by Matt Baamonde.

My final semester is half over and my focus is already on my future after graduation. Finding work in an industry such as this in the midst of an economic crisis is proving to be as difficult as expected. There are always options- and I’m determined to find them- but the truth may be that I have to find work doing something else while I continue to search for work in the music industry.

Unfortunately what I’ve been hearing about being a composer in this industry is that often when films need to be scored, commercials to be composed, and jingles to be written, composers are undercutting each other’s prices to the point of doing work for free or even taking hits out of their own pockets. This is the only industry I know where a skill set such as this is so undervalued. The funny thing about it is that there is not a shortage of work; it’s simply that a few major composers are taking most of it.

While smaller opportunities have made themselves available, they are often accompanied by a lack of professionalism in the form of unanswered emails, unanswered phones, and misleading responses. It’s hard when you get your hopes up only to be lead into a gray area where you’ll wonder if they are stealing your work or not.

But, all is not dark at the moment. I’m taking classes I truly enjoy that are getting me real experience in the recording studio and preparing music for all forms of media and situations- such as Vocal Writing, Writing for Large Ensemble 2, Advanced Production for the Recording Studio. By the time I graduate I’ll have the skill set to arrange music for jazz bands, string orchestras and conduct them myself. I also have the software and hardware for a great personal studio and arsenal of great samples and loops to make professional full-productions.

My website has had major updates as well, if you have a few moments check out www.baazarmusic.com. Constructive comments would be appreciated. My demo reel is growing rapidly and I’m starting to have a great variety of on-call musicians who like to work with me.

The future is uncertain for me… I truly wonder where I’ll end up in the coming months, weeks and even days. In the meantime I remain cracking away little by little at my career! I love to work hard and am determined to make it.

Of course, if anyone out there in the great beyond has a need for a composer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, etc., please don’t hesitate to contact me.

On a more positive note, Berklee Alumni won 7 Grammy Awards in February, after garnering 29 nominations. Read more here and here!

It is inspirational to see how many Berklee grads have made it and I am hoping my day is coming…

That musical sound you just heard was me knocking on wood…

All the best,

Matt Baamonde