Expecto Patreon-um

One of the beautiful things about this early stage of my career is that since all of my clients have been exclusively independent (that is, not affiliated with a major film or game studio) I've kept the legal rights for many of my soundtracks.

This is becoming less rare and more rare at the same time; studios are cracking down on distribution ownership while composers are fighting to reclaim their rights to their own music. Recently renowned composer Danny Elfman has taken to scoring films for as little as $1 in order to keep the rights to his work, should he want to perform the music in concert or release it on an album.

Since my friend at Real Life Lore on Youtube has been using my music in his educational videos, which frequently get upward of one million views their first month, my traffic to SoundCloud and this website has been astronomical. It's been so very humbling to see fans of my music next door in Dallas, to all the way in Egypt.

At the end of the day, this is really why I write. To connect with people and speak that universal language. It's a beautiful and awesome thing.

Since then however I've received numerous requests for other YouTuber's and directors to use certain cues from SoundCloud in their videos. Licensing has always been on the back burner for me, especially as an emerging composer. But for whatever reason, the commercialization and sterility of music written to be used for anything was always a huge turn-off for me as an (wait for it) artist (gross).

So after some research and consultation with bearded monks atop a mountain in Europe, I've decided that I'd like to cut the middle man out of traditional licensing. I'll be starting a Patreon for anyone to donate any amount of money to; as little as $1. Donating will give you full permission to use my music from earlier games and films that are on my SoundCloud in any sort of video, as long as proper credit is given in the description. Below is how a few channels have done that:

I think we're in a great time for artistic endeavors; and like many opportune moments in history, the opportunities come with great challenges. I'd like to see more connectivity between both artists and their fans, and between creators and other creators. I want fans of my music to use it as they feel inspired to, and to feel comfortable reaching out to me to ask for it.

Hopefully that future involves me paying my electric bill as well.

-B