Underscoring!! 83mitting various styles. One of the submissions might be unexpected
and may be chosen.- Submitting more than one example improves the chances of being
selected for the assignment.
Submitting too many demos, however, can work against a composer.
Some music companies submit six or seven demos. This can be perceived
as the composer or music house not fully understanding the assignment
and, therefore, fishing for the right result. The best strategy is to submit
the most appropriate three compositions.
Demo Production
In general, the musical and technical quality of demos has to be that of a
finished track. Before the advent of synthesizers and project studios, com-
posers generally performed the compostion(s) live or recorded a demo on
the piano or guitar, which was usually a sufficient presentation. Synthe-
sizers enable composers to present completed or almost completed tracks
without having to hire too many musicians, which is costly. Because of
this practice, agencies expect master quality demos while paying only
minimum demo fees.
To achieve success in writing music for commercials, composers must
develop an expertise in the use of synthesizers and samplers. Most com-
posers own project studios and have become, out of necessity, competent
engineers. A majority of music houses do not hire composers who cannot
submit a complete demo.
Usually, the winning composition requires revisions. The following
are some of the reasons revisions might be needed.
Sometimes demos are written to ‘‘work prints.’’A work print is not
the final film but, usually, a work in progress. A work print is almost
always revised, which also requires a revision of the music.
!!Many hours were
spent adding sound effects
to a commercial forElmo’s
World(a computer game for
children). However, the ef-
fects had to be deleted be-
cause it is illegal to create
effects that are not included
on the game’s sound track.
The law states that there
must be truth in advertising.The agency might suggest adding or
deleting ‘‘hits.’’If the hits are in the form
of effects, they can sometimes be added to
the mixed music track; if the hits are in the
form of composition, the piece has to be
revised and rerecorded.
It is always advisable to ask the cre-
atives if they want realistic effects
added.Do not assume anything.
There are some exceptions with
regard to how complete a demo has to
sound.
Sometimes the director wants a