The Day of the Home Musician Has Come! Finally!
The Day of the Home Musician Has Come! Finally!
The day of the home musician has come! Now, brethren, let us repair to our collective chairs and create great music! That was a little anticlimactic, wasn’t it? Well, I will get to our article now.
So old “Covy” has got you stuck at home, eh? We cannot all be angry: How many of you received a reprieve from your boss’s stoat face and taskmaster disposition? Probably most of you, but I digress—stoats have sensitive ears, and your boss probably heard you nodding your head in agreement. You are probably fired now—you’re welcome. Now you can concentrate on what really matters, your music career. But if you are a video game composer and do most of your work from home, you are already well exercised in the discipline of working from home and very familiar with Munchman’s Tenets of Occupational Professionalism series (on Game Music Jobs right now)—I am never abashed by shameful self-promotion, well, as long as Maury doesn’t mind.
For your edification, I will list five benefits of composing music from the comfort of your home studio.
The Home Advantage: For a while, touring musicians had it all, but now many working musicians are not able to work due to C-virus public restrictions. These restrictions mean nothing to game composers who sit back in their plush chairs and oversized sweatpants to create their music. Touring musicians experience strange cities and relationships and long bus rides, but surely you are not concerned about what the next city will bring, only what your next project will be.
Working Remotely: Let’s be honest—people can be jerks. At a normal job, avoiding jerks can be difficult, but those who work at home can make jerks disappear with one easy press of a button. Technology has advanced to the point where you scarcely have to meet your coworkers in person. Music files can easily be sent over the internet, and face-to-face meetings can be held using various video interfaces. There are also online music collaboration websites such as Splice, the company I shill for at the end of every Game Music Jobs YouTube episode. There are others, too, so look them up! Here is a link to a Splice article discussing remote collaboration: Splice
Finding Jobs Has Never Been Easier: OK, this is the third shill mention in this article, but Maury demands I earn my keep. And I am sure you will appreciate the ease of using the Game Music Jobs website to find the newest and best game audio job offers. Please remember to upload your résumé so employers will be able to find your information. Collaboration is easy, and communication is easy. You have nothing better to do right now, so why don’t you check out our posted jobs?
Fewer Distractions: Music composition requires an insane amount of dedication and focus, and your newly (or previously) found solitude is the perfect environment in which to create your game audio masterpieces. Home hermits are now in high demand, and you must be ready to take advantage of the new opportunities available to a musician like you.
Diversifying Your Revenue Source: Let’s be honest, being a musician is not the easiest way to make a living, and diversifying income streams is a great way to maintain your financial equilibrium. I recommend investing your money, maybe not in the stock market, because the market’s bull has been turned into some much-needed hamburger meat. I advise investing in your gear and yourself by reaching out and collaborating with game designers. The ballast of your earnest effort and talent can go a long way toward establishing you as a game audio professional.
The current financial climate reminds me of a proverb from a great philosopher, Mike Tyson: Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.
We end with our own saying: Do not fear the wolf at the door, unless it learns to turn doorknobs. Innovation presents risk and opportunity.
Don’t open doors for wolves! Keep learning and always B#. I am Munchman with Game Music Jobs!