photo credit: iStockphoto

This is a guest post from Nathan Allen, head engineer at Last Drop Mastering in San Francisco, CA. He can be contacted at www.lastdropmastering.com/contact

We hear how important audio mastering is, but why? For any artist or label looking to make a career out of music, mastering is essential. In short, it’s the final (and in many ways most crucial) step of music production -the stage where dull, lifeless tracks are transformed into polished masterpieces.

The Benefits Of Using A Mastering Engineer

Being a mastering engineer requires a special ear—one that can carefully analyze a recording and make delicate adjustments to bring it to its full potential. A skilled mastering engineer is the key to creating commercially successful recordings. On the other hand, a poor mastering engineer can be responsible for diminishing the work of a quality artist. For this reason working with a seasoned mastering specialist is a necessity.

Think of mastering like cutting diamonds. Until a diamond is cut into shape, all it has is potential, and lots of it. The same is true for your music; until the right engineer polishes and finalizes your project, it’s only a fraction of what it could be.

If Your Song’s Not Mastered, Your Song’s Not Finished

These days, a lot of times either the recording studio bumps up the signal and does a quick “hot master” for artists, or the artists take care of the mastering themselves. While it is possible to achieve great results outside of a mastering facility, for the sake of your project reaching its full potential, it’s best to use the talents of a skilled mastering engineer.

The good news is that there are more super-affordable pro mastering options than ever. The proliferation of “do-it-yourself” mastering software and “budget facilities” has actually forced the old-school mastering houses to either cut their rates way back or call it quits altogether.

Gone are the days of spending $2,000-$10,000 on a stellar mastering job. You can get it done now for a fraction of that. Not only are there plenty of options, but many places will provide you with a free test song. You can’t beat a “try before you buy” offer.

Preparing Your Song For Mastering

When preparing your song for mastering, make sure you or your engineer know to leave any limiting or compression off the master track when bouncing out – basically anything that would boost the volume. What you need to provide the mastering engineer is a rough natural-dynamic mix, preferably in .WAV or .AIF format. 3 or 4dbs of headroom is ideal.

When selecting places to send a sample song to, try not to get too hung up on gear lists and even credits. While these things are definitely important, what really matters is the sample you get back.

All the gear in the world doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t know what to do with it. Hopefully their site has an upload form for easy song submission. If not, you can always safely deliver your song via www.yousendit.com.

Checking Your Mastered Track

When you receive your sample song back, compare it carefully to the original, and in a few different listening environments. Once you have made a decision on a facility, look for customer references and talk to people you know who may have worked with them previously. Pay close attention to customer service and turnaround times, as these aspects of the process should not be overlooked.

Find out their policy on revisions – it’s always good to make sure you have at least 2 included, so that you can get your project dialed in just right. Know that even with seemingly low rates, there is always room for negotiation. If you have a large project, or more on the way if all goes well, bring that to their attention during the negotiation process.

Then put together a list of notes for your project. Fade timings, song order, reference songs with a particular sound that you’re shooting for, etc. Also let them know if you need an actual red book master disc, as many bands these days just use digital downloads.

If you have a specific deadline let the facility know beforehand. Find out the best way to deliver your project to them. Many places allow you to zip up the whole thing and upload it directly to their server. Be prepared for a wait as it uploads…though hopefully it will be nothing compared to using the mail!

Finally, it’s always nice to credit the engineer and facility in your release notes. A link back to their site is always much appreciated as well.

Good luck!

photo credit: iStockphoto

This is a guest post by Cliff Goldmacher. Cliff is a songwriter/engineer/producer/author and owner of recording studios in Nashville, TN and Sonoma, CA.

Cliff’s eBook “The Songwriter’s Guide To Recording Professional Demos” is available as a free download from his site at http://www.cliffgoldmacher.com/ebook.

Cliff is also the owner/founder of www.NashvilleStudioLive.com, a website that provides songwriters outside of Nashville with virtual access to Nashville’s best session musicians and singers for their songwriting demos.

Working as a producer for the last ten years, I’ve recorded with all kinds of artists from “fresh off the boat” newbies to artists whose experience in the world of music doubles or even triples my own. In every case, my role as a producer stays essentially the same. It’s that role that I’m going to describe in this article.

What Is A Producer?

The best way I know to describe what a producer does comes in the form of this analogy: A producer is to a recording as a director is to a film. When it comes to making a film, the buck essentially stops with the director.

In a film, the director steers the ship, working with everyone from the technical editors to the actors in order to achieve his or her overall vision of the movie. It is exactly that way with a producer when it comes to making a recording.

The producer have the experience to work with the studio engineer (often possessing the technical expertise to engineer the project themselves) and the musical understanding to help the artist with everything from song choice, structure and arrangement to the all-important vocal performances that are vital in giving a recording its personality. In short, a producer provides the experience and necessary perspective to guide a recording from start to finish.

Producer Backgrounds

Producers can come from a variety of backgrounds. I’m listing the four most common and what each brings to the process, but, typically, producers have experience in more than one of these areas.

1. The Songwriter – Since at it’s essence, a recording is dependent on the quality of the song, the songwriter/producer is heavily involved in the song selection process. Not only does this type of producer have experience in knowing what does and doesn’t work when it comes to pre-existing songs, but often this producer will co-write songs with the artist for a given project.
2. The Musician – Here, it’s often an instrumental and music theory background that gives this type of producer their experience. They have first hand knowledge when it comes to working with musicians and knowing what instrumental approach will work best in a given situation.
3. The Engineer – In this case, the producer’s primary experience comes from actual recording (i.e., placing microphones on drum kits, recording vocals and mixing albums). By becoming an expert in the nuts and bolts of the recording process, an engineer/producer can make the recording process a smooth one for the artist.
4. The Music Fan – This is someone who lives and breathes music and has the instincts to guide artists and session musicians through the recording process without necessarily having had the “hands on” experience of being a songwriter, musician or engineer themselves. They often bring great perspective to a situation where being too close to any one part of the process might compromise the overall recording.

What Do Producers Do?

As I’ve mentioned, producers can be involved in many different aspects of a recording. Some producers are very “hands off” acting mostly as the voice of experience and perspective for artists who already have a fairly clear idea of who they are and where they’re headed.

On the other end of the spectrum are the producers who are involved in every element of the recording from co-writing the songs, to engineering to playing one or even all of the instruments. In some, but certainly not all of these cases, the resulting recordings have such a distinctive sound that the producer becomes as associated with the recording as the artist themselves.

For the record, no one way takes precedence over any other for producing a recording. The only measure of a producer that matters is whether or not the resulting recording is satisfying to everyone involved. As most producers operate somewhere in between minimal and complete involvement, here are the main areas where most producers do their work.

1. Pre-production – This includes working with the artist to decide if the songs are as good as they can be and, ultimately, which songs would work best as a group for an album release. It also includes deciding on the overall sound of a recording which involves deciding which session musicians/instruments would be best suited to achieve the sound and feel of a particular song.
2. Instrumental Recording/Arrangement – At this point, the producer works with the assembled musicians and helps direct their performances in the studio in order to achieve a cohesive sound for the recording.
3. Vocals – Finally, because the typical music listener responds first to the voice of the singer, one of the most important roles of the producer is working with the vocalist to help them give their best, most sincere performance of their material. It is extremely difficult for even the most experienced vocalists to have any perspective on their performance while it’s happening. For this reason, a producer is the voice of reason and experience who knows how to encourage a vocalist to do one more vocal pass or helps them realize that it would be better to take a break and come back to fight another day.

How Do I Find A Producer?

For those who are new to the process of recording, whether it’s an album project or even a song demo, it is unclear where to look to find a producer for your project. Generally speaking, word of mouth in your music community serves as the best, most organic way to find a producer right for your project. Another effective way to find a producer, particularly if you’re interested in doing a whole recording project, would be to look at the liner notes on some of your favorite independent CD projects made in the city where you plan to record. Often, those producers are available for hire and it’s just a matter of getting their contact information which the artists themselves usually have. Finally, there’s no rule that says you can’t contact a well-known/successful producer whose work you admire. Maybe they will be too busy or too expensive to work with, but you never know and if you’re respectful in your request there’s no reason not to try.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, it’s a good working relationship and the trust between artist and producer that makes for the best results. So, be sure that you not only like a producer’s work but feel comfortable working with them as well. You’ll be spending a lot of time with this person and trusting them with your art, so make sure that you feel like the producer you choose is willing to give you and your music the attention necessary to get a great recording.

Good luck!

In part 2 of our interview with game composer Aaron Marks, Aaron shares his insights on a typical day as a game composer, how songwriters can break into the game industry, how they get paid, and the skills they need to be competitive. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out part 1. Learn more about Aaron Marks at OnYourMarkMusic.com.

Do songwriters need to understand how to write full midi orchestrations to be competitive?

It doesn’t hurt, but it’s not a deal breaker. If you plan to create a believable orchestral score, that’s one thing but who’s to say your ‘uneducated’ orchestration methods wouldn’t be fresh and unique? There are rules in music but you can’t be confined by them and you shouldn’t be afraid of trying because you don’t feel you have the right background. There are several games with orchestral scores written by composers using heavy rock influences – God of War for example.

The good news is that orchestral music only makes up a portion of music in games so skilled composers in other genres are also needed. Composers who are proficient in many different styles are probably the most competitive, since games often cover a variety of time and places – ancient to the future and every continent or planet.

Please describe a typical day in the life of a game composer.

Ha! If you ever come across one, you have to let me know what it looks like!

Really, it all depends on the project, your work habits and the deadline. If you’re lucky enough to have casual milestones, you can compose and record at a leisurely pace. But most of the time the established deadlines aren’t as realistic as we’d like so it’s a bit more frantic with less sleep and more coffee to get you there.

I typically take the first couple of days on a project to plan my attack – how much music needs to be created and how much time do I have? Once I see it on paper, I know how long I’ve got to work on each cue and I stick to it. Sometimes it takes a little longer to get organized, find samples and get everything set up. But after the initial housekeeping, it’s nice to be able to focus on the music.

For me, a ‘normal’ day starts in the studio about 10am where I make the daily plan, write emails, make phone calls and do ‘non-creative’ tasks such as reviewing past work or mixing the previous day’s tracks. I’ll break for lunch around 2pm and then head back in around 3pm for a big creative push. Depending on family needs or dinner, that could be an hour or several hours. If there is a looming deadline, I’ll break for dinner when I get hungry then work until it becomes unproductive, usually around midnight.

If not, I’ll noodle around a little in the evening, get some ideas floating around in my head to sleep on and come in the next day with them more developed. Of course, some days are spent entirely in front of an instrument composing when I’m on a roll, other times I get as far from the studio as I can to clear any lingering writer’s block – but most of the time it’s a fairly predictable schedule for me.

Is there a specific formula to success as a game music composer?

Be passionate about your craft, first and foremost. Potential clients feed off your enthusiasm and will want to be around it. Be passionate about games, specifically the game the potential client is creating. Network, network, network – not only with the folks you want to work for but with fellow composers. I’ve gotten a surprising number of jobs from my own competition either because they were busy, on vacation or needed a hand with a large project.

Market yourself every chance you get.  By simply tapping into your friends and family network, chances are somebody knows someone who works at a game company. Start local and with smaller companies, then work further out to larger developers. Don’t expect to get a AAA game title right out of the gate. Get the experience and work your way up to it. Learn everything you can about the industry, how a game development company is structured and how a game is developed, the role of the composer, how music is implemented into a game – anything that will make a potential client feel comfortable so they won’t have to hold your hand through the process.

Really, anything goes and the more you have ‘skin in the game’, the better your chances are of getting work and making a career out of it.

How do you get paid? Is there a standard deal between a game developer and a music composer?

For the most part, creating music for a game is done as a ‘work for hire’ – you compose it and they own it once the check clears. Composers can charge either on a ‘per finished minute’ basis or set a fee for the entire project. Fees can vary depending on your experience, their budget and the project scope. Obviously, if you’re composing for and recording a full orchestra, the fees would be higher than if you were in your home studio using samples.

More and more composers are able to negotiate other revenue streams from a single project’s music. Work for Hire agreements don’t have to be so short-sided that the composer sells the music and loses total ownership of it. If a game’s music appears in a film or on television or is released as a soundtrack, it’s fair to request appropriate compensation. A game which will be released as multiple SKUs (stock keeping unit – a unique identifier for each distinct product) and in multiple languages, there is no reason why the composer can’t also be compensated for that. Royalties can be also negotiated if you anticipate the game could be a huge success – why shouldn’t the composer share in the success since their work helped get it there? Remember, if you don’t ask for it, you’re not going to get it.

How do you juggle outside responsibilities along with your music career?

I’ve always just done what I’ve needed to do. If I have an upcoming deadline, I put my head down and work until it’s done. If one of my animals needs to go to the vet, I toss them in the car and go. Sometimes it’s as simple as that.

I’m really big on keeping schedules, making a plan and getting it done. I’ve got checklists for each project, whether it’s yard work or an audio contract. I use the calendar feature on my smartphone religiously, one on the wall for the family to see my firm commitments, detailed checklists in the studio for the complex tasks and sticky notes for priorities. Somehow it all seems to work, even if it comes down to just trying to keep several balloons in the air at the same time – the one about to hit the ground gets the attention!

And it doesn’t hurt that I have the support of my family, friends and neighbors when things really get crazy!

What’s the best advice you can pass along to songwriters who want to break into the industry?

If it’s what you want to do – then do it! You can read about it, study it, make connections but if you don’t ever decide to do anything with the knowledge, then it’s not going to happen. Breaking into games is just like any other business endeavor – it’s going to take some focused effort, a little luck and the persistence to make it happen.

I know a composer who got a game job with his very first phone call and I know composers who after a couple years are still hopeful, so there’s no magic bullet. Love what you do, let people feel your enthusiasm and stay positive. There are plenty of opportunities out there.

For self-taught musicians without any formal music training, what’s the best way to learn how to compose orchestral music?

Not having formal training composing orchestral music isn’t an excuse to not do it. Originality is huge in any musical endeavor and who’s to say what you do with an orchestra or orchestral samples can’t be unique and fresh.

For me, the ability to listen and learn has been my greatest asset. I learned chords and fingering initially but that all went out the window pretty quick. It wasn’t until I realized that I could take what I was hearing and duplicate notes and chords on my instrument that it started making sense.

I’ve never learned how to read or write music so my ability to recall what I’ve heard before and my muscle memory have contributed to how I process and compose. Am I limited by that? Some would argue that I break a lot of ‘rules’ and I’m occasionally frustrated by my lack of knowledge of a particular style but for the most part, I’m OK with that and ‘cope’ accordingly.

If you are really interested in composing orchestral music, critically listen to a variety of orchestral pieces from classical symphonies to movie soundtracks and get to know them. Pay attention to the types of instruments and how they are utilized, get a feel for how melodies, counter-melodies, dynamics and percussion all evoke a certain mood – then start writing short pieces of your own to test out your theories and ideas.

Chat with other composers, read books, ‘listen’ to movies, go to concerts – anything to get the exposure you’ll need to do it justice when the time comes. Practice is a big part of self teaching, so be prepared to write a lot of ‘trash can’ music – the stuff you expect to throw away until you get a solid grasp on it. And after that, continuously improve your skills and understanding of articulations, musician and instrument capabilities, song construction and other subtleties which will make you sound like an expert.

Is scoring music for game trailers a good way to break into the biz?

It wouldn’t be a bad thing but it’s not a definite ‘foot in the door’. Unless it’s the actual game developer you’re working with to score the trailer, the publisher or advertising agency who is creating it might not have any influence with the developer per se, plus they’re not really looking outside of their needs.

Trailers, as far as structure, are linear and scoring one is a different skill set than say, creating adaptive or interactive music for a game. If you are lucky enough to be working with a developer and they like your work, it’s possible it could turn into a fruitful relationship. But, most of the time, music for a game is well underway or completed by the time a trailer is considered and the games composer is usually their first call for music.

Was this post helpful? Do you plan to write music for games? Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

Aaron Marks is a professional game composer and author of The Complete Guide to Game Audio, Second Edition: For Composers, Musicians, Sound Designers, Game Developers (Gama Network Series). Aaron’s music can be heard on dozens of game titles, including  the ESPN MSL Extra Time Playstation 2 soccer title and online casino/arcade game sound effects and music for several Universal/Vivendi casino websites . His most recent project is music and sound effects for the game bittosHD for Xbox, PS3 and iPhone/iPad. In the following two-part interview, Aaron shares his insights on the current state of the game industry and how songwriters can break into the action. Learn more about Aaron Marks at On Your Mark Music.

How did you get your start in music?

I came from a musical family and was ‘encouraged’ at a young age to play a respectable instrument like the organ… so, in retaliation, I learned the guitar instead! And because any protest should be enthusiastic, I took advantage of my brother’s set and learned the drums too. During my college years, I added piano and bass guitar to the repertoire and eventually moved into engineering and recording. For many years, I was quite content dabbling in different musical styles, learning everything I could about music, composing and recording with no particular direction. I considered scoring for film or television but didn’t really think about it seriously. Essentially it was an overgrown hobby and I was content just doing it for myself.

What made you decide to focus on music for games?

As we all know, ‘gear lust’ is expensive and my little hobby was no exception. It took an ultimatum from my wife to finally stop the insanity, start making some money and have the hobby support itself. I had always wanted to compose for television and film so I headed off in that direction. Along the way I worked in radio, public service announcements and pretty much any ‘music’ job I could find to gain the experience and earn some income.

It actually took a chance meeting with a neighbor to redirect my efforts into games, since it was something I had never really considered on my own. He had just started his own game development company, and coincidentally, had just let his audio guy go. We got to talking and next thing I know I was composing for my first game – it was literally 2 days from the first meeting to working on the first track!

When did you compose your first game soundtrack?

“I, of the Enemy” was the first game I started working on in 1996 for an independent developer. Smaller companies typically have a much slower development cycle, so it wasn’t until 2001 that I wrapped up my efforts and the game was released. Now, that’s not to say that I took 5 straight years to compose the music but I did have plenty of time to get it the way I wanted it. I was also doing sound effects and recording and editing the extensive dialog for the project as well on top of working on other projects during that time.

What is the current state of the game industry? Is it still growing despite the economic slowdown?

Historically, the game industry has done quite well during downturns. People tend to look for distractions from reality and immerse themselves in all forms of entertainment. This time definitely feels different as the slowdown lingers on and works its way into every business, including games. Game companies are like any other business in a recession and do whatever it takes to stay solvent. Streamlining their staffs, sticking with proven franchises and keeping an eye on their bottom line are solid business practices that get them through the hard times. It’s hard to say from my perspective whether the industry is growing but I’m personally feeling the effects and have had to shift gears as well.

Is there still a strong demand for original music?

You bet! Even if a game is utilizing licensed music from established artists, it will still need original music for the opening sequence and front end, menu screens and cinematics. Most games rely on original music from start to finish to establish a unique brand identity, provide the appropriate mood and pacing and help propel the story, for example. So, there is most definitely a strong demand.

Do game soundtracks use full songs?

Certainly. Opening and credit sequences and gameplay are typical areas in a game that can use fully crafted songs. These longer sequences often benefit from the journey a full song can provide. A lot of it though, depends on the needs of the game and how much physical storage space is available for the entire project. One of the ‘tricks’ to save space is to create loops which provide the illusion of a longer piece of music without being too repetitive – so there is often a good amount of loops as well.

How can songwriters break into the game industry?

Believe it or not, getting into the games industry as a creative entity is pretty much like getting into any other industry. You need to have knowledge of the industry, be proficient with your craft, have appropriate business, marketing and networking skills and the absolute will to succeed.

Speaking specifically about the game industry, there are books like my two, “The Complete Guide to Game Audio” and “Game Audio Development”, which go into the industry in great detail. Check out websites like Gamasutra.com, GameAudioForum.com and GameAudioPros on Yahoo! Groups for industry news and specialized forum discussions.

Spend some time in retail stores to see what types of games are popular on the market. Play as many as you can and study their use of music and sound as part of the experience. Attend industry events such as the Game Developers Conferences, SIGGRAPH and E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo). Get involved with organizations such as The Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) and the Interactive Audio Special Interest Group (IASIG) not only for industry information but great networking opportunities. Network with peers and other game development folks, artists, programmers, producers, anyone related to the game industry. Tell EVERYONE about your intentions and market, market, market – make everything a opportunity to market your talents.

I read in your book that you have to love games to write music for them. With that said, does it make sense for non-gamers to even try?

Well, yes and no. Composers and sound designers who are avid gamers have a much better chance understanding how audio enhances a game experience and the intricacies of the process to do it correctly. Anyone who’s played a game knows when the music is working and when it’s not and that’s the kind of knowledge game lovers bring to the creative table.

That’s not to say non-gamers couldn’t do a good job but most developers don’t want to, or have time, to hold their hands. It’s difficult to explain their needs sometimes and having the experience will really be a plus for them and make the composers life less frustrating.

Consider this for a moment. An experienced ‘film’ composer decides to take a leap into games. They’ve got the talent to create top-notch music with many years of film work under their belts. They’re confident and able and may even have a shelf full of awards. But, what happens if the game they have been hired to score is utilizing interactive or adaptive audio? Films are linear in format and their predictability makes scoring for them more straight forward. Game players create their own experience – they can explore as long as they’d like, fight bad guys or run, for example. Most games are never played the exact same way twice. An ‘interactive’ score is designed to be able to keep up with the unpredictable twists and turns and if a developer has to explain all of that, it could spell game over. This common knowledge is a benefit of being a ‘gamer’.

Do you have to have a home recording studio to write music for games? If so, what sort of gear is needed to be competitive?

It’s certainly not a ‘must’ but, unless you’re writing for a live orchestra, it’ll definitely keep the costs of renting recording space down and more money in your pocket! Most game composers have a home studio setup and that can always be augmented by renting studio time when necessary.

As for gear – that all depends on the type of music you compose and record and whatever special talents you bring to the table. I scored a game a couple of months back completely on a laptop using Reason and an Axiom 25 keyboard – and for ‘electro-pop’, that was more than enough gear. Last month, we worked on a project using live drums, percussion, trumpet and guitar as well as sampled instruments. That took a full complement of real instruments, microphones, a mixing board, multi-track software, samples and a wide assortment of plug ins to do – so, you can see that it can run to both extremes as far as equipment is concerned. A typical setup is a decent computer with a capable multi-track program, a sequencer, a sampler and array of instrument samples, plug ins, an audio editor and a midi capable keyboard to compose and perform with. Anything beyond that will depend on your specific talents as a composer/musician and what you can add to be unique.

In part 2 of our interview with Aaron Marks, Aaron talks about the skills you need to be competitive, how to get jobs, and how to get paid. Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

Jeff Greenleaf teaches blind children how to read and write Braille music notation by day and works nights and weekends as a successful film/TV composer from his home studio in Malibu, CA. To date, Jeff has signed over 300 songs to several publishers, one of which places music on the most popular daytime talk shows. Jeff’s music can be heard on many television programs, including “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” on the E! network and MTV’s “Styl’D” and “Nitro Circus”.

Besides successful TV music placements, Jeff has also recorded four studio albums. Jeff talks about his success and the hard work behind it in the interview below. Learn more about Jeff Greenleaf at jeffgreenleaf.com

How did you get your start in music?

I was always involved in music groups as a child. I played the trombone throughout elementary school, middle school, and part of high school. However, it wasn’t until I picked up the guitar (when I was 15) that I really got excited about music. Shortly after that, I took weekly harmonica lessons for about two years. When I was in college, I bought a synthesizer and a 4-track recorder. While everyone else was out partying, I was in my room writing and recording songs night after night.

What is your primary instrument?

I’m definitely a multi-instrumentalist as I play a little of everything, but I consider myself primarily a keyboard player. With all the great sounding sample libraries, I feel I can expressively play nearly any instrument with just a keyboard controller.

When did you start playing gigs? Were you a solo artist or in a band?

I started playing in rock bands when I was 15. We would just play at school events. In college, I played in a couple groups but I was already establishing myself as a solo artist. My performances were few and far between, as I was never fully comfortable as a vocalist, much less a frontman. In any case, I did secure a small but loyal following. Looking back on it, those early days were crucial building blocks in my musical development. That small, but strong fan base truly believed in me (more so than myself) and encouraged me to follow my dreams.

What made you decide to pursue TV/Film music opportunities?

While I was in high school, my harmonica teacher made a living with TV placements on popular sitcoms. I never knew how to get my foot in the door with this side of the business. I just figured if I practiced enough I would be prepared if the opportunity came along. So, my harmonica playing really did excel because of this.

I recorded a couple of CDs of my singer-songwriter material and pitched a few of the songs through TAXI A&R. I got some great feedback, but I quickly realized that the music industry wasn’t necessarily looking for my type of music.

I started looking at TAXI’s Instrumental listings and got excited by the opportunities. Somebody needed Fun, Quirky music for a TV show and someone else needed Chinese music for cooking shows. So, I dived right in and wrote for every type of Instrumental listing available. I was really getting it down and TAXI kept forwarding my music to different publishers and music supervisors.

Was TAXI the only A&R-type company you submit your music to? Have you tried other outlets such as Pump Audio and YouLicense.com?

I’ve tried all the other companies, but TAXI is the only one that has given me results.

Have you ever worked with a manager or promoter?

When I was at the TAXI Road Rally conference, I was introduced to a publisher who supplies most of the music to a very popular daytime talk show. After reviewing my CD, he asked me to become a staff composer for the show. In turn, I signed a management contract with him. It has been a great experience and I have learned so much about creating production music as part of a team.

When did you sign your first Film/TV deal?

I was offered a contract in October 2008 after TAXI forwarded my music to a publisher who works with popular reality shows.

What kind of music got signed?

The first piece of music that got signed was an “80’s New Wave/Electronica” cue. Since then, the company has asked for instrumental music in all styles.

What were the terms? Were you OK with them?

The contract I signed was very standard. It basically said that I would receive 100% of the writer’s share and the company would receive 100% of the publishing. In other words, it was a 50-50 deal. The terms made complete sense to me and I figured the company deserved at least 50% of all royalties for getting my songs on the air. Also, the contract was non-exclusive which meant I could still pitch the same songs or use them on CDs. However, I’ve learned to treat every non-exclusive song as if it were part of an exclusive deal. This way, music supervisors won’t get the same song over and over again from multiple production companies.

How long was it between the time you signed your first deal and when you got paid?

It took one year, between signing my first deal and hearing my first song on TV. Then I started hearing my songs more frequently on different shows. It takes roughly 9 months to receive payment after the first time a music cue is aired. So, my first royalty check will actually be this summer.

Have you ever received multiple payments for the same piece of music?

Fortunately, the shows I’ve heard my music on replay week after week, sometimes day after day. Because of this, I will be getting royalties for some time ahead.

What is your current studio setup?

I’m currently using Logic Pro 9 on a new iMac. I use an old Roland synth as a controller. I have the Apogee Duet for an audio interface. My favorite hardware synth is the Access Virus TI. I use Ultrasone headphones, which are so comfortable my ears never fatigue. For microphones, I have a Rode NT2 Large Diaphragm and a Shaker harmonica mic. I have always used Lee Oscar harmonicas, which I highly recommend for anyone starting out. My guitars are pretty basic, nothing too special, other than my Beard Gold Tone Dobro.

I’m using sample libraries more and more these days. Some of my favorites are Sample Logic Morphestra, Kontakt 4, Plectrum, Best Service Accordians, and lots of plugs in Logic 9. Probably the most expensive piece of equipment I own is my studio chair. I got it at a specialty store for people who have back problems. Thankfully, I don’t suffer from back problems, so my chair is more preventative than anything.

Was it hard to learn how to use Logic? Was it trial and error or pretty straightforward?

It took me years to finally switch over to a computer based system. I had always used a standalone multi-track digital recorder. People were always surprised that I could get broadcast quality tracks out of my setup. As my needs changed and my demands increased, I was looking for greater flexibility. I started using Logic in September 2009 and found it to be very user friendly. I did need a lot of help for the first few weeks, but things are moving along quite well now. It has really sped up my workflow as well.

Do you write any songs with lyrics for Film/TV or is it all instrumental?

I only write Instrumental music.

How else do you promote your music?

I try to develop and maintain a “web presence” by having my music available on as many digital distribution sites as possible. CDbaby has been great from the very beginning and they helped get my CDs selling on iTunes. I used a service called Music Submit which has gotten my CDs on several different sites.

You have 300 signed titles in circulation. Why so many? What drives you to keep producing music?

I have production music deals with 5 different companies and they all request music somewhat regularly. The amount of material I have is dependent on what is being asked of me. However, when I was just starting out, 300 songs was a goal I had. I had heard that to make a living off of production music you had to have about 300 songs working for you at all times.

I think writing music for TV is very motivating for a number of reasons. The most important reason is the sheer joy you experience when you hear your music on a popular TV show. Imagine how it feels to be emotionally involved in a television program and, out of nowhere, your song plays. It plays with purpose, to make the scene better…and it always does. There really is nothing quite like it.

Of those 300, how many have produced income?

Based on watching some of the shows I’m writing for, I know I’ve had at least 10 music placements since November 2009. That number could be higher, considering I haven’t watched many of the shows. I will certainly find out this summer on my PRO (Performing Rights Organization) statement.

How do you handle copyright/PRO registration with the songs you turn around so quickly?

Normally, I register the songs online to be copyrighted after they have been approved by the publishers. The publisher will register them with my PRO. Sometimes they do it right after they sign the song, other times they wait until they send it to a show. Some publishers may wait until it has been licensed by a show before registering it.

You also mentioned that you are keeping your day job for now. Isn’t it possible for you to do music full-time with so many deals?

I think it will take me a few more years to really see a substantial increase to my income through music placements. It’s a bit slow moving, but it eventually pays off if you keep producing great cues. I’m definitely on the right path and I’ve got my foot firmly in the door of this part of the music business. I have a pretty great career teaching blind children Braille literacy skills. I’ve been doing it for 15 years. If writing music for TV doubles (or triples) my income, I suppose I could be looking at an early retirement.

What’s the average licensing fee you receive per song?

For TV, it’s generally pretty small (or nothing at all) unless the company wants to exclusively own the copyright to your songs, which is also known as a buyout deal. I was recently offered $200 per song, plus royalty payments for several of my songs for a new show. From what I understand, that’s pretty good.

What’s the average PRO back-end payment per song?

There are many variables for royalty payments and the amount can depend on things like the time of day it airs, the network, the duration, the type of use (background/feature/vocal), the number of times and markets it plays in, etc. I’ve had songs air on a very large cable station that pays roughly $30 per minute and I’ve had songs on a smaller station that pays about $2 per minute.

I’m currently writing for a big network station that pays nearly $200 per minute for instrumental music. If your song has vocals in it, the rate is actually much higher. The key is to have as many songs in as many different shows as possible. That’s the most fun way to do it, too. That way, you’re associated with those shows as well, which is cool.

What’s the best piece of advice you could pass along to readers who want to get started in film/TV music?

If you are capable of producing broadcast quality tracks in your own home studio, use TAXI’s instrumental listings to hone your craft. It’s very educational, you will get detailed feedback from screeners, and your tracks may get forwarded to production music libraries for film/TV placement. Also, use TAXI’s online community/forum to learn more about this business and develop relationships with other composers.

What are your future plans?

I plan on recording as much new music as possible and target one or two genres to really excel in. I want to continue learning about engineering and hopefully take some classes so I can stay competitive in the field. More importantly, I will work to become a better musician and composer.

John Braheny is a consultant for songwriters and the author of “The Craft and Business of Songwriting”.  Learn more about him at www.johnbraheny.com.

John Braheny is a top consultant for songwriters, performers and industry entrepreneurs. He is a consultant and screener for TAXI, the independent A&R company, and offers valuable feedback on songwriting craft and business and career strategies for performers.

John is one of the most respected people in the music industry, and, more specifically, in the songwriting community. From 1971-1996 he co-founded and directed the legendary Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase (LASS), which BMI sponsored for 18 years.

During that time the organization gave exposure and opportunities to a virtual Who’s Who of up and coming singer-songwriters, including Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham, Janis Ian, Warren Zevon, Karla Bonoff, Stephen Bishop, and Diane Warren.

John graciously took some time away from his busy schedule to discuss songwriting with Serve The Song over the phone and via email. Below is the first part of our conversation.

1. Most readers of Serve The Song are DIY songwriters and producers. Can you talk a little bit about how they need to think like entrepreneurs to move their careers forward?

Sure. In some way or another we’ve always had to be entrepreneurs, even during the days when everybody aspired to a major label deal. We had to find managers, booking agents, hire or select musicians for our bands, select and book recording and rehearsal studios. We had to handle and budget our money and we had to promote ourselves. If we found a manager, many of those tasks would be taken over by him/her and/or a business manager. If we got a major or indie label deal, the company would often take over the jobs of finding a booking agent, selecting a producer and paying for marketing and record promotion.

One of the most expensive items was marketing/promotion. The record had to be good enough for radio airplay and promoted to radio with a combination of in-house and out-sourced promoters. In the old label deals most of that cost would be recouped by the record companies through record sales. Production costs, tour advances and sometimes promotion costs were recouped from the artists royalties before the artists got their first penny.

Currently, most of those things still have to be done, but DIY artists now have a vast array of services and resources to help them with booking, accounting, and fan-base management. What that does, however, is to put the responsibility of developing your career solely on your own shoulders. It requires self-discipline, good time management skills, networking skills, the willingness to seek feedback on your work (an often under-appreciated service that was provided in the past by music publishers and record companies) and to commit to growing and learning as an artist. So without the record label or a good manager, you can’t blame failure on anyone but yourself.

The bottom line is that even if you do aspire to a major label deal, labels want to sign successful entrepreneurs who have demonstrated a real commitment to their careers. I’ve heard many record execs through the years remind artists that when the deal is signed, that’s when your REAL work begins. These days I’d disagree. Your work as an entrepreneur starts when you decide YOU want to make a living doing what you love.

2. Besides pitching songs to established artists and TV/movie music supervisors, what other opportunities are available to today’s DIY songwriters and producers?

Getting your songs into film/TV is the biggest but there are other opportunities. Video games are using more actual songs aside from scores and more games are getting set up so that the songs can be changed out and new songs used. Songs in greeting cards are getting big, although they’re still dominated by old hits. There are many compilation CDs created for charities that will use songs that focus on their particular interests (medical, animals, armed forces family charities etc.). You won’t see a lot of income from those compilations but it’s a good way to get your songs out there to help people discover you. Sponsorships and endorsement deals can be a good income generator or a way to finance your road tours, equipment, etc.

Some contests offer cash prizes and all offer recognition if you win. Good indie producers are always in demand if you’re willing to work on “spec” until you get real opportunities. It’s also good to attend audio school combined with internships that prepare you and put you in line for those opportunities. Always look toward your classmates and contemporaries as potential partners on projects. Join forces and collaborate wherever possible and jump on any creative opportunity. This is not a time for competition, but for cooperation.

I’ll mention here that one of the best ways I know to connect with new opportunities if you feel you have a viable catalog of songs is to join TAXI. It’s a great opportunity to get constructive critiques to help you grow as a writer and artist.

3. In the old days we used to be able to pitch material with just a simple guitar and vocal demo. Given the current level of competition out there, what is the minimum quality standard songwriters should shoot for when pitching their demos? Does everything need to be slickly produced? Is it possible to get an acceptable level of quality in a home studio environment?

If you learn to use your home studio equipment well – your software and samples, plug-ins and outboard gear as well as old-school microphone placement techniques, you can do very good demos on your own that are comparable to masters costing thousands of dollars in expensive studios not all that long ago. So don’t think you have to get that elaborate. You need clean, undistorted sound. The kinds of demos you present to whom is a topic I cover extensively in my book but I’ll try to be brief here. If the song is for country or a pop ballad, and has a great, unique lyric and melody, you can get away with a well-played guitar or keyboard and vocal. The vocal MUST be very good. If you know anyone who’s a better singer than you, hire them to sing it. If you’re a band, you obviously use your band. If you write rock or R&B, Hip-Hop, etc. you need a great rhythm section and a great singer. This is a generalization and there are a lot more nuances to this question.

4. How important is storytelling when it comes to writing a great song?

What’s most important is engaging and holding the listener’s attention lyrically, melodically and rhythmically. Storytelling is one of the most successful time-tested lyrical approaches. There have always been great story songs in all cultures. Holding a listener’s attention with a well-developed story has been a staple in all genres. The linear narrative like “Coward of The County” or Eminem’s “Stan” or Dan Fogelberg’s “Same Old Lang Syne” is one kind of storytelling but you can also tell a more non-linear, abstract, emotional story that leaves more to the listener’s imagination. Ultimately, it’s a magic combination of lyric, melody, groove, production and arrangement and performance that together tells, and sells, the “story”, regardless of how you define it.

5. How important is an understanding of music theory and various song forms?

What both of those give you is a toolbox. If you only know one chord progression or one melodic mode, you’ll start repeating yourself very soon. Your writing will get stale. Though it’s not necessary to know music theory to write a good song, understanding the theory will help you to know how to analyze your own instinctive artistic choices. Once you know them you know how to control them and expand them.

Song form, or structure, is very important if you’re writing contemporary music that you want to be commercially viable. There are many viable structures to choose from. Although you should have them all available in your toolbox, it’s equally as important that you understand why they work. Song structure serves as a matrix that helps to guide the listener through the song with a combination of predictability and surprise that serves to hold their attention. If you have 5 0r 6 verses in a row with the same melody, it doesn’t hold a listener’s attention as well as a verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus structure that introduces a listener to 3 different melodies to keep it interesting. Note that the bridge (surprise factor) comes after a repeat (predictability factor) of two verse/chorus modules.

You always need at least two of something before you can introduce a surprise. If, say, you had 4 different sections in a row where nothing repeats, though it may be interesting to progressive rock or jazz fans, it’s hard to hold the attention of a mass market audience who likes to “own” a song by learning the chorus and participating.

There are styles of music that don’t need to use the same structures as pop music because the audience doesn’t need these structures to hold their attention on radio while they’re thinking about/doing something else. Dance music is generally built for clubs where the music surrounds the listener and depends on a different mix of ingredients (groove, sounds, etc.) to delight its audience. Musical theater uses songs to move the story along and develop characters and already has the attention of a viewing audience. To some extent, music for film/TV doesn’t always require the same kind of structure and dynamics as radio music because its function is more about supplying a “vibe” or emotional underpinning to what’s happening on-screen or saying lyrically what the characters are thinking. In that case, the screen, not the music should hold your main focus – unless the film is about the music.

Check out Part 2 of “A Songwriting Conversation With John Braheny”, and please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments!

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

With MIDI, the recording and editing capabilities are endless. But then you’re faced with that age-old question. When is the song finished? It’s up to you to hold back. Limit the amount of time spent analyzing, tweaking, and perfecting each note and rhythm. You will do your song a great service by keeping the human element intact.

MIDI and Songwriting: How it Works, What You Need To Know
MIDI and Songwriting: Enhance – Don’t Hinder Your Creative Flow

Today’s topic covers a key component in any home recording set up. It’s acoustic treatments for the walls of your studio space. A fancy computer / DAW with loads of expensive plugins and pricey microphones will do you no good unless the room in which you’re capturing the performance is acoustically sound. Every great production begins with a great sounding instrument in great sounding environment. Acoustic treatment helps you achieve this.

I have compiled a list of links which provide a ton of useful information on acoustic treatment. Dig in…

Acoustic Treatment For Home Studios – This page from UC Santa Cruz packs in a ton of good info. Mostly covering the ideal construction for recording studios. They label it “home” recording studios, but these guidelines take you closer to how commercial studios are built. Nice to have an ideal goal to shoot for.

The Studio SOS Guide To Monitoring & Acoustic Treatment – Creating a great sounding room for tracking is super important.  It’s also key for monitoring purposes.  This article from Sound on Sound covers what you need to know for setting up an effective monitoring environment in your home studio.

Home Studio Acoustics – Two part article covering a variety of things to take into account when planning and constructing your creative space.

Tutorial: How to Build a Vocal Booth – Here’s a great tutorial with lots of helpful photos which lays out step by step process for building your own professional vocal booth.

Build a $21 Vocal Booth – This struck me as the most interesting solution for setting up a vocal recording environment.  Not only is it a cheap way to go, it’s also very portable and good for small and crowded rooms.

YouTube: How To Build a Vocal Booth on a Budget – This video takes you through a simple process of utizing a small closet for vocal recording.

Foam by Mail – This is a great place to purchase acoustic foam products.  The website is a bit weak, but they’re products are excellent.  I recently ordered a whole bunch of foam from them andthey worked out great.  This was my honest experience.  They’re not a sponsor.

How to Build a Quiet Studio Environment – Here’s a good look at the other side of this topic.  Reduce the amount of noise happening in your room by minimizing the sources of unwanted sound.  Lots of interesting ideas here.

Over to you…

What types of acoustic treatment or other ideas have worked for your home recording set up?

This blog entry was originally posted on my portfolio website located here. I decided this is perfect material for Serve The Song, as Elliot Smith is held closely to the hearts of so many lovers of well-written music.

What more can I say about Elliott Smith?  I consider him to be the best songwriter of our time.  It’s an absolute tragedy that we lost such a natural talent.  He left behind a remarkable but sadly incomplete body of work that receives constant play in my listening rotation.

Obviously, narrowing it down to one outstanding album is a tough task.  Figure 8 is the record that touches all the bases of Smith’s style – Melody driven arrangements, intimate and mellow acoustic numbers, fleshed out rock productions, and of course- lyric sets that speak strait to the soul.

Great thanks to my brother, Jeff, who turned me on to Elliott Smith a couple years ago when he played me his self-titled album.  I must say that album was a very close second choice as it contains some of his best works.  But that’s the thing about Elliot Smith — it doesn’t matter which album you hear first, within a matter of two weeks you will have your hands on the entire catelog (at least that was the case for me).

On Figure 8, Smith took his signature production style of doubling all guitars and vocals and translated it to a full rock band sound.  This expanding of his sound occured on previoius albums, but was really perfect on Figure 8.  The electric side of Elliott Smith makes itself known right from the album opener, “Son of Sam” and continues the roller coaster ride all the way to the anthemic “Pretty Mary K”.  The piano work on this album adds brilliant color to the musical landscape of Figure 8 – the way it seamlessly threads between rhythmic chord punches and matching the melody of the vocals.

The intimacy of hearing Smith alone with an acoustic guitar remains intact on “Somebody That I Used To Know”.  It’s certainly a departure from the rest of the album, but it completes the dynamic range nicely.  It was almost left off of the final track list.  Good choice in leaving it in guys.

One of my all-time favorite Smith songs happens at cut three, “Junk Bond Trader”.  Elliott Smith tunes aren’t categorized as driving music very often, but “Junk Bond Trader” has caused me to miss highway exits on several occasions.  Something about the way the second verse kicks in gives me goosebumps every time – “Now I’m a policeman directing traffic, keepin everything moving, everything static”.  Not so much the message, but the way his singing rolls perfectly along with the pulse.

Another track that always stands out on the first listen is “In The Lost and Found”.  This could be the coolest honky-tonk piano playing I’ve ever heard, which makes for the most infectious tune on the album.  Lots of layered vocal harmonies going on here, along with the dramatic low string arrangements that are present throughout the album.

A couple notes on the recording of this album… three songs were done at Abbey Road Studios which might explain the very Beatlesque feel of “Pretty Mary K” and others.  In fact, Elliott played the same piano used by the Beatles when recording “Fool on the Hill”.  Figure 8 was produced by Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf who both produced Elliott Smith’s other albums, Either/Or and XO.

Elliott Smith certainly left us a gem with Figure 8, his last complete work before his death.  As a songwriter, I’m constantly drawing on this release for inspiration and often find myself doubting I will ever be able to acheive a fraction of the greatness on this album.  That’s fine with me, as long as Elliott Smith’s music continues to be loved and appreciated for decades to come.

Holiday shopping season is upon us and with the state of the economy, this year’s theme is save cash wherever you can. That means getting more bang for your buck.

For songwriters and producers who run a home studio, the wish list of hot gear items seems to last all year long. While many of you may be dreaming of a shiny new pro tools rig, a smooth condenser vocal mic, or a trusted name-brand piece of vintage outboard gear, I’m here to tell you that this is the year to think on a smaller scale.

But that’s OK, because there are several key pieces that are both essential to any recording studio and also cost under $100. If your song lab is missing any of the items on this list, I highly suggest picking these up before investing in that Neumann U87. These are items that any home recordists will certainly appreciate and use on a day-to-day basis for a long time to come.

The prices listed here indicate the average going rate as of this post (the future is quite uncertain these days…)

Boom Mic Stands – $25
You always need a few mic stands ready to throw a mic on an instrument, vocal, or guitar amp. Stands with a boom are definitely the way to go as they offer much more versatility – especially when you’re using your shoe closet as a vocal booth!

MIDI Keyboard – $75
Used in conjunction with production software such as Reason, you will need a physical way to put that human touch behind sampled sounds. My suggestion is to go for at least a 49-key as this provides enough room for several octaves of playing. Most of them are connected via USB these days.

Shure SM57 – $85
The go-to mic for so many situations. Use it on guitar amps, vocals, horns, really anything. Extremely durable – you can drop it off your roof and still it still sounds great. Vocals may benefit from a more expensive condenser, but this one will get you through a session when you’re on a budget and it’s a huge step up from a radioshack microphone.

Headphones – $99
The price tag will vary a lot here. The most important thing when shopping for studio headphones is how isolated the noise is. The main purpose of using headphones in the studio is for listening while playing into a recording microphone. You don’t want the mic to pick up any noise coming from the headphones.

DI Box – $40
A DI box can make a big improvement for recording instruments direct. Usually you would use it for bass or keys. DI boxes can get expensive, and audio professionals might argue in favor of high priced options, however many do-it-yourselfer’s don’t use DI boxes at all. By adding it to your set up, you will greatly reduce unwanted buzzing and humming.

Vocal Pop Filter – $25
This is a must have for recording vocals. All of those “P”, “S”, and “T” sounds create bursts of air that absolutely kill a vocal recording (and there is little you can do to fix them later!). Go for one with a metal clamp and not a cheaper plastic clip-on. The cheaper ones will wear out quickly.

Tuner – $75
A great recording begins with a great performance. A great performance begins with great sounding instrument. A great sounding instrument begins with proper tuning. You get the picture. For you gigging guitarists out there, I would also highly suggest a stomp-box tuner, which works great for both the stage and the studio.