Branded
Philip Glass said, “The real issue is not how do you find your voice – it’s how to get rid of the damn thing!”
Nice Folks Finish First
The fall of Harvey Weinstein has illuminated some of the longstanding practices of sexual exploitation in Hollywood. People also mention how he and his brother were bullies, routinely yelling and...
Stopping Bullets: Accomplishing the Impossible
My wife, Mirette, and I re-watched The Matrix recently after not seeing it for many years. I’m glad to say the film mostly holds up well, especially the outstanding score...
Rhymes and The Greatest F You Song Ever Written
Most people know me as a film and television composer, but I started out as a songwriter. In fact, a jingle I wrote (with Ken Shuldman), the Kit Kat Gimme...
Hans Zimmer’s Journey to the Line: Asymmetry and The Forbidden Cue
In pop music, most phrases come in groups of 2 or 4 which, in turn, are 4 or 8 bars in length. The utter predictability of this often lends a...
What is Perfect Pitch anyway?
Perfect pitch is a term used by non-musicians to mean “pretty good ability to stay in tune.” As in, “You should hear my daughter sing – she has perfect pitch!”...
The 5 best ways to get and keep a job as a Hollywood Composer Assistant (or anything else)
Over the years, I have hired several dozen full-time employees and hundreds of musicians, singers, engineers, and other session personnel. Here is a list of principles to consider when job-seeking...
Fear, Failure…and The Twilight Zone
Last year I did some leadership training. One night we were asked, “What would you do if failure were not an option?” The exercise is designed to heighten our awareness...
Why Hans Zimmer Got The Job You Wanted (And You Didn’t)
I worked for Hans Zimmer for about 8 years, 5 of which were in a studio at Remote Control, his facility in Santa Monica. Since leaving Remote, many people have...