DISQUS

Bassplaya · 9 months ago

What do you think about using math to analyze music?

Adrian Fusiarski · 9 months ago

I remember this stuff from a few years back. HMI Polyphonic the company (which is you, renamed, right?) and I honestly don't think you can reduce it to a science. If you could and there was a specific formula I'm sure millions would be on that bandwagon. Its all very basic really, you have a song, you play it to a 1000 people, 123 say yes I might buy it, y'know.

Its all the more redundant now with Torrents because what maybe would have been a bit of a hit a few years ago wont be today because you can instantly get what you want searching online, be it a 192kbps mp3 from an MP3 blog or a 320 hi bitrate version from a Torrent somewhere.

But TV shows like 'Numb3rs' here in the USA have looked at the mathematical 'possibilities' of things I guess. It all sounds very 90s.

Ian Clifford · 8 months ago

Adrian

This is an immense post - really great work.

We've had quite a lot of success with synching music over the years both with records that we released on our labels and material that artists whom we manage have released.

There is a truism though - that in most cases a record that has some kind of hit status, whether that be underground, scenester or genuine crossover, will get used in syncs. The music supervisors really know their music (alex Patsavas, Jason Bentley, Chris Douridase for example) and often have complementary jobs as radio jocks, so they'll know about all records of note.

Then, on the other hand, you do get completely unknown tracks being picked up just because they sound right. Our most successful artist for sync is called Little People and gets used a lot although no-one would have known his records. His sound is just perfect for TV - melancholic kind of old style Portisheady beats. We pitch his stuff to TV ourselves through a database we have built up over the years and through various sync agents. We are intending to make our database available at some point on our site - but haven't done it yet!

My advice to add to this is that any artist should think about making albums specifically aimed at sync as well as their more usual work. It can be done as a side project or limited release, but it's an extra body of work for supervisors to work with.

Ian

Ian Clifford · 8 months ago

Oh, and I forgot this - http://www.record-play.net/musichub/.

It's a bit like Pump Audio but as it's pretty new there's not a lot of music on there meaning that yours is going to stand out more. Essentially, pre-cleared music (yours) that TV and games and web people can just come along, search by mood and stick in their media - and you get paid.

It's run by someone I've done business with before and he's a good guy.

Adrian Fusiarski · 8 months ago

Thanks for the feedback Ian. Some good advice in there too. I definitely think that TV and film is opening up more for independent artists simply because the supervisors today are so on the ball with every type of artist and genre.

Alex Patsavas in particular has been a big pioneer in getting previously unknown acts onto prime time TV thats for sure.

Ben · 7 months ago

Thanks for one of the most useful articles I've read on the current landscape of music supervision. It can be difficult for even the most talented indie bands to connect with the people who can place their music. Licensing libraries are another way to for indie bands to get music. Boutique libraries like ours, Matchless Music (http://matchlessmusic.net), are exclusively licensing Indie music online. Directors, Film makers, Creative Directors, Producers, Music Supervisors can listen, share and license up-and-coming and little known Indie artists. Just another way artists to try to get their music synced, and most importantly heard by a wider audience.