ORCHESTRATION & ARRANGEMENT
Not everyone knows what orchestration involves — and in truth, it varies widely from project to project.
In Film, orchestration is often about being the composer’s second set of eyes and ears. The orchestrator ensures the score is practical, playable, and ready for live musicians — saving valuable (and expensive) studio time. It’s about translating a musical idea into something that works flawlessly under real-world conditions with live players, while staying faithful to the composer’s vision.
In theatre, things move at a much faster pace. The orchestrator is usually working directly from piano/vocal sketches and must create a fully realised musical world in collaboration with the composer. It’s not just about instrumentation — it’s about tone, texture, pacing, character, and narrative. Often, theatrical orchestration also involves a great deal of composition: crafting drum grooves, counter melodies, harmonic counterpoint, and even incidental music to shape the dramatic arc of the show.
I’ve worked across both disciplines, and love the unique creative and technical challenges each presents.
MIDI PREPARATION & SCORE REALISATION
One of my core specialties is MIDI preparation - a skill that bridges the digital and live worlds.
It’s the process of translating audio demos (often built with samples) into full, readable scores for live musicians to record. It requires deep knowledge of sample libraries, DAWs, orchestration, and - crucially - how real musicians play. I’ve worked on high-profile film and game projects using Logic Pro and Sibelius side by side to ensure everything lines up musically and practically.
When you're in a studio with a full orchestra waiting, mistakes are costly - and a clean, playable, accurate score is critical. This is where musicality, technical precision, and orchestral experience meet.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
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Logic Pro X: My primary DAW for over 15 years. I use it for detailed orchestral/hybrid sequencing and mixing - not just mockups, but often as the final source files for film and games scores.
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Sibelius: My go-to for notation and score preparation - I've been using it for over 20 years. Collaborators have often said I 'Play Sibelius like a video game!'.
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My ability to work across both platforms simultaneously means I can handle Composition, Orchestration, MIDI Realisation, and Score Preparation from start to finish - reducing turnaround times, avoiding miscommunication, and increasing productivity for any project.
SAMPLE LIBRARIES & VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTS
I use the latest high-end libraries from companies including:
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Spitfire Audio
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Orchestral Tools
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Cinematic Studio Series
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Native Instruments
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Cinesamples
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Acoustic Samples
But I firmly believe it’s not the quality of the samples alone that makes a convincing sound or a strong cue - it’s about understanding how instruments work idiomatically, how they behave under a bow or a breath. With 15 years of experience performing in orchestras, I bring that real-world insight into every track I sequence.