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Composing - For a Living

In a recent thread, I've seen some rather alarming advice and attitudes to becoming a professional composer, largely born out of ignorance of the realities of achieving and maintaining a career as a professional composer.

Some background first: The music business in general has changed beyond all recognition over the last 2 decades. To get started when I did as a film composer in 1992 was an expensive business, computers were not yet capable of high enough quality and decent outboard samplers, mixers and other gear cost many tens of thousands of dollars for a basic system. So there really were not that many people with the skill or equipment to compose and produce music. Technology has changed all that, its' now possible to make a no-budget film and no-budget music, where there was once tens of thousands with access to compose and produce music there are now many tens of millions and probably hundreds of millions. Of those many millions, only a few percent take it seriously and have any talent and of those, only a few percent have real talent and seriously consider and/or pursue the possibility of making it a career. As the music business collapses economically, more and more have turned to media music. So even at a few percent of a few percent, we're probably still talking about 100,000+ people, of which most will earn a few bucks or even a few thousand bucks but only a few percent will actually earn enough to support a family and be career professionals and of these only a few percent will make a very good living. In other words, it's unbelievably competitive!!

If you want to be a professional, make a living as a media composer, you don't just have to be considerably better than all those tens thousands of others who will work for little or nothing, you have to offer considerably more. Knowing the difference between being a music creator and being a professional media composer is just the first step on a long road. For example: Dealing with the technicalities of the media; time-code, re-conforms, frequency spectrum usage for the media, stereo compatibility, efficiency and professionalism in spotting. Interpretation of the script, interpretation of the edits, the metaphorical "language" of film/tv, the terminology of film and communication skills. Knowing and using composition and production techniques to make your music more usable in media projects.

On the actual composing side, you have to be incredibly creative, dedicated and to work very hard and very fast. Composing and producing (to an extraordinary standard) a piece of music in just a single day is extremely difficult but composing and producing a piece of music a day, every day for 2 months without a break is a serious challenge, requiring knowledge, planning and great ability but this is the job of the professional media composer. As a professional film composer you need to have a very good grounding in the sonic characteristics, acoustics and theory of orchestral music because while numerous other genres of music are used in film, orchestral music is the dominant professional genre. Even where orchestral style music is not used at all in a particular project, the principles of orchestral composition frequently are. However, most aspiring film score composers use orchestral strings and other instrument samples, mistakenly thinking they are writing orchestral music, when it's obvious they've either never heard a live professional orchestra and/or have no idea how to emulate one.

There are so many who call themselves composers, thinking that writing pieces of music which others think are good (or are even occasionally willing to pay a few bucks for), is enough. There are so many who would like to be professional composers but very few who really want it. Very few who are willing to put in the study required to gain the knowledge and expertise essential to being a career professional. Just playing around all day with sequencing software, experimenting and making nice pieces of music might be what you enjoy but is nowhere near enough to set you apart from the countless tens of thousands of others already doing that. This is the approach of the amateur or serious or obsessed hobbyist, it's NOT the approach of a professional! If you're serious about being a professional composer then take it seriously and learn the craft. Study and practice recording and production theories and techniques, study and practice composition theory and techniques and study the "language" of film, become an expert. Work especially hard at those areas you don't like or are not so good at, develop objectivity and be your own worst critic! The payoff for all the talent, skill, knowledge, expertise and damn hard work is to make a living doing something you love.

G
 
From my perspective, what you have written sounds amazing- it would be my dream to have such a huge challenge and to work so hard to create beautiful art!

But that's not what producers and audiences want- it would be a challenge to write a new and original piece of music every day, but the vast majority of people can't tell the difference because they are not also educated in music. They want something exciting, fast, and recognisable. The producers want something that will make the film sell, which is why they are more and more regularly turning to tracks by recognised commercial musicians, because it brings the people in, and stock music, because it's cheap and easy.

Composers still exist in the mainstream, incredible composers, but they don't all create original music- most of them simply replicate work they've done in the past, reuse their themes, and most of the hard stuff is done by their subordinates.

Music in film has to be recognisable, because it needs to act as a cue for the emotions that accompany whatever is going on on the screen. Where is the place for the composer who experiments with new ideas in the modern industry?

(that's not a rhetorical question, I'm asking you :P)
 
From my perspective, what you have written sounds amazing- it would be my dream to have such a huge challenge and to work so hard to create beautiful art!

Well, that's the life of the professional film composer but of course it's not all roses. It's incredibly difficult to create high quality original art to what are usually unrealistic deadlines.

But that's not what producers and audiences want- it would be a challenge to write a new and original piece of music every day, but the vast majority of people can't tell the difference because they are not also educated in music. ...
Composers still exist in the mainstream, incredible composers, but they don't all create original music- most of them simply replicate work they've done in the past, reuse their themes.

Regardless of what producers and audiences want, if they employ a composer the music must be original, it's a legal requirement. All professional contracts stipulate "original compositions", so you can't replicate or reuse themes, even if they are your own!

It depends what you mean by original, the vast majority of film scores are completely original but are also stylistically derivative. John Williams, Hans Zimmer, etc., are all stylistically basically a mixture of Wagner, Holst and Stravinsky (and sometimes a few others). However, there is also a history of innovation in films scores; Forbidden Planet, Psycho, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the Solaris remake and many others. In fact, in my experience, producers and directors frequently want something "original", they want their film to stand out from the crowd. I agree that it's not uncommon for producers to turn to recognised commercial musicians for the perceived marketing boost but that's certainly nothing new, it's been going on for decades.

Library (stock) music is not really competition for the professional film composer. You can't really make a living from the small budget productions which usually resort to library music. You can make a bit of cash from these types of productions which is very useful for students, graduates and aspiring professionals but not enough to money to make a living or truly be a career professional.

Music in film has to be recognisable, because it needs to act as a cue for the emotions that accompany whatever is going on on the screen.

I strongly disagree with this statement. It's not being recognisable which elicits an emotional response but the application of music theory (dissonance, consonance, harmony, orchestration, resolution, rhythm, etc., etc).

...and most of the hard stuff is done by their subordinates.

I disagree with this statement too I'm afraid. Most professional media composers do all the work themselves. The exception to this is the large budget feature films which use live orchestral scores but I still don't agree that all the hard stuff is done by subordinates. An orchestral composer spends a year (or several) composing a symphony but a film score composer is only given a fraction of this time, plus an electronic mock-up has to be created for approval and the score has to be rehearsed, recorded, edited and mixed. In most big features the person listed as "Composer" is frequently more like a Director of Music; guiding and overseeing the work of programmers, editors, mixers, arrangers and orchestrators as well as directly contributing to some or all of these areas. It's still very hard work but some delegation is essential to comply with deadlines.

Where is the place for the composer who experiments with new ideas in the modern industry? (that's not a rhetorical question, I'm asking you :P)

There is still a demand for this, as I said before, some producers and directors are looking for innovation and something to differentiate their films from the rest. That's why many directors build such long lasting collaborations with specific composers; Hitchcock, Leone, Spielberg and Burton to name a few. But yes, there are limited opportunities and an incredible amount of competition. Good marketing and to an extent luck, both play important roles in finding these opportunities but being an expert, being reliable and being hugely talented are the attributes required to convert these opportunities into a professional career.

G
 
Here's my take on the age-old "Stock vs. Original" music..

Filmmakers who produce films of any length with a story should ALWAYS hire a composer for original music. Here's why:

If you've got any story at all - if you've got a good script - the story, emotions, and characters evolve throughout the film as the plot unfolds. Your music should do the same... Films which lack musical themes are never as powerful (or memorable) as those which have them.

Let me give you an example of powerful music moments which could not have been done with stock music.

John Williams' score to "E.T."... We all know the music when Elliot and the ET fly past the moon on the bike... The REASON that is such a powerful moment is that Williams had played bits and pieces of that same theme several times in the film prior to that bike ride. So, when we finally hear it all together, its impact is exponentially stronger.

Here's another John Williams example -- "The Imperial March" (aka Darth Vader's tune).. Watching episodes 4-5, we know this to be the sound of Darth Vader... BUT check this out.
In episode 2 (?), Anakin's village is torched and his mom is killed... Anakin gets on his speed-racer and furiously flies across the desert... There's an angry\mournful score playing.. very dramatic... and then we hear it -- a brief few bars of "The Imperial March". This is the defining moment where Anakin's anger overtakes him which eventually pushes him to the 'dark side'... Brilliant!

My point is this... There can be no developing of themes without a composer on your project. Sure, stock libraries have great tracks -- great melodies -- great thematic material.. but you can't develop it throughout your film. It will be the same stagnant melody that we heard at frame one.

I use John Williams because he is the master at taking a short theme and writing the heck out of it... He passes material around the orchestra like frat boys pass a pipe..

For commercials?? Stock away. There's rarely enough time or emotional energy to need much development...

But for the sake of your film and all the work you put into it - use a qualified, educated composer. The results will make your film much much MUCH stronger.
 
Agreed. Now... how does one of us indy filmmakers who can barely afford his/her gear, get to work with one of you guys?

Ask? Understand that as with any quality product or service, compensation will be required. Professional, educated composers have spent several thousands of dollars investing in themselves, their education, and their gear... and most likely, anyone worthwhile will certainly charge you something. Like everything else in the world, you get what you pay for.

I've heard several stories about composers working for a trade -- maybe you do something in your day job that might interest a composer. I've heard of companies not having cash to pay, but instead, they've bought a 'company computer' for the composer on the company credit card. Be creative.

Most composers aren't out to break your bank\budget. And for those of us where composing is more than a hobby - it's literally our livelihood, we just want to pay our bills.

It never hurts to ask. You might not be able to come to an agreement -- but at least you tried and can move on the the next composer.
 
Ask? Understand that as with any quality product or service, compensation will be required. Professional, educated composers have spent several thousands of dollars investing in themselves, their education, and their gear... and most likely, anyone worthwhile will certainly charge you something. Like everything else in the world, you get what you pay for.

I've heard several stories about composers working for a trade -- maybe you do something in your day job that might interest a composer. I've heard of companies not having cash to pay, but instead, they've bought a 'company computer' for the composer on the company credit card. Be creative.

Most composers aren't out to break your bank\budget. And for those of us where composing is more than a hobby - it's literally our livelihood, we just want to pay our bills.

It never hurts to ask. You might not be able to come to an agreement -- but at least you tried and can move on the the next composer.

Sounds good :)
 
I use John Williams because he is the master at taking a short theme and writing the heck out of it... He passes material around the orchestra like frat boys pass a pipe..

He's a master but not the master. This compositional tool is called a leitmotif and was developed by the original master Wagner in his 1870's Ring Cycle. Who doesn't know the leitmotif for the Valkyries?

The clever thing about a leitmotif is that you can use it to develop the character of anything, not just a person or group of people. Actually, the best John Williams example in my opinion is not from any of the films you have mentioned. Without the foresight of Spielberg and the skill of Williams, "Jaws" would be a film about a rather pathetic plastic shark!

While I agree entirely with your post, it is rather off topic!

G
 
I agree with much of this, as an aspiring composer (I see myself a few years away from being pro-level, and am trying to learn as much as I can). I will add for the DIY/self-trained folks, myself included, learning is twice as important because you are in direct competition for jobs with folks who have a piece of paper vetting their knowledge. Doesn't mean it can't be done, or that we can't be better composers/musicians. We just have to work twice as hard to prove it. Of course, once you have a good reel (or a dozen different good reels, both audio and video) it's a little easier, but getting to that stage is a LONG road.

One of the greatest challenges self-education presents is WHAT to learn. As stated, there is a very diverse skillset you need (not even getting into the self-promotion/marketing side that you need to turn it into a business), and it's not always clear what pieces you are missing. And going this route, you'll often be working with directors with LESS knowledge (that's why they got a music guy after all!)

But I believe it can be done, and furthermore, that we can do it.
 
To get started when I did as a film composer in 1992 was an expensive business, computers were not yet capable of high enough quality and decent outboard samplers, mixers and other gear cost many tens of thousands of dollars for a basic system. So there really were not that many people with the skill or equipment to compose and produce music. Technology has changed all that, its' now possible to make a no-budget film and no-budget music, where there was once tens of thousands with access to compose and produce music there are now many tens of millions and probably hundreds of millions.

I'm not a pro, just a filmmaker who couldn't find a composer that did music I remotely liked (this was 1984 and no internet), so I took it upon myself to score the music that I did like. I spent 60 grand on keyboards, mixers, reel to reel and digital recorders. As a side effect, I was hired to score commercials, industrials, even paying indie features. Nowadays, one can buy Reason Essentials for $79 and offer to score for free. No wonder composers have become devalued. :bang:

What you wrote applies equally to filmmaking. I used to shoot on film and all you had to do was complete a feature to take advantage of the VHS revolution and get distributed. Video was a joke in the 80's. Now, everyone has HD on their IPhone and can upload to Youtube. To be noticed, you have to reeeeaaally stand out and be sharp, especially since everyone is a virtual critic, via the web.
 
In a recent thread, I've seen some rather alarming advice and attitudes to becoming a professional composer, largely born out of ignorance of the realities of achieving and maintaining a career as a professional composer.

Some background first: The music business in general has changed beyond all recognition over the last 2 decades. To get started when I did as a film composer in 1992 was an expensive business, computers were not yet capable of high enough quality and decent outboard samplers, mixers and other gear cost many tens of thousands of dollars for a basic system. So there really were not that many people with the skill or equipment to compose and produce music. Technology has changed all that, its' now possible to make a no-budget film and no-budget music, where there was once tens of thousands with access to compose and produce music there are now many tens of millions and probably hundreds of millions. Of those many millions, only a few percent take it seriously and have any talent and of those, only a few percent have real talent and seriously consider and/or pursue the possibility of making it a career. As the music business collapses economically, more and more have turned to media music. So even at a few percent of a few percent, we're probably still talking about 100,000+ people, of which most will earn a few bucks or even a few thousand bucks but only a few percent will actually earn enough to support a family and be career professionals and of these only a few percent will make a very good living. In other words, it's unbelievably competitive!!

If you want to be a professional, make a living as a media composer, you don't just have to be considerably better than all those tens thousands of others who will work for little or nothing, you have to offer considerably more. Knowing the difference between being a music creator and being a professional media composer is just the first step on a long road. For example: Dealing with the technicalities of the media; time-code, re-conforms, frequency spectrum usage for the media, stereo compatibility, efficiency and professionalism in spotting. Interpretation of the script, interpretation of the edits, the metaphorical "language" of film/tv, the terminology of film and communication skills. Knowing and using composition and production techniques to make your music more usable in media projects.

On the actual composing side, you have to be incredibly creative, dedicated and to work very hard and very fast. Composing and producing (to an extraordinary standard) a piece of music in just a single day is extremely difficult but composing and producing a piece of music a day, every day for 2 months without a break is a serious challenge, requiring knowledge, planning and great ability but this is the job of the professional media composer. As a professional film composer you need to have a very good grounding in the sonic characteristics, acoustics and theory of orchestral music because while numerous other genres of music are used in film, orchestral music is the dominant professional genre. Even where orchestral style music is not used at all in a particular project, the principles of orchestral composition frequently are. However, most aspiring film score composers use orchestral strings and other instrument samples, mistakenly thinking they are writing orchestral music, when it's obvious they've either never heard a live professional orchestra and/or have no idea how to emulate one.

There are so many who call themselves composers, thinking that writing pieces of music which others think are good (or are even occasionally willing to pay a few bucks for), is enough. There are so many who would like to be professional composers but very few who really want it. Very few who are willing to put in the study required to gain the knowledge and expertise essential to being a career professional. Just playing around all day with sequencing software, experimenting and making nice pieces of music might be what you enjoy but is nowhere near enough to set you apart from the countless tens of thousands of others already doing that. This is the approach of the amateur or serious or obsessed hobbyist, it's NOT the approach of a professional! If you're serious about being a professional composer then take it seriously and learn the craft. Study and practice recording and production theories and techniques, study and practice composition theory and techniques and study the "language" of film, become an expert. Work especially hard at those areas you don't like or are not so good at, develop objectivity and be your own worst critic! The payoff for all the talent, skill, knowledge, expertise and damn hard work is to make a living doing something you love.

G

Excellent post! Thanks for sharing your precious suggestions.

Pietro
 
Very well put guys ! I think there are so many people doing this sort of work that a lot of great musicians are getting put out of work due to playing a keyboard with triggers or samples. I mean we cant all afford a 40 piece orchestra ( well i cant !) so i have had to work within my budget.

My main instrument is guitar, i did notice that with just using a keyboard for everything, i was loosing my live playing touch. So I have now incorporate more live playing to my music. Micing up amps, Percussion elements, vocals etc. Trying to get a touch of sound design aswell into my music. Im always learning and so will everybody !


Dean McGinnes :)
 
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