Composer Quest: A Songwriting and Music Composition Podcast - Film Scoring 101 with Adam Conrad

Film Scoring 101 with Adam Conrad

06/17/14 • 49 min

Composer Quest: A Songwriting and Music Composition Podcast

In this special summer episode of Composer Quest, composer Adam Conrad shares a ton of great insights about how music works in film. He also explains why he transitioned from using MIDI mockups to writing everything by hand, for real musicians.

Previous Episode

A Concept Album for Every Season with Chris Koza

For the Season 2 finale episode of Composer Quest, I interviewed Chris Koza, who had the crazy idea to create four concept albums in one year, following the change in seasons. These Rogue Valley albums turned out to be a huge artistic success. One song even ended up in Ben Stiller’s personal collection, and subsequently The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Chris shares some songwriting tips and tricks, and we dig into the concepts behind his concept albums, like how he wrote a song for each of the 12 full moons.

Next Episode

How Music Licensing Deals are Made in Film and TV

If you’re a songwriter or composer, you may have been approached by a filmmaker who wants to use your music in his or her film. After the initial burst of excitement, a few practical questions should be going through your head: What should I charge? Who will own the music? Will I be able to collect royalties? Should I ask for a chunk of the film’s profits? Should I write the contract myself or hire a lawyer? These are just a few of the topics covered in this special summer episode of Composer Quest, featuring a talk by entertainment lawyers Ken Abdo and Dan Satorius. Thanks to the Minnesota Music Coalition and McNally Smith for hosting this talk at the 2014 MN Music Summit. I highly recommend listening if you’re a songwriter or composer, so you can make the most out of getting your music placed in a film and avoid getting stuck with a crappy contract.