# Working Suggestions needed.



## lux (Sep 15, 2010)

Hello everyone,

i finally decided to take the risk and ask publicy. I'm at a point where i seriously need to work and i'm just shooting blind. I cant understand really where i could chime in and look for works. Everything appears so confusing.

My question is just generical as i perfectly understand how the topic can be sensitive. Would anyone mind suggesting me whats the "type" of companies/studios usually a composer like a me could send demos or ask around? I'm an orchestral composer, but also a guitar player and pop/rock/electronica arranger.

I'm just looking for a generic "type" or market segments of potential clients which i could send examples and demos, not (of course) names. 

My starting points are that i already worked for libraries and have no local market, so i have to turn my head elsewhere

I suspect i could get a few unfriendly replies but perhaps an handful of good suggestions too as i just would love some good advices to focus my efforts.

Thanks everyone in advance
Luca


----------



## rabiang (Sep 15, 2010)

i know its not right up your alley, but have a look

http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17854

i just reread it and see that mix can be interpreted both as mix of classical and electronic and mix of the tracks. its the latter i mean.


----------



## midphase (Sep 15, 2010)

Location Location Location!!!

But we already talked about that.

Even if you can't move away from Italy, you ought to consider moving closer to where the action is in Italy. 

Honestly if I was still living there....aside from looking into a different career (sad but true) or looking into teaching at a University or Conservatory (also sad but true)...I would focus almost exclusively on videogames. I would find out the name of each and every fledgeling videogame company in Italy and show up at their doorsteps with a flashdrive full of great music and bug the crap out of all of them.

Other than that...you might consider (I'm not kidding about this) starting your own movie production company with a few friends and create your own product.

The reality is that this market is ridiculously tough, now more than ever. Things are crazy tough here in LA...work is getting harder to find for everyone aside from a handful of top guys. Agencies are letting go their lesser clients and just focusing on the few who make them money. If it's gotten ridiculously difficult to get work here in LA, I can't even imagine what it must be like in Napoli.


Seriously....videogames.


----------



## Lex (Sep 15, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*

I don't get it, you say you already worked for libraries, why not work more?

alex


----------



## anogo (Sep 15, 2010)

If you are in a big city, where do you find job announcements? Or is it mainly networking and word of mouth? Is it through a publishing company?

My music has a narrow focus (primarily instrumental guitar and guitar-related instruments), so finding jobs where I'm a good fit is a challenge, but if it is a good fit, then it is wonderful. Every job I've had to date has been via word of mouth . . . and that isn't enough.

I'm sick of folks asking for music on spec or for gratis licensing, but that's a whole other thread . . .


----------



## lux (Sep 15, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys, i appreciate that. Please let them coming as i quite need it 



Lex @ Wed Sep 15 said:


> I don't get it, you say you already worked for libraries, why not work more?
> 
> alex



Actually it just didnt pay.


----------



## germancomponist (Sep 15, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*

Lux,

I am "also" working as a ghost composer in Germany for many many years now. I have written so many songs what was published under "no name" bla bla bla. I think you know what I mean. I have some good friends here in Germany who are always searching for good music to publish on the 1b CD`s. You know, the CD`s one can buy at the supermarkets...... . Here you can earn not so much money, but good money. 

Lux, pm me! I hope I can help you.

Best,

Gunther


----------



## rgames (Sep 15, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*

Do what I do: keep a day job 

I've done the library thing over the last 18 months or so and I agree with you so far - it really doesn't pay. Supposedly guys make a good living at it but it takes time and a LOT of tracks. So time will tell for me.

My guess is Jay's statement is (still) the best advice: move to LA. I've spent a few years chasing gigs with small productions and have made some money but not enough to call a living. No amount of phone calls and e-mail make up for one half-drunken encounter at a party.

Haven't tried to do anything in the video game world, though, and it's a bigger market, so maybe that's the place to go. I just don't know anything about video games, so I'm probably not a good choice for a video game composer, though I think I had a library track licensed for a game.

rgames


----------



## Patrick de Caumette (Sep 15, 2010)

midphase @ Wed Sep 15 said:


> looking into teaching at a University or Conservatory (also sad but true)...



Kays, I can't quite understand why teaching at a university would be a sad thing.
From experience, there are a lot of positive things about it.

I feel you get out of the experience just as much as you give.

It keeps you on your toes, you keep learning and are constantly challenged... 

and it doesn't have to be a full time thing, so there is plenty of time to handle commercial projects..etc.

I actually know a whole bunch of super talented people that teach...

The tirade that goes: "those that can't do, teach" cracks me up BTW....


----------



## MichaelL (Sep 16, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*

Patrick,

Teaching is a very good option. That's a hard door to open sometimes. Even after scoring documentaries and writing library music for 20+ years, I don't have the pedigree -- except to teach music business courses. (I have a law degree). I guest lectured a few times on music/law at your school. 

I know many people who teach and CAN DO (probably some of the people that you know). So, I second your opinion, there's nothing wrong with teaching.

Michael


----------



## Jaap (Sep 16, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*

Maybe expand your horizon and look into the world of creating audio for games. From experience I know companies often look for a combi of sound designer/composer so you might want to look into sound design and also learning a bit audio implemention (take a look at FMOD and Wwise).
If sound design etc is totally not your thing maybe hook up with a sound designer and offer combined services.

You can make decent money from the casual game industry. We work 100% remotely with customers (we have customers going from Australia till Canada and everything in between).

You can advertise yourself here: http://forums.indiegamer.com/index.php? and it's a good place to start (beware you have to wait 48 hours before you can make your first post). Once you have a few games under your belt and you have a small client base things might go up. For just getting experience and learning stuff you might maybe want to get hooked up with some mod games first and you can find a lot of them here: http://www.moddb.com/
Also a place to read up, ask questions about anything game audio game related is: http://www.gameaudioforum.com/phpBB3/

or

http://audiogang.org/ (this site is not free)

A good general resource about the game industry is:

http://www.gamasutra.com/

Visit conferences if you have the money and time

You probably still have to combine it for a while with other stuff, but might a start in some direction or something to combine with other composing work.


----------



## Patrick de Caumette (Sep 16, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*



MichaelL @ Thu Sep 16 said:


> Patrick,
> 
> Teaching is a very good option. That's a hard door to open sometimes. Even after scoring documentaries and writing library music for 20+ years, I don't have the pedigree -- except to teach music business courses. (I have a law degree). I guest lectured a few times on music/law at your school.
> 
> ...



Hey Michael,

what school did you lecture at: Berklee, The University of the Arts or Temple?

Cheers


----------



## MichaelL (Sep 16, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*



> Hey Michael,
> 
> what school did you lecture at: Berklee, The University of the Arts or Temple?
> 
> Cheers




University of the Arts, when Orlando was teaching the business class.

Best,

Michael


----------



## lux (Sep 17, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*

Thanks everyone, i really appreciate that  

Luca


----------



## paoling (Sep 30, 2010)

*Re: Working. Suggestions needed.*

Luca. Ti ho scritto in PM.

Luca. I wrote you a PM.


----------

