple Steps Seven steps to writing epic trailer percussion: build a template, write a main rhythm, sketch the structure, then add ear candy, variation and human feel.
- 13 Ways To Make Your Orchestra Sound Real 13 lessons I have learned from over 15 years of writing and recording orchestral music with both samples and live musicians.
- How To Write Trailer Music Quickly & Easily How to write trailer music faster without losing quality: the planning, templates and habits that raise your output when deadlines are tight.
- Sketch a Trailer Music Track in Minutes How to sketch a whole trailer music cue in minutes with one-shots: map the acts with regions, place hits for impact, glue it with FX and add atmosphere.
Production and sound design
Hits, braaams, risers and drones are the punctuation of trailer music. Then a template that lets you work fast, and stems for delivery.
The words you’ll hear
- How to Create an Orchestral Template How to build an orchestral template in your DAW: grouping articulations, instruments and sections, setting up effects buses, labelling, and what to avoid.
- Signature Sounds In Trailer Music What signature sounds are in trailer music, why they help your tracks and trailers stand out, and practical tips for recording and creating your own.
- Track Stacks in Logic Pro X Explained What track stacks are in Logic Pro X, the difference between folder and summing stacks, and how to use them to tidy and process your sessions.
- The 21 Best FREE Sample Libraries For Making Epic Trailer Music 21 free Kontakt instruments and plugins for epic trailer music: orchestral, piano, percussion, synths, guitars, sound effects and essential free effects.
The tools I use every time
- Strings: Spitfire Albion, Jaeger and Metropolis Ark
- Brass: Jaeger, Metropolis Ark and Spitfire Albion
- Trailer hits: Keepforest and my own hits
- Trailer percussion: Damage, Hans Zimmer Drums and Ferrum
- Bass: Trilian and Keepforest Evolution
- Synth: Omnisphere
- Piano: LABS Felt Piano and Alicia's Keys
- Risers: The Riser, my own string risers and some random one-shots
How I wrote it
Breakdowns of music that was used in real trailers, walking through my Logic sessions so you can see everything I do.
- How I Wrote The Glass Onion Trailer Music How I wrote the Glass Onion trailer music: growing a D minor string quartet riff into a full cue with a pulse, cinematic one-shots and a lifting third act.
- Archive 81 Trailer Music Walkthrough Richard Pryn shows how he composed Monument, the throat-singing track from Elephant Music's Throat 4 used in the trailer for Netflix's Archive 81.
- The Lost King Trailer Music...How I Wrote It! Richard Pryn breaks down how he wrote The Lost King trailer music, growing one rhythmic idea into a trailerised string quartet cue with hits and builds.
- How I Wrote The Pale Blue Eye Trailer Music How the cello-driven track Frost was written and used in The Pale Blue Eye trailer: drones, note-by-note cello recording, phased rhythms and trailer hits.
- Britney vs Spears Trailer Music Walkthrough Richard Pryn takes you behind the scenes of the epic drum intro track he wrote for Mammoth that was used in the trailer for Netflix's Britney vs Spears.
- How I Wrote The Trailer Music For 'Come Away' A video walkthrough of how Richard wrote the trailer music for Come Away, a modern family adventure cue inspired by contemporary commercial artists.
- Composing the Enchanting Soundtrack for Pete's Dragon Trailer How Richard Pryn wrote The Sun Will Rise for the Pete's Dragon trailer: a simple hook over changing chords, moving strings, woodwinds and metal percussion.
- Secret Invasion Trailer Music Breakdown A breakdown of the Secret Invasion trailer music: act timings, pulsing synths, col legno ticking, synth braaams and the final sting, plus five key lessons.
MOTHER! SILENT TRAILER
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR TV SPOTS
HALO INFINITE: WINTER UPDATE | Launch Trailer
DIABLO II: RESURRECTED - Street Date TrailerThe industry
How trailers get their music, what editors and supervisors listen for, libraries and contracts, and what the money really looks like.
- TMCP 036: What A Trailer Editor Wants From Music With Ric Thomas · Podcast Trailer editor Ric Thomas explains what he listens for in trailer music, how a campaign works, styles beyond epic hybrid and his advice for new composers.
- TMCP 010: How To Write To Briefs · Podcast How to write to a brief as a trailer or production composer: leave your ego out, act on publisher feedback, read references for mood and deliver on time.
- TMCP:046 Ruben Nava And the birth of the trailer music supervisor Part One · Podcast Part one of an interview with Ruben Nava on how he became the first trailer music supervisor, plus insights into how the trailer music business works.
- The Role of A Freelance Music Supervisor with Emma Middleton · Podcast Freelance music supervisor Emma Middleton explains how trailer music supervision works, how she set up Rubato Music and how composers can submit music.
- Inside the Production Music Industry with Taz Mattar: A Library Insider's Guide to Getting Your Music Placed Cavendish Music's Taz Mattar on how production libraries work, what's in demand, how to pitch your music, common mistakes and realistic income timelines.
- TMCP 054: Exclusive VS Non Exclusive Contracts · Podcast The pros and cons of exclusive and non-exclusive music library contracts, and why an exclusive deal offered early on isn't always the best thing for you.
- TMCP 055: A Discussion about Royalty Free Music and Buyouts · Podcast A podcast episode on how royalty free music libraries and buyouts work for composers, their pros and cons, and how to decide if that path suits you.
- The honest truth about production music income in 2026 (with real numbers from my career) 15 years of real PRS and MCPS royalty figures from a working composer, how production music really pays and the stories behind the top ten tracks.
- The Custom Music Survival Guide: How to Beat Burnout, Time Zones, and Unfair Deadlines How to survive custom trailer music work from outside LA: avoiding time zone burnout, choosing fair companies, negotiating deadlines and working fast.
Careers and composers who made it
How I went full time, and how other composers got their break.
- How I became a full time trailer music composer: TMCP 001 · Podcast Richard Pryn's route from guitar-playing teenager and music teacher to full-time trailer composer, and the lessons on curiosity, DAWs and publishers.
- How I'd start a Career as a Composer in 2025 How to start a composing career in 2025: find your biggest creative block, set specific goals with a clear why and build small, achievable daily habits.
- Building a Career as a Trailer Music Composer with Chris Davey · Podcast Chris Davey on going from part-time labourer to regular trailer placements: making industry contacts, going full-time, signature sounds and his go-to gear.
- Landing a Star Wars Placement at 17 with Jiri Nemec · Podcast How Jiri Nemec landed a Star Wars trailer placement at 17: learning from YouTube, self-set deadlines, beating the inner critic and the plugins he uses.
- Getting Your First Big Placement With Dave Carr · Podcast Composer Dave Carr, Richard Pryn's first ever student, on his journey to his first big placement, his take on focus and work ethic, and his plugins.
- How to start your trailer music career, avoiding burnout, and landing placements with Sigurd Jøhnk-Jensen · Podcast Trailer and video game composer Sigurd Jøhnk-Jensen on starting a trailer music career, landing placements, avoiding burnout and work-life balance.
- Recording an Orchestra at Abbey Road - Lessons learnt Six lessons from recording trailer cues with live strings and brass at Abbey Road Studio 2, from using expression and playability to simple writing.
From the podcast
I've hosted The Trailer Music Composer's Podcast since 2019. These are the interviews with people who shaped the industry.
- TMCP 040: A Conversation With Immediate Music's Jeff Fayman · Podcast Richard Pryn talks to Jeff Fayman, founder of Immediate Music and one of the pioneers of trailer music, on The Trailer Music Composer's Podcast.
- TMCP 056: John Hanson of Confidential Music Part One · Podcast Confidential Music composer John Hanson on his choir beginnings, how he came to intern for Klaus Badelt at Remote Control and his process for composing.
- TMCP 027: Becoming a Successful Composer with Vikram Gudi · Podcast Vikram Gudi, founder of Elephant Music and Mammoth Audio, talks about his path, the Density instrument, what clients want and advice for trailer composers.
- TMCP 022: A Conversation With Ciaran Birch · Podcast Ciaran Birch on leaving accountancy, scoring the Avengers: Endgame custom, writing act three first, building industry relationships and go-to libraries.
- TMCP 021: A Conversation With Cody Still · Podcast Trailer composer Cody Still shares his path from the Apple Store to full-time composing, plus his writing process, mixing tips and favourite plugins.
- TMCP 041 Homemade Instruments, Contact mics and Sound Design With Si Begg · Podcast Composer Si Begg, whose placements include Jason Bourne and A Quiet Place 2, on his trailer writing process, sound design and scoring feature films.
- Christian Henson on the origins of Spitfire Audio, dealing with anxiety & the secret to his productivity · Podcast Christian Henson on how he got into composing, the origins of Spitfire Audio, living with anxiety and his approach to productivity as a working composer.
Learn it properly
The free articles cover the ideas. The courses show you every step in my sessions, from beginner to full trailer cues.
Trailer · Beginner Trailer Music for Beginners
Everything you need to start writing trailer music, from what a trailer cue actually is to sketching, finishing and mixing your first track, using only free tools.
Trailer · Beginner Trailer Music Essentials
The foundations every trailer composer needs. Bring MIDI to life, build tension and dynamics, and turn a simple chord sequence into a full track.
Trailer · All levels The Trailer Music Course
My flagship course. Compose, produce, mix and master a complete three-act trailer cue, with a mixing and mastering masterclass from Toby Mason.
Trailer · All levels Hybrid Trailer Music
Almost 17 hours on hybrid trailer music. Build your sound palette, write a full cue from scratch, then mix it in a masterclass with Taz Mattar.
Sound design · Intermediate Action Sound Design
Learn to build explosive action sound design cues from scratch, with pings, risers, braaams and action drums, then see a demo become a published track.
Bundle · Beginner Trailer Music Foundations
Trailer Music for Beginners, The Trailer Music Course and Trailer Music Essentials together: everything you need to write your first trailer cues properly.
Bundle · All levels Trailer Music Master
The complete trailer music bundle. All twelve of my trailer courses, from the basics to hybrid, horror, strings and drums, for less than buying them separately.