Uncomfortable calling myself a "composer".

[bongo_x]

Don't call yourself a composer if you're not comfortable with it, just say "I score films" or "I write music" or something like that.

Well, that's easier done in conversation; less so in promotional materials, websites, etc: "Mr. Quimper": Sound Designer and Person Who Scores Films doesn't really have much of a ring to it.

Really? I disagree, but maybe it's not your style. I've seen many people do something very nearly like that. I think though that comfort with that sort of thing may come with comfort with your skills.

bb

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Well, "calling" yourself something comes with a certain commitment as well. I think it's committing to a particular career. I was a piano tuner in the 1980's & 90's and called myself one (while also calling myself a composer). I can still tune pianos, but I don't advertise and it is extremely rare a past client will call me - but they do and I tune their pianos more out of friendship than needing the cash. I still tune my own piano, but that's not "what I do" for a living and as such wouldn't call myself a "piano tuner" today. I could, but I don't and it's because what I do is compose. Perhaps it's simply a matter of the intensity of your involvement in an activity that our OP is finding inconsistent with any self-proclaimed job title?

[bongo_x]

I know there is the also the issue that many people define themselves by their work, it's a cliche about men. I've never been that way, so maybe that's a part of the equation I'm not taking into account. Once you call yourself something, you are that thing, for many people at least. As MLC pointed out, it does usually imply that you do the thing for a living.

bb

[MIDI Life Crisis]

it does usually imply that you do the thing for a living.

bb

Or at least attempt to!

[stiefelmusik]

I only just now discovered this thread, and don't really have much to add (as most everything I would want to say has already been said more eloquently), but I would like to say this to Mr. Quimper:

It sounds to me like you already are a composer, so you should just start calling yourself a composer and be done with it! You might feel uncomfortable with it at first, but in time, you'll get used to it, and maybe even start to enjoy it. Yes, it's just a title, as meaningless (or meaningful) as any other, but the very fact that you catch yourself hiding behind more "palatable" titles such as Sound Designer is an indication to me that you ought to be calling yourself a composer.

This is, of course, assuming that's what you WANT to be called. We can thank John Cage and many others for re-defining "What is music?" (and thus "What is composition?") decades ago... so, the only person standing in the way of you being a composer is YOU. You just have to BELIEVE.

(Yes, Master Oogway)

In any case, philosophy aside, like so many others here I know just how you feel. As a theater and dance composer, I am often called upon to write music in many different styles. In one production, I was asked to "compose" techno tracks. Before the show went up, I asked the choreographer to please credit me in the program using the words "Music produced by..." instead of "Music composed by..." simply because I couldn't accept such a lofty title for... for... what? Go ahead, say it! I know you want to! Techno tracks? And why not?!?! Are techno tracks somehow unworthy?!?!

I later felt guilty about it (or, at least, incredibly silly). You see, I may never have intended to make a value judgement -- but I did!

We have to get over this. It's just not important.

So... welcome to the club... COMPOSER!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

...As a theater and dance composer...

OK, now you're in my world! Often when writing in those genres, sound FX and design becomes as much a musical element as instruments and notes. I find this most enjoyable myself. It's not a new idea - the "Toy Symphony" is a wonderful example. BTW, I always thought it was J. Haydn but now it is believed it was by L. Mozart.

So stiefelmusik, have you ever worked with silent film? It's an odd combination of the storytelling aspects of theater with the movement aspects of dance. I do silent film scores and live accompaniment a lot these days (maybe too much!) but if it is something you have not tried, you might find it both satisfying and a viable outlet for your artistic expression. On a "minute by minute" comparison, it pays much better than theater or dance usually does with many more opportunities for performance and licensing for TV - no small consideration, especially in Europe. But of course you'll not be working with wonderful, living, breathing (and breeding) dancers and thespians. You will be working mostly with dead actors and directors and while this is certainly not always an improvement, at times it certainly is - and they never complain about anything!

[stiefelmusik]

MIDI Life Crisis -- How funny you should mention working with silent film. As an avid improvisor, this is something I have wanted to try for years. The problem is, I have the (un)fortunate honor of being the friend and colleague of Germany's foremost pianist for silent film, namely Joachim Bärenz -- you can read up on him here, if you'd like, if you don't mind slogging through the Deutsch:

http://www.stummfilm.info/musikbegleitu ... index.html

Anyway, this guy is so good I just never had the guts to step up to the plate. But over the years I have really enjoyed talking with him about his adventures all over the world accompanying silent movies. Must be an absolute blast! I had no idea you were into silent films as well. That's great!

Although if what you say is true about the pay, maybe I should reconsider! Anything's got to be better than your average theater or dance gig! Still, even when I feel my pay is way too low at times, I know those poor dancers are getting even less (for a LOT more work, mind you)... so that helps keep things in perspective.

I particularly like the idea of working with a director who never complains!!!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

The problem is, I have the (un)fortunate honor of being the friend and colleague of Germany's foremost pianist for silent film...this guy is so good I just never had the guts to step up to the plate.

Don't let that stop you, my friend. I am also an avid (rabbid? ) improvisor and one of the only silent film accompanists I know of (and I know a lot of 'em) who improvises exclusively for each and every film - unless of course, I've composed a work for orchestra or some other ensemble and am on piano with them.

I know quite a few great silent film accompanists, none of which improvise totally. Most can do connecting segments, but few can wing it for 2-3 hours for an intricate drama or have the inventive skills to do a highly segmented program of short films and not have every film sound the same. My personal quest in improv since 1970 or so has been improv in the styles of the great masters (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Chabrier, etc.). In my opinion, if you can do that and sustain it for even just 20 or 30 minutes, accompanying a silent film in an "original style" is a no-brainer.

It's also important to remember that there is no one way to accompany a silent film. Every accompanist brings a different perspective to the piano, along with a different way a seeing and interpreting what is on screen.

There is nothing stopping you from downloading any of dozens of silent films (with or without music) off the web or from a library on recording and trying. But it is way easier than playing a dance class or mime/movement exercise and the rewards, financial, artistic and personal (ie- audience response) are usually significant.

There's plenty of room for more good accompanists and in Europe you're going to work way more than I do in the USA - and I work a lot. It can also lead to other work, both in theater, dance and in TV and radio. You'll get some of those interviews, press notice and lots of internet attention.

Don't wait. Do it if you can. Very few can but I'd wager that you are a natural. PM or email me for more if you wish.

Go here for info on what has been possible for me with silent http://www.midilifecrisis.com

Good luck!

[stiefelmusik]

Go here for info on what has been possible for me with silent http://www.midilifecrisis.com

Thanks for the link! It's funny how little I know about the people on this board, and what they do "in real life." Reading your bio was very enjoyable and most enlightening! I never realized we had so much in common. But then, when you hear what I'm up to these days, you'll probably want to distance yourself from me as quickly as possible!



I'll PM you.

[Mr. Quimper]

Well, I've gotten over "it". I'm still mediocre in many areas, but I'm going to work on them for my own self-respect and ultimately, I've consoled myself by listening to dozens and dozens of film and video game soundtracks over the past few months and have decided that "I can do that". And frankly, I've realized that I WANT to do THAT and call myself THAT. Well, I mean I do DO THAT but I guess it would be more accurate to say I want to make a LIVING doing THAT, which hasn't happened yet, but I'm only 25...not too late? For the majority of my life I wrote off music, largely because my father was an off-and-on musician who almost made it but ended up quitting and going into carpentry and ultimately raising me. He tried to push me into piano lessons as a kid but I rebelled and always refused to practice and am still essentially "untrained"; I was going to be an illustrator; music was his thing...but here we are. I guess there's something to be said for genetics...I guess it's just in my blood.

[James Steele]

...but I'm only 25...not too late?

Don't take this the wrong way... but you're a #$%^&U pup. Time is so ridiculously on your side it ain't funny.

[Mr. Quimper]

The wrong way? That's actually something I enjoyed hearing. Most days I feel like an old curmudgeon, prone to yelling at all those "damn college kids" who dress stupid and listen to crappy music.

[twistedtom]

Confused-us says;

To question one’s self is part of being self-actuating. To grow we need to look at our self’s and the things we need to do to move down the path we chouse, we also have to see the accomplishments we have made.

Better to be a composer than a decomposer.

[Mr. Quimper]

Better to be a composer than a decomposer.

That just begs to be on a clever t-shirt.

[Movies]

I'm a little late to this conversation, but I have a couple of things I'd like to add.

I started reading "The Rest is Noise" by Alex Ross, which is a book about the history of contemporary classical music from roughly the year 1900 to the present.

The book is literally jam-packed with stories of some of my favorite composers feeling identically to how I feel. It opens up with Gershwin visiting Berg and hearing a piece which Berg arranged specifically for his friend's visit. Berg then asked Gershwin to sit at the piano and play something and he literally wouldn't play because he thought his music couldn't stand up to that of Berg's -- he told Berg as much to which, as I recall, Berg responded with "Music is music."

The friend who suggested that I read the book sold me on it by telling me that there's a part that talks about how Aaron Copland went to great pains to hide the fact that he wrote music at the piano instead of sitting and writing it all from his head -- until he found out that Stravinsky wrote at the piano and then he thought, "Oh, it must be okay to write at the piano."

Y'all were discussing Sibelius on the last page -- I'm in the middle of his story now. Interestingly enough, according to the book, after he burned his final symphony, he felt much, much better and was described as much calmer and at peace by those around him for the rest of his life. He was also manic-depressive, though, which is a whole different can of beans.

The writer David Foster Wallace (now dead) -- one of my favorites -- has said on many occasions that his writing process consists of him spending one hour a day writing and eight hours a day worrying that he'll never be able to write again and doesn't have what it takes to be a writer.