Film Scoring In-Depth: Cinematic Sound Design

The first part of our Film Scoring In-Depth series, Cinematic Sound Design will take you beyond traditional scoring, exploring how to integrate advanced sound design techniques into your music to elevate storytelling in film. Learn to craft immersive soundscapes that work seamlessly with your score, enhancing the emotional and narrative depth of every scene.

Each week, you’ll participate in a dynamic mix of lectures and practical sessions, designed to deepen your understanding of cinematic sound design. All sessions are led by a professional composer, offering real-world insights and expert guidance.

This course is open to anyone aged 16+ who has some experience with composition or songwriting, and with using a digital audio workstation (DAW) such as Garageband, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Pro Tools or Cubase.

It follows on from our ‘Introduction to Film Scoring’ course which can be found here.

By the end of the course, students will have learned how to:

• Analyse the role of sound design in film scoring, integrating creative sound elements with music to enhance narrative and emotional impact.

• Utilize advanced techniques for blending sound design with traditional musical composition.

• Master advanced sound design techniques, including the creation and manipulation of both organic and synthetic sounds to support the narrative and emotional tone of the film.

• Use industry-standard tools and software to execute detailed sound editing, mixing and spatial audio techniques

This course is open to anyone aged 16+ who has some experience with composition or songwriting, and with using a digital audio workstation (DAW) such as Garageband, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Pro Tools or Cubase.

It follows on from our ‘Introduction to Film Scoring’ course which can be found here.

Students are encouraged to bring water with them. We request that no valuable belongings are brought to the classes and mobile phones are switched off except during breaks.

David Simpson

David R Simpson is a composer, creative technician and educator from Glasgow, Scotland.
With a background spanning a wide range of genre and experience, his work combines
innovative subtlety with the immediacy of pop sensibility.

With over 25 years of experience as a composer, David’s work has featured on Netflix,
Amazon Prime, the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky as well as CBS, NBC and ABC in the US and
numerous other international networks. Most recently his music was featured on Tom Basden’s
award-winning sitcom, ‘Here We Go’, for BBC One. Other commissions include music for the
BAFTA-nominated ‘Dennis The Menace & Gnasher’ (CBBC), Justin Long’s ‘The Real Stephen Blatt’
(Amazon), Pulcinella-nominated animation series, ‘Wendy’ (ZDF) and BAFTA winner, ‘The Walking
Wounded’ (BBC Two).

In addition to his composition work, David has had considerable involvement in the spheres of
live and recorded music, having worked with CHVRCHES, Lauren Mayberry, First Aid Kit, Zara
Larsson, Hayley Williams (Paramore), Matt Berninger (The National), Marshmello and Karine
Polwart as a performing musician, musical director, sound engineer and technician. As an
educator, he particularly enjoys bringing a hands-on approach to participants’ projects, fostering
an atmosphere of welcoming discussion and openness. Previously, David has taught at the Royal
Conservatoire of Scotland, the University of the West of Scotland, the University of Strathclyde,
the Edinburgh College of Art and for leading software developer, Ableton.

This class takes place on Thursday evenings from 6:30pm – 9pm in the RCS Renfrew Street building. The course costs £325 and runs weekly from 16 April – 18 June 2025.