Matthew Van Driel on SoundBetter

Looking to add that cinematic sound to your song? Perhaps a lush string section, a bombastic orchestra, or a grand choir to give it that sound you've been searching for? Whether you already have orchestral parts in mind, and just need them enhanced, or want to start from scratch, Matthew Van Driel will work closely with you to achieve your vision!

I am an award winning Canadian composer with over a decade of experience composing original works for media and live performance. I have scored numerous films and other media from countries all around the world, as well as composed and arranged dynamic concert works with premieres in North America and Asia. I have also worked with international pop and metal artists from Portugal, Pakistan, and Canada. Most recently, I provided orchestrations and choral arrangements for Lindsay Schoolcraft’s Juno-nominated album ‘Martyr.’

With a B.F.A. Specialized Honours in Music from York University, I openly embrace a wide range of musical influences and styles in my work to bring forth captivating sound. I have worked in numerous genres including Metal, Pop, Jazz, Electronic, and World. No matter the style, I craft my orchestrations to achieve the sound that perfectly fits the songs I'm working on, without getting in the way of what's already there.

As an accomplished film and concert composer, I understand the intricacies and dynamics that come with modern orchestral writing. I apply this same knowledge to the orchestrations I craft to create that authentic orchestral sound; whether it's a few strings, a big band, world instruments, or a full orchestra. I am constantly looking for challenging new projects that allow me to push the creative envelope, and I can't wait to hear from you!

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

Credits

2 Reviews

Endorse Matthew Van Driel

by Fairoz S.
Verified
If you have no knowledge of orchestral arrangement (like me) but you still want it for your track, get hold of Matthew. He'll make sure that you'll get what's best for your track. He has been very patience and very friendly to work with. Thank you very much, Matthew!
by Charlie R.
Verified
Matthew did a great job adding a string section to a pop song of mine. Good communication, fast turnaround, and quality music - highly recommended to all. Thanks Matthew! A+++

Interview with Matthew Van Driel

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: To provide them with the most high quality and professional arrangements and orchestrations, accentuating the song in such a way that it becomes an integral part of the piece.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I add that cinematic sound to the piece that the artist has been searching for.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill is finding that underlying emotion within the music and underscoring it, captivating the listener, and creating orchestrations that imbue feeling.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I have received song projects ranging from basic demos that need to be rebuilt from the ground up, to completed mixes just needing the final orchestration added, and everything in between. After understanding the direction the artist wants to take the song in, I begin work on orchestrating it. Dependant on intricacy and complexity of orchestration, this can take between 2-3 days.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I utilize both Logic Pro X and Sibelius with high quality industry standard orchestral, instrumental and choral sound libraries.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I recently contributed orchestral and choral arrangements to Lindsay Schoolcraft's debut album 'Martyr.' I am extremely happy with the result of the sound we achieved, big and bombastic, but also intimate and emotional. The album was nominated for Best Hard Rock/Metal album at the 2020 Canadian Juno Awards!
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Whenever there is the chance, I prefer going with analog. As an orchestral composer, there is nothing better than the sound that real players bring to the emotion and authenticity of the music. MIDI can only achieve so much.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I usually work with metal/rock acts, but have also worked with pop, world, and fusion groups in the past. Having this knowledge and experience with other genres allows me to pull inspiration from many different sources when creating my orchestrations.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: My musical inspirations are vast, and a few that influence me range from composers and orchestrators like Dmitri Shostakovich, Arvo Pärt, Pip Williams, and David Campbell, to artists such as Nightwish, Within Temptation, Epica, and Evanescence.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: My clients usually come to me with a basic idea, or sketch in mind of where they want the orchestrations to go. I use that as a basis, and expand upon it, fleshing out their original idea into a fully orchestrated piece, while still retaining their overall vision.