Suppose you’ve seen movies like Sherlock Holmes, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Lion King. In addition to the great stories, another factor that undoubtedly turned them into absolute classics is, of course, the score.
The film score enhances the viewers’ emotions by creating an aural mood for every scene, accompanied by sound effects. And it is what Hans Zimmer is known to be best at. He is a renowned expert in the industry when it comes to film scoring.
If you have a basic knowledge and background in film scoring and composing music and want to elevate your skills and be a better composer, Hans Zimmer’s
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Check out this Hans Zimmer
Who is Hans Zimmer
If you haven’t heard the name, we’ll let his work speak for himself.
As mentioned earlier, Hans Zimmer is a German music composer who’s been in the industry for 45 years. He is a recognized personality in music production and film scoring and won multiple awards for his art. Those include:
- Academy Award for Best Original Score (2022. 1995)
- Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Score (2022, 2001, 1995)
- Satellite Award for Best Original Score (2022. 2010, 2004)
- BAFTA Award for Best Original Score (2022)
- Saturn Award for Best Music (2011, 2009)
- Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (2009, 1996)
- American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album (1995)
- Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Music in a Feature Production (2017, 2009)
- Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals (1995)
- Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Score (2022, 2001)
- American Music Award for Favorite Soundtrack (2001)
- ASCAP Film and Television Music Award for Top Box Office Films (2006, 2003)
- Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children (1995)
- BMI Film Music Award (2003)
- Classic Brit Award for Composer of the Year (2013)
- Echo Award for Best Music Film (1994)
- Classic Brit Award for Soundtrack of the Year (2009)
- Classic Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music (2013)
Out of over a hundred plus music compositions, some of his legendary film scores (apart from those listed above) are Interstellar, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, Crimson Tide, Gladiator, and The Last Samurai.
His passionate work ethic, excellent versatility, and record-making style capture every viewer’s heart and give substance to every movie he’s worked on. Thus, making him stand out and giving him the credibility to teach hopeful beginners and even professionals.
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Overview of the Class
Yes, there are hundreds of classes that you can acquire online. So, what makes this course outstanding? What can you expect when you enroll in this class?
The Hans Zimmer
- Introduction
In this video, Hans Zimmer tells his journey in the music industry and what he did wrong so you, as a starting aspirant, won’t do the same things.
- Themes
In the themes section, you’ll be given tips and tricks in film scoring while preserving your own style.
- Story
In this section, Hans shared how he grasped the idea of making the film score for Interstellar. He explains that the first step was talking to the film director and asking about the story’s depth. If others would relay what Interstellar is about, they’d probably say, “It’s about space.” However, Christopher Nolan, the movie’s director, told Hans that it’s about a father’s love for his children. That said, knowing the film’s story is essential before the composition starts.
- Directors: Part 1
It’s all about talking to the right people and the production team and how to navigate potential conflicts of vision.
- Directors: Part 2
Learning to have an effective conversation with the director.
- Directors: Part 3
He also discussed what attributes a great director possesses and what level of relationship the director and the composer should have to develop the best film score.
- Sound Palettes
This part is about finding inspiration and creating a sound palette for every movie.
- Creating with Synths
This part of the lesson is focused on the importance of using synthesizers. Yes, instruments are essential, but manipulating them to create an abstract sound is important to give that new flavor and matching feels to the film.
- Scoring to Picture
In this section, Hans explains why a film score should complement the story in the best way possible. Plus, he also shares when and when not to incorporate music. Sometimes, it’s best to leave a part quiet and let the audience’s emotions prevail.
- Scoring Under Dialogue
Yes, incorporating music is vital. But it’s crucial to know sound perspective. This means learning to use an assortment of microphones, allowing the dialogue to prevail.
- Tempo
Ensure to be working with the editor very well, as they help you recognize the tempo of a particular scene.
- Tempo: Sherlock Holmes Scene
To put this in a bubble, Hans talks about the importance of tempo and music speed. He also explained how he scored a complicated scene from Sherlock Holmes.
- Music Diary: Sherlock Holmes
Hans emphasized that writing a film score for a specific movie doesn’t happen overnight. Excellent music composition comes from a series of thoughts written in his music diary.
- Character
Another essential thing to consider when making a film score is the story’s main character and what is happening in the scene.
- Character Theme: Batman
- Character Theme: The Joker
- Character Theme: Jack Sparrow
Hans Zimmer explained how he managed to pull off a well-edited film score in these three outstanding films.
- Case Study: Frost/Nixon
The movie Frost/Nixon shows that a score can be minimal but still come out beautiful.
- Case Study: The Dark Knight
Remember the boat scene from the Dark Knight? Learn how he accentuated the tension.
- Working With Musicians
Great music also needs great musicians, which is precisely what he points out in this section.
- Working With Musicians: The Orchestra – Part 1
It’s best to earn your musicians’ respect to work with them effectively.
- Working With Musicians: The Orchestra – Part 2
How to get the best performance from your musicians? Learn that here.
- Feedback & Revisions
Excellence isn’t always promised on the first try. There will be times when you need to revise a non-working piece to develop a better one.
- Audience Feedback
Hans also uses his audience’s feedback and assesses if the score is working or not.
- Writing Tips: Part 1
Hans shares some tips on effectively writing music.
- Writing Tips: Part 2
Here, Hans talks about creativity and how one should never numb it.
- Hans’ Journey
Hans was originally a radio star but became a renowned film composer as he pursued his dream. Here, you will find out about his journey on the way to the pedestal.
- Learning by Listening
A music composer should always have the ears to listen and identify whether a piece is working.
- Life of a Composer: Part 1
Never give up. That’s what Han’s story as a composer is all about.
- Life of a Composer: Part 2
How did he end up a composer? Here, you will find out what inspired him.
- Closing
The final words from the master as you move along your next steps to success.
Keep note that it’s best to weigh the reality and assess if this course would work for you or not. Here’s a quick summary of the pros and cons of Hans Zimmer’s
Pros
- The teacher is a legend in the field of film scoring.
- You’ll see some of his exclusive works from his past projects.
- It feels like a documentary.
- It’s a lengthy journey, covering many areas, including composing, working with other people, and more.
Cons
- Not a how-to guide but more of an inspiration, principles, and guidelines in film scoring.
- Hard to follow for beginners but a bit easy for professionals.
- Hans’ thoughts and explanations can sometimes be hard to follow.
Who is This Class for
Hans Zimmer
- A Hans Zimmer Fan
- Someone who’s into electronic music composition and production and wants to venture out into a different genre
- An aspirant who wants to level up their skill and talent in film scoring.
On the other hand, this might not work for you if:
- You’re not interested in this line of industry.
- You don’t have an idea or even a little knowledge about film scoring.
How Much Does the Class Cost
Masterclass offers unlimited access to all the classes offered on the website under the three plan options:
- The Individual Plan
- One device can access the platform.
- You cannot download videos and workbooks for offline viewing.
- The Duo Plan
- Two devices can access the website.
- You can download video lessons and a pdf workbook.
- The Family Plan
- Six devices can access the website, which is ideal for family use.
- You can download the video lessons and pdf workbooks.
Subscribing to any of these plans entitles all members to enjoy classes taught by professionals in numerous fields. Along with the videos are pdf workbooks which you can also download later.
Aside from that, they also offer a refund policy within 30 days of subscription. That’s if you don’t like the course (which might very seldomly happen).