Conversations with Rob Gokee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Gokee.

Hi Rob, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always loved music – I used to sing to my dad’s Elvis records as a 5 year old. I wanted to play drums, but my parents were not on board with that amount of noise, so I opted for guitar at 16. All I ever wanted to do was play music in a rock band, but I also had the foresight to know that was not a viable means of supporting myself, so I went into film and television scoring. I went to college in Colorado and New Mexico, and then made my way back to Los Angeles in 2005 (I was born and raised here) to start my career.

Since then I’ve scored over a hundred films, dozens of television shows and commercials, and hours of corporate video. I’ve had the privilege to work with some amazing people, and on series that have won Emmys, and the last few years I’ve been immersed in the world of animated shows for Barbie and Hot Wheels.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being a freelance composer means you’re always hustling for work – the next job is never guaranteed, so you’re constantly networking and bidding on things. There are times when a job doesn’t start when it was supposed to, and you don’t get paid until the job is done, so you have to budget wisely so that you can pay the bills.

My first year, 2005, I did nothing but free work to build my resume. I scored 12 short films in all different genres, so that by the time my first paid gig came along at the end of that year, I felt confident enough to ask for money.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m probably most known for my orchestral scoring – big strings, driving percussion, but my first love is rock n roll. In the past 5 years, I’ve been able to write a lot more guitar driven music, and been lucky to collaborate with some amazing vocalists on theme songs and commercials. In 2023 I got to write over 6 hours of Hot Wheels music that was entirely rock/metal, and action orchestral music, and that’s been the highlight of my career so far.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. If you can make a little more money each year, get on higher profile projects, as long as you’re moving forward and up, I consider it a success. Also, you need to be flexible in both your style of writing music, and take on things you’d normally shy away from. You never know when you’ll find something that you’re really good at in an unexpected place.

Be open to doing things in the industry that maybe aren’t writing music, but fit your strengths. I’ve done a fair amount of podcast producing, both my own shows and for other people. I’ve done sound design on feature films and corporate video, and even vocal repair and mixing. All of those things make me a better music producer when I’m scoring.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/robgokee
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gokeemusic
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgokee/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@robgokee
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/robgokee