❤ Thanks for your work, and thanks to your parents for your existence! 😉 It is good to know that there are people like you. Somebody so unpretencious and now helping others. I stopped making music due to other aspects - it doesn't give me anything anymore. Maybe it'll return back, maybe not. Everything is ok. Beside the gap there is now in my life 😉 And your videos stopped me thinking about if this is good or not. So thank you for this!
Except only sort of. Self promotion is one way to get jobs. One of many ways. And actually, it's potentially one of the less efficient ways to get composing gigs. There are even parts of the industry, where any self-promotion can actually really hurt you cause being seen as a "youtuber" or "influencer" is a potential NDA-breach hazard. So while yes, self promotion and personal branding can help you in some parts of the industry and get you certain jobs, it's definitely not the only way. It's good to know pros and cons :)
@@TomasOlivaMusicTomas, you can only get jobs by doing self-promotion and there is no other way. The process of showing your music to others in whatever way possible is self-promotion. The social media aspect I mentioned in the video was just an example of what people think about RU-vid. As soon as you show someone, a company, an agent, upload music to a licensing platform, apply to a production company, or just to your fans, the music you perform is an act of self-promotion. I mean, even if someone, as a person being single, walking into a bar to meet the partner of their dreams, is self-promotion. Even if you leave the house and the way you dress, is self-promotion :)
I never comment, So realize that I mean this, as I take the time to say....Alex is the real deal as far as I can tell. He used to respond to my stupid questions and "hey what's up" messages on AIM in the 2000s. Always friendly and helpful. Thank you man.... Sorry this is over a decade late
Hallo Alex! Das ist echt traurig zu lesen. Deine Videos waren immer sehr gut und sehr lehrreich. Man sagt ja wenn eine Tür zu geht öffnet sich eine andere. Ich wünsche Dir, das sich noch viele Türen für Dich öffnen und viel Erfolg bei allem was Du machst. Danke für viele Jahre Deiner Arbeit und Deinen tollen Videos. Pass auf Dich auf! Liebe Grüße vom Bodensee!!!!!
Great comments, I was listening to the radio and it stated that some world class level musicians were on minimum wage, I think its a very tough business to make money. It seems you make money either with tutorials on how to make music or the DAWS or reviewing sample libraries 😁. I just do it as a hobby, but you are so spot on about self promotion. Also you need to research the you tube algorithm, its only goal, to keep people on RU-vid. It looks for content that will keep people clicking away and the longer the better. Thumbnails and the videos themselves are all reviewed by the algorithm. Its getting smarter and smarter.
In fact, I was working as a professional composer in this business and I think my credit list speaks for itself .. and the reason why I did the video is because I am convinced that one still can find work because right now it is easier than NEVER before :) It is just that so many composers do not even consider or investing much time into self promotion, which is key today! :)
Wise words as always, thanks Alex for all your videos! As someone playing and writing music for many years, and past few years fully dedicated in music production, I’ve been very much enjoying more and more trailer music, studying it, etc. Now getting close to finish my first album, what should be good steps next? It’s certainly overwhelming to think whether to start connecting with publishers specialized in trailers (tough one as a newcomer and no credits to show), or creating a nice website, or putting couple tracks up on Spotify, or trying to promote in specialized trailer music RU-vid channels, or developing social media presence (IG, Facebook, RU-vid channel, Tik Tok), or networking with other composers in Facebook groups or Discord, or investing in more trailer courses, or all the above 😵💫 hard to define a best approach…
Hey, the best would probably be to build a custom tailered demo reel with Reelcrafter and present your music to all kinds of companies. However, it is important to how you write your application email and getting in contact with people. This is why I created the 7 Day Challenge. You can check the link in the video description. It's free :)
I first heard your music in demos for Project Sam and some others. As a subscriber, I'd like to say thanks for what do and I'll continue to follow your work here and on Soundcloud. I completely understand the decision you're making.... The saturation is crazy now and it's only going to get worse with AI. I stopped looking for work as a composer for media a few years back after finding myself splashing around in a sea of music that was rapidly declining in value across the board. And with streaming services taking over from cable and network TV, royalties have plummeted. The effort is no longer worth the return and I was no longer enjoying the work. I got tired of trying to be heard. Even though I did music promotion for bands and singer/songwriters for 6 years, I was now having trouble getting my own music noticed. My heart just wasn't in it anymore. Still writing music, but I have no plans to look for custom work or licensing any time soon.
Did you watch the video? Please also pay attention to the links mentioned in the video that will help you with that. There is no general receipt or blueprint on how to make it work. It totally depends in what branch of the audio industry you want work in.
Sorry but the title of the video makes no sense at all. Anyway, we all appreciate the great content on this channel. Social media has made a complete mess for composers. Glad I'm not looking for work.
During the last years it should be obvious that I am helping composers to write music and find work in the music industry. Even if you are not looking for work the title means that I stopped actively writing music for projects and now I am fully there to help others, so THEY or YOU don't have to stop making music - meaning, I help you to continue living your dream. Sorry, thought that was obvious. I could have also wrote the title: "In this video I am explaining how I will mainly focus now on helping and supporting new composers and also professionals to keep living their dream and finding work" ... but this would have been probably a bit too long, don't you think? ;)
@@AlexPfeffer We all greatly appreciate your efforts, Alex. it's getting harder and harder for composers to find work and my working composer friends say it's all about who you know. No connections=no work.
@@shubus I find it is actually getting easier and easier because the only "secret" is that the ways on how you have to promote yourself changed a bit. The problem is that noone wants to do it right because it seems too much work for them which is again, a missconception.
AI is going to take over this industry soon. It’s already putting voiceover actors out of work. We all need to learn how to use it so we can be the ones who get the benefit.
Come on brother, be honest, you aren't writing music because: #1 - You're afraid you can't compete with the glut of composers coming in. #2 - It appears at least temporarily that selling the "secrets" to succeeding in composing music is more lucrative than actually well composing music, similar to real estate "gurus". But remember the age old axiom, "Those who can can, and those who cannot TEACH". (Choose wisely).
Come on brother, be honest, you probably didn't read just a tiny bit of my bio or check out my credit list on my website! Don't know if it's an age-old axiom, but "There are people that just draw conclusions from assumptions!"
@InLightTone My name is Pedro. Alex didn't ask me for this but here goes: Alex was a fantastic colleague and an important part of the "Chorus" VG game Soundtrack. This OST won last year the best Video Game Soundtrack of 2022 @ HMMA Awards. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2rU4ZzUykjE.html At the very least reason #1 is not true.
@@InLightTone well, I take that as a compliment for sure, so thank you! But then again I ask myself why you thought I was dishonest with my perspective and why I do the things I do?
@@AlexPfeffer It is a compliment! Your past demos got me excited about all this. I guess I'm seeing a lot of people who were composers in the hey day of the recent past, bailing out and becoming "teachers". I get it, it's super competitive today and making courses and what not is probably easier and more lucrative at this point. Maybe it's the writing on the wall and I don't want to admit it? I want to believe that it's still possible to make money being a composer...
