Composing : Ask Me Anything (AMA) Wednesday 5/29 to Thursday 5/30- Composer Workflows: Why They're Important & What To Consider by Arhynn Descy

Hi, Arhynn Descy. Congratulations on being nominated for Best Score at the GenreBlast Film Festival, "Crypto Shadows" winning Best Score at the Vegas Movie Awards, and all your success!

Thanks for having this AMA. What's a key element of the composing process that needs a workflow?

Hi Arhynn Descy , congrats with all your best scores - both of them. What does AMPAS stand for ? I've been interested in film scoring, though 1st 1/2 of life is playing drums / music, so it's a good fit ... hopefully to transition into. I've been to many PASiC conventions and 2-3 JEN conferences also.

13- episode sci-fi podcast - how's this planned out for the year ? I made one Sci-Fi for myself (using Logic Pro sounds and loops) - it's on SoundCloud; really has it's own Sci-Fi vibe) I made a nice into-Sci-Fi 3 years ago - It's almost 2 mins, though I thought I did a real good job; yep, ... went to someone else. Competition is really tough in this industry.

I currently use Dorico Pro (v.3.5) and then move the MIDI file to Logic Pro, for better sounds and mixes / mastering. Is there a better workflow than this 'hiccup' I have to work through ? :~) My last quick score was a Spitfire Bridgerton competition, where I ended up using the Spitfire sounds in Dorico Pro, and downloading the 2 track into Logic Pro 10.8, then I did add a few extra tracks to make it sound better ... before bouncing down and placing in iMovie. The good part was I created this 1:30 min in 3-4 days, with the retail job, having one film producer giving good advice about one scene.

Is it better to score into Logic Pro then ?? Hope to hear from you. Have a great week.

K. Kennard

What are your views on AI and how it will affect Film Composers and their workflow?

Hi Arhynn Descy - congratulations on your successes thus far and thanks for spending your time with us. I've heard it said that interruption is the killer of creativity. How do you manage interruptions in your flow? How do you avoid them? Thanks in advance!

Hi Arhynn Descy - thank you so much for doing this AMA! When you're composing for a film do you take into account any songs or existing music that will be used in the film or is the score a separate endeavor? Thanks, again!

Welcome Arhynn Descy! Congratulations on your recognition and thanks for taking time to do this AMA. Two questions:

What are your views on the use of silence as another instrument?

How do you approach doing song sound-a-likes? Example; I want to use Pink Floyd’s Money in a feature I am developing. It’s the right vibe. However, I would think it’s a fortune to get usage rights.

Thank you!

Hi Arhynn Descy , thanks for being here and answering our questions. Life Flow probably needs way more than one AMA. :) When composing a movie, when do you start the process? For instance, when I did my short film, the composer wanted to make sure there weren't any more edits before she began but that was a short. I have a documentary that one day will need music...as a composer would you want to see the rough cut, wait for final cut or how does that work? And is all that part of the work flow? On my side, I feel like I'd want to hear what the composer has in mind ahead of time but not just past sample work if that makes sense. Hope this question makes sense! Thank you in advance.

HI Arhynn Descy, what a great AMA! What great questions already asked! I'll try this one. I compose my own music for my short films, however would like to know the pro's and cons of hiring an orchestra? Thanks in advance.

Thank you for sharing your time with us, Arhynn Descy! Are there any programs that you prefer to use to organize your time, tasks, and workflow? If so, can you share what it is about those programs or systems that work best for you?

Maurice Vaughan Thank you so much for your kind words! Frankly, I'd say pretty much all of it needs some sort of workflow, especially if you are working to tight deadlines. What a workflow does is it removes the worry of remembering/forgetting something from your mind, the time consuming process of working out what to do next or doing things the long way round and frees up time and space and gives you freedom to think and be creative. For example I create a massive cue sheet with every step I need to take for every cue (eg 1st version, revisions, export midi, create stems, create score, create click, tempo map, record, mix deliver) and then I check them off as I go - usually in colour. That way I know exactly where I am in the project, I can do no-brainer jobs when I'm tired (like exporting midi), complicated jobs when I'm bright and sparky and I don't have to remember what I need to do next because I have a flow with the steps to take and they're all there in front of me. The same works for a flow of setting up a project - always doing the same steps in setting it up will mean you don't forget to do certain things and have to come back to them later. It may seem small, but on a tight deadline, every small action counts.

Kerry Kennard Thank you for your kind words! AMPAS stands Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences....basically it's the Oscars Academy.

The conventions you have attended sound cool and yes, if you have been playing music for years, then making the jump to composing could work. I say 'could' because writing music to picture is a skill of its own that you will need to develop. It's not just simply writing music and placing it there. But I know quite a few percussionists who have successfully made the jump, so give it a try!

Re the podcast - I'm just doing the music, so am not in charge of the release timetable, but I believe there will be a new ep released every few weeks.

I do know a few composers who score in Dorico and then transfer the midi into Logic, but they are not working on tight deadlines. It is a long way around and I if you need to work quickly then learning to score directly in Logic would be much faster - for a number of reasons: Expression automation with CC controllers can be done simultaneously, mixing happens as you go, you can make changes as you go because you can hear how it's sounding. I understand that if you are better when 'seeing' the music as notation or write better music that way, then writing directly into Logic might feel a bit uncomfortable. I had to teach myself to let go of the notation and what I do instead is keep a scribble sheet of manuscript paper ready, where I write down all the themes and harmonies I'm using and then write directly into Logic. You can also open the notation window to keep an eye on what you're playing. I do that when I'm using complicated harmonies or orchestrating something. So yes, I'd say start teaching yourself to score directly in Logic.

You're welcome, Arhynn Descy. Thanks for the detailed answer. I like your massive cue sheet idea. I think it'll help out other composers.

"I can do no-brainer jobs when I'm tired (like exporting midi), complicated jobs when I'm bright and sparky." I do the same thing when I'm working on a script. Get the complicated things done when I have a lot of energy and do the easy things when I'm tired.

I like to color code things when I outline a script. Color-coding helps me get the outline done, and it saves me time when I have to look back at the outline as I write the script. I can spot the color-coded words and sentences easily instead of having to read through the outline to find what I'm looking for.

Navid Lancaster gosh, that's a big question! I am personally in the camp of 'AI is being used for the wrong things', but this is not the place to discuss that side of it. Going forward I see AI being used in the ideas generation side of composition and including that into your workflow to speed up the process at the beginning could be something worth doing. We already use AI in some of the mixing plugins, so having your template set up in advance with the routing to the plugins and then learning how to make the most of those plugins both while composing and during the final mix will save time. My template does not have instruments loaded because I like to start from scratch and develop a sound for the project. The thing that takes the most time is the routing of instruments and plugins, so my template has all the routing pre set up and then all I need to do is load things. Another thing I do to save time in my workflow is I save presets for plugins as well as Kontakt instruments, so for example if I decide I want to use Violins, all I need to do is click on Violin 1 or 2 and all the violin articulations I normally use will load up straight away. I then click on the EQ for violins and any other plugins I want to use for the instrument and within a few keystrokes I have it all set up. So I'd definitely suggest doing that at minimum.

Thanks Leonardo Ramirez! That's a really good question because for the real gold to come through (in my opinion), we need to be undistracted. The best is to to avoid them - lol. What I do to avoid them is I set aside time that is only for composing. It's really easy when in the midst of a crazy deadline because you then have an excuse for not engaging with people. But I even do it when I'm working on more low-key stuff. For me the morning is protected for creative work. If I'm working on a film I'd then take a break at certain points to check email, have lunch, go for a walk and extend the protected time to most of the day. I turn my phone off and shut down any programs on my computer that could distract (eg email, etc). It's a really good idea to plan it in advance eg I'll be at my computer doing creative work at 8am till 12am. I'll stop at 10 and have a short break (perhaps check email, but it's better not to because that can pull you right out of the creative mindset), continue to 12 and then spend an hour on emails, have lunch, do a walk or whatever is a good break for yourself, then start the same process again from 1.00 or 2pm.

That's the macro 'flow'. Then to remain undistracted while working, I set myself some short term tasks eg write these 4 bars, create a theme, orchestrate a section and put my full attention on that job till its finished and then grab a couple mins of a break. Then start up again. You could also use the pomodoro technique, which is work at full focus for 25 mins then take a 5 min break. That doesn't work for me because the 'clock ticking' would distract me, whereas working to attain a small task usually pulls me right into flow and before I know it I've done much more than I set out to do.

Hi Sam Sokolow! Thank you for your question. The ideal is to know what piece of existing music or song is going to be used in advance so that the composer can create music, taking that music into consideration. In the same way that a script writer creates a structural arc in the story, composers create a musical arc based on the story. This involves changing keys for dramatic reasons, rhythmic, motivic development etc. So knowing where the the song/music track isbeing placed and what it's going to be (because there will be a dramatic reason for using that song) helps the composer plan the structure with that song as a key component. For example, if there's going to be score before and/or after a song, knowing the key, rhythmic feel, tempo, etc is useful for the composer so that they can create music that makes sense in the grand scale. A simple example - without getting too technical, some keys are more related to each other than others, so moving from one key to the next can feel seamless if related or like a big jolt if completely unrelated, going from a sad sounding key into a bright happy key can enhance a lift in the storyline or if a song is bold and bright and the next scene is something sad or difficult, changing key can help bring the viewer to the new emotion. This is VERY simplistic what I'm describing because there are 100's of ways to achieve these effects (same as with script writing), but it's an example to illustrate the point. And of course, it's not always possible to know ahead of time what songs will be used, especially if rights clearance is being negotiated.... and it is always possible to go back and make changes to music to make things work.

Thank you Maria Baltazzi! I'm not sure I'd call silence an instrument because that would imply it can be blended with other instruments, which clarly it can't. However, my opinion is that using silence is absolutely essential and can be a very dramatic tool.... a sudden drop to silence can really punctuate a moment, a gradual fade into silence can make the silence speak volumes. Silence isn't just silence. It actually says things as much as notes do if you allow it to.

Song sound-a-likes are a difficult subject because in my ideal world filmmakers will want you to create something new and unique. There is also the issue of copyright to deal with (you really don't want to force your composer into infringing copyright because composers are being sued) and yes, you're right it can be really expensive, but not always and if a song is perfect for your film, then it's worth investigating. I'd suggest using someone like a music supervisor or an entertainment lawyer with experience and contacts in that world because often they can get you deals you couldn't get on your own. Saying that, some practical thoughts if you need to commission a sound-alike are:

1. Explain to your composer what exactly you like/is perfect about the song - and this can be anything eg "I like the rhythm", "I like the vibe", I like the way the music transitions into the chorus", "the hook grabs me and makes me want to dance, I need the song to do that", "I like the instrument combinations", etc, etc.

2. Be open to it not sounding the same and this is really hard because you love the song. But try to listen with a fresh mind and perspective, tap into how you are feeling and see if it's what you want to be feeling, does the new song do what you need it to do?

3. Ask people's opinions (that you trust) whether the song works without telling them what the original song was. They won't have pre-conceptions.

4. Radical thought - ask your songwriter/composer to write you something new that they feel will work. You never know, they may come up with something that works as well or better than the original song...and it's all yours to use and exploit....you may even get a number 1 hit out of it, bringing attention to your film. I really believe in trusting the creatives we bring in to work with us. People can be brilliant!

"It's a really good idea to plan it in advance" - there's some gold right there Arhynn Descy. I've never heard of the Pomodoro Technique but I can see where I'd be watching the clock a bit too much. I think the key is more like you said - plan it in advance. Thanks so much Arhynn!