Demographics: Settling the discussion once and for all

Which of the following most accurately describes what you do (or did) for a living?

  • Health Care (Doctor, PA, Nurse, Anesthesiologist, Lab Tec, etc.)

  • Legal (Lawyer, Paralegal, Mediator, etc.)

  • Engineering (IT systems, mechanical, structural, etc.)

  • Public Servant or Military (Police, Fireman, Teacher, Active Duty, etc.)

  • The Arts (Illustration, design, photography, music, etc.)

  • The Trades (Electrician, HVAC, Plumbing, Carpenter, etc.)

  • Business Owner (self employed)

  • Training & Development

  • Management (Including Project & Program Management)

  • Other (sorry, poll is limited to 10 options)

Results are only viewable after voting.
Speaking of work, a couple of the most recent ad music projects...using my PRS guitars, of course!



P.S. I have a law degree but do music for a living. So, you know...I think there’s a legal requirement that I play PRS! ;)
 
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LSchefman said:
Speaking of work, a couple of the most recent ad music projects...using my PRS guitars, of course!



P.S. I have a law degree but do music for a living. So, you know...I think there’s a legal requirement that I play PRS! ;)
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Great work, Les! I'm kind of curious....when you do these ads,do they usually already have the script so you kind of have a basis to go off of? Seemed like some of the musical nuances were placed very well between the lines of dialog - when there'd be a break in the dialog, we'd get a little extra guitar volume or riff. Is that something that you kinda do yourself, or is that added afterwards?
 
ElrytNamrogo said:
Great work, Les! I'm kind of curious....when you do these ads,do they usually already have the script so you kind of have a basis to go off of? Seemed like some of the musical nuances were placed very well between the lines of dialog - when there'd be a break in the dialog, we'd get a little extra guitar volume or riff. Is that something that you kinda do yourself, or is that added afterwards?
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I’m usually sent picture with dialog or voice-over already recorded, or at least a scratch VO, placed where they want it in picture. Then I write and record music. So I’ve always got to keep the voice work in mind.

Also, the clients have a lot of input as to the type of music they want, not only in terms of general direction, but as I work, the details get critiqued. There are lots of phone conferences to go over the tiniest details. It’s a very collaborative process. Prima donnas don’t succeed in the ad (or TV/film) world,

Fortunately, I like working with other creative folks and getting their input, so it isn’t a problem, and often their suggestions are really helpful. One of the creative directors I work with was in a pretty popular band in his younger days, and this isn’t all that unusual. They know their music.

I mix my own track to voice over and picture, but I don’t do the final mix of music, sound effects and dialog. That’s done by an audio postproduction studio, and most of the major markets have excellent, very high end mix rooms for that purpose (though I always want the music a lot louder! ;)).

The audio post folks will also often duck the volume under quieter dialog, but less of that happens in voice-over spots with an announcer, because voice-over work demands a very consistent voice volume.
 
LSchefman said:
I’m usually sent picture with dialog or voice-over already recorded, or at least a scratch VO, placed where they want it in picture. Then I write and record music. So I’ve always got to keep the voice work in mind.

Also, the clients have a lot of input as to the type of music they want, not only in terms of general direction, but as I work, the details get critiqued. There are lots of phone conferences to go over the tiniest details. It’s a very collaborative process. Prima donnas don’t succeed in the ad (or TV/film) world,

Fortunately, I like working with other creative folks and getting their input, so it isn’t a problem, and often their suggestions are really helpful. One of the creative directors I work with was in a pretty popular band in his younger days, and this isn’t all that unusual. They know their music.

I mix my own track to voice over and picture, but I don’t do the final mix of music, sound effects and dialog. That’s done by an audio postproduction studio, and most of the major markets have excellent, very high end mix rooms for that purpose (though I always want the music a lot louder! ;)).

The audio post folks will also often duck the volume under quieter dialog, but less of that happens in voice-over spots with an announcer, because voice-over work demands a very consistent voice volume.
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Very cool and informative! Thank you!
 
LSchefman said:
Speaking of work, a couple of the most recent ad music projects...using my PRS guitars, of course!



P.S. I have a law degree but do music for a living. So, you know...I think there’s a legal requirement that I play PRS! ;)
Click to expand...

That's AWESOME Les! I've always been fascinated by VO work and how all the different facets come together.

I've been told for years...I have a voice/face for radio...so I think I could do it.:D

Seriously though, I always listen for guitar tracks in car commercials and think...hey I wonder if that's Les? :)
 
ScottR said:
That's AWESOME Les! I've always been fascinated by VO work and how all the different facets come together.

I've been told for years...I have a voice/face for radio...so I think I could do it.:D

Seriously though, I always listen for guitar tracks in car commercials and think...hey I wonder if that's Les? :)
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It’s a lot of fun, though to get the VO work, being in a major media production city is essential.

Incidentally, I don’t always hire myself to play guitar on my tracks! I played on the two I linked, but just as often I hire much better players to play on a track, and sometimes I play and ALSO hire someone else to play parts. It just depends on how difficult the ideas are for me to execute.

And I use the term, “execute”, advisedly, since mostly when I play, people remark that I should’ve played it, not subjected it to capital punishment. ;)
 
LSchefman said:
It’s a lot of fun, though to get the VO work, being in a major media production city is essential.

Incidentally, I don’t always hire myself to play guitar on my tracks! I played on the two I linked, but just as often I hire much better players to play on a track, and sometimes I play and ALSO hire someone else to play parts. It just depends on how difficult the ideas are for me to execute.

And I use the term, “execute”, advisedly, since mostly when I play, people remark that I should’ve played it, not subjected it to capital punishment. ;)
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You're much to critical of yourself Les,if i had attempted that, people would have committed suicide.
 
Wakester said:
You're much to critical of yourself Les,if i had attempted that, people would have committed suicide.
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Haha! Yes, but I really do suck on guitar compared to a good player.

Gotta know my own limitations! Most players here can play circles around me. I just worked with the guy who plays guitar on tour with the Moody Blues. It was embarrassing...

“So here’s kind of what I want.” (I play a part that took me forever to write, and still can’t play it well).

“Like this?” (He nails it on the first take and plays it better than I could have imagined. I’m thinking that he’s thinking, ‘Take the guitar away from this doofus!’).
 
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LSchefman said:
Haha! Yes, but I really do suck on guitar compared to a good player.

Gotta know my own limitations! Most players here can play circles around me. I just worked with the guy who plays guitar on tour with the Moody Blues. It was embarrassing...

“So here’s kind of what I want.” (I play a part that took me forever to write, and still can’t play it well).

“Like this?” (He nails it on the first take and plays it better than I could have imagined. I’m thinking that he’s thinking, ‘Take the guitar away from this doofus!’).
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My bass player is better on guitar than I am.
 
dmatthews said:
My bass player is better on guitar than I am.
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One of my drummer pals is amazing on guitar.

In my defense, sometimes being perfect is less important than really meaning what you play, and making it emotional.

So even though people might play technically better, you understand why you picked those notes, and your track can sound good because it has emotion behind it.

Um. That’s my theory, and I’m sticking with it! ;)
 
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