Composer Quest: A Songwriting and Music Composition Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Composing Tips from Triple Major Alex Cooke May 21, 2014

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Alex Cooke majored in Math, Psychology, and Theater, but he eventually came back to his first true passion – music. He’s an interesting guy, and in this Composer Quest interview, we talk about everything from composing in odd time signatures to the most common Red Hot Chili Peppers chord progression. He also shares a bunch of practical advice on making your pieces both playable and artistically cohesive.

Rock and Docs with Composer Silas Hite May 14, 2014

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I guarantee you’ve heard music by Silas Hite before. If you didn’t play Sims 2 or see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, then you at least heard Silas’s score for the ubiquitous Mac vs. PC ads. Silas is proof that freelance composing is a viable career. In this episode of Composer Quest, we talk about his percussion-driven scores for the documentaries The Record Breaker (a Vimeo Top 10 film of 2013), The Invention of Dr. Nakamats, and Stories from the Evacuation. Silas also shares his creative process behind his rock records, and gives some tips on freelance composing.

Dame Evelyn Glennie on Percussion and Dynamics May 07, 2014

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Evelyn Glennie lost her hearing by the age of 12, but that didn’t stop her from becoming a percussion virtuoso, a three-time Grammy winner, and a Dame Commander of the British Empire. In this Composer Quest interview, she shares some really interesting ideas about dynamics and writing for percussion. We also talk about her collaborations with Björk, composer John Corigliano, and guitarist and improviser Fred Frith.

Behind the Curtain of Composing Wizard Tyler Tholl Apr 30, 2014

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My talented friend Tyler Tholl evaded coming on the Composer Quest podcast for over a year, but finally my pestering paid off. I was really excited to visit Tyler in his studio and see the man behind the curtain at work. His new Maple and Beech EP Flashes and Floaters (made with drummer Pete James Johnson from episode 15) sounds amazing, and in this episode we get a thorough dissection of the composition and music production techniques Tyler used. We also talk about Tyler’s producing for the new Borderline EP by Paul Spring (from episode 11). Stick around until the end, and you’ll get to be a fly on the wall in Tyler’s studio, as he produces the intro theme to this Composer Quest episode on the spot.

Animation Composing with Paul Fraser Apr 23, 2014

Show notes

Paul Fraser went into the CalArts composition program with the mindset that he would spend half his time making weird music, and half his time composing for animations. He’s since worked with some amazing animators, including the creators of Adventure Time. In this episode of Composer Quest, Paul shares his creative process in composing and sound designing animations. We also talk about some of his creative personal projects, like his “Weekly Splice,” where he gathers one sound every day and mixes seven of them together at the end of the week.

Adrienne Albert, Composer and Stravinsky’s Favorite Alto Apr 16, 2014

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As a singer with a very pure tone, Adrienne Albert has been recruited to work with many talented composers over the years, including Leonard Bernstein, Philip Glass, and Igor Stravinsky. In this episode of Composer Quest, we talk about Adrienne’s own composing process. She shares some stories behind her music, including how she used woodwind players to represent a chorus of animals in her Alaska-inspired "Animalogy."

Quest 9: Film Scoring for Live Orchestra Apr 14, 2014

Show notes

The MNKINO filmmaking group and the Composer Quest podcast are teaming up to bring you a fun challenge for the summer. Filmmakers will make short films, composers will write scores for them, and the Composer Quest Orchestra will perform these scores live along with the films. Sign up at composerquest.com/quest9

Music Theory for the Bored with Justin Merritt Apr 09, 2014

Show notes

In order to be more productive, composer Justin Merritt once tried polyphasic sleeping, meaning he slept only a couple hours per day. After countless hours of busyness, he finally came to the revelation that he just needed to feel bored to become inspired. In this episode of Composer Quest, Justin and I talk about how Buddhist philosophies have influenced his life as a composer, and he shares some great composition advice he gives to his students at St. Olaf. Justin also explains how he invented a unique system of creating scales and modulating, which he used in his beautiful piece “Lachryme” for string orchestra.

FEZ’s Composer Disasterpeace on Creative Music Theory for Games Apr 02, 2014

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I’m excited to bring you this Composer Quest podcast episode with talented video game composer Rich Vreeland (aka Disasterpeace). We talk about his snowflake-catching game January, and how he infused his code with music theory to make some beautiful generative music. Rich also explains his composing techniques for the indie games FEZ and The Floor is Jelly.

Quest 8: May the Four-Hand Piano Be with You Apr 02, 2014

Show notes

In honor of Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), our eighth Composer Quest quest will involve the number four. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a piano piece for four hands (two pianists at one piano). You’re also encouraged to work the number four into your piece in other ways, like the harmony, rhythm, or form. The best pieces will be performed by Susan Hsu and Franco Holder here in Minnesota on May 4th (6pm, Underground Music Cafe).

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