Are you new to composing for sync, but overwhelmed by the jargon? In this episode, we sit down with Emmy-winning composer and sync expert Brad Hatfield to cut through the confusion.

Brad teaches Songwriting for Film & TV and Music Supervision at Berklee, drawing from decades of experience in the industry. From understanding contracts and ownership to knowing what to expect once your track is synced, this episode provides a thorough breakdown of sync licensing, publishing, royalties, and beyond.

We define essential terms such as ‘master recording’, ‘writer’ and ‘neighbouring rights’, and explain why getting your splits and agreements in order can make or break a placement…

We also explore what ‘useful music’ means for Film and TV, and how AI is reshaping the future of sync.

Whether you’re a songwriter, composer, or musician looking to break into sync, this episode will help you confidently navigate the production music world!

Chapters

0:00 Intro
3:38 What is Sync Licensing?
5:55 The three T’s: Term, Territory & Type of Media
9:14 What is a Publisher?
12:43 What is a Writer?
15:14 What is the Master Recording?
21:49 What is a Producer?
25:57 What are Mechanical Royalties?
31:01 What are Neighbouring Rights?
36:25 What is a Needle Drop?
38:45 What actually happens when a song is licensed for use in Film?
45:55 Writing ‘useful’ music and the importance of Outros
50:10 Why you should provide stems
54:00 AI and the future of Sync Music

Brad’s website - https://www.bradhatfieldmusic.com

Brad Hatfield Music Collective - https://www.bradhatfieldmusiccollective.com

#sync #syncliensing #syncmusic #synccomposer #composer #songwriter #productionmusic #librarymusic #filmcomposer #tvcomposer #filmmusic #tvmusic #synclicensing101 #productionmusic101 #neighbouringrights #royalties #publisher

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Italian composer, sound designer, and Sonora Cinematic founder Alessandro Mastroianni!

Alessandro shares how his career evolved from composing for Film & TV (including writing for Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers!) to diving into custom sound design and virtual instrument creation.
He takes us inside a recent recording session, where he captured impulse responses and the foundations for a new virtual instrument in a restored 19th-century church with a fascinating history!

We also explore the creative and practical sides of sampling, why your choice of sample libraries change the way you compose, and why quality of music matters more than a huge quantity of tracks.

Find out more about Alessandro’s work here - https://alessandromastroianni.com

Chapters
0:00 Intro
3:37 Recording in a church
6:30 Using impulse responses to capture space reverbs
10:59 Alessandro’s journey from composition to sound design
15:51 Creating sample libraries and the artistic process
19:04 Balancing usability with artistic expression in virtual instruments
22:44 Planning a recording session for a sample library
31:33 Soundbox vs Kontakt
37:32 Splitting time between composing and creating samples

#composer #sounddesign #samplelibraries #virtualinstruments #samplelibrary #filmcomposer #tvcomposer #sounddesigner #recordingsession

In this episode we are joined by incredible trumpeter and vocalist Mark Braud.
From growing up in a family of eight trumpeters to playing with music icons such as Harry Connick Jr., Dr. John and Foo Fighters, Mark is a true embodiment of the New Orleans spirit.

We explore Mark’s musical roots, exploring how his family’s legacy shaped his sound, his early days playing in school bands, and his leap into a professional career, even dropping out of university to chase his dreams.

Mark shares his insights on jazz improvisation, adapting to other musicians in polyphonic settings, and why soloing is like cooking - you need the right ingredients!
He also reflects on invaluable advice he received from elders like Lucien Barbarin, and his commitment to passing on that wisdom to the next generation through his work at Preservation Hall.

Chapters

0:00 Intro
2:29 Early musical life in New Orleans
6:51 Early training, NOCCA, and first performances
11:09 Leaving university for gigs and learning on the job
13:17 The art of New Orleans jazz and playing as a unit
21:12 Preservation Hall, it’s legacy, and leading the band
25:44 Teaching the next generation and sharing the tradition

Don’t forget to check out Part 2 where Mark tells us about his production music library Old Saw Music, performing on Broadway, and what he’s working on next.

Find out more about Mark here: https://www.markbraud.com

#neworleans #neworleansjazz #jazzimprovisation #jazztrumpet #improvisingtips

Check out part 1 of our conversation first, where we explore Mark Braud’s musical roots, jazz improvisation and his family legacy.

In part 2, we dive into Mark’s journey as a songwriter and composer, from singing songs as a child to writing Bebop-inspired music for school bands and crafting music across many genres for TV shows like NCIS: New Orleans.

Mark shares how these experiences led him to founding production music library Old Saw Music, with his wife Megan - a library rooted in real musicians, real stories and real soul.

Plus, we get behind-the-scenes insights from Mark’s time on Broadway including his experience in singing, playing and even speaking roles in prestigious shows such as The Cole Porter Show and Harry Connick Jr., Live.

Chapters

0:00 Intro
0:37 Mark’s early interest in songwriting
2:35 Founding production music library ‘Old Saw Music’
7:21 The sync and recording scene in New Orleans
11:33 Upcoming projects
19:07 Playing, singing, and acting on Broadway

Find out more information about some of the things we talked about here:

https://www.oldsawmusic.com
https://www.louisianamusicfactory.com

#neworleans #neworleansjazz #broadway #productionmusic #librarymusic

In this episode, we’re joined by brilliant and versatile tv and film composer, sound designer and producer Max Brodie!

Max walks us through his early musical journey from playing in thrash metal bands as a teen and recording bands with borrowed gear, to carving out his own unique sound and writing for production music libraries.

We also take a closer look at one of Max’s impressive recent ventures, scoring the CBBC animated series Duck & Frog! With 50 episodes of wall-to-wall music and very quick turnarounds, Max shares the challenges of working to animatics, reusing themes, navigating constantly changing music genres and adapting synchronised music to shifting timings.

Chapters

0:00 Intro
2:43 Max’s journey into music
10:45 Learning how to record
14:40 Moving to Manchester
19:06 Scoring animated CBBC series ‘Duck & Frog’


Part 2 is out now where we continue our conversation!

You can check out more of Max’s work here: https://www.maxbrodie.co.uk

Don’t forget to follow, rate our show, and leave us a comment!

#composer #animation #animationmusic #sounddesigner #animationcomposer #filmcomposer #filmmusic #composing #composingtips #composingstories #sounddesign #animationscore #filmscore

Tight Deadlines = Better Music? Max Brodie on Composing, Studio Workflow & Tom Ronsenthal

This is Part 2 of our conversation with composer and sound designer, Max Brodie. If you missed Part 1, check that out first!

We pick up with a nerdy dive into technology, computer specs, and studio equipment - Jeff’s in his element!

We chat about Max’s composing process, from the initial panic to the clarity of a spotting session, and tight deadlines which force him to let go of perfection. He shares tips including use templates, keeping recording gear and mics ready to go, and using ensemble patches to sketch ideas quickly.

We also explore how time constraints can be an advantage, shaping a distinct sound for a project, and how one composer famous wrote a Coca-Cola ad track in an airport on the way to their meeting!

Finally, Max tells us about his collaboration with singer-songwriter Tom Rosenthal, from their first meeting in Max’s back-garden shed-turned-studio to writing and producing albums together that gained viral TikTok traction.

Chatpers

0:00 Intro
0:50 Max’s process of scoring animation
4:45 Composing with tight time constraints
9:25 Writing with sample libraries vs live instruments
13:37 Max’s studio setup
18:05 Commercials, sound design and Edinburgh Fringe
24:13 Collaborating with Tom Rosenthal

You can check out more of Max’s work here: https://www.maxbrodie.co.uk

Don’t forget to follow, rate our show, and leave us a comment!

#composer #composertips #tomrosenthal #animationcomposer #studioworkflow

In this episode, we’re joined by the talented Brad Hatfield - Emmy-winning TV & film composer, producer, pianist, educator, and longtime friend!

We share how our paths first crossed, from a rich history of co-writing with Jeff to the online classrooms of Berklee where he taught David, cementing a lasting impact on both our careers.

With some tips and lessons along the way, Brad walks us through his fascinating musical journey that spans touring the globe with jazz bands, writing jingles in Boston, and teaching Songwriting for Film & TV and Music Supervision at Berklee.

We zoom in on music education, exploring how Brad navigates classrooms of varying student abilities, how technology shapes and sometimes limits our craft, and a funny look at how teaching has evolved since the 1970’s, back when sub-par work left the classroom as a paper airplane out of the window…

Chapters

0:00 Intro
2:13 How Brad met Jeff and David
8:25 Writing for pitches and making a good impression
11:26 Brad’s journey to sync music
19:29 Moving to writing for sync full-time
23:15 Teaching at Berklee and the role of music education
27:02 How music education and student’s mindset has changed

Part 2 of this conversation is out now, talking all things music supervision and collaboration! (What Makes A Good Music Supervisor and Why You Shouldn't Write Music With Your Friends)

#composer #musicindustry #filmcomposer #tvcomposer #filmmusic #productionmusic #librarymusic #pianist #producer

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Emmy-winning composer, producer, pianist, educator, and longtime friend Brad Hatfield. If you missed Part 1, check it out first! (Writing Jingles to Winning Emmy Awards with Composer Brad Hatfield)

We pick up with the topic of Music Supervision, discussing Brad’s course at Berklee, the role of a music supervisor, and what makes a good one!

We also talk about why you should collaborate in the music industry, (but not with your friends!) and Brad’s longest collaboration - with his wife, Gaye Hatfield!

Keep your eyes peeled for another episode with Brad coming soon, where we talk all things sync licensing!

Chapters

0:00 Intro
0:47 Music supervision
10:25 Collaboration
18:02 Brad’s collaboration with his wife, Gaye
23:30 What’s left on Brad’s musical bucket list?

#composer #collaboration #musicsupervisor #musicsupervision #musicindustry #filmcomposer #syncmusic #filmmusic #berklee #musiccollaboration