you want to be putting your
best foot forward. I would say
that the best way to get into
it is to find other composers
online. There are forums and
even if you just watch an ad on
television or you watch a film,
find out who that composer is
and contact them. See if you
can shadow them. You know,
just kind of how you used to
become a producer back in the
day. You find out who you like
and you try to make coffee for
them. But I think it’s a little eas-
ier now because you can jump
online. I work with amazing
writers and people reach out
to me and I often reach out to
[the writers] and say, ‘Can I put
you in touch with this person?
They’re trying to figure out how
you got this to sound like this.’ I
think the great composers that
I work with are always happy to
talk and meet people, because
it just opens doors. So, just be a
friendly and inquisitive person
and I think that really helps.”
A typical track in the library
is about two-and-a-half minutes,
but it can vary all the way up to
10-minute meditation tracks, for
instance. But, in addition to the
full track, the libraries also re-
quire short versions – often 15-,
30-, and/or 60-seconds – as well
as loops. For video editors who,
for example, often need to turn
around an ad in less than a day,
having pre-edited shorts and
loops is invaluable.
What many new composers
find most difficult to get used to
is the general structure of pro-
duction music versus standard
songs. “Structure is different
because things need to hap-
pen and they need to happen
relatively quickly as compared
to a more straight-ahead pop
or rock song,” says Cooper. “You
know, most production music
websites, you can download a
preview of the track. I always
encourage writers, when they’re
starting out, to download a
preview, pull it into their DAW,
and then use that as a template.
That’s what I have found to be
most helpful for composers…
With production music, the sim-
pler and more straightforward,
the better.”
In terms of gear, getting
into production music doesn’t
need to be overhead intensive.
According to Cooper, the basic
requirements are a decent con-
verter, a professional-level DAW,
a good microphone, and a suite
of plug-ins. “I think it’s really rea-
sonable to get into it, especially
with some of the more subscrip-
tion-based plug-ins like Slate,”
Cooper says. “It comes down to
plug-ins and learning how to
use them and use them well.”
Regarding money, the obvi-
ous motivating factor for musi-
cians, production music can
be a solid source of additional
income. Some composers make
it their full-time job, while oth-
ers use it as a side gig, recording
tracks in between other projects
and tours. Composers do not
need to meet any kind of quota.
“We have a non-exclusive deal.
The tracks they write for us are
exclusively ours, but they’re able
to write for whoever they want,”
explains Cooper of Shutterstock
Music and PremiumBeat. “In
fact, we encourage people to
write for whoever they want be-
cause we all just want musicians
to succeed and make money. I
do know that other companies
have exclusivity, but I’m not sure
which ones. I think having the
non-exclusivity is really helpful
because it gives artists and writ-
ers the freedom they need.”
The production music
companies often work with
composers on a buyout deal.
To make the licensing of tracks
to projects easy, the composer
must own the composition and
master recording rights to their
music. Also, to avoid licensing
hassles, tracks cannot include
samples. The buyout deal
KATE COOPER
means the composers receive a flat fee to sign over the ownership of
the track to the production music library; however, the composers of-
ten keep their writer’s share of the performance rights. So, if the track is
placed, they will receive royalty payments from their performing rights
organization (i.e. SOCAN). “Over the last few years, the PRO revenue
we’re making has really gone through the roof, so that keeps our artists
really happy, too,” adds Cooper.
As far as what sells best, it’s happy, uplifting tracks. The stylistic pref-
erences have changed over time, according to Cooper, from a U2- or
Coldplay-type of adult alternative/stadium rock kind of vibe to, current-
ly, more indie-pop with lots of delayed synths. “Think of a Google ad or
an Apple ad – anything that is super clean, has like a corporate edge to
it, but that also could be considered cool. And, of course, it’s uplifting.”
“That’s one thing that is really important in production music. You
kind of have to think, ‘Where would this be placed?’ We do have scary
music and Halloween music and sad music, but the majority of uses
are, I think, generally to sell products or sell movies or sell emotions. But
the emotion that people come looking for the most is uplifting and
happy stuff.”
For her parting advice, Cooper simply tells musicians to give it try.
“Many of my friends who are amazing musicians, I spent months
convincing them. Like, “Just give it a try!” And now, a couple years
later, they come to me and are like, ‘You’ve changed my life. I can pay
my mortgage’ or ‘I’ve bought a car.’ I think, historically, this has been
a murky side of music, but I think it is becoming clearer and clearer
that it is a really decent way to make a living, and not only do you
make a living, you get better at what you do. I think it’s great.”
Michael Raine is the Senior Editor of Canadian Musician.
CANADIAN MUSICIAN 11