The Role of Music Supervisors in the Music Industry
Understanding the importance & under appreciation of music supervisors.
Music has always been an integral part of the entertainment business. From the early days of silent films to the modern era of streaming platforms, music has played a crucial role in enhancing the viewing experience for audiences. While music is often associated with the artists who create it, there is another group of professionals in the music industry who are responsible for bringing music to the masses: music supervisors.
In recent years, the role of music supervisors has become increasingly important, and their influence can be seen in everything from blockbuster movies to hit TV shows. In this article, we will explore the role of music supervisors in the music world, including their history, responsibilities, and impact on the industry as a whole.
What Is a Music Supervisor?
In the age of streaming services, music supervisors have taken on a significant role in the entertainment industry. With the emergence of platforms like Netflix, which release entire seasons at once, the demand for content has skyrocketed, requiring more songs to meet this need. This has made the job of music supervisors more crucial, as they help streaming services discover new and fresh artists, aiding them in distinguishing themselves from their competitors.
Music supervisors are a crucial part of the game. They are in charge of every concerning music-related aspect of film, television, video games, advertising, and any kind of visual recording. This involves selecting a suitable preexisting song to enhance the atmosphere in a scene of a movie or choosing an appropriate piece for an advert.
Besides, music supervisors are aware of how to negotiate the rights and costs of the license of a track meaning they have links and connections with record labels, licensing representatives, music publishers, and artists as well.
Therefore, they not only choose the music and make deals with the track’s owners but might also draw up a production's list of musical credits, maintain cue sheets, and take part in spotting sessions. To do this, music supervisors get involved in decisions such as the placement of the song within a specific scene which results in meetings with directors, music editors, and also composers.
Even though these aspects seem to be a lot of work for a single person, the responsibilities of a music supervisor don’t finish there. When it comes to management and technical issues, music supervisors are expected to offer high-quality services. In addition to that, they should provide proven experience in this field to show their reliability and influence. What is more, these agents must have extended knowledge and skills in all areas of music production, from the pre-production stage to post-production.
As mentioned earlier, music supervisors are responsible for identifying and securing collaborations with music-related talents including songwriters, recording artists, orchestrators, arrangers, and music engineers among others. However, they not only contact these talents, music supervisors negotiate contracts for the offered service.
History of Music Supervisors: Origins and Current Era
Music Supervisor is a term that might be well-known nowadays but that does not mean that it refers to a recent profession. Actually, music supervisors (perhaps not yet called that way) appeared alongside the creation of visual media.
Music has been used in film since the early days of silent cinema. At first, it was used to mask the noise of the projector. As time passed, the practice of accompanying films with music evolved, and composers were eventually hired to create instrumental soundtracks featuring the scenes projected. However, movies started to use popular, famous songs.
The inclusion of hit songs was found to increase viewership and song purchases which resulted in the emergence of music supervisors in the 1980s. With the raise of the business, licensing songs for use in film scenes became important for directors and producers, developing the figure of music supervisors to meet this need.
Over the past decade, synchronization licensing has become a significant way for artists to gain exposure and earn money. Collaborating with a music supervisor can provide an opportunity for independent artists to reach a wider audience. This resulted in the creation of soundtracks and Moby's album Play is recognized for being the first to have all its tracks licensed for synchronization.
In recent years, the rise of music supervisors has been nothing short of meteoric. If you're an artist looking to get your music out there, it's important to understand the growing significance of music supervisors in the entertainment industry. In the current times, organizations like the Guild of Music Supervisors have been working hard to promote understanding and recognition of this vital craft.
The guild even grants awards for excellence in music supervision and encourages other institutions to do the same. As the use of music in media continues to be a key marketing strategy, the role of the music supervisor is likely to become even more significant.
The Importance of Music Supervisors For Indie Artists
Music supervision is essential in the music entertainment industry because they play an important role in fulfilling musical criteria for audiovisual productions. This includes sourcing, recommending, and listing commercial songs for the project’s production, creating original tracks, re-recording when needed and even providing entire supervision of the original music scores.
Moreover, these professionals are in charge of budget management. Music supervisors negotiate music licenses, ensure the proper distribution of royalties through cue sheets and manage meetings with directors and producers as well as composers, musicians, and songwriters.
Music supervisors also oversee the soundtrack of TV shows or films side by side with showrunners and creators to establish rights. A music supervisor needs to have a broad knowledge of different musical styles and genres in order to find the best fit for each project. In some situations, they take the reins when finding a capable composer is needed.
Music supervisors are quintessential due to selecting the right music cues for a soundtrack can be a key factor and make the audiovisual project reach greatness. Up to this point is when indie artists must pay attention to the role of music supervisors because if the show succeeds, the group or artist can be pushed into the public eye.
Therefore, placing a song in a film or a show can be one of the best ways to gain popularity and exposure. Thanks to the music supervisor, the band will be credited properly and receive the right royalties for their music employed in productions.
How to Reach Out to a Music Supervisor: Aspects to Bear In Mind
When taking the decision of contacting a music supervisor it is important to clarify certain issues. First, you need to ensure that your music is of good quality and that copyright aspects are cleared. Then, be sure that the supervisor you are going to hire has the proper abilities and proven experience required. There’s no point in getting in contact with someone who lacks bonds in the industry and has poor supervising skills.
Once you find a competent professional suitable for the position and your tracks are listed, it is time to work on your qualification as an artist. Nowadays it is simpler to contact a supervisor, you can reach out to them via email or social networking sites.
However, you must know that blindly sending direct messages like “Hey! Listen to my music!” wouldn’t be a smart choice at all. If you do that, you will be wasting your time and the supervisors too. A good way to do it instead is to think wisely about how to show your product and be persistent and polite. By doing so, you may don't get a contract right away, but the music supervisor may consider your music for future projects.
Furthermore, when reaching a music supervisor is crucial to keep your email short and sweet. Before contacting a professional, think of your intentions. Ask yourself what you want to get from him, what you want to say, and who you need to reach to meet your expectations. Try to find a supervisor who has experience working with groups that share music styles and genres with you. This will ensure a better outcome in listing your music.
Last but not least, to contact a supervisor directly, you should also consider attending industry events, and music festivals or cultivating a dedicated following for your music. By doing this, you can increase the likelihood of supervisors taking notice of your work without appearing too pushy.