In this recent Audience Q&A chat with Alec Weesner, we discuss how to focus on building a career as a music composer. Topics include growing a YouTube channel, building an audience, creating music products, taking financial risks through investing, approaching AAA composers during this COVID-19 season, becoming a specialist, & working with other composers to grow faster. Listen in to our conversation! ✅ Recommended Reading – "Success Is Not An Accident" by Tommy Newberry: https://amzn.to/2KKB0xE *This Amazon affiliate link supports my channel at no additional cost to you ..read more

In this recent Audience Q&A chat with Matt Everett, we discuss how to take risks in music business, how to use the 80/20 Principle to focus on top priorities, and how to choose business activities that actually earn income ..read more

In this recent Audience Q&A, Daniel Keating asks how to get un-stuck on his first game soundtrack where he's been asked to write in a music genre he's not passionate about. He knows that as a composer early in his career he needs to say Yes to as much as possible, but at what cost? Listen in to our conversation...   TIMECODE: ========= 0:00 Welcome 2:03 Should I put my music on Spotify? 5:57 How should I market my music with social media? 12:46 How do I finish a game soundtrack I'm not passionate about? 22:32 How to hire help to focus on your strengths 23:44 How do I get more film mus ..read more

In this recent chat with game composer Jason Graves (Dead Space, Tomb Raider), we discuss how he structures his business schedule to put his family first, how he works on game soundtracks, how he got an agent, his top music book & magazine recommendations, and much more! Listen in to this conversation with a game industry legend. ? TIMESTAMPS:===============0:00 Get a real job 0:14 Welcome! 1:27 What games are you playing? 3:52 You're building a new studio? 6:43 How do you structure your business schedule to put your family first? 16:56 How did rhythm & percussion become your signature ..read more

Learn how to create and upload game music packs to sell on Unity, Itch.io, & GameDev Market. These continue to be some of my highest and most consistent music income sources! ✅ Download my free guide 10 Steps to Become a Game Composer ($17 value!): https://www.stevenmelin.com/10steps ..read more

In this recent Audience Q&A chat with Phil Fallway, we discuss how to earn sustainable income as a game composer, including specific strategies to earn $4,000+ per month to support his family. ✅ Download my free guide 10 Steps to Become a Game Composer ($17 value!): https://www.stevenmelin.com/10steps ..read more

In this recent chat with Grant Kirkhope (legendary composer for Banjo-Kazooie, Goldeneye 007, Donkey Kong 64, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, and many more!), we discussed the core differences between being a staff composer & a freelancer. We tackle how to negotiate better game music contracts and how to be flexible with game developers to better serve their games and ultimately build a lifelong career as a game composer.   ✅ Download my free guide 10 Steps to Become a Game Composer ($17 value!): https://www.stevenmelin.com/10steps ..read more

Let's explore my 6 computer drives (x2 internal SSD, x4 external HHD) and how I organize them for maximum efficiency as a music composer on a budget PC...all for instantaneous loading times. ⚡ My favorite internal SSD: https://amzn.to/35Bhr1z ⚡ My favorite external HDD, USB 3.0: https://amzn.to/34t5GuL ⚡ My favorite backup HDD with power supply: https://amzn.to/3mlKwF6 *These Amazon Affiliate links support my business at no additional cost to you. Thanks for you support!   MY DRIVE BREAKDOWN: Windows: 1 TB internal SSDSamples: 2TB internal SSD Samples 2: 5TB external HDD Projects: 2T ..read more

In this recent chat with viewer Marcus Manderson, he asks how to get more work as a composer and how to focus on one primary income stream when he wants to pursue 7 or 8 possible opportunities. ✅ Download my free guide 25 Questions Every Composer Asks ($17 value!): https://www.stevenmelin.com/25questions ..read more

How much does a music composer actually earn each month? Let's take a deep dive into my last 9 income & expense budgets to see what trends we might learn about which of my 15-20 monthly income sources have the best short & long-term returns. ✅ Download my free Budget Template to use for your own music business: https://www.stevenmelin.com/budget ..read more