Composer Quest: A Songwriting and Music Composition Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Social Media for Songwriters with John Anealio Mar 09, 2013

Show notes

In episode 20 of Composer Quest, Sci-fi songwriter/composer and Functional Nerds co-host John Anealio shares tips on getting your music out to the online world without seeming like a narcissistic party-crasher. For example, following the 80/20 rule for Twitter and Facebook posts will keep your self-promotion in check. John also gives some helpful pointers on writing melodies, and he explains how even a simple song can employ one of Mozart's secret weapons - the Rondo form! John has also set forth a challenge to those who would accept: finish 23 pieces of art in 2013. He believes that if you don't finish and present your songs to the world, “you're just the guy talking about your art, you're not the guy doing it.“

Crowdfunding a Creative Bender with Tim Cheesebrow Mar 06, 2013

Show notes

As a dad of two young kids, songwriter Tim Cheesebrow has limited hours in the day for music. But he recently wrote an album's worth of material in a self-imposed solitary confinement at a cabin in northern Minnesota. He's now in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign to produce this new album, Home in the Heartland. We talk about his three main sources of inspiration: his family, the concept of home, and a Carl Sagan-inspired philosophy of universal connectedness. Oh, and we also talk about extraterrestrial music.

Composing Your Way out of Plato's Cave with Ted Moore Mar 02, 2013

Show notes

In episode 18 of Composer Quest, electroacoustic composer Ted Moore enlightens us about coding music to interact with human performers. He also shares his ideas on choosing a musical form for your piece, like sonata form (ABA) or binary form (AB). We also talk some philosophy when I bring up Ted's piece Eyes May Be Impaired, which he based on Plato's allegory of the cave.

Subconscious Songwriting with Mike Nilles Feb 27, 2013

Show notes

Guitarist and songwriter Mike Nilles has a secret method for writing melodies: dreaming them up! In episode 17 of Composer Quest, Mike and I swap stories about our dream-inspired songs. We also talk about a few of the groups Mike has played in over the years, from his 70s St. Paul band Smart Alex, to an Italian blues band, to his latest project, The Badinovs.

Minnesota Waterfall Disaster Music with Nick Syman Feb 23, 2013

Show notes

Jazz trombonist Nick Syman has challenged himself to write a large jazz ensemble piece based on the St. Anthony Falls collapse in 1869. Nick talks about how using a story can help you structure an instrumental piece of music. Nick also explains how the tension and release system of Afro-Cuban rhythms can help make more compelling melodies. And finally, we talk about our experience starting and finishing our Cagetones album in one month last February, for the RPM Challenge.

Drum Kit Melodies with Pete James Johnson Feb 20, 2013

Show notes

Jazz drummer Pete James Johnson has recently been getting into sampling his dad's old records to make beats for his DJ project Elephane. In this episode of Composer Quest, Pete shares his beat sampling advice, his experiences composing for jazz trio, and his new method of thinking in terms of “melodies“ when he plays a drum solo.

Composing YouTube Soundtracks with Corridor Digital's Sam Gorski Feb 16, 2013

Show notes

Sam Gorski and Niko Pueringer have built up a fanbase of nearly 1.5 million YouTube subscribers on their channel, Corridor Digital. Sam writes and produces most of the music within a very short deadline. In this episode of Composer Quest, we talk about what goes into his soundtracks for their video-game-themed short films.

Film Scoring with Hollywood-Bound Will VDC Feb 13, 2013

Show notes

Will Van De Crommert produces Hollywood-quality film scores in a humble basement studio at Saint John's University. We talk about composing for film, his portfolio for USC Film School, and how to produce an endorphin-releasing pop tune.

A Composition Seed with Dr. Brian Campbell Feb 09, 2013

Show notes

I felt like I was right back in a composition lesson with Dr. Brian Campbell, my former CSB/SJU music professor, when I interviewed him for this episode of Composer Quest. As always, he imparted plenty of wisdom, this time about writing music from a single “seed” and developing that idea. We also talk about form, writing melodies, “robot composers,” and using the Japanese aesthetic of “ma” – silence.

Songwriting Inspiration with Paul Spring Feb 06, 2013

Show notes

Paul Spring was destined to be a poet, being raised in a family of English professor parents, and now having six brothers and sisters who are also English teachers. In this episode of Composer Quest, we get to hear live renditions of four new story songs Paul has been working on, from the hilarious “Type II Diabetes” and “St. Cloud Traffic” to an edgy but thoughtful song trying to make sense of the tragic Newtown, Connecticut school shooting. We also talk about Paul’s self-titled album and the very personal stories behind it. I think it’s the most moving talk we’ve had on the show, so a special thanks to Paul for sharing his music and stories.