Are You Trying to be “Cool”?

Is it possible to write in such a way that your music never sounds dated?

Is “Score Design” Dead?

Composers LOVE to say that they use all of their own sounds. We call B.S.!

All Due Respect to The Maestro

I don’t know John, and he doesn’t know me. Which is good… I don’t want him to.

Is Musical Form Relevant?

What to do when your organizable musical structure relies on a moving visual target.

What’s Original?

There are 12 tones, and only so much you can do. Right, James Horner?

Caveats of Convenience: Pt. 1

Things film composers are doing wrong lately, and how to avoid developing the same habits.

Nan Avant: Themes, Melodies, Tunes: How Do You Begin?

Setting a solid starting strategy for when it’s time to create the music.

The Creative Tank

How to keep your creative well from running dry.

Lydia Ashton: Inspiration

You need to be able to write no matter how you feel. A professional composer cannot rely on inspiration.

Ryan Leach: Long Distance Scoring

Today’s technology has made it possible to score a project with anyone no matter where they’re located. However, long distance scoring does come with plenty of challenges.

Getting Out

Last week’s discussion of spotting was all about entering a scene; now let’s take some time to consider how to exit (gracefully… or maybe not so gracefully!). More on “getting out,” after the jump.

Spotting Form

Spotting is the art of putting the music in the right place in the film and it an intrinsic part of being a good film composer. Spotting is about many things, such as mood and tone and musical style, but an often overlooked aspect is form.

The music you put and don’t put in a film will affect the pacing of the film, its architecture. For you to do this well demands a solid understanding of story, screen writing, film’s unique visual language and the brains and experience to apply that knowledge to the unique film you are working on.

More… after the jump!