News | Podcasts | Articles
Competence and Confidence: The Power of Knowledge
Explore the essence of creativity and music education inspired by “12 Notes on Life and Creativity” by Quincy Jones. Dive into the art and science of music, the importance of internalizing knowledge, and the impact of digital-age learning on creativity. Perfect for musicians, educators, and anyone seeking inspiration.
6 Career Lessons I Learned from Star Trek
Star Trek is more than just an entertainment franchise; it's a trove of valuable life lessons. The series offers timeless wisdom about embracing diversity, being adaptable, and fostering alliances – lessons that are crucial for a successful music career.
Left vs Right Brain Thinking for Composers
Our cognitive processes are generally divided into the two hemispheres of our brain. The “left brain” is analytical and logical. The “right brain” houses imagination and intuition. Let’s explore the intersection of neuroscience and composition!
February Workshop: Unlocking Creativity Using Ableton Live
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27 | 5-6:30PM
Join composer, producer, and certified Ableton Live trainer, Christina Horn, as she takes a deep dive into how she uses Ableton Live to express her true, creative self when writing music for film and TV.
January Workshop: Read the @#$%& Brief!
Join Dave Kropf as he takes a deep dive into his method for understanding library briefs and listings. He'll unpack his strategies for decoding terms and translating references for the best chance of placement and forwards!
Plus he'll go over how to avoid some of the pitfalls of cloning and how we can stay original without slipping into "artist brain!"
Is One Cue Per Week Really Enough?
I’ve said before that you need 100’s of cues to make a living in the production music industry, but is one cue per week really enough? Today I’m going to unpack and illustrate how productivity and output might not be the linear journey we think it is.
We’ll take a listen to “Waltz of Shame,” the latest submission in my “Year of Taxi” and check in on any forwards or returns.
Read the @#$%& Brief! (Anatomy of a Taxi Listing)
I’ve started my Year of Taxi, and I thought it’d be a good idea to talk about the anatomy of a brief and discuss how everything we need to know is right there in the listing!
We take a listen to "Entered Into Evidence," the first submission in my Year of Taxi and check in on any forwards or returns.
We also take a listen to a dark, moody EDM cue written by 52 Cues Community Member, Rolf Schild.
5 Ways to Stay in the Creative Flow State
When we’re composing, we strive to maintain this creative flow state, but some days that feels harder than others! So on today’s episode, I unpack 5 things you can do to help keep you in that flow state, feeling more creative, and more productive.
4 Ways to Jumpstart Your Creativity!
We’ve talked about how important sustainable creativity is for the production music composer, but what happens when you got nothing or a deadline hangs over you like the sword of Damocles? On this week's episode, I’m going to give you 4 ways that I jumpstart my own creative process when time is short or energy is low.