Two Composers, Two Continents

Four composers, one big question: what is art?

In this episode, we’re joined by friends and award-winning composers Carlos Villalobos and Jeannie Tanner to try tackle that! 

Amidst the rapid rise of AI technologies, we debate the core elements of art from human intent to audience response and interpretation. We explore Tim Minchin’s take on ‘content vs intent’, discuss the growing concern of AI artist profiles deceiving listeners, and decide whether a shoe left in an art gallery can be ‘art’…

We also highl...

In this episode we sit down with the brilliant Andrew Sunnucks. Co-founder of Audio Network, a prolific orchestral producer and a farmer, Andrew has built a career on integrity, real musicians, and having a good time! 

From Andrew’s first job as a singing rabbit to working in commercials and eventually co-founding production music catalogue Audio Network, we trace his journey over the years. As one of the biggest employers of musicians, we discuss Audio Network’s commitment to using real musicians . Andrew tells us why he refuses to compromise on live players, despite being more expensive and t...

This week we're thrilled to welcome multi-talented engineer and musician Stefano Civetta, with an impressive career spanning from playing the organ at the Vatican to engineering for some of the biggest films including Avengers: End Game and Solo: A Star Wars Story.

We begin with Stef’s musical roots from growing up in a small Alpine village surrounded by music, his summer gig playing organ at the Vatican, and his leap to the UK for the Tonmeister course. From there he shares his 6 years at Abbey Road - climbing from studio runner to trusted engineer, working 42-day st...

In this episode, we’re honoured to welcome 80s pop icon Nik Kershaw, whose four-decade career spans chart-topping hits like “Wouldn’t It Be Good” and the massive number-one single “The One And Only” which he wrote for Chesney Hawkes.

We explore Nik’s upbringing in a musically rich family, channeling teenage angst into dramatic lyrics, and journeying through prog-fusion and jazz bands before launching his solo career with agent Micky Modern. 

Nik reflects on his whirlwind rise to fame, culminating in his iconic Live Aid performance alongside legends like Queen and David Bowie, sharing the nerves, out...

We’re taking you behind the scenes of our recent trip to Nashville, where we recorded an album of sizzling soul grooves designed for use in Film & TV.
  

This time, we’re skipping the writing process to focus on the recording sessions at the iconic Sound Emporium Studios, complete with it’s rich musical history and quirky tiki-bar studio charm! 
  
 From a horn section with lips of steel to the slightly humbling moment the rhythm section rewrote all our charts using the Nashville Number System, we share the stories, surprises and lessons from the sessions. We...

Are you new to composing for sync, but overwhelmed by the jargon? In this episode, we sit down with Emmy-winning composer and sync expert Brad Hatfield to cut through the confusion.

Brad teaches Songwriting for Film & TV and Music Supervision at Berklee, drawing from decades of experience in the industry. From understanding contracts and ownership to knowing what to expect once your track is synced, this episode provides a thorough breakdown of sync licensing, publishing, royalties, and beyond. 

We define essential terms such as ‘master recording’, ‘writer’ and ‘neighbouring rights’, and explain why getting your splits and ag...

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Italian composer, sound designer, and Sonora Cinematic founder Alessandro Mastroianni! 

Alessandro shares how his career evolved from composing for Film & TV (including writing for Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers!) to diving into custom sound design and virtual instrument creation. 
He takes us inside a recent recording session, where he captured impulse responses and the foundations for a new virtual instrument in a restored 19th-century church with a fascinating history! 

We also explore the creative and practical sides of sampling, why your choice of sample libraries change the way y...

In this episode we are joined by incredible trumpeter and vocalist Mark Braud. 
From growing up in a family of eight trumpeters to playing with music icons such as Harry Connick Jr., Dr. John and Foo Fighters, Mark is a true embodiment of the New Orleans spirit.

We explore Mark’s musical roots, exploring how his family’s legacy shaped his sound, his early days playing in school bands, and his leap into a professional career, even dropping out of university to chase his dreams.

Mark shares his insights on jazz improvisation, adapting to other...

Check out part 1 of our conversation first, where we explore Mark Braud’s musical roots, jazz improvisation and his family legacy.

In part 2, we dive into Mark’s journey as a songwriter and composer, from singing songs as a child to writing Bebop-inspired music for school bands and crafting music across many genres for TV shows like NCIS: New Orleans.

Mark shares how these experiences led him to founding production music library Old Saw Music, with his wife Megan - a library rooted in real musicians, real stories and real soul.

Plus, we get...

In this episode, we’re joined by brilliant and versatile tv and film composer, sound designer and producer Max Brodie! 

Max walks us through his early musical journey from playing in thrash metal bands as a teen and recording bands with borrowed gear, to carving out his own unique sound and writing for production music libraries. 

We also take a closer look at one of Max’s impressive recent ventures, scoring the CBBC animated series Duck & Frog! With 50 episodes of wall-to-wall music and very quick turnarounds, Max shares the challenges of working to animatics, reusing themes...

Tight Deadlines = Better Music? Max Brodie on Composing, Studio Workflow & Tom Ronsenthal

This is Part 2 of our conversation with composer and sound designer, Max Brodie. If you missed Part 1, check that out first! 

We pick up with a nerdy dive into technology, computer specs, and studio equipment - Jeff’s in his element! 

We chat about Max’s composing process, from the initial panic to the clarity of a spotting session, and tight deadlines which force him to let go of perfection. He shares tips including use templates, keeping recording gear and mics ready...

In this episode, we’re joined by the talented Brad Hatfield - Emmy-winning TV & film composer, producer, pianist, educator, and longtime friend! 

We share how our paths first crossed, from a rich history of co-writing with Jeff to the online classrooms of Berklee where he taught David, cementing a lasting impact on both our careers.

With some tips and lessons along the way, Brad walks us through his fascinating musical journey that spans touring the globe with jazz bands, writing jingles in Boston, and teaching Songwriting for Film & TV and Music Supervision at Berklee.

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Emmy-winning composer, producer, pianist, educator, and longtime friend Brad Hatfield. If you missed Part 1, check it out first! (Writing Jingles to Winning Emmy Awards with Composer Brad Hatfield)

We pick up with the topic of Music Supervision, discussing Brad’s course at Berklee, the role of a music supervisor, and what makes a good one! 

We also talk about why you should collaborate in the music industry, (but not with your friends!) and Brad’s longest collaboration - with his wife, Gaye Hatfield!

Keep your eyes...

In this episode we’re sitting down with Mark and James from Present Day Production (PDP), the brilliant minds behind MUM - the modular upgradable monitor.

We talk through their wild journey from Mark’s early days repairing Hammond organs to the moment a young James rocked up to Mark’s studio for a band rehearsal and basically never left!

Together they spent years running an all-in-one studio service before a COVID-induced reset led them to launching their YouTube channel, racking up millions of views with their notoriously unhinged videos featuring more horses...

Grab your popcorn - we’re taking you behind the scenes of scoring our first ever feature film, Super Size Me 2. Tune in for a story of fun, frustration, and a whole lot of chickens! 

We talk about how this project came about and the quirky brief that landed right in the middle of David’s wedding back in 2016. The ultimate way to get our feet wet by jumping straight into the deep end of the feature film world!

We break down the whole process from navigating shifting styles from cue to cue, combing in-the-box produ...

Dust off your boots and grab your hat - in this episode, we’re heading behind the scenes of our Cowboy Songs production music album!

Inspired by the charm of The Three Amigos and City Slickers, we set out to write cowboy songs that feel authentically traditional but cinematic enough for use in Film & TV.

We walk through the full process, from songwriting and orchestration to the logistics of recording across two continents, with rhythm sections in Chicago at Transient Sound Studios, and orchestral sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London. 

Along the way...

During a recent recording session in Nashville, we were reminded just how small the music world really is! 

In an industry that can often feel remote, and at times pretty lonely, community matters more than ever. 
From village choirs to Facebook groups and organisations like the Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL), there are endless ways to connect with like-minded musicians/composers, find collaborators, and build lasting relationships.

The truth is, the best networking rarely feels like networking. We talk about how real opportunities come from simply showing up, contributing to a community, and le...

In the first half of this sit-down, we’re joined by musical polymath Jay Weigel, a Grammy-winning composer, producer, conductor, arranger, orchestrater, and contractor with a career spanning over 40 years!

We start back at the beginning with New Orleans Catholic school bands, early gigs with unlimited beer taps on the wall, Jay’s teenage transformation into the world of prog rock and the ultimate spiral into a world of classical giants like Stravinsky and Rimsky-Korsakov, fuelled by under-the-desk vinyl deals!

Along the way we talk about musical lineage, aural teaching traditions tracing back to Beethoven, and...

Missed the first half of our conversation? Check out Part 1 first!

We’re back for Part 2 with Grammy-winning composer and producer Jay Weigel, and this time we’re tackling the missing piece in film school education: the often-neglected collaboration between directors and composers!

We explore the struggles of communication, learning to speak the shared language of film music, and the key to long-lasting working relationships in the film industry.

Along the way we look at the evolution of music tech over the years, from composing on a Commodore 64 to using modern DAWs;

...

After having such a blast creating our NOLA vinyl last year, we couldn’t resist spinning up another one… this time with a festive twist!

In this episode, we delve into over a decade of Christmas Big Band production music. Join us on a trip down memory lane as we revisit the process behind these albums, share stories from recording sessions and make tough decisions as we narrow it all down to just two sides of a vinyl.

Which tracks will make the cut? Which ones get left in the snow? And just how many vers...

Part 2 of our Classical Favourites deep dive is here, and this time we’re taking you inside the recording and editing process!

Imagine spending 4 days in the legendary Studio One at Abbey Road, squeezing in 36 hours of recording sessions witg a 65-piece orchestra and choir. No pressure, right? 

In Part 1 we talked about the concept, choosing the repertoire, and recomposing famous classical music into editor-friendly versions for TV and Film. 

In Part 2 we move onto the recording stage. Working in one of the most famous rooms in the world, navigating union rules around how...

Part 1 of our deep dive into the Classical Collection is here - and yes, we may have upset a few ghosts along the way…

In this episode, we unpack the crazy task of reimagining 181 classical favourites for media use with Audio Network! 🎻
From navigating the complexities of public domain to reshaping the world’s most recognisable melodies into editor-friendly production music, we talk about what it takes to make iconic classical pieces work for a modern audience.

We talk through the whole process from selecting the repertoire, to adding new lyrics and writing entirely new sec...

In this episode we welcome the multifaceted Debi Derryberry!

Debi Derryberry is one of Hollywood's most sought-after voice-over actors, best knowing for voicing characters such as Jimmy Neutron, Draculuara in Monster High and the Aliens in Toy Story. Debi's talents also extend far beyond the booth into the music industry, where she is an award-winning children's music singer-songwriter, and country musician in the trio Honey Pig.

From starting out in community theatre to being a stunt double riding a whale in Free Willy and voicing some of the world's most beloved characters, Debi shares the...

We’re back in New Orleans for round three, recording two more albums of production music for Audio Network. 🎺

In a rare miracle, we started the writing process together in the same place (instead of on different continents!), recording voice memos whilst walking Jeff’s dogs round the block!

We then head to Esplanade Studios to bring the tracks to life, we talk about how the music evolved once our incredible musicians got their hands on it, moments of doubt, moments of trust…and how a mysterious washboard hanging on the wall turned out to be the...

In this episode we welcome our first guest, Chad Birmingham, a two-time Golden Reel award-winning Music Editor! (Song Sung Blue, Materialists, The Penguin, Past Lives, Emily in Paris)

Chad joins us to break down what a music editor actually does, his journey into the music industry, and what composers need to know when working with music editors. We dig into the love-hate relationships with temp tracks, and where AI might (or might not!) fit into the future of film scoring.

Chapters

0:00 Intro

1:53 What does a Music...

Join us next Thursday as we sit down with award-winning Music Editor Chad Birmingham (Materialists, The Penguin, Past Lives, Emily in Paris) to talk all things music editing, temp tracks and AI. 

🎧 New podcasts now coming every second Thursday! 

#newpodcast #musiceditor #composerpodcast #musicpodcast #filmmusic #filmmusicpodcast 

It's now 2018 and we travelled back to New Orleans for a 2nd time to record a new collection of songs for Audio Network. 

Part 2 of the series sees us  creating 3 great new albums covering New Orleans songs and brass band material.  

Find out how Jeff won a 10$ bet by writing a song about a sandwich, how we coaxed a bandful of musicians into singing one of our songs and how we cope with loud police officers in New York City..... 

If you haven't heard Part 1 of the series and want to catch up firs...

A quick heads up from Jeff and David about their forthcoming podcast - all about their 2nd time in the Big Easy - New Orleans....

This episode we’re stepping into a time machine to the 1940s! 

Join us as we dive into our Vintage Vocal Swing album, a collaboration with internationally renowned composer and vocalist Joanna Forbes L’Estrange. 

We walk through the whole process, from getting the brief to recording at Abbey Road studios while dressed up in full vintage gear.

Stick around until the end to see the brilliant 40s-style music video for ‘You Are’, featuring our fabulous costumes and Jeff’s even more fabulous dancing!

#podcast #musicpodcast #composerpodcast #productionmusic #librarymusic...

The Year is 2012. We pitched 30 production music tracks to our publisher Audio Network, across 6 genres. We expected them to accept a few., then they said yes to everything!

Where to even start?

This is the first of our series documenting our adventures recording in New Orleans. 

Part 1 takes us back to our first trip in 2012/2013 - looking at the writing, and recording process and the fun we had along the way!  From Jazz through Blues and Cajun, to an explanation of how we wrote a piece in 10 minutes at the end of a se...

The 3rd and final podcast in our series documenting the start to finish process in writing, recording and producing “Who’d Have Believed” from our new big band album “Keep on Movin’”

In this episode we cover the post production process!

Click link to stream Who'd have Believed:

https://linktr.ee/MeeganTobin

#musicpodcast #composer #composerpodcast #librarymusic #productionmusic #bigband #jazzmusic #filmmusic #tvmusic #filmcomposer #musicindustry

The second in a 3 part podcast, documenting the start to finish process in writing, recording and producing “Who’d Have Believed” from our new big band album “Keep on Movin’”

In this episode we cover recording the band at Abbey Road and going to L.A to record the vocals.

Click link to stream Who'd have Believed:

https://linktr.ee/MeeganTobin

#musicpodcast #composer #composerpodcast #librarymusic #productionmusic #bigband #jazzmusic #filmmusic #tvmusic #filmcomposer #musicindustry

The first in a 3 part podcast, documenting the start to finish process in writing, recording and producing “Who’d Have Believed” from our new big band album “Keep on Movin’”

In this episode we cover the brief we were given, the writing process, and how we created the demo.

Click link to stream Who'd have Believed:

https://linktr.ee/MeeganTobin

#musicpodcast #composer #composerpodcast #librarymusic #productionmusic #bigband #jazzmusic #filmmusic #tvmusic #filmcomposer #musicindustry

🎬 Go behind the curtain with us…
We’re kicking off a 3-part series that takes you inside the making of “Who’d Have Believed” — a track from our brand-new album Keep On Movin’.

From first notes to final mix, get the story straight from our podcast Two Composers, Two Continents. 🌍🎶

▶️ Listen to the trailer now & stay tuned!
#KeepOnMovin #BehindTheMusic #TwoComposersTwoContinents

This time around we discuss all things collaboration in the music indsutry, including why we even collaborate in the first place.

We talk about other collaborations we’ve had (or still have), the advantages of widening your network and how much stuff we have to do in a day!

We look at different types of collaborations and how to mesh different skillsets together.

Hear the story of how we recorded a full symphonic work for sync in 3 mins flat (no exaggeration)...

As always, if you want to check more of our st...

Welcome to the world of Jeff Meegan and David Tobin. 

We are Two Composers - Two continents.

Jeff was born and raised in the Windy City (Chicago if you’re British).

David is a Londoner that moved out as a kid and now lives in the rural bliss of West Yorkshire, UK.

This episode introduces you to who we are, what we do in the music industry from production music to film scoring, how we met, and the names of our first 4 track recorders…

If you want...