"We Create Music" Blog

Spanish composer Roque Baños (SGAE) had his work "cut out" for him when he got the job scoring Evil Dead, the sequel to the classic horror trilogy. Baños explains how he got the gig, and how he ended up freaking himself out during the scoring process.

The five-man vibe collective Caveman evolves on its self-titled sophomore album, a dreamy and thoroughly modern indie rock record. These alumni of ASCAP's CMJ Showcase give us an overview of the writing and recording process of Caveman.

For the score to the Australian comedy Mental, APRA composer Michael Yezerski had to integrate - and react to - the classic songs from The Sound of Music. This ASCAP TV & Film Scoring Workshop grad tells us how he managed to underpin all of the film's bright colors and deep emotional currents with his music.

A manager can be an essential part of your team. But before you hire one, you need to make sure you understand what a manager is for - and assess whether you really need one. Atom Factory's Fabienne Leys has spent years managing songwriters, producers and artists. She's got some sage advice about when and why to hire a manager.

There’s great intimacy in the music of ASCAP folk duo The Milk Carton Kids. Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan duet in close harmony like they’re bonded at the atomic level, with acoustic guitars swirling around each other and taking flight. But there’s also great strength in that intimacy. We asked the Kids about their new record, The Ash & Clay.

Every film score brings with it a unique set of creative challenges. ASCAP composer Trevor Morris reflects on how he and director Antoine Fuqua worked together to create a custom musical language for the political thriller Olympus Has Fallen, out in theaters on March 22nd.

For his score to Admission, the new comedy starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd, ASCAP composer Stephen Trask wrote and recorded largely at his home studio. The result was a score that sounds polished but still feels like an expression of Trask's personality. Trask told us what it's like composing with your dog and cup of coffee close at hand.

This week Maria A. Pallante, the Register of Copyrights, testified at a hearing convened by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet to consider revisions to US copyright law. Pallante acknowledged the need to consider the rights of songwriters and composers alongside other music copyright issues.

Strong copyright law is an essential part of how songwriters and composers earn a living from their music. Increasingly, the fate of copyright is playing out on blogs, through social media and by word of mouth. We compiled a list of five resources that will educate and provoke you, and inspire you to take action.