This article (Danny Elfman Masterclass Review) will provide you with the opportunity to read an in-depth evaluation of Danny Elfman’s, including information on how the lessons are presented, who the course is best suited for, the cost Danny Elfman Masterclass, and what I enjoyed about it, etc.
If you’ve never heard of Hans Zimmer’s film scores, you’re not alone. His music can only be heard in the context of serious films, premium television, or video game cutscenes. The work of Danny Elfman, on the other hand, may be found all over the place.
With Oingo Boingo, he had a tremendous musical career that included the opening theme for The Simpsons, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and many other Tim Burton movie soundtracks.
As a result, you may not have recognized it as Danny Elfman’s work, but chances are you have. To summarise, Masterclass’ announcement of “Danny Elfman Teaches Music for Film” in 2019 was a significant coup.
Masterclass’s “Danny Elfman Teaches Music for Film” series has 21 sessions that clock in at 3 hours and 10 minutes of information.
Who Is Danny Elfman?
Danny Elfman and Tim Burton have worked together since the 1980s when Elfman was a member of the 1980s rock band Oingo Boingo.
It is extremely difficult to create a reputation for yourself in the film composition industry because of the fierce competition. There are just a handful of people like Danny Elfman out there.
Danny Elfman and Tim Burton have worked together since the 1980s when Elfman was a member of the 1980s rock band Oingo Boingo.
Some of the most memorable and innovative cinema music has been created as a result. The music for Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is all the work of this tremendously inventive musician.
Aside from The Simpsons theme, he has also composed the music for Spider-Man, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Danny Elfman is also a well-known figure on Twitter, with more than 26,000 followers.
What Is MasterClass?
MasterClass was first introduced to the public in 2014, as an online education platform known as MasterClass has quickly become one of the most well-known of its kind on the internet.
The website promotes itself by offering high-quality, professionally produced classes from world-famous instructors.
Some of the courses offered include acting with Natalie Portman, culinary with Gordon Ramsay, and performance with Herbie Hancock.
The masterClass is not for everyone due to its one-of-a-kind nature, and neither the classes nor the teachers are replicated.
Continue reading to see whether or not the MasterClass taught by Danny Elfman is a good fit for your musical interests.
Course Overview – Danny Elfman Masterclass Review
A total of 21 video courses are included in this MasterClass, which clocks in at 3 hours and 10 minutes of viewing time. Subscribers also receive the following materials in addition to the video:
- Access to a discussion board where you can interact with other students
- More of Danny’s advice is contained in an additional 72-page workbook.
What you’ll learn in this course is laid out in detail in this article of Danny Elfman Masterclass Review. Danny Elfman skillfully lays up a succession of his own ideas and experiences in a film that is divided into smaller portions for this session.
Because Danny and the course were introduced in the first lesson, I’ll pick up where we left off in lesson two. To avoid repeating myself, I’m not going to go into much about the final lesson.
01 – Beginnings
This course begins with a look at Danny Elfman’s career as a composer. Not quite what you’d expect, to put it mildly.
Danny Elfman, in contrast to many other cinema composers, did not receive classical music education and did not attend music college.
While in his teenage years, he traveled extensively around Africa, which exposed him to a variety of different textures and sounds that continue to inspire his music to this day.
Oingo Boingo, a ska band, was the most successful of a number of oddball musical groups that he founded upon his return to the United States.
Danny worked with Tim Burton on his first feature picture score, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, after gaining some notoriety. What happened afterward is, as they say, in the past.
Even if you can find most of the information in this lesson on the internet, it’s still an eye-opening experience to hear the stories directly from the man who lived them and see how they’ve shaped his current work.
02 – Starting Your Score: The Spotting Session
This course begins with a look at Danny Elfman’s career as a composer. Not quite what you’d expect, to put it mildly.
Danny Elfman, in contrast to many other cinema composers, did not receive classical music education and did not attend music college.
While in his teenage years, he traveled extensively around Africa, which exposed him to a variety of different textures and sounds that continue to inspire his music to this day.
Oingo Boingo, a ska band, was the most successful of a number of oddball musical groups that he founded upon his return to the United States.
Danny worked with Tim Burton on his first feature picture score, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, after gaining some notoriety. What happened afterward is, as they say, in the past.
Even if you can find most of the information in this lesson on the internet, it’s still an eye-opening experience to hear the stories directly from the man who lived them and see how they’ve shaped his current work.
03 – Storytelling Through Music
Danny’s love of music and movies was on full display in this class, which was one of my favorites. As Danny takes us through the films and film scores that influenced him as a child, we get a glimpse into his life as an adult. Included here are:
- Max Steiner and Franz Waxman’s compositions
- Peter Lorre in The Beast With Five Fingers
- Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Hermann collaborated on a film.
This lesson, as you can see, is a lot less technical than the last one. Danny, on the other hand, raises some important concerns about the purpose of movies and storytelling in general. The use of music in various contexts is also demonstrated.
04 – Themes and Melodies
Danny’s music was well explored in this lesson. It’s a pleasant respite for those musicians who’ve had enough of all the film discussion.
Danny walks us through the following:
- Composing musical melodies that are distinctive to a scene or a character
- How the horn of a car may be a source of inspiration for a song!
- That forgetting or losing track of a song is quite normal.
- A tune that is short and simple can be quite impactful.
- A good topic has no set guidelines.
This final point cannot be overstated. A lack of inspiration for an Edward Scissorhands theme drove Danny to despair and a sense of personal failure.
Even though none of them fell neatly into the category of “theme,” Edward’s portrayal in the film was obvious to him until much later, when he watched it.
05 – Real-Time Listening: A Simple Plan/Real-Time Listening: The Unknown Known
Because the formats of these two lessons are so comparable to one another, I’ve decided to package them together.
In both of these examples, Danny watches and listens to clips from two of the movies he’s worked on throughout the course of his career: A Simple Plan and The Unknown Known.
These are quite brief lectures, and there is not a great deal of what could be considered “instruction” per se.
Despite this, there is a great deal that can be learned from Danny Elfman by just listening to his own work and detailing in full his thought process behind every instrument and dynamic. Watching it is also a tremendous treat for the eyes.
06 – Instrumentation
Danny is shown standing up and playing music for the first time in this class. It was interesting for me, as a percussionist myself, to hear him play the marimba, and I believe that this entire session might have benefited from a few more live performances overall.
This course is focused entirely on musical instruments and will teach you:
- How to determine which instruments are best suited for your score
- Utilization of a prepared piano by Danny
- How to use ostinatos to create excitement in your music (repeated notes)
- How to best incorporate the samples into your score
- The primary distinctions between live performances and digital scores
- Concerning Danny’s sample libraries and the ways in which he makes use of them
07 – Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
This is another condensed lesson, and this time it will center on a particular movie. This section enlightens us on numerous aspects of the storied partnership that existed between Danny Elfman and Tim Burton.
The lesson is more of an anecdote than the practical application that was discussed earlier, but the overarching theme of communication is still driven home.
And, as I’ve mentioned before, Danny is at his most engaging and exciting when he is talking about movies and their music, and his story of how he came up with the majority of the music is fascinating to listen to.
And, as I’ve mentioned before, Danny is at his most engaging and exciting when he is talking about movies and their music.
08 – Workflow
“Finish on time.”
This is the first commandment that Danny Elfman teaches his students regarding workflow. In this lesson, we will cover:
- The method that Danny uses involves a board that shows him his days from the spotting session.
- The daily limit of two minutes that Danny has allotted for composing.
- Utilizing the board in order to determine the remaining number of minutes of music cues to compose
- The program that Danny uses is called Digital Performer.
- The structure of Danny’s small crew, which consists of an editor and an orchestrator
This session was interesting because it focused on the collaborative nature of the composition. When we imagine composers, we picture reclusive loners scratching furiously on sheets of transcript paper in dimly lighted chambers.
The music editor and orchestrator, on the other hand, demonstrate Danny’s dependence on them. Danny says that his major goal is to write the music as quickly as possible so that he may go on to the next clue.
As a result, having a strong team is critical. Danny stresses the importance of his friendship with these two individuals. I hadn’t even thought about this before.
09 – Creating Your Template
Laying out the sounds and tones you’ll be using in your score is the goal of a template. Danny experiments with as many noises as he can conceive of before committing anything to paper. For the rest of the project, he will be able to draw on this musical palette.
In order to create the film’s tone, Danny devotes a great deal of time and effort. As a result, he doesn’t have to waste time looking for sounds. That this soundscape isn’t the end of the story, he informs us, but rather the beginning of it.
Danny uses sustain pedals and ax effects on his guitars to create many of his templates, many of which are based on harmonics.
Again, this was an in-depth introduction to a new area of composition that I had never encountered or considered before. Any fan of Danny Elfman’s music understands that his compositions often have a distinct sound that corresponds to the mood of the picture.
10 – Insecurity and Instincts
One of the course’s more broad and abstract topics is the one on insecurities and instincts.
In this lesson, you’ll discover:
- Insecurities and how to deal with them
- that it’s okay to lack self-assurance
- about the importance of one’s intuition in the process of composing
- Finding and deciding on the greatest possible work for your career
- In order to keep your ego in control, here are some tips.
What you expect from this lesson will have a significant impact on how you respond. Although it doesn’t teach you anything practical about film composing, I found it refreshing to hear a well-known composer discuss his weaknesses.
11 – Writing Feature Scores
Feature score authoring, which is likely what most of the students in this course are here to learn, can be illustrated in this case study of Danny Elfman Masterclass Review in a very practical way. In the beginning, there’s a funny Batman story that I won’t give away.
This class was full of helpful hints, including:
- Eliminating preconceived notions about the characters and settings in order to capture the film’s mood
- On-the-fly tonal adjustments for a dynamic film
- determining the climax and other pivotal moments to steer the rest of the piece
- Comparison of live-action vs. animation film scores
- Rough-cutting tips and tricks
As a composer, I found this course to be an invaluable resource.
12 – Changing Your Approach: Milk
This is another, more condensed case study, and it’s based on the movie Milk.
Danny talks about how it is not only okay but also vital to adjust your approach if the initial concept for a score isn’t working if you want to have a better result.
The real-life main character was a huge opera enthusiast, so it seemed fitting to base the story around that aspect of their interests.
But Danny came to the conclusion that the atmosphere of the movie was considerably more dreamlike and expansive.
This demonstrates how the composer needs to adapt their score to the various changes that occur throughout the film.
13 – Chasing A Movie Edit
Another very technical course, with a significant emphasis on the steps involved in the production of a film.
During this lesson, you are going to learn:
- The best way to mimic an editor’s working pace
- Adapting one’s thinking in light of edits
- How to get the music to line up with the video
When it comes to the inner workings of film editing, Danny never gets too technical, which is consistent with the rest of the course.
This session will primarily focus on the ways in which a composer must adapt their work in order for it to fit the order of the scenes in a movie.
14 – The Devil’s In The Detail
An outline of Danny’s interest in musical score details and how they are often overlooked is given here. He cites Lawrence of Arabia, a childhood favorite of mine, as an example of how the right mix of music and quiet can produce a stunning film.
When the music takes over the sound effects during a particular battle scenario, he knows he’s hit a home run. In this case, Danny’s love for movies shines through in his teaching.
He concludes with the very cutting allegation that scores nowadays might utilize 40% less music and should aim to let the sound effects generate a tone, which is a fair statement. As a result, when the music eventually does enter, it is able to evoke strong emotions.
15 – On Failure
This one has a lot of potentials. When you hear a legend like Danny Elfman talk about failure, it’s invigorating. His own experiences with rejection, his disagreements with Tim Burton, and his ill-advised choices have made Danny understand how difficult it can be.
For example, not being chosen to write the score for an entire film and then being rejected are examples of distinct sorts of rejection. What’s the cure? Be realistic and find a way to release your frustrations. The sport of boxing was Danny’s favorite pastime.
Even though it’s a little strange to think of someone so kind and welcoming with a set of boxing gloves on, this lesson is guaranteed to resonate with everyone who has faced failure in their creative efforts. It’s a situation with which most of us can identify.
16 – Working With Directors
This time, we’ll focus on the nitty-gritty details. The following are the things you will learn from this lesson:
- To understand how the director’s relationship works
- When working with filmmakers that do not understand music
- For the first time, a look at the audio track
- How to deal with feedback
The optician’s office was a great parallel for me. As a composer, it’s your job to test the director’s eyes and see what kind of glasses they need, since the director can’t articulate this for themselves.
17 – Crossing The Line
There is a narrow line between homage and plagiarism that Danny discusses at great length in this section of the course.
In this section, he explains:
- In order to detect the difference between inspiration and plagiarism, context is important.
- As long as you make it your own, there’s nothing wrong with being inspired.
- The “copying a particular number of notes” rule is a myth.
- Being completely original is impossible.
- A guide to composing that lets your own voice shine through
Composers often steal and pay tribute to the work of others, Danny admits. In a different setting, he doesn’t mind hearing bits and pieces of his work used in other movies. When it comes to stealing Danny Elfman’s music, be prepared for a court date!
18 – Advice To New Composers
Danny offers some advice to aspiring composers and people who are interested in the music industry in this final class.
His best advice is to:
- Make the most of your abilities and discover your unique voice.
- While formal education is beneficial, it is not required.
- Danny’s secret gamelan lessons in California demonstrate that you can learn from anything.
Danny thinks back to his first lesson in his musical education as a way of bringing the learning full circle. What I appreciated most about Danny’s presentation was the fine line he drew between realism and inspiration.
In his candor, he acknowledged how difficult it can be, how some people fail, and how it may be a lonely and depressing professional path at times.
Who Should Take This Course?
I believe this course is best suited to a wide range of students.
Included here are:
- With even the slightest interest in composing for films, musicians of all skill levels are welcome.
- Composers who are interested in learning more about the technical aspects of cinema.
- Anyone who enjoys movies, filmmaking, film scores, and Tim Burton fans, in particular, is welcome here.
Unless you’re an expert in music or film, you may wish to brush up on your knowledge of composing and music theory before attending the MasterClass.
Since the videos are so good, even those who don’t gain anything from the content can still have a good time.
Course Pricing – Danny Elfman Masterclass Review
There is now an annual fee of $180 for the MasterClass subscription service, which works out to $15 each month. You’ll have full access to MasterClass’s entire catalog of more than 100 courses.
Taking more classes means getting a better value for your money. Finding four or five classes that you enjoy means that you’re paying between $30 and $45 per course.
Keep in mind that these seminars are being taught by professionals in their respective areas of expertise. In addition, if you’re dissatisfied with your purchase, MasterClass offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
There is a way to purchase the course separately, but it is a bit convoluted. You can give yourself the gift of a MasterClass by purchasing it as a gift for someone else. It costs $90 to shop at this location.
Is The Course Content Unique?
Danny teaches originality. Originality isn’t doing something brand-new. It’s about synthesizing knowledge from multiple sources. These classes are similar.
This isn’t the only course that teaches film composing technicalities. You can learn about spotting sessions through physical and online resources. You’re not taught by Danny Elfman.
Some internet comments questioned the difference between Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer since both teach the same material. Is this course really that special?
My take: Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer soundtrack high-budget films with orchestras and synths. Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman’s cinematic scores are easily distinguishable.
MasterClasses are similar. Both teach and compose in unique ways. Danny Elfman may have taught other classes.
But…
Danny breaks out his equipment and technique in YouTube videos. This masterclass is, naturally, more in-depth and better produced. Each lesson is like a well-directed musical short film. MasterClasses are unique in this way.
Danny Elfman Masterclass Review – Is It Worth It?
Here’s the answer to your question. All learning is subjective, including art education and understanding. If you’re interested in film composition, this course could be perfect.
Success doesn’t come overnight. No secret formula. There are probably more technical resources for folks who want to break into the sector. This course is for those who wish to learn about one of Hollywood’s greatest masters.
Each class was great. The topic was fresh and exciting, almost as engaging as the teacher, whose conversational tone made each class magical. Hearing Danny Elfman’s passion and enthusiasm were amazing.
I learned a lot about film scores, which should be the goal of any online course, celebrity instructor or not. And don’t forget: With a MasterClass all-access pass, you can take courses from Hans Zimmer, Herbie Hancock, and St Vincent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Danny Elfman’s MasterClass?
The duration of Danny Elfman’s MasterClasses is three hours and ten minutes, and it is comprised of twenty-one videos.
How much do the Danny Elfman MasterClasses cost?
An all-access pass to MasterClasses can be purchased for $180 per year (or $15 per month). This grants you access to more than one hundred different classes, one of which is Danny Elfman’s MasterClass.
Can you get Danny Elfman’s MasterClasses for free?
Sadly, no, However, if you are not satisfied, there are many options and refunds available to you.
Can I get a refund if I don’t like the Danny Elfman MasterClass?
If you make your purchase directly with MasterClasses, you are eligible for a refund within the first 30 days after your purchase. If you make purchases through other providers, you may be subject to the return policy of those providers.