How To... Make the Most of Music

Far more entertaining than the cripplingly banal news a few weeks back that Elon Musk smoked a blunt on Joe Rogan’s podcast, was the revelation that the futurist’s Tesla Model X can dance ballet to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

When Rogan then asks his guest whether this function is intended as a shrouded Easter egg of sorts, Musk bluntly responds; “No, I think we should tell people.” And he’s right. When there are hidden tricks, you need to tell people, be they for fun or function.

While a music agency may not be able to dance to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, it can sure produce the music. But what are the lesser-known tricks? Not everyone knows. And until someone tells you where the treasure is buried, you may as well be digging with a spoon. A plastic one. I hope this article will be the JCB Digger of articles.

Above: Elon Musk's appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast. 

Engage early

Having a solid strategy for the music from the very beginning is important. It’s such a subjective thing, meaning everyone will have an opinion, so it’s good to get all parties on board from the outset. This way there won’t be any surprises later on. Not only will it give you peace of mind, it will save you lots of time, money, stress and sanity.

Discuss creative ideas on the phone (or better yet, in person)

One conversation over coffee can save two weeks of emails. Ideas are formulated far more easily when they’re being bounced off another person, rather than just a keyboard. A text or an email can be too constricting when things are still vague on the musical, creative front. Such methods of communication can even make things seem like a commitment, or even give one the impression that everything is fixed when this may not be the case.

Establish a creative direction early on

As budgets get tighter, it’s important to have a clear creative direction so as not to incur any unnecessary additional costs. Whether it’s bespoke composition or licensing, you will either have to deal with further demo fees or issues with talent being unavailable if you’re too close to the playing-out date.

If it’s licensing, there will be no time for negotiation, meaning that the brand won’t be getting the best deal from the record label and publishers. You may not even get the song you want. But the good news? All of this can be avoided with the gift of timeliness. After all, good creative takes time.

Brief, budget, usage

These are probably the first three things you will talk about with your music agency. But do not hold back if you haven’t got a brief. Your music agency is there to help with that. It’s the not so secret, added value of working with a music producer. The budget is useful to know because it will determine where you find your music. Whether it be a rights holder, composer, or an existing track from a library catalogue, having a budget will allow you to figure out the best, plausible source going forward.

Keep in mind that different markets make different requests. But a more specific understanding of media will help make the budget go further. Between mood searches and different creative routes, it’s always good to ‘try before you buy’, when engaging the talent for bespoke. It’s better to get it right before production to get the best result.

Use the research service and work the network

Make use of the agency’s network of rights holders and composers. Our relationships with rights holders go back years and we know who’s going to have the unreleased music, hidden gems and forgotten classics.

And lastly, as obvious as it may seem, choose the right talent or partners for the job. With the proper approach and necessary passion, the possible avenues to success are endless. We know that you’ve got 99 problems, but music shouldn’t be one.