ALWAYS Include a Breakdown: Rule Or Myth?

This post is super short. It’s also very important if you’re writing Production Music.

 

I had a great email this week from a composer who has taken the “Library Music That Sells” course and watched the recently added “Deep Dive” video walk-through of one of my tracks that has done well for me regarding placements.

Here was his question:

 

“Are breakdowns something we should ALWAYS have in our tracks across all genres?”

 

Great question.

So no, you don’t strictly need a track to have a breakdown for it to be usable. I’ve written Library Music without breakdowns in that have done well for me and, of course, you might put a breakdown in a track only for the editors of a show not to actually need or use that section at all.

But…

…and it’s a big but…

…if you can musically put one in, then most definitely do it.

 

Let This Mantra Be Your Guide

 

I’d think of it more overall as a mindset when you’re approaching writing a Library Music track. By that, I mean that the question you should be asking yourself is, “How could I approach and develop this track in a way that is of most use to the people editing my music to a show?”

The above question is GOLD when it comes to writing Library Music.

 

Remember, you’re not writing this track for you, or even for it to be listened to as a stand alone entity. You’re creating something to be easily synced to what’s going on to picture.

 

For some tracks, that’s a constant build, layer by layer. Others suit a breakdown. Some both. If you can musically get a little breakdown section in, always do that! Its all about you giving them options.

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We cover a whole bunch of those options (not just breakdowns!) in the Library Music That Sells course. Plus. I walk you through the most successfully licensed tracks that I (and other pro composers) have written, to really give you insight into ideas you can apply immediately into your own writing. Click on the courses tab above for more info.