Are you working with a composer for a film, game or something else? If so, communication is key to a strong working relationship. However, the chances are, the composer you’re working with may not always fully understand what you’re hoping for from them and their music. Being able to offer helpful, descriptive and constructive feedback on their work in order to help guide them towards creating music that fits your needs well – is really important.
However, it’s not always an easy thing to do. Knowing what to say, how to say it and how to get your thoughts across can be tricky.
I’m Ninichi, a freelance composer and I create music for indie games, films, shows and more. I love what I do and always spend quite a bit of time working with my clients to understand as much as possible about their project and how the music fits with it. Therefore, luckily for me, more often than not, the music I create tends to fit snuggly with what my clients are after, usually on my first attempt and everyone is happy – however, expecting this to be the norm would be foolish. It’s fairly normal to anticipate the need for a little bit of back and forth between client and composer, and for you as the project owner, to be the one to lead those communications.
So, here are a few tips to help you communicate what you’re after, from your composer, since knowing what to say, how to say it and offering constructive feedback is super important…
1. Start with the positives
Listen to what the composer has sent you and feedback to them everything that works well so far and that they’ve got right!
Whether it’s the moods, one or two sounds that you like, perhaps the pace of the track or something else – let them know! If you’re about to tell them that they need to change lots of things – first, always acknowledge what was done well and right. This will give them some confidence and help them to know that you appreciate what they’ve done so far, and will also help to make it clear - what to keep from what they’ve done so far.
No-one wants to know that the time and energy they’ve spent so far has been wasted and that they need to scrap it all. Even if that may feel like it’s the case to you – if you want to continue working with this composer, show them that you appreciate what they’ve done so far and then ease them into what needs to change.
Also see 8 Top tips on building a strong working relationship with a freelance composer
2. Be specific about what needs to change
The clearer you can be about what you think needs changing, the better. Use time-codes in the track to pinpoint the parts you’re referring to and which parts you aren’t happy with.
Specify what you don’t like about the track – in terms of whether it’s to do with the instrument / sounds / pace / something else. Don’t just say that you don’t like the track. That’s far too general, would probably be demoralising to anyone hearing you tell them that, and it doesn’t offer any specifics on what exactly doesn’t work for you or is ‘wrong’ about it! As the project owner and client – you can do better than that! Be as specific as possible.
3. Say what you’d rather be hearing instead
Only you know what you are imagining in your head, so you need to help the composer understand what you have in mind. If you don’t like a certain sound or instrument – what do you think would work better?
If the tempo (i.e. pace/speed) of the track feels wrong – explain why. Tell them what kind of mood the track currently gives you and describe what you want instead. Use different words to explain it if you can – to offer more ways to get your thoughts and ideas across.
See How to Communicate Effectively with a Composer.
4. Be patient and respectful
It can take time for two people to get on the same page. Don’t assume that what you’ve described is necessarily easy for the composer to understand or to action upon. They may need a bit of time to reflect on your suggestions and to experiment with the music and what they’re working on, to hopefully move it much closer to a track that you’d like and that fits your project needs.
At the same time, do remember that the music is their creation. It’s important to respect that and to acknowledge that it is their talent and skills that are putting together the music.
5. Offer support and be there if and when they have questions
Keep the lines of communication open. Offer your support during the process and make it clear that you’re in this together. You may have offered some feedback to guide the composer, which is great. However, they may have some questions that occur to them as they re-work the track. Be there for them if and when they need you.
More advice at: How to Work Well with a Game Music Composer.
6. Know when to let go
If you really don’t like what you hear, then maybe the composer you’ve chosen to work with, isn’t the right one for you. See 6 Ways to Spot a Bad Composer Before It's Too Late!
What one person likes and can create musically, may not be someone else’s cup of tea. Everyone is different. Don’t give up, however, and don’t be mean to the person you’ve worked with up until now. Take it as a learning process.
If you’ve tried to communicate your ideas and needs on several occasions and the composer still isn’t producing music then, move on and find someone who can.
You will find the music that you need for your project if you are patient and persevere with it. Don’t assume that all composers are the same. We definitely aren’t.
Take the time to find a composer that you are confident and comfortable working with and who’s talent you really respect and admire. Once you’ve found that, stick with them & trust them to create music that will truly enhance your project. Good luck with your project and if you’d like to have a chat and to explore working together on the music for your project - whether it’s a video game, trailer, film, podcast or anything else, feel free to drop me a line and let’s get talking!
About the author:
Ninichi is a game music and film music composer. She works with talented indie game developers and film makers to create unique soundtracks for their games and films.
Explore this website to learn more about Ninichi & how she can help you with the music for your project.
Follow her @ninichimusic
