Your First Gig

[Sobi]

Hi. I think one way we can all learn about the business of composing music is by sharing our experiences in the field. We live in a world that only employs people with experience in the field. But how do we gain that experience if we cannot get employed?

So what was your first payed gig? How did you get it? What did you have to do to get over that monumental step?

[Chris Alpiar]

well its not ONE monumental step and then you are working and the phone wont stop ringing and happy angels and major chords... for me its been 6 years of busting butt non stop. working on my craft, technology, creativity, art, promotion, business, being involved in the community, pushing HARD all the time. And now, if I keep it up and dont stop pushing, I seem to land enough gigs to keep me surviving as a full time composer. Of course my girlfriend is a real steady corporate type and she helps me through when there is a lag in gigs. But this scene today is totally messed up. Its overrun by every kid who buys garage band and fruity loops and drag-and-drop assembles some music from pre built loops calling himself a composer. And because the sonic quality of it is acceptable, regardless of the musical content, this kind of music saturates our world and the desire, much less the need, for having a real composer declines in value.

This is a tough, nasty and mostly thankless world to dive into right now. I would say if you are serious about becoming a professional composer then you should learn about the business thoroughly and what the inherant problems with it today are. THen maybe you can gestalt and find a niche for you to fit in

[Adrian Ellis]

Saw a little video of an interview w/ Gerard K. Marino (God of War v.g.) and the interviewer asked him, what advice do you have for people who want to break into the business of being a professional composer.

His reply? "Don't!!"

Ha ha. It's true, it's a rough go, but it you really want it and keep working at it, you can make it happen.

The important thing to understand, as Chris said, is that it's a culmination of hard work over time. That's your career. It starts with doing student films for a case of beer. Finally one makes it to a festival. You attend and network with film makers. You build your reel and have a strong online presence. You network online on film communities and offer advice, opinions, information, and "consultations" of sorts. This helps build your reputation, and gets your name out there. You score some indie films, first some shorts, and then maybe a feature. You do work outside of film, you network like crazy, keep your name out there. ETC! Think of crazy ways of marketing yourself. Get involved in as much as you can. Join guilds and associations. DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN. Slowly, glacially, you build up your network, your reel, your reputation. Other than that, as long as you are putting yourself out there all the time, you will be dumb-ass lucky enough to meet someone 'up the ladder' who likes you, thinks you have what it takes, and wants to see you succeed - those are those golden moments, and you feel like you rise up a couple of notches.

REPEAT AS NECESSARY

Cheers,

Adrian

[Chris Alpiar]

nicely put Adrian! Much better than my rough n tough version. I didn't mean to be so dark but re-reading my post sounded pretty negative. Well its a hard knock life, but dream the dream, live the life and have fun along the way! :-D

[Stephen Barry]

Yep Chris, garage band and fruity loops are wack for sure....

[Rob Rericha]

We need to undermine the culture of the amature. We need to be honest and tell people when their work sucks. Politically correct doesn't work in art from any direction. It's time to raise the bar. If we don't our craft dies.

[Doug Lauber]

Rob-
but doesn't the cream always rise to the top? (wink)

[Rob Rericha]

Hey Doug. Happy New Year. The cream only rises to the top if there are people appreciate the cream. What about casting pearls before swine?

[Doug Lauber]

HAPPY NEW YEAR back at ya!
Yes- like I always say- art is about creating the best work you can. (that means challenging oneself) Quality is everything, and we shouldn't accept mediocrity. There's now a virus going through our society that undermines high standards, because they say it is not politically correct to make qualitative 'judgments'. But, I'm all for judging, and that's not easy, in a world of extremely different perspectives. For me, the act of judging is based on 'universal' considerations, rather than narrow criteria. The enemy are those who prop up everything as high art. I think criticism is a very necessary evil. Raising the bar through critique, is more important than hurt feelings. Ironically, for me, music is all about affecting the emotions, and if you can also affect the intellect, that's icing on the cake. An uneducated public is a constant problem. Society can be more mindful of art. From what I've read about late 19th century Paris, average citizens gathered in bars and debated aesthetics. ...at least to a greater degree than I've experienced here in New York and Phoenix.

[Craig Hopkinson]

I believe people still gather and discuss aesthetics. The aesthetic debate now concerns the quality of graphic reproduction in PS3, or the latest CGI technology breakthrough in Speilbergs latest, So people are educated and have been educated about products they can own, feel part of and feel comfortable with. Maybe this is the crux? How to get the people to want to appreciate alternative artforms and not only the products spoon fed through mass media?

[Doug Lauber]

I guess we each need to do our part, by promoting alternative artforms within our circle of friends, family, and business associates. ...Yeah, they do discuss tools and techniques, but rarely do we discuss how the art functions, in terms of romanticism, emotions, balance, etc. There needs to be a mass uprising against the mass media. Get the pitchforks. ...There's always hope. Maybe this Depression will help decentralize power, give more power to individual artists.

[Rob Rericha]

Hey Doug- I agree `100 percent. Visual artists usually have to have their artwork judged to exhibit it. I was reading a book called. "How to Survive the Music Industry." And the author sad the better you are, the less likely you are to make it. Here in Cleveland, I've never heard anyone mention the quality of music. They either like it or they don't. I/ve been teaching music privately for 40 years. I have students now who have had no exposure to music in public school at all. It has really devolved. I heard the audience boo the Cleveland orchestra because the played an unfamiliar piece! I could tell you stories for days. It scares me. I don't even want to get started. We have to take our craft back and give it to students. I do. I grew up with a girl who became a concert violinist. When we were kids we'd go hear local bands and she would yell, "Hey don't you ever practice?" I'm sorry to keep going on. I really have no one to relate to here. I don't know where to go to meet people like me. I haven't even been on a date in 10 years. When I go to a social event and tell people I'm a composer. the conversation ends. Help! Help!

[Herman Steyn]

A very interesting topic! Thnx for starting it.
I have the added problem of having been born in South Africa (currently Im writing theater music for a children's theater in South Korea) but I have to return to South Africa in a month.
Our country is unique in that the cost of making a film is low, but almost all post production is done in the USA or UK and that includes music production. We do have a local music scene but is very independent of the film industry.
I have to convince would be producers and current producers that local composers can be used, but its gonna be tough!

Herman Steyn
http://www.steynhouseproductions.com