TEACHING
Last year -- July 2021 -- I got a call super late at night, around 11PM NYC time. My fiancée and I were in the middle of watching Ted Lasso (any Jason Sudeikis fans in the house?) and I almost didn’t pick up the phone.
But, curiosity got the better of me … it said “LA area code” on the caller ID, so I figured “eh why not.”
I picked up the phone, and turns out that a good friend and colleague of mine had referred me to write some music for The Masked Singer on FOX, and they needed a chart on “Singing In The Rain” done by the next morning — AKA they needed the whole thing done in 10 hours.
… 🤯
I haven’t told a lot of people this, but one of my first gigs out of college was working at a jingle house called “JinglePunks.” I was pumping out music for some pretty cool shows like Impractical Jokers, Real Housewives, Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, and a few others.
The thing about those shows though was that they usually don’t ask for *specific* music, so you end up writing to more of a particular vibe than anything else.
This commission from Masked Singer was super precise I think I still have that original email somewhere ...
The arrangement had to start off by quoting the hook from the original 1952 Gene Kelly version, include a tap dance interlude at the top of the second time through the melody, modulate up by a half step for the last verse, and it had to be exactly one minute and forty-nine seconds long.
Did I mention that this all had to be orchestrated for studio orchestra? That’s a full 17 piece big band, plus string section.
Long story short — I stayed up all night, finished the chart, and it aired on TV a few months later. I guess it was pretty good, because the TV network team that hired me in the first place kept asking me to write more charts! You never know where an opportunity might lead you.
And the truth is that the majority of my commissions for TV come in a huge rush like that. And if I wasn’t able to output high quality arrangements and orchestrations in an extremely limited amount of time — I just wouldn’t get hired for those gigs. It’s literally that simple.
As for the jazz world? It's not even that different. Many of the artists I work with contact me within 1 week of needing music for their performance or recording session. It’s not crazy or anything, it's ... just the way things are.
Now imagine you are in the same position — having to create from scratch this massive arrangement on an extremely tight deadline. How would you feel? You’d probably think, “there’s no way I could do this.”
I know how that feels. I’ve felt that before.
Don’t get me wrong — I love taking my time when I’m writing. But still, the question remains — “how?” How do you write a big band chart that fast? And how do you actually make it sound good in that amount of time?
I’ve spent years developing the ability to produce under the tightest demands imaginable. Whether it’s an original composition for one of my records, an arrangement for a fellow artist / colleague, or even a chart for The Masked Singer — I know that I will pull it off. 💪🏻
And in fact, for the first time ever — I am pulling back the curtains and sharing my proprietary way of composing, arranging, and orchestrating … so if you ever find yourself in a similar position, you will say "YES!" rather than turn down a potentially life-changing opportunity.
So if this sounds like you ... if you want to be able to confidently say YES! to these opportunities instead of saying "thanks but the deadline is too short" ... if you want to write music that is closer to your heart in every single way possible ... then click below to apply for a time to meet with me as soon as possible.
Musically yours,
Steven
“Steven is truly a special educator. His ability to answer any musical question with breadth and depth to his response is extremely enriching as a student. While studying together, I have seen my musicianship grow substantially - I leave every lesson feeling inspired, and grateful for such a wonderful teacher!”
“Steven is a master musician and artist. Since taking lessons from him my playing has improved significantly and he’s taught me a lot about arranging as well. I felt like the investment I made into Steven’s lessons was one of those investments that will last a lifetime.”
“Steven is not only a great player but also an amazing teacher. His ability to push and motivate while staying supportive and uplifting is special.”
“Throughout our time working together, Steven has been a wonderful mentor. He is incredibly supportive and knowledgable in any facet of music we discuss - I am a better musician and person today as a result of our lessons.”
⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️