how to become a music composer

Believe it or not, some of the best commissions I’ve had over the years have come from people who know me, or friends of people who know me. Two recent (big) projects came from friends that I’d stayed in touch with from university days (that was many years back!) It pays to keep in contact with people – you never know what they might do in the future or what doors they might be able to open for you.

2. Sign up

Join some (or all!) of the various music organisations that are established to help and support music composers. If you're UK based, you might be interested in joining some these:-

• BACS (British Academy of Composers and Songwriters). Organise forums, events and seminars for composers and songwriters, and are the people behind the Ivors. Good for networking.

• MU (Musicians Union). Have a legal advice department for helping with negotating different types of music contracts (worth joining for this service alone). Also provide musical instrument insurance cover and public liability cover as part of the membership.

• PRS for Music (Performing Rights Society, merged with MCPS - Mechanical Copyright Protection Society) - distributes royalities owed to music creators. You will need to have published works in order to be a member.

• SAN (Sound and Music) - a new organization formed in 2008, a merger of SPNM (Society for the Promotion of New Music), the BMIC (British Music Information Centre) and two other contemporary music networks. Devoted to the promotion of new contemporary music. Suitable for avante-garde, experimental and new music composers.

However you choose to do it – whether by building your own site or using a social networking site like “myspace” or “facebook” - it pays to have your work online so that you can instantly refer to it on the phone or in an email. It’s also possible to get “found” on the web by building a good site or by being well networked within the social networking sites.

4. For every “no” there are a thousand possibilities

It’s very easy to believe that when you are trying to clinch a deal with a film company or working on a major music project that this is the only way you are going to make it. This is simply not true. There are so many ways to potentially take your music, and the one you are working on at the moment is only one amongst hundreds in your lifetime. You never know what new doors will open for you or what doors may appear that you can knock on.

Stephen Covey in “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” observes that when we are negotiating with people, we need to listen first, and seek to fully understand their perspective, before relaying what we think or believe. This is absolutely essential when you are working on a commission. What does the film maker really want? Make sure that you fully understand his or her brief before setting about working on the music. It’s very easy to waste time writing something that’s not appropriate because you have “misheard” the director.