3 answers
Rashaan
Student
Alton, Illinois
6
Questions
Asked
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What is a typical day like as a music composer/arranger?
Can you explain the type of feelings that may come with being a music composer?
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3 answers
Thomas O'Shea
Live Sound Engineer, Music Producer, Musician
60
Answers
Madison, Wisconsin
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
I can only answer from the perspective of a music student in college, but I foresee this to be what I will be doing most days once I have the connections and the degree. Below is my personal schedule for breaks and "off" days when I just work on my personal projects and on things that will make me money. Please keep in mind, I am a bit of a different case because I do production, composition, and live sound.
Wake up: between 10:30 and Noon
Eat Breakfast/ brunch, and begin work on things not yet finished from yesterday (beats, my next single, or a project with another artist)
Take a break for lunch if needed, and give the ol ears a break
(Normally, during the day I have the feeling of what's called "imposture syndrome" which is basically a fancy word for the nagging voice in your head saying music isn't what I should be doing- my (and everyone's) advice is to ignore it. )
Next I either practice piano or guitar, or I write lyrics for a new song/ remix, or record something
After that I begin getting ready for the show that night (this happens on certain days and mainly only in the summer- during the winter I focus on my personal or commission projects all day)
Then I set up for the show and do a sound check
I mix the show, program the lights, or mix the monitors for the artist
Then I head home (at this point it's around 11:30 pm)
Snack time, and a look at what I have to do for tomorrow
Netflix till 12:30 or 1 (yeah I know so healthy)
Bed
Sometimes in order to get out of the imposture syndrome feelings, I listen to past work I've done. Also because you asked about feelings as a composer here are a few things that may happen as I work.
Dancing like a maniac to da beat, getting mad at myself and deleting the entire project (this unfortunately happens a lot), getting annoyed because I can't figure out how to do something, freaking out that I might have lifted a melody or phrase from someone and spending the next hour or so researching until I find the original (again this happens a little too often).
Wake up: between 10:30 and Noon
Eat Breakfast/ brunch, and begin work on things not yet finished from yesterday (beats, my next single, or a project with another artist)
Take a break for lunch if needed, and give the ol ears a break
(Normally, during the day I have the feeling of what's called "imposture syndrome" which is basically a fancy word for the nagging voice in your head saying music isn't what I should be doing- my (and everyone's) advice is to ignore it. )
Next I either practice piano or guitar, or I write lyrics for a new song/ remix, or record something
After that I begin getting ready for the show that night (this happens on certain days and mainly only in the summer- during the winter I focus on my personal or commission projects all day)
Then I set up for the show and do a sound check
I mix the show, program the lights, or mix the monitors for the artist
Then I head home (at this point it's around 11:30 pm)
Snack time, and a look at what I have to do for tomorrow
Netflix till 12:30 or 1 (yeah I know so healthy)
Bed
Sometimes in order to get out of the imposture syndrome feelings, I listen to past work I've done. Also because you asked about feelings as a composer here are a few things that may happen as I work.
Dancing like a maniac to da beat, getting mad at myself and deleting the entire project (this unfortunately happens a lot), getting annoyed because I can't figure out how to do something, freaking out that I might have lifted a melody or phrase from someone and spending the next hour or so researching until I find the original (again this happens a little too often).
Marcelius Levites Saint-Juste Israelities
Leading All
84
Answers
Columbus, Ohio
Updated
Marcelius Levites’s Answer
A typical day for a Music Composer and Arranger will also include:
Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas.
Explore and develop musical ideas based on sources such as imagination or sounds in the environment.
Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies.
Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers.
Score compositions so that they are consistent with instrumental and vocal capabilities such as ranges and keys, using knowledge of music theory.
We asked some Music Composers and Arrangers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.
Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job? 60% said yes
How important is it to work in a team in this job? 25% said very important
Do you have group discussions everyday in this job? 26% said yes
Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job? 18% said yes
Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job? 2% said yes
Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job? 45% said yes
Besides their typical day, Music Composers and Arrangers also accept commissions to create music for special occasions. They may also transpose music from one voice or instrument to another to accommodate particular musicians.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Music Composers and Arrangers guide musicians during rehearsals, performances, or recording sessions. They might also fill in details of orchestral sketches, such as adding vocal parts to scores.
In addition, they study original pieces of music to become familiar with them prior to making any changes.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them write changes directly into compositions, or use computer software to make changes.
To some Music Composers and Arrangers, it is also their responsibility to study films or scripts to determine how musical scores can be used to create desired effects or moods.
Working hours
More than 40 hours per week
Working schedule
Irregular work schedule that changes depending on weather conditions, customer demand or contract duration.
In a typical work week as a Music Composer and Arranger, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.
Is this right for me
Best personality for this career
The Artists and The Entrepreneurs
People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules..
They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
Take a quiz and see if Music Composers and Arrangers is the right career for you
I Hope this helped.
Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas.
Explore and develop musical ideas based on sources such as imagination or sounds in the environment.
Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies.
Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers.
Score compositions so that they are consistent with instrumental and vocal capabilities such as ranges and keys, using knowledge of music theory.
We asked some Music Composers and Arrangers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.
Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job? 60% said yes
How important is it to work in a team in this job? 25% said very important
Do you have group discussions everyday in this job? 26% said yes
Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job? 18% said yes
Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job? 2% said yes
Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job? 45% said yes
Besides their typical day, Music Composers and Arrangers also accept commissions to create music for special occasions. They may also transpose music from one voice or instrument to another to accommodate particular musicians.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Music Composers and Arrangers guide musicians during rehearsals, performances, or recording sessions. They might also fill in details of orchestral sketches, such as adding vocal parts to scores.
In addition, they study original pieces of music to become familiar with them prior to making any changes.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them write changes directly into compositions, or use computer software to make changes.
To some Music Composers and Arrangers, it is also their responsibility to study films or scripts to determine how musical scores can be used to create desired effects or moods.
Working hours
More than 40 hours per week
Working schedule
Irregular work schedule that changes depending on weather conditions, customer demand or contract duration.
In a typical work week as a Music Composer and Arranger, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.
Is this right for me
Best personality for this career
The Artists and The Entrepreneurs
People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules..
They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
Take a quiz and see if Music Composers and Arrangers is the right career for you
I Hope this helped.
Kyle Mattingly
Pianist, Music Director
16
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Kyle’s Answer
Hi Rashaan!
There really isn't a normal day for us musicians. Every day has a different puzzle to figure out. As a composer/arranger, most of the time you're trying to figure out what a client needs for their project and how to adapt the music to fit that goal. If you're working for yourself as an artist, then work would revolve around what type of music and message you're trying to put out in the world. However, most composer/arrangers are working with a group, company, or another artist and trying to fit their music into a bigger goal. This means that some days you're figuring out how to write music for a choir and the next might be programming synth sounds to sound like a big movie trailer and the following day is working with an indie artist who wants a little bit of Celtic vibe in their sound. The ability to learn quickly and adapt is the key trait that sets apart successful musicians in this field. Perhaps find a person who has done work similar to what you might want to do (Hans Zimmer, Questlove, David Foster, Pinar Toprak, etc) and look at all the things they've done and then realize that each of those projects was probably something new that they had to learn how to do - quickly! If you like those things, start trying to do some of that work now. You can find a song or project and try to write/arrange something that would fit it. You'll get better and continue to learn along the way. That's exactly how the big guys started.
There really isn't a normal day for us musicians. Every day has a different puzzle to figure out. As a composer/arranger, most of the time you're trying to figure out what a client needs for their project and how to adapt the music to fit that goal. If you're working for yourself as an artist, then work would revolve around what type of music and message you're trying to put out in the world. However, most composer/arrangers are working with a group, company, or another artist and trying to fit their music into a bigger goal. This means that some days you're figuring out how to write music for a choir and the next might be programming synth sounds to sound like a big movie trailer and the following day is working with an indie artist who wants a little bit of Celtic vibe in their sound. The ability to learn quickly and adapt is the key trait that sets apart successful musicians in this field. Perhaps find a person who has done work similar to what you might want to do (Hans Zimmer, Questlove, David Foster, Pinar Toprak, etc) and look at all the things they've done and then realize that each of those projects was probably something new that they had to learn how to do - quickly! If you like those things, start trying to do some of that work now. You can find a song or project and try to write/arrange something that would fit it. You'll get better and continue to learn along the way. That's exactly how the big guys started.