Why Most Composers Fail at Trailer Music (And How to Fix It)

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Hello Friends,

Nathan here. About time for a proper dispatch.

Lately, I’ve been getting more and more messages from composers looking to break into the trailer world. I love the enthusiasm. However, I've noticed a very common trend: most aren't quite dialed in to what makes trailer music work — and really, what trailer music is.

Writing for trailers isn't just about making epic music. It's about understanding the nuances that make a trailer exist — that make a track work for the right visual. There's so much nuance to it at every level, beyond even just making the track — it’s about it aligning with the right project, and so on.

That being said, for this conversation, let's keep it focused on the music and the craft itself. So let's break it down.

First: Trailer music isn't just one thing and one sound.

There’s no such thing as just "trailer music." It's a whole world of subgenres. Yes, you have the orchestral hybrid, which is used all over the place, as most tracks are a hybrid of something and something. You have dark electronic thriller/horror vibes, high-energy rock hybrid swaggery vibes, percussive and sound design-driven cues, tribal essence, neoclassical hip-hop hybrids — the list goes on.

You first have to ask yourself: what is your lane? Can you really crush all of them? You have to be brutally honest with yourself. Otherwise, it’s just not going to make the cut if it’s subpar.

So — what do you specialize in? Because trust me, the top people in this space have deep mastery of their craft and what they specialize in. They might say, “Hey, I’m not the rock guy, bro,” or “I ain't the hip-hop guy, bro. But when it comes to horror, I’m scaring people like no other.” Who knows your realm of expertise better than you do?

Start with a subgenre you really specialize in. Own that lane. Then you can expand from there.

Number two: Structure is everything.

A trailer track isn't just verse/chorus/verse. It’s a journey. It's about building tension, pacing, stop-down moments, maximizing impact at just the right times. If your track isn’t growing and shaping in a compelling way, it’s not going to land.

Number three: Keep it clever.

Cleverness wins — especially with remixes, for example. How can you embrace something that’s at the soul of the song and really bring that out Make it a real moment — something you can't do with just any song. Like, alright, I got these colors — what can I paint with these colors that I can’t paint with other ones? (Painting reference for you.)

Number four: Get used to writing without picture.

A lot of composers are used to scoring to film, but in trailers, you have to create the visual in your mind — 98% of the time. The drama, the tension, the impact — it all needs to be baked into the music itself.

Number five: Sound palette.

Too many people default to thinking that orchestral music is all trailers are. If you really study trailers, it’s not. Some of the biggest trailer placements lean heavy on hybrid electronic, gritty textures, massive sound design.

Even when orchestral elements are in play, sometimes it’s just one main layer — or just part of the hybrid.
Once again — it’s about blending orchestral elements with something else.

There’s a whole world of trailer music out there without orchestral elements at all. Put on that record producer hat, folks — that’s what pushes things forward in a lot of ways.

Alright, I appreciate y'all. We’ll chat soon, my friends. Stay safe out there.

-Nathan

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