The recording arts has stolen music from musicians. The decline in respect for instrumentalists is easy enough to see during the past 60 years. I don’t know what you think (someone commented) will be a ‘working class’ for film composers, but there really is no hope for respect in the future.

There was a time when film composers shared a comradery with the instrumentalists who performed their composed music. (I should know, I grew up in Studio City, CA) But that day has come and gone, for the most part. This separation is key to understanding what’s been happening to our music culture. Trombone player joke? No thanks.

I believe Huxley called it a brave, new world. It moves forward, without a care for what it has stepped on and destroyed. Insensitive. Bully. Bottom line. The element of music that includes the term’s root “muse” (aka the joy of music) has hardly a chance to exist in that kind of ruthless environment.

Excellent article.

My $.02 = We’ve been given lemons. Gotta make some lemonade. Brand yourself, as has been stated. Branch out into as many areas as possible. The generalist is the new specialist.

The new music library and library websites models are all based on this assumption. These days one of the first question prospective clients ask is how much it will cost; course they expect it be good (or maybe they can’t tell the difference) but you’re being shopped from that moment on. Regardless, if you look hard enough you can get your score done at practically no cost at all. There’s always going to be someone less expensive.

If the current lawsuit regarding blanket-licensing agreements are reduced as the broadcasters wish, due to declining audience, then we will see some attrition in the the ranks of wannabes. Until then, we’re all going to be caught up in the “race to the bottom”.

One last thought, that all the people who make VI’s and related music software/hardware are feeling this too, notice all the half price sales??? Why should I invest in new gear when the market is clamoring for cheap? Are they going to notice that everything stroke is a down-bow, especially if it means saving a few grand?* The next “bubble” we’ll see bursting is in the musical equipment trade. Definitely not going to be a growth industry until the profitability factor returns to its prospective customers!

*Director ignorance abounds. Actually had an orchestrator tell me that the director was so in love with the sound of the synth temp score that he had all of the bowing marking removed (slurs) so that the strings would be “closer” to what he was “hearing in his head”. More than once the director asked, “Why are we re-recording this? It sounded fine!”.

Hey George, I see and understand your frustration, or at least I agree with you on many points you made…… Mike has also got a point but not the right way of saying it….

It is out rages to blame the composers about lost gig of musicians. Mike, I urge you to consider what you are saying here? Perhaps you should start blaming film makers and producers for not being up front with many composers, not to mention that some directors don’t even consider post production as a vital part of their film and spend whatever budget they have on pre-production and production period…… What do you do? I usually laugh…..

I agree with George, if you have a chance to write for film and were given some budget you would have to be stupid to stay on samples and not to use musicians, specially the one who can actually play lol, I make an example for you,
I’m scoring a feature film and yes it’s one of those called independent and so on, there is a budget on it, and fair enough it’s not huge, but guess what, because the director and producers have attitude to pay people for what they do and dedicated a budget for the score I’m able to contact few violin players and cellist and so on to score this film, even if that means that I would have to pay the musicians out of my own creative fees, I wouldn’t want to work on samples and sequencing if I can have a real one,,,,, I enjoy working on computers and samples and so on, but there are moments and many of them where you just want a real one,,,,,, We all agree with that,,,,,, A good violinist spend 10 years of his/hers life on just getting the notes right, so there is no comparison here….

Yes it may be true that you have to start somewhere and gain experience, build your show reel and so on, but what happens when you have done all that? are you suppose to stay the same and not to consider a bigger picture,,,,,,

I simply believe in negotiating with directors/ producers and consider their potential and the possibilities they have to make it out there…. it’s hard to justify and every case is different, but there is one rule and you are the only one who knows it, if you write well and have done this long enough, you know when and how to draw the line and stop the abuse…..

Keep positive as well that may help…..

Best

You assume that everyone on this forum is amateur, or doing this part time, in their little bedroom – you are wrong and you seem to be the most frustrated out of everyone.

Let me prove to you how many times you are wrong:

1) Quoting your new message :first I’m not saying work for free…. I’m saying don’t avoid work because it won’t pay” Quoting your previous message”So do the free shit and get good”.

So, yes you DID.

2) And again- new quote

“My point on live musicians is…sure we all like live better, but you wouldn’t even have a career to bitch about if sample didn’t exist…you couldn’t afford it.. Likely. So then use only paid live musicians for everything you do…let’s see how long you last… And Hey I’ve made my living playing gig for many years. But that’s life.”

and previous quote “but your music has a full orchestration of many instrument you are unqualified to play…likely couldn’t even get sound out of them.So how many musician lost a gig?”

Decide how many issues you want to deal with on this forum and what you prefer. You either like live musicians or you like samples, or both or neither?

2) I’ve seen low budget films that are good, but not for $500.00 as you claim. Give us one example of a great $500.00 movie please….

3) I work full time in writing music, so I am not “waiting around” for paying gigs. I am concerned about our future occupation that you take for granted. So without knowing you shouldn’t give advice.

4) And last but not least – you use the word “BITCH” too much. four times already…

1) I agree that within the over supply 90% are of average standard composers. However, what you FAIL to understand is that awesome VS good music is often very hard to distinguish within an oversupply of music. Talent is not good enough anymore.

2) “except a filmmaker today can shoot, edit and produce a descent film with a $500 camera” What??? In my 10 years career have not seen this happen Mike. This is exactly where things go wrong with this attitude.

3) I DO NOT agree that the professional composers need to work for free to get better – you are over generalizing and taking for granted some of the people on this forum ( I compose, orchestrate and conduct). If you ask anyone who really cares for their trait, and is truly professional, would take a real orchestra over a sampler ANYTIME. Live musicians are what make music really come alive..

I feel I should be paid if I’m a composer, because that’s what I am and what I do. You are telling me that Hanz, Danny, John, ect… should not be paid for the work they do? What makes them any different from me, from a composers standpoint? The Film maker knows there’s a value to what I do, that’s why there’s always a problem squeezing my services in the budget