# Greetings, fellow chameleons!



## windshore (Sep 1, 2008)

Hi all! Love the forum. I, like most all of you, am a chameleon. I am a L.A. based woodwind doubler and composer-producer of my own music as well music as jingles & libraries. Since I’ve recorded for several composers at the forum here, I’ve ended up visiting enough to finally join.

I grew up in Chicago dreaming of being a studio musician like Tom Scott playing really cool sax, and flute and clarinet. I had hoped I would play with all the famous acts, and write and produce my own albums. 

The good news: I pretty much did it.! I studied with great teachers on all my instruments, got scholarships and graduated very high in my class from Berklee in Boston and within a fairly short time after moving to LA, I had played with many of my musical heros... and that trend has continued. (Lots of name-dropping on my websites.)

More good news: While accumulating & studying my instruments & gaining experience, I accidently (- no really) picked up a recorder in a music store, and decided that it might be kind of cool to learn. A bit later, I found some ethnic flutes and in a few years I had assembled a big arsenal of ethnic flutes, which I had never planned on learning,- but which have become a huge, fun part of my musical life.

Bad news, which turned into good news: In the mid 90’s I already had a pretty healthy resume but, the traditional studio contracting structure in LA was already breaking down and things were a bit slower for me. Since I had the time, and always wanted to be a better writer, I studied privately with one of the top composition & orchestration teachers in town, Jack Smalley. I originally was only interested in improving my song writing for my own albums, but soon Jack pulled me into the rich world of film scoring and orchestration which I loved!

Life has a way of plotting it’s own course for you. (me) Now my career is more schizophrenic than I could have ever imagined. I play on shows like “Scrubs” and still do lots of recording for jingles and albums... the typical “studio musician thing” - kind of have to be ready to play any instrument in any style at the drop of a hat. But now, I can also get an IM or phone call and need to write and produce a jingle and deliver it within a couple of hours. I’ve done a lot of arranging and music copying for big industrial shows and then there’s work like playing jazz festivals or composing songs or arranging horns for other artists.

I really miss the big studio dates that included things like sitting in the studio at Warner Bros and recording with an large orchestra some of the last cartoons by Chuck Jones. Today, that kind of work has been delegated to the likes of you and me, in a small room by ourselves, with a computer. I like working both sides, but in spite of the incredible advances in technology, there is no sound or feeling like being in a room full of great musicians who’ve come together to synergistically merge in order to create something that is even greater than the composer’s vision.... 
ah... anyway... Now let’s get back to talking about samples!!! I use VSL, Siedlaczek, NI-Komplete, Reason, RMX, Trilogy, Logic, PT, Sibelius, etc., etc., etc.........

My production website is www.windshoremusic.com my solo-artist website is www.markhollingsworth.com


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## ComposerDude (Sep 1, 2008)

Hi Mark - welcome to VI!

-Peter


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## Hannes_F (Oct 4, 2008)

Hi Mark,

welcome to this forum that hosts a bunch of great musicians. You will have your fun here.

Somehow I missed your first post but headed over to your site now and had a great time listening to your tracks, they are top notch!

Best
Hannes


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## windshore (Oct 4, 2008)

Thanks Hannes!

I've been lurking for months (since Craig first told me about it a year ago) and have already enjoyed the forum very much. I also appreciate the level of civility which seems so much higher than most forums. 

Mark


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## Chrislight (Oct 4, 2008)

Hi Mark and welcome to VI! We're glad you came out of lurking. 8) Hope you continue to enjoy the forum!


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## Frederick Russ (Oct 5, 2008)

Welcome to VI ! Glad you found us and decided to join in.


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## José Herring (Oct 5, 2008)

Welcome! We have similar background. Though most of my playing days were in NY.

Came to LA to pursue film scoring and promptly fell into arranging for records. Cool thing about that is that I use to get orchestras and record at Capitol and other fine studios with real people.

Kind of amazes me that film scoring has gone in the direction it has. In a sense a little sad, but the technology is fun too.

Jose


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## poseur (Oct 10, 2008)

yes, welcome!
i, too, have a similar background.
enjoy your stay, and the folks here.
d


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