ABOUT DIRK EHLERT
Music has always been about more than sound.
It is about emotion, movement and storytelling.
I am Dirk Ehlert, a German composer, producer and mixing engineer working professionally in music for media since 2011. Over the past 15 years, I have created music for film, television, games, trailers, advertising and production music libraries, contributing to more than 250 projects for clients and audiences around the world.
My work ranges from intimate piano and atmospheric underscore to emotional orchestral music, ambient post-rock and large-scale cinematic productions.
What connects all of these styles is a simple idea: The music must serve the story.
FROM MUSICIAN TO MEDIA COMPOSER
My path into professional composition did not begin with a single breakthrough moment. It developed through years of writing, producing, experimenting and learning how music communicates beyond the notes themselves.
Before becoming a full-time composer, I worked as a musician, songwriter and producer while continually developing my skills in orchestration, recording technology, virtual instruments and music production.
In 2011, I made composition and production my full-time profession.
Since then, my music has been used across television programmes, films, advertising campaigns, trailers, games and international production music catalogues.
Each project has presented a different creative challenge: supporting a scene without overpowering it, creating a memorable theme for a character, building tension through sound and rhythm, or delivering music that editors can shape around a story.
That variety is one of the things I value most about working in music for media.
AN INTERNATIONAL CREATIVE JOURNEY
My professional and personal journey has taken me from Germany to Los Angeles, Southern Spain and back to Brandenburg, near Berlin.
Living and working in different countries has influenced both my music and the way I collaborate.
Los Angeles brought me closer to the international film, television and production music industry. Spain gave me the space to develop new creative projects and a broader musical perspective. Returning to Germany has allowed me to bring these experiences together into the next stage of my work.
Today, I collaborate remotely with clients, publishers, artists and creative teams across different countries and time zones.
Good communication is central to that process. A successful project does not begin with software or instruments. It begins with understanding the people behind the project, the story they want to tell and the emotion they want the audience to experience.
MY APPROACH TO COMPOSITION
Story first. Technique second.
Every composition starts with questions.
What is happening beneath the surface of the scene/project?
Whose perspective are we experiencing?
Should the music lead the emotion or leave space for the audience?
What should remain in the listener’s mind after the scene has ended?
These questions shape the musical decisions that follow.
Harmony, instrumentation, rhythm, sound design and production are not separate technical elements. They are all part of the storytelling process.
Depending on the project, the right solution might be a single piano, an evolving atmospheric texture, an intimate guitar part or a full cinematic arrangement.
The goal is never to make the music bigger simply for the sake of being bigger.
The goal is to make it meaningful.
COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTION
My work combines traditional musical ideas with modern production techniques.
I regularly work with orchestral sample libraries, synthesizers, guitars, piano, percussion, sound design and hybrid production tools. This allows me to move between organic, acoustic and heavily produced cinematic styles while maintaining a consistent emotional identity.
My main areas of work include:
Original music for film and documentary
Game scores and character themes
Television and production music
Trailer and advertising music
Additional music and arrangement
Cinematic orchestral composition
Emotional piano and acoustic music
Ambient, post-rock and atmospheric underscore
Hybrid scoring and sound design
Every project is approached individually. Rather than forcing a production into a predetermined style, I look for the musical language that best supports its identity.
MIXING AND AUDIO SERVICES
Years of producing music for professional media projects have also shaped my approach to mixing.
For me, mixing is not simply about creating technical balance. It is about helping the intention of a track become clearer.
A strong mix should allow the listener to understand what matters emotionally. It should create space, depth, focus and movement without removing the personality of the original production.
Through DE-TUNE, I offer professional mixing and mastering services for artists, composers and music producers, including:
Full track mixing
Vocal mixing over stereo instrumentals
Stereo mastering
Detailed track and production feedback
I work particularly well with productions involving virtual instruments, orchestral arrangements, cinematic music, layered guitars, atmospheric textures and complex hybrid sessions.
My goal is not to replace the character of a track with my own. It is to reveal the strongest version of what is already there.
EDUCATION FOR COMPOSERS AND PRODUCERS
A significant part of my work is also dedicated to education.
Over the years, I have seen many talented composers struggle not because they lack creativity, but because they have difficulty turning their ideas into clear, professional productions.
Modern composers are expected to understand far more than composition alone. They must often work as arranger, orchestrator, programmer, recording engineer, mixer and producer at the same time.
My courses, templates and resources are designed to make that process more understandable.
Rather than focusing only on theory, I teach practical workflows that can be applied directly to real productions.
Topics include:
Mixing virtual instruments
Cinematic composition and arrangement
Neoclassical and trailer music
Orchestral programming
Sample library workflows
MIDI preparation
Template organisation
Production and mixing techniques
Professional track feedback
The aim is not to prescribe one correct method.
It is to help composers understand why certain decisions work, so they can make stronger creative choices in their own music.
WHAT I VALUE
Emotion
Technical quality matters, but technique should always support emotion.
Clarity
Whether composing, mixing or teaching, I believe in clear intentions, clear communication and practical solutions.
Individuality
Music should not sound interchangeable. Every artist, story and project deserves its own identity.
Reliability
Professional creative work depends on communication, preparation, deadlines and respect for the people involved.
Continuous Learning
Music production is constantly evolving. Even after 15 years of professional work, curiosity and experimentation remain central to everything I do.
EXPERIENCE AT A GLANCE
Professional composer and producer since 2011
More than 15 years of professional industry experience
Music contributed to over 250 media projects
Experience across film, television, games, trailers, advertising and production music
International collaborations with publishers, developers, artists and creative teams
Extensive experience with orchestral sample libraries, virtual instruments and cinematic production
Professional mixing, mastering and production feedback
Creator of courses, templates and resources for composers and producers
Based near Berlin, Germany
Working with clients worldwide