Composing

What an inspiring story! I loved the sentence "Have A Plan & Be Prepared To Not Follow It At All" because you never know what magic may occur but you have to start somewhere. Great share, Maurice Vaughan!

Great share, Ashley Renee Smith! Ludwig Göransson said he went to West Africa to study and learn more about African music. I wonder if that’s a common thing that composers do.

I also thought that was so interesting, Maurice Vaughan! I'm glad he took it that seriously and exposed himself to the music and culture as much as he could.

Yes, this topic touches on many areas. In On the Track book, they say not to use music until later, to avoid the Director - or anyone else- getting used to the sounds / music. Sometimes the composer might add a few other elements/ instruments to help the scene with an emotional connection/ moment.

I tried to make this one scene a little better w / a slightly different mix and a nicer fade. Nope - the Director liked the previous one - probably already used and edited in. - in a short Indie movie. No problem - only working to make it better.

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!

I’m working on writing and more career focus - so no heavy playlist .. though there is one. ;-)

if 6 was 9

Donte Burks Excellent choice! Bought when it came out and still have it. :)

I'm working on an Action short script today, Brian Gunter, so I'll probably listen to fast-paced movie scores and instrumentals.

My go-to for productivity is The Social Network score! It’s so rhythmic and deep and subtle that it doesn’t interfere with my focus but also helps it. Great suggestions from everyone here!

Ashley Renee Smith I was a little late coming around to them, but the journey since has been a great one.

Brian Gunter thank you for being so open, with your answer. The novel was a good read!! There’s so much to understand about other people, their work environment and personal needs. I certainly wouldn’t have known about the loss of time, so I can see how lists and alarms are important for you.

Sound design is an exciting area to be working in. Who for you stands out as the premier sound designer and someone you take inspiration from?

Are they like the Beatles? I know them!

Jed Power hahaha! Oh Jed, you are so old school! ;-)

Hi Geoff,

nope, not really a fan to be honest. It was Toto, and Kansas for me.

Have a great weekend,

K. Kennard

I love Rick Beatos Videos - you really feel how music connects to him and makes him happy

I'll have to watch a little later. Yes, thanks for posting ! KK

Leave AI to the DJs. Artists must create art!

It’s great interview! I subscribe to both of Rick’s channels.

I’m trying so hard to avoid the streamers. There has to be a way to make a grass roots type of campaign without giving in to the juggernaut.

Definitely, Geoff Hall. Especially when I work on the logline, which I do right after coming up with an idea.

I studied a lot of Classical composers, esp. Beethoven. His form was clear - like others within the Classical period. Yes, a lot of Chaos to beauty, esp. in recapitulation section. In my Webinar with Fabiana Claure, one of her business advice is the V-I, as the Dominant is discussing (Dissonance) the problem, where the Tonic is the resolving the problem. Classical period if full of V - I, except the recapitulation. (many dissonances).

Maurice Vaughan ah, I can’t do that at the idea stage, Maurice. I have to work on the story and characters a little more and then I’ll get a feel for the possibilities. Forever tweaking it though, as new ideas may unexpectedly pop up on the surface of the page. Writing is full of surprises!

Kerry Kennard that’s an intriguing take on the process when I think of writing a screenplay. Dissonance and resolution. Excellent.

Could you please outline the different sections in a symphony please, it will help me and probably others, get our heads around this form and perhaps create an analogy for the writing process.

Finally, in terms of music outside of the classical era, say with Messiaen or Schoenberg (especially his earlier work, before he lost my attention). What forms do they employ for the Modern 20th Century listener that we could perhaps utilise in a ‘modern’ form of storytelling?

Apologies for this latter question. I’m trying to get my head around the shift in expectations of the audience in classical and modern periods.

I personally think Beethoven should be included in every soundtrack!

I always loved Mark Ronson's producer tag back in the day where at the start of his songs he would drop "...Back by popular demand, Mr. Mark Ronson!"