Composing

Thanks for sharing, Brian Gunter! Keep the tips coming, they're so helpful!

Thanks Ashley Renee Smith , I hope it is helpful!

I have only been able to create music for myself so far, over 200 songs. Having said that, I know that many of them are more than suitable for placement in TV shows, fiilms, and performed live. And, most of my songs are written in less than five minutes.

As for music that first inspired me, yes, I still feel it when I write songs. I think of some of the many musicians I have seen in concert. People like Bobby "Blue" Bland, Lou Reed, Warren Zevon, John Lee Hooker, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, the Rolling Stones, Run-DMC, the Ramones. I also think of some of the artists I love that I never saw perform such as Augustus Pablo, The Blasters, and Men at Work, though I was twice Colin Hay`s guest when he performed in California. I am shaped by strong story telling. I also draw my inspiration from a wide variety of sources. I have created songs with words turned into lyrics from comic books that are 75 years old. I wrote a great tune titled Plain Wrapper which is simply words taken from an ad placed in a 75 year old comic book. I created a great tune titlled Sisyphus after seeing an image in a book. Other times, I just find myself thinking about nothing in particular and a song pops out.

I love the third question the most for myself now, cause I am now thinking about - I just released my new album (yesterday :)) and I am thinking about arranging it to make it as something real and beautiful for concert, cause you still can do everything if you can make live concert right :)

When I compose for myself, it's more intuitive, freer. Conversely, when it's for an album or a film, it's more structured because the music composed must tick certain boxes. As for inspiration, I refer directly to certain playlists of music / films / series corresponding to the genre in which I compose. However, I realize that there are always some things that come back, almost unconsciously, and which correspond to the hundreds of hours I spent listening to music when I was younger. Arrangements that have marked me, production tricks etc.

That’s a great question! When I’m working on a contracted project, my goal is to connect empathetically with the characters of someone else’s story. Finding that connection is a different process that usually involves conversations with the director to make sure I’m interpreting character choices, and motives in the way it’s scripted.

When I’m composing for myself, I’m connecting directly with something very personal and usually more raw. It’s a more direct line and a clearer vision of what I’m trying to get out or process emotionally. It doesn’t sound terribly different. My style is my style, regardless of genre, but the process and source of connection to it is a different animal from the other entirely

2 - One does - it’s a Romantic piece.

1 - when writing for specific piece -

It’s how the story and hit points come

‘Down’. Then doing best customer service with people involved.

Hi, Edmund Lloyd. Stage 32 has a Job Board that gets updated regularly (www.stage32.com/find-jobs).

Looks for 48 Hour Film Project teams on the socials. They usually have local-ish horror themed events in October as well.

Well, my dog, a Labrador/Husky mix, makes whining sounds while she's sleeping when she dreams. She must be dreaming that she's chasing rabbits or birds. Anyway, I recorded these whining sounds and little cries. I haven't done anything with them yet, but I'm sure one day I'll use them in a horror/tension music track, after editing and processing them!

Julien Ober that is dope! I definitely want to hear what you eventually do with them! Love that weird stuff!

Kat Spencer Also, I sometimes I like to use typical audio tools in unconventional ways to get weird with it. Like taking a traditional instrument and a big reverb, but manipulating it in a way so it sounds like both the traditional instrument but also a synth, but the synth sound is still organic sounding like the original instrument.

Words are hard. Here's a video of what I mean:

https://www.stage32.com/media/3865605184113616039

Hahaha Julien Ober nice! - And that reminds me, I guess I HAVE recorded odd sounds before. My dog is snoring in one of my live performances, and my lovebird used to LOVE to sing with me when I was recording. She snuck in many sounds.

I remember that one Brian Gunter!

You're right, Navid Lancaster. It is awesome. Hope you're doing well!

I'm sure this is great, but unfortunately I can't update my information. When I try to search for a block, the site gives me an error and asks me to try again without telling me what the problem is.

Hi, Julien Ober. Email the Support Team at support@Stage32.com.

thanks Maurice

You're welcome, Julien Ober.

Dylan Lee , lots of driving beat. Great for game soundtracks. Longing for Winter is a nice track.

Overall, I've listened to some amazing works. There is talent and drive out there. I've also learned some things from this side of the desk. For instance, what makes for a great demo reel is not just great music, but a demo that makes my job easier.

What I like to hear -- as someone potentially auditioning music, style, and the creator's flexibility and potential to match a project -- is more of a medley, short (<15sec) examples of what a composer can do. I am looking for a range, a variety of styles that tell me that a composer can write to order.

It's really like speed dating, but on an even tighter schedule. My dream demo reel is a medley of styles, tempos, dynamics, melodies (so important: I want to be hooked, emotionally manipulated), and I want it in five or six, 10 to 15 second pieces, dovetailed musically in a way that carries me along from one piece to the next. It shows me, the composer can change gears as fast and as effortlessly as what may be on the screen.

For example: Manu Míguez 's demo is a prime example of what I am talking about.

It might be useful to have several demo reels for different audiences. For instance, one reel for a composer-call (for film/tv) like what I described above. Another reel for musicians, record companies, radio. I love music, and it hurts to cram it down because I am pressed for time, but that's the reality in this biz. You really have only seconds to make your impression.

Thanks for the insight, Morgan Aitken . Composers need to hear it. As an artist, it goes against everything in my soul to strip a track down to a bite sized piece, but it seems to be the consensus from so many filmmakers that that is what you are looking for, so that is what we must do!

Oh, thank you Morgan Aitken! I really appreciate that!

My showreel here: https://play.reelcrafter.com/YCzNz35dS2CP12XM-UNIhg

Julien Ober Congrats!! That's awesome. - For me, I shot some footage today for my music video for my song Beautiful Addiction. My son is going to be putting it together. Normally, I've done it all myself. But he's getting into filmmaking, so I'm handing over the reins.

Been updating my reels and social media which both I find quite difficult and more demanding than I'd prefer.

Congratulations, Brian Gunter!

Thanks as always, Maurice Vaughan !

You're welcome, Brian Gunter.

The triangle.

Mainly piano, but it depends on the mood. If I have a specific idea of what I want to write (for an album for example), I can directly write for a specific instrument.

That's really cool Julien Ober!

The triangle! LOL Rutger Oosterhoff 2 - I'm imagining a concerto for Triangle and Orchestra in B# major.

Can't say that I have a "go-to" instrument. Depends very much on mood or demands of a brief.

Wyman Brent Hahaha, nice! As for "I'm not a videographer," become one! Or find one on here. I'm sure there are plenty who would love to help.

Maurice Vaughan - I have found that if I put it away, I never return. Out of sight, out of mind, and a little Dory brain :) At least when it comes to musical ideas. I usually write them in 2 hours or so (or the whole night, but never longer). So, if I say "oops" and continue, it means, I'll be up late haha.

I dream of being able to spend my time solely on writing and producing. But there are so many other things I have to manage on the side!

Julien Ober I hear that! How much time do you get to spend on writing and producing now?

Kat Spencer Currently 10 hours/day. But since I don't earn enough money from these activities, I'm forced to take a job on the side from time to time, which greatly reduces my production time to 2/3 hours/day.

It's brilliant what John Williams did, Tucker Teague! The scene works better without the music. I'm gonna try it in a script. Maybe have a sound happen every time the villain/monster shows up, but not during a big scene. Thanks for sharing the video.

So true, Tucker Teague! I love this, thank you for sharing!

Impressive!

Silence during distressing scenes is much more effective than the presence of music in emphasizing the danger of the situation because this silence brings us back to reality. When we ourselves are experiencing a distressing situation in our respective lives, there is no music to accompany it...