# Writing music after a while becomes like any other job...



## RAdu (Jun 18, 2019)

While I was chatting with a sound engineer he said that after many years of doing this ,music lost his magic , it's like any other job now....boring. Do you think this also can happen with us composers? What are your thoughts on this? and how to prevent it?


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## SchnookyPants (Jun 18, 2019)

I'm not writing for anyone but me, these days. I NEVER get bored. Quite the opposite; there are always new things to learn and exciting ideas to execute. At 71, this is my chosen, exciting life.

Any job gets old after awhile. But this isn't a job, it's my passion.


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## Bluemount Score (Jun 18, 2019)

I guess trailer music can become pretty boring after some time, as it's mostly the same structure, instruments and simplicity. Not much room for crazy creative freedom, which is what would stop me after some time.


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Jun 18, 2019)

Considering how the whole "media music" thing works, I can't imagine a scenario where it _doesn't _inevitably get boring.

Actually I do. The one where you start to actively loathe it and/or get seriously ill due to stress before boredom can even set in.


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## Desire Inspires (Jun 18, 2019)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> Considering how the whole "media music" thing works, I can't imagine a scenario where it _doesn't _inevitably get boring.
> 
> Actually I do. The one where you start to actively loathe it and/or get seriously ill due to stress before boredom can even set in.



Who gets ill from stress?


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## jonnybutter (Jun 18, 2019)

Desire Inspires said:


> Who gets ill from stress?



Stress is deadly.


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## C.R. Rivera (Jun 18, 2019)

SchnookyPants said:


> I'm not writing for anyone but me, these days. I NEVER get bored. Quite the opposite; there are always new things to learn and exciting ideas to execute. At 71, this is my chosen, exciting life.
> 
> Any job gets old after awhile. But this isn't a job, it's my passion.


I see you live about 4 hours away. It must be peaceful and full of bliss....that must also help or am I in error?


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## mouse (Jun 18, 2019)

Desire Inspires said:


> Who gets ill from stress?



Haha you clearly live on a different planet. 

Who gets wet from water?


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## SchnookyPants (Jun 18, 2019)

C.R. Rivera said:


> I see you live about 4 hours away. It must be peaceful and full of bliss....that must also help or am I in error?


4 hours away from... reality? Could be. Four hours away from a short break? Usually.

No, really. Four hours away from where? I'm nowhere near Cal.


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## C.R. Rivera (Jun 18, 2019)

SchnookyPants said:


> 4 hours away from... reality? Could be. Four hours away from a short break? Usually.
> 
> No, really. Four hours away from where? I'm nowhere near Cal.


Apologies as I go back and forth, but am now in Central Ohio teaching this summer and return to Coronado later this summer.


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## Saxer (Jun 18, 2019)

Still interesting... writing, producing, live playing... different projects, different people. Always feels like I'm just beginning. And I'm in my late 50s!

But I can't compare. I never had any other job.


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## Desire Inspires (Jun 18, 2019)

mouse said:


> Haha you clearly live on a different planet.
> 
> Who gets wet from water?



Maybe so. I always find a way to get out of stressful situations. It usually starts with saying "no" to people and projects that bring stress. I find that being not responsible, as opposed to being irresponsible, is rewarding.

I do feel bad for anyone becoming physically sick from stress. Must be hard to even get out of bed for those folks.


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## SchnookyPants (Jun 18, 2019)

Saxer said:


> ....... I never had any other job.



You _BUM_!


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## SchnookyPants (Jun 18, 2019)

C.R. Rivera said:


> Apologies as I go back and forth, but am now in Central Ohio teaching this summer and return to Coronado later this summer.



Oh. I get it. Actually, I'm even further north just now (and much of the summer).

Think 45.000° N, 81.255° W

Even _more_ peaceful and blissful.


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## dpasdernick (Jun 18, 2019)

I only write for myself and ride the rollercoaster of "I am a God" to "sell it all and pack it in". Music is emotion. We are emotional beings. Our moods should ebb and flow. Depending on the chemicals in your head you may ride a more bumpy roller coaster. 

Music is my world along with my family. I hope I never lose that wonder.


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## Yellow Studio (Jun 18, 2019)

For me it's magic and fantastic everyday when I wake up


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## Adam Takacs (Jun 19, 2019)

I think that composing is primarily about individual artistic views.
If your art is honest and compatible with the current expectations of the music industry, you are lucky and it will never becomes like any other job.
But if the music industry determines your music, then the essence of music is lost and it will be no more than just a job.


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## mikeh-375 (Jun 19, 2019)

For me it meant cancelling ticket bookings, drinking too much, phone calls at hours I didn't know existed, cancelling dinners, friends visits, drinking too much, putting up with dickhead comments from clients and producers, minking doo tuch,...etc.
In the end, it _was_ just a job that was also an inconvenience to my life and wife and I was glad, nay fortunate enough to be able to walk away, the time was right. So yes @RAdu it was just a job in the end, the only real magic was working with the best players in London...oh and tinking moo dutch


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## chocobitz825 (Jun 19, 2019)

mikeh-375 said:


> For me it meant cancelling ticket bookings, drinking too much, phone calls at hours I didn't know existed, cancelling dinners, friends visits, drinking too much, putting up with dickhead comments from clients and producers, minking doo tuch,...etc.
> In the end, it _was_ just a job that was also an inconvenience to my life and wife and I was glad, nay fortunate enough to be able to walk away, the time was right. So yes @RAdu it was just a job in the end, the only real magic was working with the best players in London...oh and tinking moo dutch



Are you my spirit animal? lol


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## Parsifal666 (Jun 19, 2019)

I write for independent films, jingles/local commercials, college projects. Most of that is dreadfully boring to me, but I get paid.

If I didn't write things like my symphonies and Kammermusik for myself I wouldn't keep composing. Money is money, but it doesn't mean anything when I'm truly inspired (which is almost always solely for my non-commercial music).

Any job can be supremely boring. But if you're just in this for cash, that's just what you have to take on.

From the winner of 9 Academy Awards: _"Music composition is a lonely endeavor which involves sitting in a room and wearing out pencils". _*Alfred Newman
*
I guess as an update we could replace pencils with fingers lol!


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## Parsifal666 (Jun 19, 2019)

mikeh-375 said:


> For me it meant cancelling ticket bookings, drinking too much, phone calls at hours I didn't know existed, cancelling dinners, friends visits, drinking too much, putting up with dickhead comments from clients and producers, minking doo tuch,...etc.
> In the end, it _was_ just a job that was also an inconvenience to my life and wife and I was glad, nay fortunate enough to be able to walk away, the time was right. So yes @RAdu it was just a job in the end, the only real magic was working with the best players in London...oh and tinking moo dutch



It can be that, and that can be really daunting.


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## mikeh-375 (Jun 19, 2019)

30 years of daunting Pars, it was a bloody nightmare at times, real skin of the (how am I gonna get this done?) teeth. Your career sounds a much more balanced one with lots of variation. I'm glad I now have the opportunity to discover more about myself but am aware also that this luxury was hard won, so I shouldn't really complain......(much)


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## Parsifal666 (Jun 19, 2019)

mikeh-375 said:


> 30 years of daunting Pars, it was a bloody nightmare at times, real skin of the (how am I gonna get this done?) teeth. Your career sounds a much more balanced one with lots of variation. I'm glad I now have the opportunity to discover more about myself but am aware also that this luxury was hard won, so I shouldn't really complain......(much)



I set it up so I turn down commissions if 

a) it's turning too much into a load of horse-offal (I think Mike did a great job describing what I mean).

b) It's getting in the way of my more fulfilling projects...which are my personal compositions.

When I turn away or ignore compositions I'm noticing my two bedroom apartment in a semi-ghetto more often. But this is the life I chose...if I can't write for myself at all I'm quitting the whole shebang.


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## mikeh-375 (Jun 19, 2019)

Now _that_ is a composer...not a job but a vocation, a necessity.


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## Parsifal666 (Jun 19, 2019)

mikeh-375 said:


> Now _that_ is a composer...not a job but a vocation, a necessity.



(blushing) I guess if I wanted to go all out Wagnerian I'd say it's an inward imperative (and yeah, not entirely sure what Tricky Dick meant there, but it was worth throwing out there lol!)


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## Daryl (Jun 19, 2019)

I think part of the negativity from composers is due to the fact that often they have very little control over their lives. Part of that is because the ego trip of "scoring a film" somehow outweighs the appalling lifestyle and treatment one can get from clients. It seems to me that the happiest composers are the ones who don't work stupid hours, and who get treated well by clients.

For me I made a conscious decision not to get involved in the rat race. Consequently I rarely work evenings, or weekends, have holidays, enjoy most of what I do, and make a pretty reasonable living.

Decide how you want to live your life, and choose your path accordingly.


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## mikeh-375 (Jun 19, 2019)

Daryl said:


> ........ It seems to me that the happiest composers are the ones who don't work stupid hours, and who get treated well by clients........



Clearly that's ideal Daryl and undoubtedly everyones experience and level of attainment and achievement will be slightly different. There might even be a predictive bit of math for happiness v success in terms of effort required.
In my experience stupid hours were often necessary and whilst I did get lovely treatment from some, there was also duplicitous back stabbing and bad moral practice from others. I doubt it has changed at all, in fact I'd say it's even worse now.


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## Parsifal666 (Jun 19, 2019)

mikeh-375 said:


> Clearly that's ideal Daryl and undoubtedly everyones experience and level of attainment will be slightly different. There might even be a predictive bit of math for happiness v success in terms of effort required.
> In my experience stupid hours were often necessary and whilst I did get lovely treatment from some, there was also duplicitous back stabbing and bad moral practice from others. I doubt it has changed at all, in fact I'd say it's even worse now.



I compose minimum six hours a day, seven days a week. Commission or no. I remain convinced that composing for all that time makes you a better composer. 

I put a lot more unwanted time in on commissions of course, but that's because I usually want to get it over with so I can get back to writing what I want.


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## Alex Fraser (Jun 19, 2019)

It can be boring. Then you get a new challenge and it's fun again. Ups and down.

The worst though:

_File > Save._
Then..
_File > Close Project_
Immediately followed by...
_File > New._

That one is always hard.


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## Parsifal666 (Jun 19, 2019)

Alex Fraser said:


> File > New.
> 
> That one is always hard.



Sometimes I do that just to experiment and/or look further into my libs. More often than not, though, it turns into a project naturally. I highly recommend it.


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## Daryl (Jun 19, 2019)

Parsifal666 said:


> I compose minimum six hours a day, seven days a week. Commission or no. I remain convinced that composing for all that time makes you a better composer.



Probably, but I would rather have a life as well. Up until the last week, I had only written 2 songs this year. Too busy doing other stuff. However, over the last week I've written 11 tracks.


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## Desire Inspires (Jun 19, 2019)

Daryl said:


> For me I made a conscious decision not to get involved in the rat race. Consequently I rarely work evenings, or weekends, have holidays, enjoy most of what I do, and make a pretty reasonable living.
> 
> Decide how you want to live your life, and choose your path accordingly.



Yes, these are words of wisdom.


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## Parsifal666 (Jun 19, 2019)

Daryl said:


> Probably, but I would rather have a life as well. Up until the last week, I had only written 2 songs this year. Too busy doing other stuff. However, over the last week I've written 11 tracks.



Well... I mean, choosing to compose means choosing to spend a _*lot*_ of time on it. Otherwise you're best off using phrase-sample libraries primarily.

No offense or disrespect, just my worthless opinion. 

I start composing when I get up at 4 am and wrap everything up at 10 am. I then have the rest of the day to do whatever the hell I want. Not bad, imo.


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## JohnG (Jun 19, 2019)

Daryl said:


> It seems to me that the happiest composers are the ones who don't work stupid hours, and who get treated well by clients.



Spoken like a European!


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## Parsifal666 (Jun 19, 2019)

Stupid hours for me aren't stupid when I'm doing something I love. The opposite.


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## Daryl (Jun 19, 2019)

Parsifal666 said:


> Well... I mean, choosing to compose means choosing to spend a _*lot*_ of time on it. Otherwise you're best off using phrase-sample libraries primarily.
> 
> No offense or disrespect, just my worthless opinion.
> 
> I start composing when I get up at 4 am and wrap everything up at 10 am. I then have the rest of the day to do whatever the hell I want. Not bad, imo.


Some days I want to compose. Some days I don't. However, I don't get your idea about phrase libraries. Why would I want to use sample libraries at all, never mind phrase ones?

I refuse to get up at 4am for anything. 8am rise, at work by 9.30, knock off at 7.30 is a full day for me. Obviously I quite often take the morning off to go for a bit of ping pong training, or have a couple of hours for lunch, or just take the day off, if I don't feel like doing any work, but that's my usual working pattern. I totally understand if that wouldn't suit you though.


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## Daryl (Jun 19, 2019)

JohnG said:


> Spoken like a European!


Come on. You know you want to do it as well. Come to the dark side. You might like it.


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## JohnG (Jun 19, 2019)

ha!

Conducting in July at Abbey Road, so I'll be there soon.

A lot of my work is overseas lately and it's definitely a different flavour.


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## Daryl (Jun 19, 2019)

JohnG said:


> ha!
> 
> Conducting in July at Abbey Road, so I'll be there soon.
> 
> A lot of my work is overseas lately and it's definitely a different flavour.


Studio 1? Actually, it doesn't matter. Both 1 & 2 are fun to conduct in.


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## JohnG (Jun 19, 2019)

1, then 2, then 3 -- different days.


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## mikeh-375 (Jun 19, 2019)

JohnG said:


> ha!
> 
> Conducting in July at Abbey Road, so I'll be there soon.
> 
> A lot of my work is overseas lately and it's definitely a different flavour.


Now that is not a job...that is fun.
Studio 1...my favourite.


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## Patrick de Caumette (Jun 19, 2019)

I think that life circumstances can be important factors of whether or not you feel pressured, and experience the grind of a professional career:
- are you married with kids, and does your family depend on your income for survival?
If it's the case, you certainly have to make more compromises in order to put food on the table.
If that situation goes on for years, there are strong chances that writing for clients day in and day out will eventually lead to a frustrated creative outlook on your professional life.
Adding to that pressure is the fact that our global economy is contracting and it is more challenging to make a living than it used to be.
I certainly can see how one day, under those circumstances, one could question whether or not music as a day job is the right choice.
Twenty years ago, i was forced for 6 years to get a day job and was doing music on weekends and in the evening:
I was never happier artistically, because i could write whatever i wanted without having to worry about money or satisfying a client...


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## SBK (Jun 19, 2019)

SchnookyPants said:


> I'm not writing for anyone but me, these days. I NEVER get bored. Quite the opposite; there are always new things to learn and exciting ideas to execute. At 71, this is my chosen, exciting life.
> 
> Any job gets old after awhile. But this isn't a job, it's my passion.



This! And a balance between life to stay creative, healthy and excited!


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