# Music For The Media



## bryla (Oct 2, 2009)

Hey there -

I've been looking at www.musicforthemedia.com as a supplement to my conservatory education. How many have tried it? What's your experience? With the teacher? The assignements? How long did it take for you to complete?

What are your thoughts on this? I would like some feedback before I decide what to use my money on.


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## nikolas (Oct 2, 2009)

Bryla,

Why do you feel you need this? You've been around vi for a long time, maybe longer than me... And you know your way around computers, and samples... Along with the education you're getting from your conservatory (do you really have a conservatory? It's all yours? ), you shouldn't need anything from the musical side of things, either...

I mean the course mentions things about "musical structure and form", "computers and music", "MIDI", "rhythm" and other which seem rather basic.

I'd say just spend the money on new gear and equipment and software and samples. 

If I was to ASSUME on your needs (based on your posts, your age and what I've heard from you (I think)), I'd say that you probably need more trust on your self. notice the word "ASSUME" above.

But all the above come from me, and I've not tried the course, so I can't really speak much about the course itself, just a general idea about online courses, regardless that I do teach online myself.


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## bryla (Oct 2, 2009)

Nikolas, thanks for the nice encouraging words, but I think you've got the wrong programme from the website. It's not the one called 'Digital Music', but the one called 'Music For The Media', where you get a monthly assignement writing to different pictures. I know my musical structure and computer - and rhythms even - well enough to make music.

And no: I don't have my own conservatory, but I have my own conservatory education


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## Ed (Oct 2, 2009)

Bryla, I have done the course, went to the seminars and helped Guy Michelmore out in his office.

So in order to see if its usefull to you, what experience do you have currently in the business? Also include any short films you have worked on if any, even if student and done for free.


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## misterbee (Oct 2, 2009)

I've done it. 

I learned a few things about writing to picture from it. It was good experience writing for the assignments, but I wouldn't do it again if I had my time back.

Instructors seem to be hit and miss.

I didn't learn anything musical from it whatsoever.

It took me about 18 months to complete, and a large part of it was because it took so long for assignments to come back. Although there was no rule saying you couldn't, I didn't want to move on until I got marked assignments back. Sometimes that took over a month, by which time I couldn't even remember what I'd written or why. It seems some have better luck with their instructors turning around assignments quickly. But you don't get to choose your instructor!


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## JohnG (Oct 2, 2009)

Hi Bryla,

I have to echo what Nikolas said -- I've heard some of your music and I would bet that the most useful thing for you would be to work on student films or local television commercial advertisements -- anything with picture.

Because, musically, we all have things to learn, but the part of "music for the media" that no course is going to cover is dealing with the people you're working with. That experience, for many composers, is much more important than extra musical training or technology know-how. From what I've heard of your tracks, you already know enough to make a living, musically; it's getting jobs and keeping everyone happy that is the trick.


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## David Story (Oct 2, 2009)

What is your advice on keeping everyone happy? Managing competing agendas? It's an art to do it, but a skill also.


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## bryla (Oct 2, 2009)

Ed: I haven't done ANYTHING for visual images. I also haven't done anything to get jobs yet, since in order to keep my full scholarship I can only earn x amount of money. Plus the time extra work would take a lot of concentration from my school work.

Misterbee: I'm sorry to hear of your experience. Personally I hate when critique come in so late, that you don't remember anything. Not from clients but from teachers  Clients you have to deal with. I wouldn't take the course to learn anything musical - say about form, harmony, counterpoint or those things, but to write to a brief and to a picture and build a portfolio of virtual produced music for my future website.

JohnG: Thanks to you to for the nice words. It sounds like a good idea to take on small local work that doesn't give a dime, but learns to tackle the human aspect. I thought that the assignments from Music for the Media's teachers would simulate that.

David Story: In order to keep my thread about the course, I would ask you to start a new thread with your great question 

Thanks a lot for your time and input!

Thomas


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## JohnG (Oct 2, 2009)

John Powell's comment in an interview that writing music demands an ego is, I think, quite correct. That makes it all the harder to stow the ego in the correct drawer when coping with some of the vagaries of film production, from spotting the film to the dub stage.

In fact, in nearly all the interviews I've read / listened to with established composers, this relationship issue comes up -- identifying and handling one's role. I assume these guys are the best source of comments on it. I found some of them on a film music website but I can't remember which one.


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## bryla (Oct 2, 2009)

www.stageandscreenonline.com?


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## nikolas (Oct 2, 2009)

An ego on writing music is rather right, but you also need to be able to hide it when you have to! While composing music is filled with ego, relationships aren't really, or at least you need to measure the amount of ego you put into a relationship.

Bryla: I used to do competitions in CGempire (now the website is gone :(), which was an opportunity to write music on a theme. There was also an animation short. EW has done 2 competitions for animation shorts, so there's plenty of material to be found to score and practice. You, no longer, need an inside person to grab a QT video in order to score. 

There's tons of amateur films being made, and there's literally hundreds of freeware games being made every month. I'm sure that you can find your place in there. Not only you'll get something to do, not only you'll meet people who might want you next time and pay you (it's happened to me more than once), but you also fill your CV like this. It's one thing to have a "Education: Music for media" and another to have "Experience: 5 freeware games/3 short films, etc".

The asignment of any course won't give you the human aspect of relationships: THEY get paid, so they won't reject you, so you don't have to be careful! They have to be careful.


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## JohnG (Oct 2, 2009)

bryla @ 2nd October 2009 said:


> www.stageandscreenonline.com?



yes -- that one has the John Powell interview. And there are many other interviews, both podcasts and in written form, if you search. I find them interesting. 

Separately, there's a film on Phillip Glass that I just watched -- "Glass: Portrait in Twelve Parts." Also interesting, whether or not you love that kind of music.


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## bryla (Oct 2, 2009)

Nikolas, thanks for that post! That really cleared up many things in my mind.

I have also been searching for movies with no to little music in another post, and have gathered a lot of material. You're right that it doesn't involve the human feedback, but neither do competitions. They are just a way to practice as I do with my other material.

But you guys have made me think. I have to good contacts on two different local television stations. I'm gonna talk to them about some jobs.

Okay moving on in the thread: The conservatory has given me some extra hours to spend. Is there anything related that I could use them on then? Over the internet? I could use them on conducting or orchestration, but these are fields that I'm already training, so they would just be some extra hours. Rather spend them on something mock-up wise... I have spoken with Leon Willett, but his courses are way more than the 5-6 lessons that I can afford for the money given.

John: I love Phillip Glass! I'll definately check it out - thanks!


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## nikolas (Oct 2, 2009)

bryla @ Fri Oct 02 said:


> Okay moving on in the thread: The conservatory has given me some extra hours to spend. Is there anything related that I could use them on then? Over the internet? I could use them on conducting or orchestration, but these are fields that I'm already training, so they would just be some extra hours. Rather spend them on something mock-up wise... I have spoken with Leon Willett, but his courses are way more than the 5-6 lessons that I can afford for the money given.


Not quite sure I understand. You get a few extra hours from the concservatory... Meaning that you have more classes, or that you are earning more money? It seems to be the second, but can't be sure...

Anyhow...

You already have an idea on what to do:


bryla @ Fri Oct 02 said:


> But you guys have made me think. I have to good contacts on two different local television stations. I'm gonna talk to them about some jobs.


Do this. But do it the best way possible. Make a great demoreel, or two, make a nice CD cover, make a CD sleeve and a CD that works (<-No, I'm not kidding. I had to send twice a CD to a client, because I didn't check the first one and it bloody happened to not work. Completely silly of me...).

Alternatively just find ways to meet people. Online, or offline, or whatever... It actually takes guts to get out of your room and physically meet people, so maybe you have an advantage over other people who are hesittent(?) The classical music business is filled with students, or even graduates who are waiting for the opportunity to knock on their door, without realising that THEY have to knock on every door, looking for the opportunity. The amount of unplayed music in the drawrers of composers is silly!


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## bryla (Oct 2, 2009)

Nikolas: The conservatory gives me money for auxillary lessons. I can use them on the teacher I want. At the end of the year, they are gone if I don't use them.

I'm out of my door  Thanks for your advise!

PS: If anyone has experience with the course they are still welcome to chime in.


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## Pete N (Oct 9, 2009)

I did the course a couple of years ago, and got quite a lot from it. I'd agree that it could be frustrating when assignments took weeks to come back and it could be difficult to get further clarification on tutors' comments.

The course does, however, put a lot of emphasis on communication with clients and includes a lot of audio interviews with composers and producers/directors/industry types that are extremely helpful. It's not a "how to write music" course.

The criticism from tutors can also be pretty harsh (but polite and fair!) - they've got your money when you sign up, so there's no reason not to be honest. As I remember, you can opt for whether you want to be treated as a hobbyist or potential pro at the start of the course and I imagine they tailor their comments appropriately.

I found it very good for thinking about writing to a brief and really trying to understand what non-musical types mean when they talk about their musical requirements.


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## bluejay (Oct 9, 2009)

Hi Bryla,

Just wanted to say that I've completed both Music for the Media and Digital Music courses and also beta-tested the new Cinematic Orchestration course.

For me, MFTM worked very well. I found it a useful course that does teach a lot about the business. Personally I think that attending the live seminars was also very useful.

Like a lot of these things, you get out of it what you put into it. I think it could compliment your conservatory training nicely.

Hope this was useful.

cheers

James


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## bryla (Oct 10, 2009)

Pete and James: Thank you for your comments. I've taken it into consideration, and I still have till May to find out.


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