Vol 3-5: Cinematic spices

Harmonic ingredients that add the magic

Examples of spices

Vol 3,4 & 5 include detailed walkthroughs of all the examples on this page, plus another 30 examples not listed here.

All examples below recorded using readily available orchestral sample libraries, with a minimum of added channel/bus fx—these recipes do not depend on sound engineering smarts for their sound.

examples of Dislocated Tethering

examples of Harmonic Splats

examples of Bookend Triads

examples of Octatonic Swatches

examples of Elevated Majors

examples of Lydian Terraces

examples of Sidecar 5ths

Manipulate emotions. Summon worlds.

Manipulate emotions.

Summon worlds.

Manipulate emotions. Summon worlds.

Manipulate emotions. Summon worlds.

Vol 1 & 2: Recipes

Instrumental combinations that work

Vol 1 & 2: Recipes

Instrumental combinations that work.

Example intro videos

Recipes also include detailed PDF desk references, scores and MIDI files.

Included in every recipe:

More example videos

Recipes also include detailed PDF desk references, scores and MIDI files.

Start cooking

Volume 1

Recipes 1-21
The original collection

Volume 2

Recipes 22-42
Emotions & scenes

Volume 3

Spices 1-6
Cinematic harmonies

Volume 4

Spices 7-10
Cinematic harmonies

Volume 5

Spices 11-14
*NEW* The biggest volume yet

The Icon Project

Super clear icons for
orchestral templates

About the Orchestration Recipes Chef

Philip Johnston is one of music education’s best selling authors, known for presenting complex ideas in simple, engaging formats. Classically trained, he has a Masters Degree in Music from Indiana University and has recorded for Warner Music as a pianist/composer.

Philip has been working with orchestral sample libraries since the Gigastudio days. (You can still hear some of Philip’s Gigastudio demos at VSL’s website—created in 2003 on a PC that has worse specs than your phone…it’s all about the recipes, not the gear)

Email Philip