These are trying times in the commercial music biz. There are fewer fun units and the jitter level has hit an all-time high. But in spite of tremendous competition for work, shrinking budgets, and a plethora of library and popular music available to license, one directive is clear for creatives and producers: You must maintain your composer.
Remember Amadeus? This was the movie set in the days when court composers were retained by kings. Even in those hard times, the value of original musical composition was recognized and preserved. Court composers were not house pets—it was often a dangerous profession. One bad review could land the composer in a Holiday Inn at happy hour.
You may be aware that the music industry is in the toilet. For the first time, blank, recordable CDs have outsold albums. Music from early in the last century captured the Grammys, now referred to as the Grannys. When art becomes nothing but a commodity, art suffers. The Big Music Guys hold the power of distribution, and with that power comes the obligation to cultivate and distribute music that invigorates the public and inspires new artistic talent. They have dropped the ball on their own feet and are feeling the pain.
Perhaps this is why commercial music has become a popular genre unto itself. Original-music shops are greenhouses of experimental music and sound. Without these little laboratories, we in the commercial business, too, will be limited to spoon-feeding playlist pap to those we hope to attract.
Music is perhaps the most subjective and risky element in the commercial process. Over time we have been carefully eliminating risk from the entire process. We are becoming risk managers. We have all left advertising to join the insurance industry.
Scrape together a demo bud-get and pitch original music to your clients. Answer your phones when a music house calls. Circulate original-music reels. Become aware of the incredible array of musical talent ready to knock your socks off. The pick is on the string, so to speak.
So do something original. Only then will you be able to maintain your composer.
