At the Scoring Stage with Blake Neely

Tim Davies conducting

This week I had the incredible pleasure of being invited to a session of composer Blake Neely at Warner Brothers studios. Blake is fantastic composer who has made a niche in TV, currently scoring three hit TV shows: The Mentalist, Brothers and Sisters, and, the session I was attending, No Ordinary Family. The show has a budget for a weekly session of about 50 players (strings, woodwinds, brass, timpani, and harp) - a dream gig for any composer. Blake's session was everything I like about Blake - organized, calm, and a total blast. Everyone was at ease, laughing, having a good time, and reveling in the music-making process. My kind of session.

I can't tell you how inspiring it is to see working composers using live musicians on a weekly basis. It is a rare treat that I hope is on its way back to becoming the standard in our business. TV is a serious test in speed and organization for composers, particularly when sessions are involved. Typically one has a week or less between when one gets the final cut of the show and when one gets on the scoring stage. It is nuts - there is no room for sloppiness. Sessions move lightning fast in order to get what needs to be done done. Blake's session went off without a hitch - utterly professional, no messing around. Definitely something to admire and to strive for.