Composing

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Find Your Footing on Stage 32: Join Our December Community Open House!

Find Your Footing on Stage 32: Join Our December Community Open House!

Monday, December 29th at 12:00 pm PT!

Every success story begins with a first step.

If you’re ready to take yours, join me, Ashley Smith, Head of Community at Stage 32, for our December Community Open House Webcast happening Monday, December 29th at 12:00 pm PT!

Free Registration: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-december-community-open-house-webcast-with-ashley-smith

Whether you’re chasing representation, looking for collaborators, or simply tired of creating in isolation, this live event is your chance to show up, be seen, and start making real progress.

This isn’t just an overview — it’s your creative launchpad. You’ll walk away with practical tools, new connections, and a clear path forward, no matter your background or where you are in your career.

You’ll Learn How To:

  • Navigate Stage 32 like a pro and make the platform work for your goals
  • Build authentic connections through the Stage 32 Lounges
  • Access Education, Certification, and Script Services tailored to your next big move
  • Show up in ways that get you noticed by the right people at the right time
  • Participate in real-time Q&A and get guidance specific to your path

Whether you’re a writer, filmmaker, actor, producer, composer, editor, or wear multiple creative hats — this is where your Stage 32 journey truly begins.

If you can’t attend live, don’t worry — registering ensures you’ll receive the full recording to watch anytime from anywhere.

Who’s planning to join me live for the Open House?


Geoff Hall
How Hans Zimmer and Radiohead transformed “Bloom” for Blue Planet II

I came across this video in my YouTube feed and was enthralled by the musical techniques it explores. It’s a conversation between Hans Zimmer, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood about their collaboration for BBC’s The Blue Planet series.

They explore ‘the tidal orchestra’ and ‘aleatoric’ compositions and...

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Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Geoff Hall. I listen to "Survivor" when I work on an Action or Thriller script. I'm gonna listen to the "Bloom" remix when I write. Thanks again. Have a great weekend!...

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Meriem Bouziani

I think Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is a great example of turning the feelings of the seasons into music.

But I still have a question: did he truly succeed in translating the seasons into sound, or do we fe...

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Geoff Hall

Meriem Bouziani hi Meriem, I suppose you might have to go back to the original audience and see what they thought. I also think it depends what you mean by representing the seasons. Such things are be...

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Meriem Bouziani

Yes, I agree with you—we are programmed in certain ways. If we want to understand the true meaning and emotional impact of music, we would need to ask someone who has never heard it before and knows n...

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Geoff Hall

Maurice Vaughan I looked for the transformed “Bloom” track on iTunes, but sadly couldn’t find it. I would love to play it during a writing session....

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Pat Alexander
The Sound of One Battle After Another

Step inside the sound design and mix of Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest film, One Battle After Another, with this in-depth look at the work of the sound team. Featuring Re-recording mixer, supervising sound editor, sound designer Chris Scarabosio, Re-recording mixer Tony Villaflor and Production Sound...

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Ashley Renee Smith
Behind the Screen: Scoring Avatar: Fire and Ash

If you love thinking about music as world-building, emotional architecture, and invisible storytelling, this conversation is well worth your time.

In this Behind the Screen feature, Grammy-winning composer Simon Franglen breaks down his work on Avatar: Fire and Ash and shares what he learned from the...

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Maurice Vaughan

Thanks for sharing the video, Ashley Renee Smith. The music in the clip is incredible! I didn't used to pay much mind to music and sound in scripts, but I learned they can enhance stories. I'd never t...

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Meriem Bouziani

Music was an important part of the world-building in The Disabled Puzzle. In some scenes, I use Beethoven’s music; in others, I simply describe what the music should feel like. Overall, I believe musi...

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Vladimir Romantsev

Atmosphere, mood, meaning, and space... Coming soon from musician Mandrake: the new album "Gradstein 2", featuring 18 tracks. Listen on Apple Music and Spotify—and let us know what you think!

Kat Spencer
What’s your creative goal between now and January 1st?

The year always seems to speed up once November hits, and I’m curious how everyone here handles that final creative push.

Are you wrapping up any tracks, organizing sessions, experimenting with new ideas, or simply giving yourself space to recharge before 2026?

What’s the one creative goal you want to hit before we turn the calendar?

Libby Wright

My goal is to clear my plate of lots of "tasks" so that my brain is free to be creative again :)

Haley Mary

I hope to write some new lyrics and some more stand up comedy material.

Kat Spencer

Thanks Maurice Vaughan! I have to be patient because my kids and I are doing this together, my son in particular is really getting into making films, and I want to see what he can do! It will be worth...

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Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Kat Spencer. That's great that you're making the video with your kids!

Wyman Brent
How I Create Music Across So Many Genres

I’ve written more than 500 songs in just about every musical style imaginable—jazz, soul, 8-bit chiptune, jug band, doo-wop, hard rock, maqam, country, psychedelic pop, children’s songs, and a lot more. People often ask me how I move so easily from one genre to another.

The honest answer is that it f...

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Wyman Brent

Haley Mary, hi from here to there. Very impressive with your writing. I can only write in English. However, I have translated some of my songs into various languages and then recorded them using A.I....

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Lenny Levy

You said you're always open to collaborate. I write lyrics, have about 30 songs on the streaming services with a couple collaborators, but mainly one who takes my word and creates magic. But I look for some other collaborators. Let me know if you'd like to see some of my words.

Wyman Brent

Lenny Levy, it is very nice to hear from you. I would enjoy seeing what you have written. I should state, as I have many times on Stage 32, that I write songs. However, the voices and instrumentation...

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Lenny Levy

All of my lyrics that are on the streaming services have music written and performed by someone else. You're writing more songs than I am. But I'm also working on plays, movie scripts and poetry. What...

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Wyman Brent

Lenny, unfortunately, I have not yet found anyone to record my songs. As for other writing, I write TV scripts and poetry. I also wrote a script for a stage musical.

As for reviewing my lyrics beforeh...

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Kat Spencer
Composers: What Does December Sound Like to You?

December always has a sound—sometimes it’s nostalgic, sometimes it’s cinematic, sometimes it’s heartbreakingly quiet.

What does December sound like in your music?

Kerry Kennard
Summer competition - from Sonokinitics

There was a composer competition from Sonokinitics and heard about it from Michael Whittaker's ScoreCraft Academy. I used one of their Music Libraries, - bought one of them called IBRIDO. I thought the sounds matched for this type of scene.

It's the weird sound in the middle, as well as near the end...

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Kerry Kennard

Thanks Maurice Vaughan !! appreciate it. It's the IBRIDO from Sonokinitics.

They have a big library of different kind of sounds !! - for different type of genres to write in.

Here's their main page:

ht...

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Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Kerry Kennard. Thanks for the link!

Mark Gosney

Nice job Kerry Kennard sounds great. I do like those sounds!!

Kerry Kennard

Mark Gosney , thank you. Sonokinetics has many sounds - amazing what they can do !

With this one, IBRIDO, the composer (user) has four variable parameters (Horizontal - for waves and sounds) , then th...

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Koby Nguyen

Incredibly precise work, well done.

Wyman Brent
Walking Tall

Walking Tall — A Song From My Heart

I just finished writing a song that has completely moved me, and I wanted to share a little about it with this community. It’s called “Walking Tall.”

This song isn’t just music to me. It’s a piece of my heart, my life, and my values. It came through me fully form...

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Walking Tall, by Brentango
Walking Tall, by Brentango
Walking Tall by Brentango, released 09 December 2025 Time for the fires to be a blazing Cause we are tired of playing Tired of bending our knees Tired of begging please Those above thinking they can k…
Libby Wright
Has Anyone Composed For Vertical Shorts?

I've ignored vertical shorts for a while now... thought they had the staying power of myspace or vines or eight track tapes... now I'm reconsidering my position. Enlighten me: why are they here to stay or just a fad? What is the "norm" for composing in this format? Ready Set GO!

PS Stage32 has a clas...

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Navid Lancaster
Musescore Studio collaborates with CANTAI

The latest update to Musescore Studio can now be integrated with Cantai so you can hear the voices to the lyrics of your SATB compositions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ4YqmHM3BE

Navid Lancaster
Free Plugins!!

Free plugins to mix our compositions from Plugin Alliance

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/pages/free-plugins

Free Plugins
Free Plugins
A suite of 20 free plugins and tools, including the standalone bx_mastering studio
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