When you immerse yourself in a piece of art, be it a film, video game, or tv show – there tends to be one component that often doesn’t get the credit it deserves. And that piece, is the music.
A musical score can compel us, move us, and take us to places we never imagined going – supporting the visuals on screen and providing a sonic foundation for us to empathize with the characters and emotionally invest in what’s going on. It’s no secret that these media forms would be nothing without the music and that’s why creators place so much emphasis on getting this just right.
The fascinating thing though, is that these musical scores no longer require the wealth of infrastructure and equipment that they once did. When you hear a cinematic masterpiece that uses all the colors in the musical toolbox, you might imagine that creating those was a mammoth endeavor reserved only for those with the resources to do so. However, that’s just not the case. In today’s landscape, a composer or producer can create epic soundtracks with a minimalistic setup – allowing the ideas to come through without requiring significant investments in equipment.
Machi, a Canadian producer, composer, and musician is a great example of someone who does exactly that. Leveraging the tremendous advancements we’ve seen in music technology in the past few years, she has built an incredibly successful career for herself creating electronic music for video games, and indie films. The breadth of her work is staggering and some are surprised when they hear that it can all be created from her bedroom. Everything from her solo work up to her commissioned pieces for games and the like starts in a rather humble beginning – her home. From there, the music stretches its wings and has gone on to influence countless people through the art itself.
Seeing how many people gravitated to her story, she has been very intentional on social media, speaking up about her journey as a creator and helping to educate other producers that are emerging from this new white space. When you listen to her speak, you can hear that the music landscape has shifted. Without the barriers to entry that were once there, anyone who puts in the work and uses their unique creative spark can create truly breathtaking music from the comforts of their home. Machi lives that ideal out and carves a path for others to follow behind her.
It feels like just the other day we saw Billie Eilish take the world by storm with a chart-topping album created in a home studio without the resources of a major music label. Combine that with the proliferation of streaming services and the scaled distribution that they create and you have at your fingertips a path towards musical success that is only limited by your imagination.
This is not to say that any of this comes easy. Machi has worked incredibly hard on her craft and continues to put in the hours that she needs to stay on the cutting edge of electronic music. She has sought out mentors like John Oszajca and others who continue to feed her insatiable curiosity and hunger to keep improving. And all of this received mainstream attention when she was invited onto CBC news to talk about producing music during a pandemic.
All of this is to say that music is truly for everyone these days. Machi’s story is one of many – showing that if you’re a self-starter and you take your craft seriously, there is nothing stopping you from scoring and producing for the big brand names that so many aspire to work with. Her willingness to share her story authentically in the public square has helped numerous other musicians rediscover the joy of creating audio magic that can emote and lift a piece of art to its fullest potential.
It’s not about what equipment you have, or what studio you wish you had access to. A home-based studio can give you everything you need and more – without having to break the bank on the way there. In addition, all the resources and knowledge that you need to break into production are freely available and ready for consumption.
All that matters now is you. Are you going to follow in the footsteps of musicians like Machi? We sure hope so. Because the world needs fresh ideas, perspectives, and stories – and your voice deserves to be heard.