Alex Melodic

How did you start your film composing career?

It happened 11 years ago. Before that I was a piano player. I played jazz in restaurants and in some presentations. I was making arrangements for singers for the theaters which was the most interesting to me.

After that, I connected with an agency that wanted me to compose 10 hours of kids and Christmas music. I only had three or four months for the project. But I said, “Yes, of course I will do it.” They liked the result and now I make an hour of children’s music a month. If I’m not mistaken, there are about 3,000 children’s music pieces I composed in the past 11 years.

What is your music composition process?

It is almost permanent. I can walk by the street, drink a coffee, or just sit on a chair and at the same time my brain provides some simple motives or rhythms. In another case I can do it on a keyboard.

Sometimes it’s enough just to fix some main and very short idea about the future composition, and then, already in the process of arranging, she begins to acquire musical parts, as elements of clothing. Generally, for a professional creator, inspiration should become a normal state.

What is your creative process for composing children’s music?

I’ve composed such a large amount of children’s music that I don’t even think about how to compose it anymore. I know the general style, which instruments will be suitable and which instruments will not be suitable.

I also know the mood in general. It must be a little bit childish – maybe a little bit foolish. I like to use many patterns, but I don’t use samples. I already know the methods of composing as well as which arrangement to use so that it will be in the right place.

Some children’s instruments include flutes, vibraphones, bells, and so on. When there is a style unknown for me, I find something on YouTube and dissect that. For example, the last project two or three months ago was I had to write a playlist of the tango.

Film Composer Alex from Melodic Pictures

“For a professional creator, inspiration should become a normal state.”

– Alex | Film Composer, Melodic Pictures

What do you think makes you a unique composer?

I don’t know how unique this is, but the main principle that guides me in my work is that music should convey the atmosphere and state, work for the main task, it should help, and therefore not interfere.

I can also compose from one style to another. So in the morning, I could compose children’s music and in the evening I could compose some gloomy and depressing music.

What are your top challenges as a composer?

Always being in the creative mindset and the lack of concentration on one project, not five or 25. I always try to embrace the amenity, but it’s impossible. The great challenge to struggle with this strong wish is to embrace it.

That’s why a system is necessary. There must be some kind of discipline. Once there’s inspiration, you just kind of gotta roll with it. Some days you’re inspired, some days you’re not. The main inspiration is my wife.

What are your career goals as a music composer?

I want to work not only in media and background music, but also in documentary and especially music for games, I never wrote for the games before. I understand that if your goal is to move in this direction, you must learn more and more styles and this is the most interesting thing for me. Finally I would like to also create my own production library, maybe not too big, but with high quality product.

Resources

Alex’s Composer Profile
Alex’s Website
Atomica Music Library
“Breaking through the Gloom“
“This Will Pass” – Fesliyan Studios
“Be My Guest” – Fesliyan Studios
Kids Pets and Zoo Animals – Sonton Music

Full Audio Transcript

How did you first get into composing?

It happened 11 years ago. Before that I was a piano player. I played jazz in restaurants and in some presentations and so on. And also I was making arrangements for singers for the theaters which was the most interesting.

But once I found the detachment agency or maybe they found me, or we found each other, by the internet, and the project was they wanted me to make 10 hours of kids music and Christmas music. There was only three or four months for the project. And I was so frightened. But I said, yes, of course I will do it. And I did it and they liked the result.

And I make an hour of children’s music a month. If I’m not mistaken, there are about 3000 children pieces composed in these 11 years.

I’d love to learn about your composing process. How do you go about composing music?

With children’s music, there is such a big amount of children’s music that I don’t even think about how to do this. So I know the style in general, I know which instruments will be suitable, which instruments will not be suitable. Maybe some kind of rhythm, maybe even not the style, but to say the mood.

Also the mood in general. So it must be something a little bit childish. Maybe a little bit foolish. I use many patterns. I don’t use samples, but some methods of composing or methods of arrangement which I use already when I know that it will be on, in the right place.

Some children’s instruments include flutes, vibraphones, bells, and so on. And when there is a style unknown for me, I find something on YouTube and dissect that. For example, the last project two or three months ago was I had to write a playlist of the tango.

What DAW do you use?

Cubase

So you compose for music libraries. Is that still the case? Do you still do that on a regular basis?

Yes. But it began a little later when the detachment agency was my first custom from the library. If I’m not mistaken, in 2016, there was a custom project for piano music, not children’s music. It was required to sound sad, not meditative, but sad. Lyrics converted to piano music.

What do you think in your own words makes you unique or makes your sound unique compared to other musicians and composers out there?

I began my partnership with my first clients for whom I wrote children’s music. They repeated a few times. I think that they had some hidden goal to say something pleasant for my skills and to pay a little less. They would say “You are so gifted, so talented. Why do you need money?”

Maybe because I can compose from one style to another. So in the morning, I could compose children’s music and in the evening I could compose some depressing music.

What are your top challenges as a composer?

Always being in the creative mindset and the lack of concentration of something at one project, not at five or 25. Because I always try to embrace the amenity, but it’s impossible. The great challenge to struggle with this strong wish is to embrace it.

Right. That’s a great quote. I think that will be front and center on this writeup that we do, the blog post it’s is that really stood out to me. That’s why this system is necessary. I understand it for creative people, for any creative person, right? There must be some kind of discipline. It’s like once there’s inspiration, you just kind of gotta roll with it. Some days you’re inspired, some days you’re not. The main inspiration is my wife.