John Vella: The diary of a creative mind

By John Vella, composer, Audio Network Sydney

“Everybody else is doing it, so why can’t we?”

The title of iconic Irish band ‘The Cranberries’ debut album is one that has stayed with me since I first heard of it in the early 90’s.  And out of my creative mind it leapt as I sat down to write this piece. Why? I don’t know. Does it matter? Not really. Should I just run with it? Yes.

Creativity is by larger definition, undefinable. We don’t know a lot about it. One may argue that creativity is in fact part skill, developed through practice. My favourite theory on this belongs to John Cleese. Cleese argues that the best ideas don’t necessarily come from the most gifted, but from those that don’t settle. From those that continue to push. He gives a great speech on the topic, worthy of checking out on youtube.

So… how to be a creative and make a living from writing and producing music… a tough question!

Challenges:

A smart path to success is to look for a niche. What can you do better than everyone else? Where could you find a home for this skill?

Developing a skill set that will set you apart from your competition is a game changer. For me, my initial advantage was that I’m a great rhythm guitarist. Most of the composers I was competing with for ad work are primarily piano players, so when a few acoustic indie pitches came through the door I had something over them, and it landed me a couple of bigger jobs.

Balancing creativity and delivery can be challenging. I find it best to remember that content is king. You need to be able to produce, you need a body of work, and it needs to be special.

Process:

When it comes to writing music for content, be it online, TVC, library, film… It’s important to take the time to really understand what your client wants. Your job is to add value to their work. You are here to help.

For me, I like working with reference tracks. I like pulling things apart and understanding how they work. If a director gives me a reference they love, it can tell me so much about what they are trying to achieve. If possible I block out a full day to work and develop ideas, and another full day to mix. The bigger the ideas, the more time I try to give them.

Why compose for a production library?

Production libraries, such as Audio Network, are a great platform for composer-producers. You get to be a creative, and it earns you residual income. What’s not to like about that? On top of this you never know where your music will pop up! One of my favorite skateboarders, Arto Saari used one of my library tracks in his video last year. I can’t tell you how exciting that was for me!

Click here to check it out.

Tips for working on a production library:

My advice would be to do what you do best. If you have a sound that works for syncing to content, start there. It’s important to set yourself goals and deliverables. To know what your setting out to create. Write yourself a brief and get yourself some references if that works for you. From my experience with libraries I can say that an album of tracks that is consistent in style is easier for them to package, which is an important part of the business model. So keep it focused. And finally, make it really good. Your best work is what gets you your next job.

Production Library contact – Lauren Forrester – Audio Network Sydney