When you’re scoring a scene or developing music for a project, what’s your starting point?
Do you begin by crafting a central melody or motif? Do you focus on the emotional tone and build the instrumentation from there? Or do you take your cue from the visuals, cutting the music to match the rhythm and pacing of the edit?
Every composer seems to have a slightly different entry point, and I’m always fascinated by how those first sparks evolve into full scores.
What’s your first move when you sit down to start composing for film, TV, or games?
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if you are skilled to compose, and as you know that you can adapt any melody to any emotion by working on the orchestration and/or the modes, but on side your ego, and ask you self, what does this scene need and why you should listen to your point of view on not doing what must be done. use your skills as a tool to drive the scene to its main goal : the story.
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I have used the same process for years. First I develop tone. I work with the director to get a feel on what they want for their story. Just scrap ideas that may never be used. Then we watch the film together and create a Cue sheet, or they create one and give it to me. Each cute should have Tempo, Purpose, and Point of View. Tempo isn't a number, it's a feel.
After that, I just work with feel given the parameters. You don't always have melody. it just truly is about the vision of the story teller
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Excellent Q Ashley Renee Smith ! I've wondered this myself. What I get from listening to a lot of demo reels is that composers have chord progressions they like, then they create a 4 bar loop from that progression, which they then layer various instrument voices on top of. Of course longer works, or pieces that need to stand on their own require modulation and theme/counter-themes to keep the audience listening... then again, who sits through the outro (credits) nowadays? (Heavy sigh)
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The ability to adapt a melody emotionally through orchestration or modal shifts is such a powerful tool, but knowing when and why to use it is what sets a great composer apart. Thank you for sharing this perspective, Reda Mourah!
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That’s such a grounded and collaborative process, Bruce Bray, and your emphasis on tone and feel really resonates. I love that you approach tempo as an emotional pulse rather than just a number. It’s such a great reminder that not every cue needs a melody. Sometimes it’s texture, rhythm, or space that does the emotional heavy lifting.
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I totally hear you, Morgan Aitken! My husband and I always stay through to the end. It’s our way of honoring all the departments and artists who poured themselves into the project. We’re actually seeing Tron: Ares tonight and will definitely be sitting through every last name on the scroll.
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Ashley Renee Smith A lot of my music was created from my own circumstances of love, loss, and/or longing, and it naturally fits into emotional scenes. For scenes needing music, I tend to watch and compose in the moment the emotion it conveys.
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This is a great question! Don’t quote me on this but I think it depends on the editing style of the filmmaker(s). Some composers wouldn’t even have to get that specific because I’d imagine that some editors will create the movie AROUND the music.. But then again, I’ve seen some composers also build their scores around scene dynamics as well…
I also have a question for this thread. Does anyone know anyone I could start building relationships with that would need music for their projects? I own an agency, and I’m trying to get music from my website placed in projects.
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Hey, Tramere Anderson. There are over 1.2 million members on Stage 32. Producers, directors, executives, writers, actors, composers, and more. Here are some blogs about networking I suggest checking out: www.stage32.com/blog/tags/networking-41
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As for the songs for my various projects, everything just arrives at once. I developed a new character for my animated series What the Mack? The same day I already had her theme song done. I just find that everything arrives at once. I know that is not the usual way of doing things.
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Ashley Renee Smith instruments first! Timbres can already be so evocative that they’re definitely my starting point
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Kat Spencer That’s such a powerful approach, composing from lived experience adds an authenticity that can’t be faked. I imagine that watching and composing in the moment based on what the scene evokes is such a visceral way to create, and probably leads to some beautifully intuitive choices.
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That’s a really thoughtful breakdown, Tramere Anderson, you’re absolutely right that it often comes down to the filmmaker’s editing style and whether the music is driving the emotion or following the action.
And that’s a great question about connecting with collaborators! I’d definitely recommend checking out the Stage 32 Filmmaking Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/directing) and Post-Production Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/post_production). Those are both great places to get active and meet directors and editors actively working on projects who may be looking for original music.
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That’s such a powerful way to create, Wyman Brent, when the character and the music arrive hand in hand, it speaks to how deeply intuitive and connected your process is.
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That makes total sense, Alessandro Sicardi, timbre can carry so much emotional weight before a single note is even played. The right instrument choice immediately sets a tone, builds atmosphere, and sparks the emotional core of a scene.
I’d love to hear more about which instruments or textures you find yourself drawn to most often. Do certain projects call for the same core palette, or are you always chasing something new based on the story?
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Ashley Renee Smith, thank you. I only discovered my true creativity in April this year. Things just exploded. At least 400 songs written, all in five minutes or less. Developing four TV series, four films and a stage musical. Being on the extreme spectrum of creative synesthesia apparently has its advantagage. Plus, haivng ADHD with hyperfocus.
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I '"feel" the quality of the scene - hear the music inwardly - then compose.
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Ashley Renee Smith it’s an interesting question: I think every movie has a sound palette (acoustic, electronic, or mixed); and every scene of that movie can use different nuances of this palette. And the variables are many, so every movie can really have its sound… I loved Alex North because he had this very philosophy; and Thomas Newman, and Ennio Morricone (probably the best, he really created some sounds)
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Wow, I love the comparison of palette to sound, Alessandro Sicardi . It makes complete sense, just the way colour grading applies a palette of emotion to a film, so does music and sound. Probably more so. It's also why there are rock-star colourists out there, just like composers. Makes total sense.
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Thanks Morgan Aitken ! I really think music is photography, and lightening, for ears :) Some physicians used kind of a coloured scheme to explain how we perceive timbres, it’s very interesting