Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Gould
Sean, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey is similar to a lot of other composers. After leaving Berklee College of Music I played in bands back in New York – where I’m originally from. One of those bands got signed to a major label deal and although we made an album, it never got released. However, we did spend a few years touring, which made me realize that I was more suited to being a studio guy. At the same time I was gigging in bands, I was also working in studios, coming up as an assistant and then eventually engineering my own sessions. This led me to working with the songwriters and producers, Sam Hollander and Dave Katz. I got to do a lot of great records working with them – everything from Katy Perry to Train, as well as many of the Emo bands that were big then like We The Kings, Metro Station, and Fall Out Boy.
I moved to LA in 2011 with the intention of continuing to produce and record bands, which I did for a while until one day my friend Jim Towns, a writer/director, asked if I would work on a movie he just finished. At first I thought he wanted me to do post sound – which I knew nothing about. But he told me, “No, I want you to compose it.” Even though I had studied composing in school, I had never worked to picture, but I gave it a try and fell in love with the process. So from then on, my focus has been on composing music for media.
I’m currently an in-house composer and producer for Warner Chappell Production Music, which has been great since I get to work on so many different projects, with incredible orchestras and session players, and even hire my friends to compose and play on records!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say smooth per se, I’ve definitely had to pay my dues along the way. One thing that I’ve always believed in (maybe out of necessity) is that you just have to stick it out, keep at it, and eventually you’ll get to where you’re supposed to be. Being an artist is hard, probably more so now than at any point in the past. It’s never a smooth path – there will always be twists and turns. One of the harder things was transitioning from the pop music world to composing for media. Even though I had had some success in the pop world, it was almost like starting my career over again. There is a different network of people you need to cultivate, and it’s an entirely different skill set that I have to rely upon.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I compose music for media. That encompasses any project where music is used to help drive a story – everything from movies and television shows, to video games and commercials.
I’ve developed a set of skills that has enabled me to work across a lot of different genres and styles. I’ve been a guitar player since I was a teen so I end up playing on most of the records I produce. I’ve also worked on the technical side, engineering, mixing, and producing for a lot of well-known artists in the pop, rock, and hip hop worlds, and I’ve had formal training in classical and jazz composition. This has enabled me to jump between disparate projects, sometimes working on them concurrently, without missing a beat.
I’m very excited about an album I recently composed for SCOREMONGERS, one of Warner Chappell Production Music’s premiere catalogs. It’s orchestral music in the grand style of John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, etc. with an Aaron Copland, Americana twist. I was inspired by the Michael Crichton book, Dragon Teeth, which is a historical fiction book that takes place during the Bone Wars of 1876. It’s kind of a forerunner to Jurassic Park with some Old American West thrown in, so it gave me the opportunity to write music that combines several of my favorite influences. We recorded with some of the best players in Nashville and Los Angeles, and I’m looking forward to that being released and sharing it with everyone.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
There’s a great app for composing that I would stand on a mountain top and preach to composers if I could. It’s called Staffpad. It allows you to write orchestral music on the iPad, converting your written notes into the orchestra playing back. I’ve always found old-school pencil and paper writing to yield the best results, but it can be a cumbersome process because once you write everything down, you have to go over to the computer and “mock-up” or program everything to hear what it sounds like. Using Staffpad, I can write just as I would with traditional pencil and paper and immediately hear the music playback. You can even import video and write to picture. It’s something I use everyday.
A favorite podcast is “The Soundtrack Show.” It’s a well-researched and entertaining show about classic film scores that I grew up with. The host, David Collins, has a great understanding of the scoring process and breaks down the hows and whys of the function of music accompanying narrative. I learn something new every time I listen.
Shameless podcast plug: “Reclaimed Detroit” is a scripted narrative series about Vampires set in Detroit in the ’90s that is written by my friend Ray Stakenas. I’ve been scoring the episodes for him and the show is fantastic!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.seangould.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seangould/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seangouldmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SeanGould
Image Credits
Vanessa Moldonado for all pics
