500+ tv shows....all started with

[davekropf]

First, thanks for all the kinds words!

Fantastic that you have channelled that musical talent into stuff that the industry wants to use...500 shows..wow, could you share your journey to that milestone for those of us just starting out? Mark

Mark, there were two taxi articles done that basically give a rundown of my journey.
https://www.taxi.com/transmitter/0908/t ... brant.html
https://www.taxi.com/transmitter/1407/t ... brant.html

A couple observations I have seen that may (or may not!) help along your journey:

1) Everybody has a different "path". It may not be fair to compare your path to someone else's. You may be really good at Metal Polka, compared to the other guy/gal who writes outstanding EDM that is commercially friendly. Your opportunities will be lower than his/hers. That's not to say you cannot be successful. It just means that you have to find those niche opportunities. Also, it may motivate you to expand your composing "genre palette"

2) Which leads into this one. When you are first starting out, it may be beneficial to start with your "bread and butter" genre(s). The ones that you write really well in. Whether it is dance, rock, EDM, etc..Maybe really nail down those genres in the beginning, before trying to find out if you are the best calypso composer. Which again, leads me to...

3) Use the TAXI listings TO expand your genre composing palette.
"But wait, I thought you told me to focus on my "bread and butter" genres???". Once you feel comfortable writing in those "bread and butter" genre(s) that you nail consistently, use the TAXI listings to start expanding your genres. Don't be like me and fire off 5 piano instrumentals for your very first TAXI submission, because you think you have experience playing chopsticks on piano. When you feel comfortable and begin to expand your genres, research them. YouTube,Spotify, and iTunes are all great resources to do your homework. What types of instrumentation best represent that genre? What is the most common tempos for that genre? Really get to know the genre, so when you are composing, you have the confidence to know what is needed to really make your compositions sound authentic.

4) Define what you want your "success" to be.
Is it a placement on your favorite TV show? Is it to generate enough royalties to take the family on a nice vacation every year? Or do you want to do this full time? I think once you have an idea of what your end goal is, it may become easier to have a clearer vision of the road to get there. Which leads me to...

5) You do not necessarily HAVE to become a full time composer to achieve success.
I have to admit that I have struggled with this one for many, many years! Throughout my existing TAXI "career", I have held a full time job. I also programmed a piece of software (Composer Catalog), married with a 4 year old daughter. There was a time, years back, when I thought about going full time. My wife and I discussed it and at that point, we decided against it. Things were going really well the way they were, so why rock the boat? I enjoy my full time job and it provides stability for my family.

Now, as a part time composer, you definitely will miss out on some opportunities (publisher needs a track by lunch, publisher might lean on full time composers more, because they can output more tracks, etc.), so you have to work hard to be a "go-to" composer that publishers/supervisors can count on. Which leads me to...

6) Composing quality tracks, delivering on time, and being professional with your communications will go a long way. Making your publishers and tv supervisors lives easy will make you a tremendous asset.

7) Your time management skills have to be excellent.
Especially if you are a part time composer. Some people might think that since you are not full time that you do not take your craft seriously. I think that can be farthest from the truth! You have to have near military precision when it comes to time management when you have a full time job (and in my case, a wife and young child) Every minute counts!

Not to say that it does not as a full time composer, but going back defining what your "success" is (#4). If you want to really generate a sizable income with royalties and licensing fees, it is going to take a big library of music, which also means a lot of tracks, which means finding time to compose. A person who has a full time job has less minutes in the day to compose, compared to a full time composer. I have definitely have spent many, many late nights recording tracks. I also burned the candle at both ends for many years, which leads me to....

8) Don't burn the candle at both ends!
Take time to ENJOY life. You only have one life, so enjoy it. It's great to compose and make tons of money, but if you are in your studio recording 24-7, you are missing out on LIFE. Again, some people may think, "well, in order to be the best, you have to ..." But I don't want to be 65, look back on my life and realize that I missed out on so many life experiences that I turned down, all because I wanted a boatload of royalty checks. You can't take that stuff with you. So enjoy what is around you, while you are still on this earth. Now, that I have a daughter, I want to spend as much time as I possibily can with her. I want to be there when when she asks me to play, when she has questions, when she just needs a hug. Before I know it, she'll be a teenager and hate me

Without sounding too heavy, life is so precious and can be taken away in an instant. Be sure to take the time to experience everything it offers.

Again, just my .02!

Stellar post! Congrats on all your success!

[ksutton1207]

That's a huge milestone, Keith, and truly inspirational. No doubt you've worked hard, paid your dues and earned every bit of success. Congratulations!

[davekropf]

Having had success with other non-taxi publishers, I'm currently working towards trying to make Taxi "work for me." So far, no luck, but it's always good to hear testimonials like this to help keep the fire lit.

[DesireInspires]

Congrats. I am halfway there myself.

[FMstereo]

Congrats Keith! That's so awesome!

(And I'm still loving Composer Catalog! Makes keeping track of all my songs and working out what's suitable for listings so much easier.)

Cheers