Craft Realistic Orchestral Mockups with Confidence
A focused, practical course to help you perform and mix expressive, professional-sounding orchestral mockups—without the overwhelm or tech headaches.
What Students Are Saying:
This course is one of the best investments I've made in an area of music making I've struggled with for a very long time.
— Steve Winkler
I can't recommend this enough for anyone looking to produce better orchestral mockups.
— Marc-Antoine Gagnon
5/5 stars! I learn more with every watch, and always find something new inside. Thank you for your dedication!
— Jürgen Hochfeld
I thought I already knew the basics, but Zach turned my world upside down. Enrolling was the best decision I've ever made.
— Alexandr Sosorev
Zach's course has been very beneficial—especially for creating realistic mockups with CC data. Highly recommend.
— Jason McCall
This course not only helped me make better sounding mockups, but also helped streamline the process.
— Shirleen X
I was stunned at how much exclusive content is available. This is an exceptionally valuable course and well worth investing in.
— Heather Buhler
The condensed approach to this course allowed me to walk away from with both knowledge and practical action steps.
— Aron Pedersen
Zach covers more useful material and strategies in this one class than I've found in any textbook. Can't recommend enough!
— Stephen Berkemeier
What You'll Learn...
Terms, Tools, & Setup
Demystify mockup jargon, get your tools dialed in, and set up a project workflow that supports creative momentum.
MIDI Realism
Master expressive VST performance—whether you're using a breath controller, a fader, or just your mouse and keyboard.
Production Realism
Learn how to mix, balance, and refine your mockups so they hold up against live recordings—no overthinking required.
I thought I already knew the basics, but Zach turned my world upside down. Enrolling was the best decision I've ever made.
— Alexandr Sosorev
“If you want to compose for a living, master your mockup chops.”
That’s what Star Wars: The Clone Wars composer Kevin Kiner told me in 2018.
I didn’t listen—at first.
I kept tweaking, layering, hoping better plugins would fix the sound. But it wasn’t until I got serious about the fundamentals of realism that everything clicked. Clients noticed. Budgets got bigger. And I finally stopped cringing at my own work.
In the media industry, production is king.
You can have incredible ideas—but without mockup chops, nobody hears them clearly.
I made this course to help you bridge that gap—and sound like the composer you already are.
Course Curriculum
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1Module 1 — Before You Start
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2Module 2 — The Basics
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3Module 3 — Setting Up
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4Module 4 — MIDI Performance & Programming
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5Module 5 — Programming in Action
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6Module 6 — Production Workflow
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7Module 7 — Congratulations
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8✋ Student Q&As
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10🎬 Useful YouTube Videos
Bonus Content
Bonus Videos (2+ Hours)
Uncut composing sessions, student Q&As, and MIDI files to keep the learning coming.
Study Guide & Bonus Resources
Downloadable PDF or Notion dashboard with quick links, screenshot guides, articulation tips, and workflow diagrams to accelerate your mockup mastery.
Meet Your Instructor
Hey, I'm Zach — I'm a full-time composer for media with over a decade of experience scoring for film, animation, and games.
I've composed for Tencent Games, Private Division, Moonton, and Ultra PRO, with additional music credits for DreamWorks and Disney. I also run a YouTube channel with 100k+ subscribers where I share my creative process.
If you enjoy my orchestral music and want to know how I create mockups so quickly, this is the course for you.
FAQs
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No—it’s self-paced video content. You’ll get lifetime access to all lessons and resources.
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If you’re already writing in a DAW with VSTs and want to level up your realism, this course is for you.
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Nope! This course isn't DAW specific, so you're fine whether you use Logic, Cubase, Ableton, or any other DAW.
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Any DAW (I use Logic), a MIDI keyboard, and ideally a CC controller like a fader or breath controller.
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No—this is about mockup production, not composition or orchestration. But it will help you make your ideas sound real with the tools you already have.
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Yes. You’ve got 14 days to request a refund if it’s not a fit. Just reach out to me directly via email.