Hey there - welcome back to the newsletter! 👋
Every Tuesday, I send an email your way to offer some creative inspiration to your week.
Let's jump in. 🚀
P.S. As of this month, I'm officially opening my calendar for new clients! If you're an independent animator, game developer, or media agency seeking a creative partner to handle the music department for your next project(s), hit reply to this email and let's chat. 👋
Last week, a cute student film I scored in early 2024 called "Contracting the Cooties" was released on YouTube:
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"Maggie, a 2nd grade girl, contracts a case of cooties after touching a boy’s hand. She and her friend, Parker, must work together to find the cure before it's too late."
For the score, we opted for a "classic animation" feel with some touches of playground-like instruments: ukelele, glockenspiel, claps, etc.
But what I remember most about the score was the circumstances in which it was written.
Let me explain...
When I wrote this one, my wife and I were in the middle of moving to our new apartment in Alhambra.
We had half of our stuff at our old place and half in the new place, so I was missing a ton of my usual gear.
But with the deadline for the score approaching, I had no choice but to work with what I'd kept available:
Obviously, the gear I worked with is still substantial, but I was also lacking lots of my usual comforts - my full-sized keyboard, my studio speakers, my comfy desk and chair, and so on.
But in many ways, working with these restraints reminded me of what working in my bedroom at my parent's house back in 2017 felt like.
Here's an artsy black-and-white picture for reference:
And yet...
Even with a restrictive setup and funky ergonomics...
I was massively proud of the score I wrote for "Contracting the Cooties".
Why?
Because the massive quality jump between my work in 2017 and my work in 2024 wasn't due to new gear.
It was experience.
Since 2017, I've written literally hundreds of pieces of music for myself and for my clients.
I've put in the proverbial reps, know my software inside and out, and have experienced enough pain along the way to develop personal systems and workflows that have helped make the experience of composing as fluid and aligned as it possibly can be for me.
(Many of these shortcuts are presented in my Orchestral Mockup Fundamentals course)
Here's why I'm sharing this with you:
So often, I hear composers feeling frustrated about not being "fast enough" or not getting their music to sound the way they picture.
And sometimes, they believe that the barrier is another VST, or a faster hard drive.
I'm here to tell you that in 99.9% of cases, it's not.
Tools don't make the craftsperson.
No matter which way you slice it, you've gotta do the reps.
Show up every week and practice something new.
Get great at recognizing where things need improvement without making it a reflection of your self-worth as an artist (or human).
Start with small steps before taking giant leaps.
Prioritize finishing or perfecting.
And never, ever wait to "feel ready".
Now...
Go get better at something. 🙂
👋 Want to work together?
I offer two paid courses...
- 🎻 Orchestral Mockup Fundamentals. Learn how to program and perform realistic orchestral mockups in minutes with my no-fluff, 3-hour crash course.
- 🎬 Composing Career Bootcamp. Join 100+ students from around the world who are using my 6-week program to land paid work in film, animation, and games. (Or try my free 4-part masterclass before deciding to enroll.)
And two paid services:
- 🚀 The Pro Group. I provide coaching for a small group of handpicked composers seeking deeper career growth and artistic fulfillment. If you're ready to work closely with me on a weekly basis, apply here. (Limited spots)
- 🎶 Commission Music. I'm accepting new clients for commissioned composing work. If you like my music and want to discuss working together on a project, hit reply to this email or click the link and let's chat.
That's all for now!
Hit reply to share thoughts or say hi.
Otherwise, happy music-making and see you next time. 🙂
- Zach
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