Advanced Techniques with Rhythm and Meter in Film Music

Write memorable, meaningful music with classic rhythmic techniques.

Copyright Notice

Lifetime Access

No need to rush through the course. Take the time you need to learn the material thoroughly.

Site Forums

Get answers to your questions, share your compositions, and talk with your peers.

Quick References

Review courses quickly and easily with summary notes on key points and details.

$129 USD $119 USD
Duration: 5 Hrs 24 Min

Enroll In Course
Watch Preview
Watch Overview

Discover rhythmic techniques from some of the best-known themes in film, learn a wealth of techniques for irregular meters from classic blockbuster films, and see how meter combines with mode and tempo to create emotional associations from Hollywood’s best composers!

  1. Memorable Rhythms in the First 2 Bars of Themes
    • Cell Repetition with Divider
    • Cell Repetition with Variation
    • Embedded Cell Repetition
  2. Creating Meaning with Hemiola
    • Overview – Hemiola vs. Syncopation
    • Confident
    • Emphatic Cadence
    • Light-Hearted Action
    • Antagonist
    • Overview – Intensifying Expressions with Displaced Hemiola
  3. Modern Theme Rhythms: The “Bump” and “Run-Up”
    • The Strong-Weak Bump
    • Bump with Decorated Strong Beat
    • The Strong-Beat Run-Up

  1. Irregular Meters Used Singly
    • 2-Beat Times (in 5)
    • 3-Beat Times (in 7, 8)
  2. 4 or More Beats in Irregular Patterns
    • Regular + Irregular: The Early Beat
    • Regular + Irregular: The Late Beat
    • Large Irregular Meters
  3. Other Techniques with Irregular Meters
    • Mixed Irregular Meters
    • Accelerating the Meter
    • Making Repetitions Unpredictable
  1. A Few Preliminaries
    • On Associations in General
    • Expressing Compound and Triple Time
  2. Slow Compound Time
    • Sorrow
    • Mystery
  3. Fast Compound Time
    • Strength, Power
    • Success, Succeeding
    • Light-Hearted Adventure
    • Sinister
  4. Triple Time
    • Comfort, Love, Bonding
    • Tragic Fate

Coming Soon

Action Music 3 – Coming Soon!

Learn how dissonant tonal action chords are used when freed from the context of a scale, and which dissonant-bass chords and polychords appear most often, all supported by dozens of examples from classic blockbuster films.

Notify Me When Available

Other Courses

The octatonic scale is one of the most commonly-used resources in classic action music. Learn the power of its versatility in these three lessons.

Learn More

Learn the most common harmonies for the other two action scales of hexatonic and Hungarian minor. Then see how scales interact with planing and how octatonic, hexatonic, and Hungarian minor scales combine in sophisticated action music.

Learn More

By studying many of the greatest themes to come out of Hollywood, this three-lesson course will teach you the most common harmonic progressions in Hollywood film music and the emotional and musical associations they tend to have. Learn how to use harmony to evoke the perfect emotions in your themes!

Learn More

Join Our Mailing List

Receive an email when a new course or blog post becomes available.

By subscribing, you agree with our Privacy Policy.

Scroll to Top