Orchestration Odyssey

Real Students

Students who worked with Dan

Maple ColossusReleased Summer.exe
SkiazoReleased Zappy Corridors
Nine Times AliveReleased Second Thoughts
MaitokouReleased Snow and Reprieve
Felix LyroReleased Crumbling Ruins
BeancentReleased Electromagnetism

These are Best Music Coach coaching clients, who worked with a coach one to one and in small groups. They are coaching results, not reviews of this course. Faces, names and results as published on bestmusiccoach.com/results.

What You Get

Everything you need to turn MIDI sketches into full orchestral game music

About 2 hours 19 minutes of video lessons
43 lessons, in order
Real AAA-level examples broken down on screen
The What then How framework
Lessons on every section of the orchestra
Lifetime access, come back any time
Instant access by email the moment you check out

Start today, keep it for life

Level	Intermediate
Format	Online video course, self-paced
Video lessons	About 2 hours 19 minutes
Lessons	43 lessons
Access	Lifetime access
Delivery	Instant access by email, nothing ships
Price	~~$300.00~~ $255.00 one-time payment, 15% off until Oct 31, 11:59 pm ET
Refunds	All sales are final on this course. Refund policy

The Problem

This is for you if…

Struggle with music theory, so you copy chords from YouTube and hope it sounds “orchestral.”
Get stuck in the ideas phase. You have riffs, loops, and 8 bars, but almost no finished, polished pieces.
Feel lost in mixing and polishing. Everything turns to mush when you add more instruments.
Not really understand how to create emotion, you just throw in strings and hope it feels epic.
Feel overwhelmed by VSTs and tools, unsure what to actually use to get a legit sound.
You sit down to compose and your ideas feel flat and “basic.” You keep thinking “real composers just know this stuff,” and you are constantly second guessing every note.

Orchestration Odyssey solves that by giving you the orchestral language and framework to turn ideas into finished game music.

Where you are now

Or you are in one of these three spots

Even if you would never use these labels, Orchestration Odyssey was built for this exact kind of composer.

You want proof you can compose.

You have never finished a full track you are proud of, or have never composed at all.

You love game music and you have a day job, but no proof you can actually compose.

Your orchestral sound is not consistent yet.

You have finished tracks, maybe posted on YouTube or SoundCloud, but your work feels “MIDI and messy” compared to the music in your head.

You cannot get to polished orchestral sound reliably.

You are nervous you missed your shot.

You composed music before, then life happened. You lost momentum, the tools changed, AI exploded, and now you are nervous you missed your shot.

If that is you, Orchestration Odyssey was built for you.

What It Is

Speak orchestra and build full textures in your DAW

Orchestration Odyssey is a focused course that does two things for you:

Teaches you to speak “orchestra” so AAA breakdowns finally make sense. You will understand what real game and film composers mean when they talk about strings, winds, brass, percussion, voicings and textures.So you can study any score and actually learn from it.
Shows you how to turn sketches into full orchestral textures inside your DAW. You will learn to use VSTs as a creative playground, not a prison.You are not limited by what a single human player could do, and your powerful textures still feel musical.

You will learn

Five tools that make your orchestra sound real

01 · Orchestra

The orchestra in modern game music

The four main sections of the orchestra and how they really sound in modern game music.

02 · Layers

Foreground, middleground, background

Foreground, middleground, background, so your mix has depth instead of chaos.

03 · Roles

Instrument roles

The core “roles” any instrument can play, like primary melody, counter melody, punctuation, sustained and figured harmonic support, rhythmic support, and special effects.

04 · Framework

What then How

The What then How framework, first you sketch the composition, then you orchestrate, so you stop getting lost tweaking instruments before the music actually works.

05 · Polish

Ear candy final pass

How to do an “ear candy” pass that turns an eight out of ten idea into a ten out of ten track.

You will also see real AAA level examples broken down on screen, and translate them straight into your own DAW sessions.

So this is not theory for theory’s sake. It is composing music that sounds like the games you love.

Outcomes

You want orchestral game music that feels real.

You want undeniable proof that you can do this, not more half finished sessions.

What you want

Be known for an original sound, not just “generic epic strings.”
Give people the same emotions you feel when you listen to your favorite game soundtracks.
Have one of your tracks in a game, with your name in the credits, and people saying “I did not know you could do that.”
Release tracks on your own YouTube or Spotify, and have them hold up against the games you love.
Build a life where composing is a real, money making skill, not a guilty secret on your hard drive.
Create music that makes players lean forward in their chair and say “ooooh.”

What you build

Have multiple short orchestral cues or one larger piece fully orchestrated, not just piano sketches.
Know how to take a melody from start to finish before you touch orchestration, so you never “skip leg day” again.
Be able to listen to game scores and instantly hear foreground, middleground, background and the roles each section is playing.
Have a repeatable checklist for going from melody, to sketch, to full orchestration, to ear candy final pass.
Feel confident opening your DAW, picking instruments, and building textures that create real emotion.

Your Path

The bridge from a loop to a full scene

Orchestration Odyssey is the bridge between “I can compose a loop” and “I can build a full scene.” It slots into your path like this:

01

You have ideas and basic composing ability.

02

Orchestration Odyssey gives you the orchestral language and framework.

03

Our broader Video Game Music systems help you ship tracks, build a portfolio, and land gigs.

If you want game music to be more than a hobby, this course is the orchestration piece you have been missing.

How To Start

Start in three steps

Step 01

Buy the course

Click Buy Now and pay once through secure checkout.

Step 02

Check your email

Your course access arrives by email the moment you check out.

Step 03

Start with the orchestra

Learn the four sections, then orchestrate your own sketch.

Full Curriculum

Preview the steps to turn MIDI sketches into full orchestral game music

The first 20 of 43 lessons.

Expand to see the full curriculum

Introduction to Orchestration2 Topics

Intro
VST Sets You Free

String Section

String Section Roundup3 Topics

Construction
The Bow
Bowing Notation

Violin Family4 Topics

Violin
Viola
Cello
Bass (Upright Bass/Contrabass)

Orchestral Strings Techniques and Articulations26 Topics

Col Lengo Battuto
Col Lengo Tratto
Double, Triple Stops
Détaché
Glissando
Harmonics
Harmonics (Natural)
Harmonics (Artificial)
Legato
Marcato
Mutes
Pizzicato
Pizzicato (Left Hand)
Pizzicato (Snap)
Portamento
Portato
Ricochet
Scordatura
Spiccato
Staccato
Staccato (Slurred)
Sul Ponticello
Sul Tasto
Tremolos
Trills
Vibrato

Orchestral Strings Extended Techniques10 Topics

Chop
Other Side Of The Bridge
Pizzicato (Above Nut)
Scratch Tone
Harmonics (Double Harmonics)
Harmonics (Subharmonics)
Multiphonics
Tailpiece
Tapping
White Noise

Woodwinds

Woodwinds Section Roundup3 Topics

Woodwind Families
Two Reed or Not Two Reed, That Is The Question
Transposing Instruments

Bassoon Family (High to Low)2 Topics

Basoon
Contrabasoon

Clarinet Family (High to Low)6 Topics

Eb Clarinet
Bb Clarinet
Eb Alto Clarinet
F Basset Horn
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bb Contrabass Clarinet

Flute Family (High to Low)4 Topics

Piccolo
Flute
Flute (Alto Flute)
Flute (Bass Flute)

Oboe Family (High to Low)5 Topics

Oboe
Oboe d’Amore
English Horn
Bass Oboe
Hecklephone

Saxophone Family (High to Low)5 Topics

Soprano Sax (Bb)
Alto Sax (Eb)
Tenor Sax (Bb)
Baritone Sax (Eb)
Bass Sax (Bb)

Woodwinds Techniques and Articulations9 Topics

Glissando
Tonguing (Double Tonguing)
Tonguing (Flutter Tongue)
Tonguing (Slap Tonguing)
Tonguing (Soft Tonguing)
Tremolos
Trills
Staccato
Vibrato

Woodwinds Extended Techniques7 Topics

Circular Breathing
Growl
Microtones
Key Clicks
Tongue Ram
Trills (Timbral Trills)
Whistle Tones (Altissimo)

Brass Instruments

Brass Section Roundup5 Topics

The Harmonic Series 1
The Harmonic Series 2
The Harmonic Series 3
Harmonic Series on Trumpet
Overtones: Timbre

Horn Family2 Topics

Horn
French Horn

Trumpet Family (High to Low)5 Topics

Piccolo Trumpet
Bb Trumpet
Bb Coronet
Bb Flugelhorn
Bass Trumpet

Trombine Family (High to Low)4 Topics

Alto Trombone
Trombone
Tenor Trombone with F Attachment
Bass Trombone

Tuba Family (High to Low)4 Topics

Euphonium
F Tuba
C vs. Bb Tuba
Ophicleide

Brass Mutes8 Topics

Bucket Mute
Cup Mute
Hand
Harmon/Wa-Wa Mute
Plunger
Solotone Mute
Straight Mute
Whispa Mute

Brass Section: Techniques and Articulations7 Topics

Glissando
Forte-Piano
Tonguing
Tonguing (Double Tonguing)
Tonguing (Triple Tonguing)
Tonguing (Flutter Tonguing)
Trills

Plus 23 more lessons inside the course.

Student Stories

Hear what changed for our students

Best Music Coach coaching clients, in their own words.

McCatter, a Best Music Coach coaching client — “It felt like being in a dark room and finally turning on the lights.”

**McCatter** Coaching client

Rhythm Grunt, a Best Music Coach coaching client — “Being able to sit down and create music at professional level quality fills me with a lot more confidence.”

**Rhythm Grunt** Coaching client

Michaël A., a Best Music Coach coaching client — “I was shocked by how much my music evolved in just two weeks.”

**Michaël A.** Coaching client

These are Best Music Coach coaching clients, who worked with a coach one to one and in small groups. They did not buy this course. Quotes, photos, the video as published on bestmusiccoach.com/results.

From Dan's Discord

What clicked for students in Dan's live challenge

Their own posts: screenshots from Dan's Discord.

Post by Windfall in Dan's Discord after his 2-day beginner challenge: It's like the Konami code for music composition! Dan made music composition feel like cheating. It only took... — Windfall, posted in Dan's Discord, August 2025

Post by GrandMasterGlick in Dan's Discord after his 2-day beginner challenge: As someone who is a game developer who is learning music, it has always been a confusing struggle... — GrandMasterGlick, posted in Dan's Discord, August 2025

Post by Phantasmic in Dan's Discord after his 2-day beginner challenge: I have composed for a while however I was never the best at writing melodies, I could never... — Phantasmic, posted in Dan's Discord, August 2025

Post by RedDrgn in Dan's Discord after his 2-day beginner challenge: Dan is the perfect coach to help you get started learning to compose music for gaming, for beginners... — RedDrgn, posted in Dan's Discord, August 2025

Discord posts were made during Dan's live 2-day beginner composing challenge (August 2025), about that challenge. Not reviews of this course. Handles as posted.

Compare

Pick the right course for your next goal

See how Orchestration Odyssey fits next to the courses around it, then pick your next step.

Swipe the table to see every course

	Orchestration OdysseyThis course	Counterpoint Conquest	Instrumental Inspiration	Inspiration to Notation
Best for	Orchestrating game music with VSTs	Adding counter melodies and multi-voice parts	Finishing full instrumental tracks in your DAW	Writing your musical ideas down in notation
Level	Intermediate	Intermediate	Beginner to Intermediate	Beginner to Intermediate
Lessons	About 2 hours 19 minutes of video	About 3 hours 56 minutes of video	About 12 hours 51 minutes of video	About 55 minutes of video
Price	~~$300.00~~ $255.00	~~$300.00~~ $255.00	~~$300.00~~ $255.00	~~$100.00~~ $85.00
Course page	You are here	See the course now	See the course now	See the course now

FAQ

Questions before you buy

How do I get access after I buy?

Click Buy Now and check out. Your course access arrives by email the moment you check out, so you can start lesson 1 today.

What skill level do I need before I join?

If you can open a DAW, load a few instruments, and roughly follow a melody, you are ready.

We built this for beginners and mid level composers who feel their work is “basic” or “too MIDI,” not for conservatory graduates.

Do I need to read sheet music or traditional scores?

Reading helps, but it is not required. We will show scores when useful, and also show everything inside a DAW so you can see and hear what is happening.

Is this only for orchestras with live players?

No. The course is designed primarily for virtual orchestration with VSTs and software instruments.

If a real orchestra ever plays your music later, that is a bonus, not a requirement.

Do I need expensive libraries or hardware?

You do not. We will show you how to get great results with reasonable tools and a laptop.

Better libraries help, but they are not a prerequisite to learning orchestration.

Is this focused on “classical” music or game music?

The focus is game and media music. We might reference classical scores, but always in the context of making modern, emotional, game ready tracks.

How is this different from just watching free YouTube videos?

Random tutorials give you disconnected tricks.

Orchestration Odyssey gives you a complete system, from melody to full orchestration, plus clear roles and layers so you understand why something works, not just where to click next.

How long does it take to complete Orchestration Odyssey?

Orchestration Odyssey is self-paced. The core video lessons are about 2 hours 19 minutes total.

Calendar time depends on how many focused hours you put in each week.

At about 3 hours per week, plan on under a week for the video lessons, plus extra time to do the exercises and apply the material.

Will this help if I have never finished a track before?

Yes, especially if you are in the “Zero to One” group.

We start with complete melodies and sketches before adding complexity, so you finally get all the way from idea to finished orchestration.

What if I already compose, but my tracks sound muddy?

Then you are likely in the “Mid Level, No Consistency” group.

The foreground, middleground, background framework and the orchestration roles will clean up your textures and give each instrument a clear job.

What if I used to compose and fell off?

If you are “Stalled Out,” this course gives you structure, assignments, and a clear path back in.

You will not be wondering “what do I practice” anymore, you will know exactly what to do next.

Can I get a refund?

No. This course is not refundable, so ask before you buy if you are not sure it fits. Email support@bestmusiccoach.com and we will help you choose.

Can I pay in installments?

Yes, on eligible orders. At checkout you can choose Shop Pay Installments or Afterpay to split the payment.

Who can I ask before I buy?

Email support@bestmusiccoach.com. The Best Music Coach team will help you pick the right course.

Keep Going

Finish more music with these next

Bundle and save

Orchestration Odyssey + Gamer Grooves together: $637.50$750.00 at full price. Both are 15% off through Oct 31 and the discount comes off in your cart. From Nov 1 the pair is $649.00.

Buy both now

Music Theory 3Advanced rhythm, harmony and melodic development~~$400.00~~ $340.00 See the course now

Mixing Mastering MagicMixing and mastering your finished tracks~~$300.00~~ $255.00 See the course now

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Grow

Make Music with Dan Spencer

Dan Spencer coaches Orchestration Odyssey from the practical composer and music-mentor perspective.

Learn the idea, try it in music, finish the assignment, and know the next move when you sit down to compose.

Dan Spencer is Music Mentor Dan: a composer, OST creator, and coach who teaches the practical path from idea (or no ideas!) to finished music you can actually ship.

Meet Dan on YouTube now

Why Composers Trust Dan