This is wonderful and heartfelt advice. I hope that Mooqu comes back and sees this. Thank you for sharing it with us. And yes, I think anyone interested in the arts must ask themselves this question at one point or another.

-Bear

If you can live with yourself and shut the door, then do so. Shut it and don’t look back. You’ll be a million times happier, you won’t be in the audition rat race, traveling all around the world to perhaps maybe book gigs, and be away from your family for most of the year.

Besides, nothing is stopping you from performing locally and still getting what you need from making music.

But if you can’t live with that, then go for it, because it could be the most rewarding thing you ever do.

She spoke as someone who did both, who was part of that world, and then shut the door. Her husband was still in the thick of it though, so she was looking at it from all sides.

This sounds more depressing than I mean it to, like I’m somehow trying to talk you out of doing what, for all we know, what you were meant to do! That’s not the case! Being able to live with shutting that door does NOT mean just giving up because you don’t think you’re good enough. It means that you look at the choices and say “Ya know what, I’m happy doing my own thing on my own time while clocking some other 9-5 that pays the bills.” – and feel liberated and completely happy with that.

When she gave us that bit of advice, I couldn’t imagine living with myself and shutting the door. Then maybe a year or so later I met my future husband and suddenly taking the world by storm with my awesome voice didn’t seem so important anymore. I was happy with the idea of just doing my own musical thing on my own time and not worrying about it. It felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders.

I think all music types face this choice at some point, whether it’s a big deal at the time or not. There’s a point where you could go for it, or a point where you say you’re happy where you are.

Music classes have a way of making you feel really dumb at times, so don’t let that get you downhearted. Since you’re there at school and still learning, don’t worry about that process so much.

Instead, do what’s been suggested here, build up your exp outside of school, and don’t worry so much about the rules you’re being taught. Just remember if it sounds good, it is good. That’s always been my motto!

Good Luck, and IMO, music is one of the toughest majors there is, so you’ve gotten this far, just gotta keep on keepin’ on! :-)

That’s great advice! I’d just like to second it, especially the part about getting involved in game-dev groups. I’d like to expand that recommendation to student filmmakers as well. I scored about 30 student films when I was in college, and many of those connections and experiences have already paid off professionally.

-Bear

I work in the games industry also so can give a little advice, I don’t know about movie careers though…
Games industry is now huge, and still growing. The jobs are out there, but it can be a difficult industry to get into.

I’d suggest starting early… build your musical portfolio starting now. Join some game-dev groups and make music for their games, try to get your stuff published in the indie games sections on Xbox live arcade or Playstation network. This is the kind of stuff that makes your resume stand out to get you hired when the time comes… examples that show your varied work and your passion are what counts.
Good luck.

Well, thank you. I’ve found that sometimes things just happen to work out like that.

-Bear

In relation to the ongoing plotline, IMAO, by serendipity or by design, you introduced the new theme at _exactly_ the right point.

- M. \”/

I’ll try. Honestly, I scored this season of Eureka like 6 months ago, so it’s not exactly fresh on the tip of my memory anymore. I’m pretty slammed right now, though, gearing up for a tough fall schedule. Hopefully for the final episode…

-Bear

Your question is a tough one to answer. Speaking realistically, there are a lot of people out there who want to be wildly successful film / tv composers. Even with the meager success I’ve had during this lucky streak, I’ve realized that reality can be a hard kick in the teeth if you’re expecting life to be easy. The same could be said for entering ANY competitive industry.

However, I’m not one for doom and gloom. There is SO MUCH going on in the industry now. There is more music being produced now than ever before. The sheer volume of television, film, game, multimedia, independent and studio projects out there is mind-boggling. And they all need music of one kind or another.

There are a lot of jobs out there, if you know where to look and are patient. If you’re open to working hard at any job opening you might be able to find, then I would say you should go for it. Besides, you might as well try, right? Give it a go for a couple years and if that doesn’t work out, you can go back to a 9 to 5 knowing that you really tried. But, like I said, there’s so much going on in the entertainment / music biz, you’re bound to find something.

Best of luck!

-Bear

Wow, you’ve got great ears! I love it when people make such incredibly insightful observations into what I’m doing here.

EUREKA SEASON 3 SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!

Yes, we started out using the old Allison Theme for Jack and Tess. However, about an episode in to this subplot, the producers and I changed our minds. We all realized that we associated that theme solely with Allison and that this approach wouldn’t work.

But, we already introduced the theme and associated it with Tess, so it was too late to totally reverse course. Instead, I altered the theme (including inverting parts of the melody). I didn’t think anyone would notice, but I’m happy I was wrong about that.

-Bear

They’ve only shown season 1 here, so I’ve not yet seen or heard Eureka, McCreary style.

Speaking of which, the first time Terminator was on here, I was really busy getting some project reports done. I heard that good ole terminator synth goodness, and then lyrical lush string goodness. I thought, “That’s something Bear would do.”

And then I saw the credits, and then I found this blog. :)

It wasn’t the use of the chords or the cues themselves that gave it away, it was just a general feeling of, “that’s cool, I bet Bear would do something like that.” :)