Stop Guessing. Start Composing.
A practical guide to composing cinematic music across nine genres, with clear techniques, musical references, and step-by-step checklists.
$19.00
Download link by email
One Melody. Different Musical Worlds.
Discover how harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, and musical style can transform a familiar melody into entirely different cinematic experiences.
Meet Soundtrack Formulas
Discover the ideas and approach behind the guide, presented by its author.
One Melody. Multiple Genres.
Listen to how Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star takes on different musical identities through changes in arrangement and style.
Same Notes. New Musical Worlds.
Hear how Jingle Bells can be transformed through different genre-inspired musical treatments.
Inside the Guide
What's Inside Soundtrack Formulas?
Explore the musical building blocks behind nine cinematic genres, with practical techniques, listening references, and composition tools you can apply to your own music.
Musical Language
Explore scales, melody, harmony, rhythms, time signatures, and tempo ranges across different cinematic genres.
Instrumentation & Orchestration
Understand how instrumental choices, orchestral colors, and musical textures help establish each genre's character.
Listening References & Tools
Study selected soundtrack references and discover recommended sample libraries and virtual instruments, including free options.
Practical Composition Checklists
Use concise, genre-specific checklists and reference materials to guide your own compositions.
- 9 Cinematic Genres
- 40 Pages
- PDF Digital Guide
A Practical Reference for Your Next Score.
Keep musical techniques, genre references, and creative ideas within reach as you compose.
Nine Genres. Endless Creative Possibilities.
Select a genre for a glimpse of its formula.
Tension + Movement
Action
Phrygian and octatonic colors, dissonances such as tritones and clusters, driving ostinatos, and irregular meters like 5/8 and 7/8.
Heroic Melody
Adventure
Singable, heroic melodies built on perfect fourths, fifths, and octaves, carried by trumpets and French horns over the full orchestra.
Sweetness + Tension
Drama
Ambiguous harmony with suspended or quartal chords, restrained melodies of few notes, and intimate piano-and-string textures.
Timing
Comedy
Short melodic gestures with strategic pauses, pizzicato strings, playful woodwinds, and rhythm that follows the characters' actions.
Lyricism
Romance
Simple, singable melodies over consonant harmony with add9 or sus4 colors, sustained strings, and piano or harp arpeggios.
Unease
Suspense
Chromaticism, clusters, and pedal tones, with string techniques such as tremolo and sul ponticello.
Wonder
Fantasy
Modal borrowing and chromatic mediants across a full orchestra, with woodwind colors, harp, celesta, and choir.
Warmth + Lightness
Romantic Comedy
Warm strings and lyrical melodies, balanced with pizzicato articulations and light percussion.
Contrast
Dramatic Comedy
Major and minor progressions in alternation, expressive strings, piano, and a light rhythmic accompaniment.
This Guide Is for You If...
You're a composer looking to write more expressive cinematic music.
You want to explore the musical language of different film genres.
You need practical guidance on harmony, rhythm, and orchestration.
You want to compose with purpose, rather than relying on guesswork.
Written by a Composer. For Composers.
Built on Experience. Not Generated by AI.
Soundtrack Formulas was written and developed by composer and educator Filipe Leitão, drawing on years of professional scoring, teaching, musical analysis, and practical composition experience.
Testimonials
What Composers Are Saying.
The ebook Soundtrack Formulas is an invaluable resource for students of music composition and arrangement. Filipe provides an in-depth exploration of various genre characteristics, offering practical guidance tailored to each genre.
The ebook Soundtrack Formulas is an invaluable resource for students of music composition and arrangement. Filipe provides an in-depth exploration of various genre characteristics, offering practical guidance tailored to each genre. He not only discusses essential elements such as melody, harmony, and instrumentation but also recommends specific libraries to use for different genres. The inclusion of real-life examples from each genre allows readers to grasp how these concepts are applied in compositions and arrangements for visual media. This book offers a comprehensive overview, making it an excellent bedside read for those with a basic foundation in music who wish to delve deeper into composition and arrangement for visual media.
Nando CostaLatin Grammy-nominated Music Producer and Audio EngineerDr. Leitao's Soundtrack Formulas guidebook is a remarkable resource for composers. It offers an in-depth exploration of media music across various genres, covering essential elements such as scales, melody, harmony, rhythms, time signatures, and tempo ranges.
Dr. Leitao's Soundtrack Formulas guidebook is a remarkable resource for composers. It offers an in-depth exploration of media music across various genres, covering essential elements such as scales, melody, harmony, rhythms, time signatures, and tempo ranges. The guidebook is further enhanced by Dr. Leitao's inclusion of listening examples, tutorials, and VST library recommendations for each genre.
Even with a solid understanding of composition across multiple media genres, I found this guidebook both highly informative and inspiring. It is an indispensable addition to any composer's library, alongside classics such as the works of Piston and Adler.
Devin SullivanMedia ComposerThe Soundtrack Formulas guide is a great, simple-to-understand package that breaks down the elements of different emotions and genres of film scoring into accessible, analyzable chunks.
The Soundtrack Formulas guide is a great, simple-to-understand package that breaks down the elements of different emotions and genres of film scoring into accessible, analyzable chunks. There are many tidbits of information that Dr. Leitão includes to empower you to take this information, analyze, and apply it.
I found that the ample references and examples he provides of the ingredients he discusses in action have been my greatest tools for focused learning, and in doing the assignments in the guide, I found his advice practical and quickly affecting the tone of my compositions to line up with the genres I aimed for.
Jason LeungComposerThe formula guide is very user friendly and informative. When it comes to scoring different genres of film, I haven't seen much online for such concise and consolidated information so this is fantastic to have as reference.
The formula guide is very user friendly and informative. When it comes to scoring different genres of film, I haven't seen much online for such concise and consolidated information so this is fantastic to have as reference. I really like that you keep it simple so there's practically no barrier to entry for someone trying to take advantage of it. My favorite part of the guide is table at the end which simplifies the information even more for those who just want a quick glance at a particular formula.
Robert RosenbrookComposerInside the Guide
At a Glance.
- 40Pages
- 9Cinematic genres
- PDFDigital guide
Details
- Topics Harmony, melody, rhythm, instrumentation & orchestration
- Delivery Download link by email after purchase
The Essentials
- Format
- Digital PDF Guide
- Length
- 40 pages
- Content
- 9 cinematic genres
- Topics
- Harmony, melody, rhythm, instrumentation & orchestration
- Delivery
- Download link by email after purchase
FAQ
Good to know
What is Soundtrack Formulas?
A 40-page digital guide to composing cinematic music across nine genres, covering musical language, instrumentation, listening references, recommended tools, and practical checklists.
Which genres are included?
Action, Adventure, Drama, Comedy, Romance, Suspense, Fantasy, Romantic Comedy, and Dramatic Comedy.
Who is the guide for?
Composers and students with a basic foundation in music who want to write for visual media across different cinematic genres.
Do I need advanced music theory or expensive equipment?
No advanced theory is required: a basic foundation in music is enough. The tool recommendations include free options.
What format is the guide?
A 40-page digital PDF guide.
How will I receive the ebook?
After purchase, you receive a download link by email.
Soundtrack Formulas
$19.00
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