How To Write Like John Williams! Secrets of Film Scoring Part 1 

This is a fantastic video! As a young composer, I've been trying to figure out what I can do to improve my sound, and these seem like trivial things yet I didn't know any of these techniques! Thank you!

John Williams is an absolutely brilliant composer. I love his arrangements and melodies. Thanks Rick for this lesson. You're the man!

As a self-taught composer and amateur filmmaker, I really appreciate this channel. I've watched a few of your videos now and they are frankly much more interesting and easy to follow than any of the music theory books I've (attempted) to work through. Thanks!

Thank you so much Rick. I have been trying to figure out all of these cool 'moves' that John Williams uses, and you summarised some of them so beautifully here. Please continue enriching the world! Thank you :)

The cool thing about the two major triads a tritone apart is that they are basically a really cool voicing of a 7 (b9 #11) chord. For example, take the one that you did with Bb and E. The notes are Bb, D, F, G# (the 7) B (the b9) and E (the #11). This kind of thing is why I really enjoy your videos, because the theory that you teach is multi-layered, not just simple 101 stuff.

Great vid. I actually think Alan Silvestri employs these techniques more than anyone else, though...especially in the 90's.

thank you. May the Force Be With You.

Lydian progression is also very Alan Sivestri...

Oh my, what musical gifts you have! Wow! Kudos for using your gifts and sharing with those of us less gifted.

Great deconstruction. I graduated from college as a music major (even though I went into a different field). At 5:00, yes I DO know that progression from the great Bernard Herrmann. John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith both knew Herrmann and they were able to do their own spin on those progressions. Superb job!

I spent my younger years figuring out all these harmonic combinations, so this wasn't new info for me... YET, I watched the entire thing and enjoyed every minute of it! Thanks Rick! Great stuff!

This is tremendously helpful. I've forgotten half of the stuff I've learned and sometimes feel like I'm stuck using the same techniques over and over. Thanks for those master classes!!!!

I'm kind of binging your film scoring playlist.I'm learning so much and definitely incorporating these things into my own music. I'm a student in SUNY Fredonia learning composition and I'd really love to be a film composer.

Watching this video and the part where you talked about the chords clashing made me realize that it's actually a gift to have emotional regulation issues because it could lead to fantastic music.

that D (pedal) with D and E always sounded "American" sophisticated to me. I hear it a lot in films, but also musicals... go listen to "tonight" from west side story!

superb lesson mr Beato. I hear that shostakovich, mahler, wagner, used allot of these techniques as well. the more I study about composition the more I understand the importance of ear training. It is no use hearing a symphony in your head if you cannot write it down!

It's incredible just how much depth can be found in simple harmonic movements between triads. I've been stuck in a diatonic way of thinking for so much of my life, this video is a great primer to expanding past that way of thinking.

Hey im a highschool student taking music theory classes and this really makes the class more fun thank you.

Amazing video!!!!! Where's part two?!? I'd love a whole series of these. Would watch you break down any composer

This is fantastic! I've use a couple of these tricks in compositions, but I had to hunt and peck quite a bit to find them. I can't wait to start applying these ideas. Thank you so much for sharing!

This video is invaluable, so very simple yet it holds the key to many doors. Thanks Rick, I have been watching a lot of your videos lately, especially those around music for film. I've watched this particular video somewhere between 5 and 10 times, finally got around to actually writing this stuff down :D I came to this channel with a slight knowledge of music and the modes from my studies on the bass guitar. You've really managed to set out these ideas in a way that I feel I can take and make my own, and I did not feel that way before. One person's musical journey changed for the better, thanks and keep going! :)

Man i am truly grateful to you since there are not so much people sharing their knowledge to get better at songwriting and filmscoring. Keep this nice work, your just earned a new fan

Amazing! Rick, your videos are absolutely blowing my mind! Thank you so much for the information and the inspiration. Can't wait to integrate this into my playing and writing 😁

this is so informative and inspirational. Thank you, Rick!

I used to be very happy to find this video channel-channel.I wanted to thanks on your time for this wonderful learn!! I undoubtedly enjoying each little bit of it and Ive you bookmarked to take a look at new stuff you youtube channel post.

Always interesting to see that Holst used many of these progressions long before Williams and other film music composers. Thanks for this - as always - very instructive video!

this is like those shows that reveal secrets of the great magicians.

Love this. Been experimenting with film score style improvs. This helps me to think every deeper into the possibilities

This is utterly fantastic Rick! You present it great, deliver amazing intel and make that discovery of a new world a lot of fun. Many, many, many thanks for this!

Thanks so much Rick! Bought Nuryl for my newborn, and went to school for composing music. All your ideas & videos are so inspiring, thank you for sharing your knowledge 🙏🏼 love it!

This has to be the best channel ever! Thanks Rick for the work you put into the videos.

Great explanation. Makes me want to go back and listen to the John Williams soundtracks again. As someone else mentioned, some very simple ideas but ones that I didn't know. Some great ideas for building a tool box of chord changes to use in various situations. Thanks again.

This is amazing. I wish you did courses for film scoring. Thank you so much.

If you wrote a book about chords working together and moving around like at 9:50, I would pay my kidney for it haha SO COOL

Fantastic videos you make Rick. I had kind of given up on music theory but after I found your channel there is hope again. Thank you so very much for sharing these wonderful and inspiring videos.

This popped up for me today, 2021, and all I could think was contest using all the techniques!

John Williams is a genius, thank you for this lesson 🙏

Such a helpful video! Thank you very much for taking the time to do this. Would love to see a video like this in the style of John Barry! Thank you again!

Thanks a lot for your videos! I'm pretty new to orchestral composition, so this is very helpful for me.

Please do Part II to this video. Great information here. All pretty basic stuff, but just seeing all this information in one place, at one time, is fantastic!

I'm so glad i stumbled upon your site Rick. This is excellent work, very helpful and informative. I can't wait to watch and learn from your other videos. Thanks!

Thanks a lot for your great video and channel, Rick!!!

Way back in the late 60s when he was known as Johnny Williams and he was writing the incidental music for Lost in Space he wrote a piece called Sinfonietta for Winds. It's very different to any of the music he wrote for film and for my money a lot more interesting.

Williams really loves that Major 1 to Major 2/1 bass, lydian thing. Off the top of my head, I can think of 4 pieces where he pulled that trick. He also pulls the Major 1 to Minor 4(6th)/1 trick a lot, and I noticed you didn't mention that one. He always made it work though, so I can't even complain... I just think it's fun to analyze the trends

Amazing video, gained one more subscriber!

Thanks a lot Mr. Beato! Its is a very gentle gift from you.

we want the part 2! Your lessons are awesome, thanks Rick!

Wow, I never learned so much in ten minutes! Thank you sir!

Right from the beginning, this video is full of goodies. Thanks Rick :)

Great video Rick - the sound gets epic so quicckly! Also, 5:29 Sounds like Watcher of the Skies - Tony Banks of Genesis 1972/73 especially the live version. I could "hear" the next chord coming too.

Thank you so much for your videos! I always gain something from each and everyone of them. Do you think you could do a video on how John Williams writes for woodwinds please? Have a wonderful day!

Great video, can't wait for part two. Also would it be possible to eventually future down the road discuss composers such as Chopin, Mahler, or Tchaikovsky for an example. I feel these composers and others in the Romantic era use more complex chromaticism and seem to get away with bending the more common style of music progression yet make it work in genius ways.

Hi Rick - thanks for all the great videos! Not sure if it was in this video or another (I've been binging) but at one point you mentioned JW's use of Maj 7th chords in 3rd inversion, with the minor second interval on the bottom giving the triad more bite. I've seen it all over his scores myself, and I love the sound. I'm wondering if you'd be able to expand on that in a future video - maybe talking about how best to use it, pitfalls to avoid (i.e. how to avoid it sounding dissonant), ranges where it's effective, which sections can pull it off (I always associate it with high brass), etc. Thanks again!

Though it's something which may be easily overlooked, I think John Williams always has a strong rhythmic component to his music, it often plays a very significant role in many of his works; The Jaws main theme, Raider's march, Superman march, Imperial march and 1941 march are only a few prominent examples, but it can really be seen/heard throughout most of his work; Home Alone, E.T., Seven Years in Tibet, even the NBC news Mission themes all have very driving, propulsive rhythms.

Thanks Rick, I am just starting to get into film score, and this explanation is very helpful. Looking forward to more videos!

That first piece of music you played reminded me of something out of the original "Moses".

Thanks for all the videos.. very helpful. and well explained.

Finally! The video that I wanted to hear before I died! I can die happy now.

This is amazing, I really admire your work and I'm so grateful, keep up! I'm recomending you to all of my friends

Thanks Rick! I just saw your channel, Im taking notes on all of your videos! Thanks for the knowledge!

Wow, thanks for making the video! I find it interesting that the G min to E maj progression is very similar to the tritone progression Bb maj to E maj. There is only one note different in those two progressions.

you are the best teacher ever thank you sir!

I love this. I'm learning a lot with 2nd half of video. I like how organized you make it

Would love to hear you analyze Watcher of the Skies.....

This is fantastic, Rick. Thank you for your videos.

Hi Rick, another new subscriber here. Just wanted to say thanks for this, I've loved Williams' work since I was a kid but have never analysed it quite like this. Fascinating stuff. I'll add my voice to those already keen to see a similar look taken at Jerry Goldmith's style too! I'd realised quite a while ago that Williams seemed to have drawn a huge amount of inspiration from Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World". It wasn't until you pointed out those tri-tone separated major chords that Williams is fond of that I clicked to them being the exact same interval that starts the New World's 2nd movement however :) Anyway, thanks again. Great stuff.

Shit! John Williams Busted ! May your light continue to shine Sir Rick! Ive been following your videos for over a month now ! its really demystifying more than regulars! Never have I seen music stuff this detailed and yet simple ! I dream of meeting you in person someday ! All I can say for now is Thank you Thank you Thank you

Wow! Spooky how often these devices pop up in his music. Great video.

I love the Raiders of the Lost Arc soundtrack so much.

Such a great video! Going to try some of this out! Thank you rick!

Love the piano statement at the start - who and what is that? Apart from that - thanks for your great, informative clip - looking forward to part 2.

Thank you so much for this. Just getting into your videos... I'd love to see one about epic progressions as used in many trailers or heroic cues. Thanks!

mr beato is a genius, absolute genius. this is high level stuff translated for average players like me. he knows chords and notes immediately upon hearing them, perfect pitch, supreme knowledge in musical theory. thanks mr beato i watch all your videos, you are simply too good. keep it up, you make me a better player

Thank you for making all these videos, it's amazing.

Ho can anyone gives this thumbs down? This is totally free info, concisely presented to someone who isn't a total beginner, but new to this discipline. Thanks!

This is really great! Please do more analysis videos like this. You could do loads just on John Williams countless scores.

Thank you so much for your videos. Greetings from France

These are the most informative music theory videos I've ever seen on youtube!

The Accidental Tourist Main Title from J Williams is incredible and would be great to see it analyzed! I can enjoy it but not fully grasp what's happening there...

As weird as it sounds, I became familiar with these kinds of harmonic ideas because of Nirvana and Nobuo Uematsu's music. Good video!

Still my favourite video. Thanks

This is wonderful. I wish I could see where you're putting your fingers better.

Nicely explained! Enjoying the videos. Great work!

Very inspiring and amazing video, and a great motivation to compose something right now!

These videos are great! Would love to see some on other composers like Hans Zimmer.

This is not to diminish John Williams' abilities, but he always works with orchestrators, Herbert W. Spencer in this case.

Thank you Rick! We wait for part two!

Loved this...excellent...thanks, Rick!!! 💗💗💗

Great information! Also, cool magic shorts change at 1:29 :D

Just found your channel, what a wealth of knowledge, thanks for making these videos!

Amazing video, Rick! Thanks for sharing this!

Thank you very much! I would still like to see a comparison of John Williams to John Barry. They're my two favorite movie composers.

Rick, I just found your page. Love it! How about analysis of Jethro Tull and James Horner? And while you're at it, Beethoven! Wish I had music teachers like you when I was a kid!

I see some comments saying that in essence all John Williams did was steal, or even plagiarize, Holst's Planets. (I'm positive Rick Beato would disagree.) Let's say John Williams instead recast bits from Beethoven or Tchaikovsky. There is no way he could pass that off as his own, and no one who knows a little classical music would say he was stealing or plagiarizing, because they all recognize where it is from. Using does not equal plagiarizing. So I guess people think that doesn't apply to Holst's Planets, because maybe it was some kind of obscure work of an esoteric, forgotten composer. Even if that were true (!), which it isn't, astrology was a huge thing in the hippy era (somewhat preceding the release of Star Wars), and any kind of musical tie-in with astrology was featured on many albums. My memory is that recordings of Holst's Planets were everywhere. But even if they weren't, no orchestra missed issuing a rendition of Planets when Star Wars became the smash hit it was, to trade off the movie. John Williams was NOT attempting to pass off anything from Planets as his own. If anything, John Williams made the sound of a Twentieth Century classical composer beloved to mass audiences of the young (when ordinarily they hate even Tchaikovsky), an impossible miracle. Those sounds were transformed from being clashing, jarring, abrupt, un-harmonic gibberish to gaining meaning within the context of a Star Wars scene.

Wonderful. Thanks!

Thank you for all the hard work and knowledge on this videos! Would be awesome if you did one on Alexandre Desplat. Mainly the theme in me magoriums wonder emporium. His compositions are so rich and full of color.

Thanks for this tutorial, it's awesome!

That was a beautiful presentation! Thanks!

thank you so much for being helpful.

This is great stuff. I watch a lot computer related music tutorials and videos but stepping outside to look at some music theory does really help. Great work Rick. You got in me a subscriber and a fan :-D