A sobering look at the composer's trade. Must-read article..

[remmet]

The subject of why there are so many more composers these days has been touched on in this thread and in the article. To me, the answers are pretty simple: besides being fun and occasionally satisfying, it's very inexpensive to create music now compared to prior decades. For those of us old enough to remember such things, recall how much it cost to equip a 24-track studio in the old days. The 24-track machine itself might cost $20 - $30,000. And that gave you a maximum of 12 stereo tracks! And the multitrack digital machines were a lot more expensive than that! Even a roll of 2-inch tape could cost $300 and you'd get maybe a half hour of recording time on it. And a good mixing board - forget about it!

Now for under $10,000, you can have a powerful computer, a DAW with almost unlimited tracks, a wide array of virtual instruments, and most of the other essentials for creating music in a home studio.

And without having a lot of musical skill or knowledge, it's pretty easy with these tools to fool people into thinking you know what you're doing.

Regarding how we composers have contributed to the devaluing of our own livelihoods, I like to refer to a video of a rant by Harlan Ellison (who I had a chance to work with many years ago). Here he talks about getting paid for your work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5IV23g-fE

Unfortunately, that train has pretty much left the station, but a little "I'm not gonna take this anymore" attitude, if massively adopted, might slowly get us back on track.

Richard

[DesireInspires]

Regarding how we composers have contributed to the devaluing of our own livelihoods, I like to refer to a video of a rant by Harlan Ellison (who I had a chance to work with many years ago). Here he talks about getting paid for your work:

Richard

Why do composers always talk about music being devalued? I know that I haven't devalued music. I have added value.

The problem with music today is the problem that there has always been: Nothing.

Just make the songs and pitch them to companies. Easy as pie.

[remmet]

Why do composers always talk about music being devalued? I know that I haven't devalued music. I have added value.

With all due respect, DI, the evidence of music's devaluation - or more precisely, the devaluation of the composer's services - are so plentiful that it's not worth debating. I think the article that began this thread pretty well sums up the situation.

Of course we composers believe our work has value, otherwise we wouldn't compose. The problem is generating a monetary return commensurate with our efforts. I suspect that most of us who've been doing this for awhile would say that making a living from composing has gotten a lot harder in recent years. If that's not the case for you, congratulations!

Richard

[Casey H]

I know that I haven't devalued music. I have added value.

Yes. The music world clearly is a much better place with your tracks in it.

Casey

[DesireInspires]

The problem is generating a monetary return commensurate with our efforts. I suspect that most of us who've been doing this for awhile would say that making a living from composing has gotten a lot harder in recent years. If that's not the case for you, congratulations!

Richard

I am making money.

The devaluing of the music business is a complaint of the unsuccessful. I do not hear Dave Walton or Matthias Hirt complaining.

If composers are not making a living through music, then they are not trying hard enough or need to get a day job. There is no shame in getting a day job in order to support oneself. I would encourage most musicians to hold a day job until they make at least $15,000 per quarter for 12 consecutive quarters.

Why do people kid themselves into thinking that making a living from music is instantaneous?

[Len911]

The problem is generating a monetary return commensurate with our efforts. I suspect that most of us who've been doing this for awhile would say that making a living from composing has gotten a lot harder in recent years. If that's not the case for you, congratulations!

Richard

I am making money.

The devaluing of the music business is a complaint of the unsuccessful. I do not hear Dave Walton or Matthias Hirt complaining.

If composers are not making a living through music, then they are not trying hard enough or need to get a day job. There is no shame in getting a day job in order to support oneself. I would encourage most musicians to hold a day job until they make at least $15,000 per quarter for 12 consecutive quarters.

Why do people kid themselves into thinking that making a living from music is instantaneous?

Successful people don't complain? Harlan Ellison must be an exception. Speaking of exceptionalism,lol, that seems to be a part of our culture. The exception becomes the rule. The very premise is delusional and propaganistic. "Work hard and you will become successful", and when you do work hard and don't become successful, it is because, "you didn't work hard enough",lol! It's as pathetic as the English translation of the maxim in the wrought iron sign over the entrance to Aushwitz, "Work will set you free". That is why people kid themselves into thinking that making a living from music is instantaneous. It's also why people gamble, and why a common advertising phrase is "you have to play to win". Exceptionalism, overcoming the odds. It is a very popular theme for our movies right down to personal interest stories on the evening news. And from all the stories of ethical relapse in the last several years it obviously trumps "honor" as a personal theme and value. Exceptions are laudable, it's when they become the rule when they can often become problematic. It's possible that our drug problem, and depression epidemic are symptoms of it.

I'm not gonna comment on the income part, that really depends on location and lifestyle,lol! Some people/places you could live very well on $15,000 a year, and some people/places it would be a struggle on $15,000 a month.

[DesireInspires]

Successful people don't complain? Harlan Ellison must be an exception. Speaking of exceptionalism,lol, that seems to be a part of our culture. The exception becomes the rule. The very premise is delusional and propaganistic. "Work hard and you will become successful", and when you do work hard and don't become successful, it is because, "you didn't work hard enough",lol! It's as pathetic as the English translation of the maxim in the wrought iron sign over the entrance to Aushwitz, "Work will set you free". That is why people kid themselves into thinking that making a living from music is instantaneous. It's also why people gamble, and why a common advertising phrase is "you have to play to win". Exceptionalism, overcoming the odds. It is a very popular theme for our movies right down to personal interest stories on the evening news. And from all the stories of ethical relapse in the last several years it obviously trumps "honor" as a personal theme and value. Exceptions are laudable, it's when they become the rule when they can often become problematic. It's possible that our drug problem, and depression epidemic are symptoms of it.

I'm not gonna comment on the income part, that really depends on location and lifestyle,lol! Some people/places you could live very well on $15,000 a year, and some people/places it would be a struggle on $15,000 a month.

Tell me if these solutions will work:

- Complain more.
- Get angry.
- Form an occupy ASCAP/BMI/SESAC movement.
- File class action lawsuit against libraries and publishers that rejected you.
- Start an anti-Taxi Facebook page.

People are always going to complain. That is innate in human beings. People are always restless and dissatisfied. But I just do not see how being pessimistic, cynical, or angry is going to help.

Most musicians will not make a living from their music. Most will never even make one cent from a royalty check. But musicians know this going into the business. If musicians want to make money, they can work and do music in their free time. It is not that big of a deal. Most composers, including me, are doing this. But we also are building relationships and building our catalogs so we may one day be successful from only making money from music.

Do what you have to do to succeed. Nobody is holding you back.

[Len911]

I thought I was more pragmatic than pessimistic, cynical or angry,lol!

I think your solutions are more large scale in nature and probably why this country isn't The United States of England. Though I believe it was an anti-tax and not an anti-taxi facebook page that started the revolution,lol!


"But I just do not see how being pessimistic, cynical, or angry is going to help." ~DI

You are tarnishing your cynical reputation

[DesireInspires]

You are tarnishing your cynical reputation

LOL! It's all good, bud.

[DesireInspires]

2011 FILM & TV COMPOSER CENSUS (USA) SUMMARY

* 54,000 film and TV titles represented
* 700 pages of data regarding the works of 25,723 composers and songwriters
* The most comprehensive publication of its kind
* Inclusive of American network television, basic and premium cable, plus nationally syndicated programming
* Covers feature films, MOWs, short subjects, documentaries, game shows, talk shows, news and strip shows, as well as all forms of episodic TV
* Research indicates composers represented by at least 55 performing rights organizations (PROs) worldwide
* Thousands of detailed annotations in the “Notes” column
* Produced by a team of 40 research volunteers and advisors over an entire year
* The Census Group did not have the resources necessary to include music from promos, logos, music for advertising, nor programming originating on local television stations
* Free download provided to the industry

http://composercensus.com/?page_id=14


Here are some of the facts and stats as requested,lol!


Here are some more. If you google "Industry code 856" and NAICS code 711510 and 711130 that will give you the lumping of songwriters and composers, amongst other similar professions, and you can see stats from the census bureau to your heart's content. Here's a starting place:
http://www.census.gov/econ/industry/pro ... 711510.htm

I wish there was a new Composer Census coming out. I reached out to a guy that helped to put together the Census. He stated that there was not much interest in putting together another Census anytime soon. I thought the list was great. Hopefully it will come back.