Horror trailer - build and trailer elements? (unmixed)

[Pvgeldrop]

Hi everyone,

I've had some returns on trailers over the past two months, mostly citing the following issues:
1. Not enough trailer elements
2. Sounds more like a cue than like a trailer

I've tried to incorporate this feedback into my new trailer track, for the following listing:

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Lots of HORROR/SUSPENSE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS (in a wide range of styles) are needed by a Great Music Licensing Company with lots of Film and TV placements.

This Library is looking for a wide range of Instrumentals in the general stylistic ballpark of the following references:

The Jack In The Box Rises - Official Trailer

Vindicta - Official Trailer

Cobweb - Official Trailer

Please submit a wide range of Horror or Suspense Trailer Instrumentals, full of edge-of-your-seat energy and lots of modern cinematic sounds. Well-crafted arrangements with three "acts" that build to a climactic crescendo are needed for this request. Please craft your pieces with dynamics, interest, and forward momentum by layering sounds in and out as the pieces progress. Instrumentation that stays in the general stylistic ballpark of the references will work best. Combinations of sound design elements, electronic elements, and orchestral elements could all potentially work. Please make sure that any virtual instruments or samples you use are high-quality, modern, and realistic if they are orchestral-based.

NOTE: Atonal and sound-design approaches could work here, as well as more melodic, orchestral-based arrangements with a modern edge. Just make sure there is plenty of suspenseful/horror-filled energy!

Your submissions should be roughly 2.5 to 3 minutes long, give or take. Non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings will work best. Please do NOT copy the referenced artists or songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a guide for tempo, texture, and tone. Do NOT submit any material with unauthorized samples of any other artists’ music, sounds, or any other form of media. Broadcast Quality is needed.

This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal, so please be sure the Instrumentals you pitch for this opportunity are NOT already signed with any other Companies or Catalogs. Any sync fees will be split 50/50 with the Company. You'll get 100% of the Writer's share, and the Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher's share. You must own or control your Masters and Copyright to submit. Please submit as many Instrumentals as you'd like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PDT) on Saturday, May 4th, 2024. TAXI Dispatch # D240504HH

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My track is here: https://on.soundcloud.com/NehixADp5PDWQtD9A

I haven't begun mixing yet, so please ignore any mixing/mastering issues for now. Have I managed to include enough trailer elements, and does it sound like a trailer track instead of a cue? Is the build in act 2 and 3 strong and fast enough? Does it have enough horror energy?

Thank you for any feedback in advance, it is most appreciated.

Paul

[macomposer]

Hi Paul - I like the track! It's starts perfectly. Mix wise, what you have sounds pretty good.

I hear the act structure just fine, but none of them (acts 1, 2, or 3) have enough of a build yet. You've got the low end covered, but I kept waiting for something in the upper registers to grab me, and nothing came. In the first act, you have too many 4s happening with not enough building intensity (4s = four bar phrases). It is building, but not quite strong enough in the way that I hear with other trailer tracks.

I think you have enough trailer elements... but I WAS wanting to hear some string ostinati appear. And the right pattern would fit what you wrote to a tee and quickly amp up the energy level. And yes, it could use a bit more sound design fx, which you hear all over the place specifically in horror trailers.

To me right now, I would say it's 60% trailer/40% cue. If you fill out the upper ends and maybe add even more breakpoints with some horror-specific sound design fx, you will be very close I think.

All the best,
Mark

[Pvgeldrop]

Hi Mark,

Appreciate the feedback! I was not going to add any strings originally (didn't want to go for the orchestral sound), but in retrospect, that may have been in error, so I'll start adding that and some more sound design.

Thanks again!

Paul

[Pvgeldrop]

Hi Paul - I like the track! It's starts perfectly. Mix wise, what you have sounds pretty good.

I hear the act structure just fine, but none of them (acts 1, 2, or 3) have enough of a build yet. You've got the low end covered, but I kept waiting for something in the upper registers to grab me, and nothing came. In the first act, you have too many 4s happening with not enough building intensity (4s = four bar phrases). It is building, but not quite strong enough in the way that I hear with other trailer tracks.

I think you have enough trailer elements... but I WAS wanting to hear some string ostinati appear. And the right pattern would fit what you wrote to a tee and quickly amp up the energy level. And yes, it could use a bit more sound design fx, which you hear all over the place specifically in horror trailers.

To me right now, I would say it's 60% trailer/40% cue. If you fill out the upper ends and maybe add even more breakpoints with some horror-specific sound design fx, you will be very close I think.

All the best,
Mark

I've created a new version, with added strings and sound design. It's still unmixed, but curious if I've managed to get it closer to a trailer track instead of a cue: https://on.soundcloud.com/43D7FtstirqhMFhK8
Thanks in advance!

[macomposer]

Hi Paul,

This is better!! It's sounding more and more like a trailer. Act 1 to me is pretty much done, and Act 2 has more intensity. The strings are great! The ostinato isn't the regularly typical ones that we hear, so that's good - it sounds fresh to my ears.

Act 3 still needs more though. The intensity level between 2 and 3 sounded about the same. If you can kick it up in Act 3, I think this one will be finished compositionally. The one element I'm not hearing that you could add in the 3rd is Brass. 12 horns in the back with maybe a distant staccato trumpet... just spitballing. Another way of thinking about it is that there's something missing in the upper mids or in the foreground of the orchestra. Mid and backgrounds are great, but you need something that's foregrounded in the upper mids (the percussion is foregrounded in the lows already).

It's a really good piece, and it's getting there.

All the best,
- Mark

[Pvgeldrop]

Hi Mark,

Thanks! Instead of brass, I used braams to add more to act 3, and did a first mix. Curious to hear what you think! Track is here: https://on.soundcloud.com/16Xhzn3rBj3kpxwh9

Best wishes,

Paul

[macomposer]

Yep! That's it!

Congrats Paul - I think that one is done....

Maybe put it aside for a day or so and then listen back to see if you hear anything else you want to add, and if not, it's off to finalize the mix.

I can hear that you're not trying to do many of the cliches that you hear in this style of music, and I commend you for that. (It's something I'm working to get better at myself.) What you have sounds great!

I wish you the best with it. Now, just write 11 more and you have an album. (Easy, right???)

All the best,
- Mark