hey jbl,

just thought i'd put in my "two cents."  like scot says, the pop market is really where the money is, so if you can write tunes, by all means do it!

if you're into the classical stuff more, definitely try and get into some film scoring.  like scot was saying too, even if you just write the tunes, it's extremely common for others to actually do all the orchestration.  the reason is that the music is basically all done dead last when the budget has gone over and  the deadline is essentially there, so the composer then gets about 6 weeks for a score more or less!  as a teacher once told me, composers in the film industry are the "pimple on the butt of the fly on the horse's butt...or something like that..." :)

anyway, even john williams has an orchestrator, granted i've heard that he gives his orchestrators pretty specific sketches.  anyway, it is an extremely tough business to get into, and like many other jobs today, it's really who you know and who knows you.  it's a very people involved business, and that's why most people head out to la to get the contacts going even if they have to do odd jobs just to live for a while.  

speaking of that area, it might be nice to hear from smg, as i believe he's on the prowl trying to do this very thing out there.  maybe he can speak of his experiences thus far...

that being said, the best way to get started is exactly what you mentioned...check the film schools at local universities, and other indie film websites.  you'll probably end up doing that for next to nothing, if not nothing, but you build your contacts, and hopefully, the idea is that they'll call you again when they have the money to pay you!

if you want to get started right away, take some clips of tv commercials or cartoons or movies and try putting your own music to it.  then get a website going and show everyone what you have to offer.  try to do a lot of different styles.  for example, some things that i've done to get me going include the movie "contact" (right in the beginning where it was just all silence and planets for around 3 minutes) and the tom and jerry cartoon:)

also, if you can  get into tv jingles, there's plenty of money to be made there if you can stand it!  again, you just have to get in with the people and be able to talk to the "creative" ad agents and understand what they're trying to tell you they want when they really sometimes have no idea!

finally, if you're so inclined, start selling sheet music on the side.  sibelius or whatever.  i've been selling stuff from my own site for a while, and it does ok...basically just enough to pay the hosting plus a little bit to keep it going.  it at least gets your stuff out there.  the key to that success is google basically.  the things that sell the best are contemporary / moderately easy piano charts, and like scot said, there is money to be made in big band charts as well.  

anyway, alot to read there!  i hope that gives you a few ideas,

good luck!
There are no comments, leave a comment.
Please sign in to post.

Jazz Piano Notebook Series
Scot Ranney's Jazz Piano Notebook, Volume 1 - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 1 of this educational jazz piano book contains 15 jazz piano exercises, tricks, and other interesting jazz piano techniques, voicings, grooves, and ideas Scot Ranney enjoys playing.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version - videos

Scot Ranney's Jazz Piano Notebook, Volume 2 - jazz piano tricks of the trade you can use today
"Latinesque"

Volume 2 has 14 jazz piano exercises and tricks of the trade, and quite a bit of it is Calypso jazz piano related material, including some Monty Alexander and Michel Camilo style grooves. Jazz piano education is through the ears, but books like this can help.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Notebook - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 3 contains 12 jazz piano exercises and explorations by the acclaimed jazz piano educator, pianist, author, and recording artist Tim Richards.

Tim wrote the well known "Exploring Jazz Piano" and "Improvising Blues Piano" books and has several others to his name.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Jeff Brent's Jazz Piano Notebook - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 4 is by Jeff Brent, a jazz pianist, composer, teacher, and author of "Modalogy" and other acclaimed jazz theory and education books. In this book Jeff shares detailed analysis of transcriptions of live performances. He covers everything from the shape of the songs to the tricks and licks he uses in improvised lines to the ideas behind his lush chord voicings.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Most Recent Discussions
Great Resource for Jazz Pianists
Scale in Calderazzo solo
analyzing Someone To Watch Over Me
Site updates
Korg SV-1 vs Nord Electro
Brad Brad Mehldau's independant left hand
more...
Articles

Piano for Adoption Scam
Aprender Jazz en Piano
BEWARE: FREE BABY GRAND PIANO SCAM
Oh Tannenbaum for Jazz Piano
Volume 5 of the "Jazz Piano Notebook Series" is Available!
LearnJazzPiano.com File Downloads News
more...

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazzy Christmas Arrangements
Cocktail Piano
Best Songs Ever, 6th Edition
Christmas Medley
Moana Songbook
Late Night Jazz Piano

Jazz piano education is cool.

be the main character in your own story

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In

privacy policyterms of serviceabout • 50,655 messages 63,069 accounts 57,189 logins
LearnJazzPiano.com Copyright © 1995-2024 by Scot Ranney • website software and design by scot's scripts
LearnJazzPiano.com is For Sale - Serious Inquiries Only