Music composition: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering music composition

Composition clients need music that fits their picture and a clear agreement on rights. Show that you watch the picture closely, agree the approach before writing the full score, and set out ownership and use in writing.

What customers ask

  • Can you write music that fits my picture?
  • Will you deliver stems?
  • Who owns the music?
  • How many revisions are included?
  • Can you use live musicians?
  • What happens if the picture changes?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask for the picture, the purpose of the music, the timings and the rights needed, then say where the music should be most distinctive.
  • Ask for the picture, the timings and any temporary music, and send a short sketch of one theme for the client to approve before the full score.
  • Show a sample cue with the picture or the mood noted, so the client sees how the music supports a scene.
  • Put the cues, the versions, the stems, the live recording and the revision rounds into the quote, so the client knows what is included.
  • Confirm the timings and the final picture lock in writing before the full score, so the music is written once.
  • Agree the ownership and the rights for each use in writing before composing.

What to put on your profile

  • Sample cues or scores with the picture type and use noted, shared with permission.
  • Types of music you write, such as film, games, advertising or live performance.
  • Your process: spotting, sketches, composition, recording and delivery.
  • The instruments, sound libraries and recording setup you use, listed accurately.

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer alternate cuts or shorter versions of the music for other uses in the project.
  • Suggest a plan for music across a series, so the theme and the sound stay consistent.
  • Offer to adapt the music for a live performance or a second project, under the agreed rights.

Licenses and permits

Music composition is not commonly licensed, so you usually do not need a license to offer it. Check with your state or local licensing agency for business registration, and keep a written agreement that names the cues, the versions, the ownership, the rights for each use and the revision rounds.

Questions

How do I show I can write music that fits a picture?

Share a sample cue with the scene or mood noted, and explain how the music follows the picture. Clients can see the fit in the sample.

Should I write music that sounds like a famous film score?

Write original music. You can describe the mood or the instruments the client likes, but do not copy the melody or a distinctive passage of an existing score.

How do I handle a client who wants full ownership?

Agree the terms in writing, including what the client may do and what you keep, such as the right to show the work in your portfolio. Quote any broader rights separately.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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