Frequently Asked Questions

I'll be updating this list as time goes on, but it should cover all the basic important stuff.

Do you work remotely?

Yes! Pretty much all my work is done remotely, and I've worked with people from all around the globe, so feel free to drop me a line wherever you are.

What styles of music are you best at creating?

I'm fully capable of creating music that evokes a wide range of feelings: from lively to dark, from playful to serious, from calm to intense, and so much more.

In terms of genres, I'm fairly versatile, but I primarily specialise in all things 'cinematic' – from lush orchestral textures to sweeping ambient soundscapes, and everything in between. Orchestral music is by far my biggest area of expertise.

I frequently venture outside my 'genre comfort zone' whenever a project needs me to do so, but the vast majority of my music will carry some kind of 'cinematic' quality to it. If that's a trait that you need in your music, then you're in the right place! Check out my portfolio to hear what I mean.

How long does it take you to produce music?

It totally depends on each project, but I can be pretty speedy when people need me to! I prefer to avoid harsh deadlines, but I'm fully capable of meeting tight ones when they're unavoidable – there's been quite a few occasions where I've had to deliver 4-6 minutes of fully-produced orchestral music in less than a week.

Reasonable deadlines keep me productive, and I pride myself on being able to meet them consistently. For large-scale projects like feature-length films and video games, I'd always recommend planning ahead and bringing me on board as early as you can for the best results.

What do you need from me that would enable you to create the best possible music for my project?

Give me as many details as you can! Aside from project info, any supplemental materials you're able to provide me will help a lot. Concept art, reference images, scripts, story briefs and test footage are all great things to have. Bottom line: The more I can immerse myself within the world you're trying to create, the better.

Links to similar music can also be very helpful, and I'd certainly encourage you to include at least a couple of 'reference tracks.' So much of music is hard to describe in words, so existing musical references are great at filling that gap.

You haven't mentioned any rates on your website – how much would it cost to commission you?

I haven't mentioned a price anywhere because my rates will change depending on the nature of your project! There's never a set "one-size-fits-all" price for music commissions, because every project I work on tends to have vastly different musical requirements, and therefore should be priced differently. For example, I'd likely charge less for a documentary that needs minimal/ambient music compared to a video game that calls for a hybrid orchestral + electronic soundtrack with adaptive music capabilities in mind.

When I quote a price, I always take into account the scale of the project, the size of the team, the overall budget, the style of music required (and its complexity), and a few other factors. If you're looking for a price estimate, don't hesitate to get in touch! Send me as much detail as you can about the scope of your project, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

How many revisions will I be able to request once you deliver the final recording(s)?

Short answer: It's very project-dependent, but I'd say anywhere between 3 to 5, and they'd only account for minor revisions, not wholesale rewrites. That being said, you'll get plenty of opportunities to give feedback and ask for changes before I deliver the final product. Let me explain.

When you request a piece of music, I like to start by sending you a short 20-40 second demo (or two) of a musical idea before I commit to fully fleshing it out. If you find that demo to be unsuitable, I'll then go back to the drawing board to try a new approach. Once you settle on a demo you like, I'll begin fleshing it out. During this process, I'll provide regular but reasonably-spaced progress updates to ensure I'm on the right track. While this is happening, you're welcome to provide feedback and request changes that'll nudge me in the right direction. I don't count these as revisions – they're just a regular part of the creative process.

What would it take to get an orchestra to play on my project?

It's always been a dream of mine to hire a live orchestra for a project I'm involved in! Unfortunately though, unless you run a huge studio with an ENORMOUS budget, hiring a live orchestra is a massive financial undertaking that's usually well out of reach for most projects. We're talking a minimum of $100/hour (NZD) per player, and that's not accounting for venue hire fees, conductor fees, the cost of hiring a mixing engineer, the cost of producing sheet music for all the players... As you can probably tell, it all adds up very fast.

Don't despair though! If you really need an orchestral score for your project, we can still get very close to the sound of a real orchestra thanks to the increasing quality of modern virtual instrument libraries. Plus, recording a handful of session musicians and layering them alongside those virtual instruments can breathe so much life into a piece of music, and it's also a much more financially-viable route to take for most projects. If we find that your budget has room for a few live musicians, we can definitely make some magic happen.

Would you consider lending your music services to me for free if I give you loads of exposure in return?

No.