The Many Musical Heroes of Matthew Moore

Matthew Moore is a multi-talented composer and performer, and his music has been featured in films, adverts, documentaries and children’s TV. He has the unique ability to compose across a wide range of styles from full orchestral tracks to small quirky ensemble pieces.

His credits include: ‘Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve’ (BBC), Freeview ‘Laughter’ Advert, ‘Around the World in 80 Trades’ (Channel 4), ‘30 Minutes or Less’ (Jesse Eisenberg), ‘So You Think You Can Dance?’, ‘Come Dine with Me’, Cartoon Network, HBO, NBC.

In addition to being an accomplished musician, Matthew is also a highly skilled recording and mixing engineer. These skills are evident in his compositions, whether he uses real instruments or creates samples that sound as realistic as possible.

For more information: www.matthewmooremusic.co.uk

LBB> When you’re working on a new brief or project, what’s your typical starting point? How do you break it down, and how do you like to generate your ideas or responses?

Matthew> Mostly it’s getting inspired in some way or another (usually at random times!) and recording ideas on my phone – either whistling/singing or playing an instrument into the phone and then emailing it to myself.

I usually won’t listen to it for either a few hours or sometimes a few days. If at this point, I still think the idea is good, I’ll start sketching it out in Reaper. With the co-written tracks on this album, however, things worked a little differently.

Paul provided me with melodic themes (handwritten) as inspiration. I would play these into Reaper and think, “What could I do with them? What treatment could I give them?” I really enjoyed working this way. Paul is such a tunesmith. I loved getting a piece of music through the post and sitting down and playing through it!

LBB> Music and sound are in some ways the most collaborative and interactive forms of creativity - what are your thoughts on this? Do you prefer to work solo or with a gang, and what are some of your most memorable professional collaborations?

Matthew> I normally prefer to work solo, but this collaboration was different as it was with my brother (we’re both quite similar in our musical tastes), so it was almost like working with myself!

LBB> What’s the most satisfying part of your job and why?

Matthew> Watching the TV and then hearing one of my tracks! Also, coming back to tracks months, maybe even years after I’ve written them and going “Hey! That doesn’t sound too bad at all!”

LBB> As the advertising industry changes, how do you think the role of music and sound is changing with it?

Matthew> There seems to be a move away from jingles and using catchy/earworm music to represent a product or service.

I’m hoping that the days of saying “oh that’s the music from the so-and-so advert” come back, as I really think a catchy tune adds value to an advert – it drives brand recognition and creates a further mental association, a bit like a logo.

LBB> Who are your musical or audio heroes and why?

Matthew> Oh lord! So many!

I have such diverse musical tastes… I particularly love anyone who has spent time mastering their craft, who has an understanding of the theoretical side of music and sound as well as the aesthetic side.

Many of my heroes (though not all) have either studied at colleges or universities or have taught themselves theory– they go further up my chain of admiration because of that.

If you want a quick list: Rachmaninoff, Benny Goodman, Lachy Doley, Snarky Puppy, Jacob Collier, Couch, Oscar Petersen, Hank Marvin, Kenneth Leighton. From the sound world: Malcolm Addey, Geoff Emerick, Dan Worrall. All are highly skilled masters of their craft.

LBB> And when it comes to your particular field, are there any particular ideas or pioneers that you go back to frequently or who really influence your thinking about the work you do?

Matthew> Again, it varies depending on what I’m writing, but for more traditional film scores, I love John Williams – his way of writing melodies that don’t go where you expect but are proper earworms is amazing. I always try to write in a similar way – writing memorable tunes that perhaps go off in a very slightly unusual direction.

For this particular album, I was inspired by the music of Eric Rogers and Bruce Montgomery (the Carry On film composers). The way they represented the action on screen perfectly was just brilliant – the use of leitmotifs.

In terms of unusual rhythms, ‘Snarky Puppy’ all the way! In terms of sound, some of the guys and gals who I worked with in my early days and taught me the ropes, things they said have stuck with me and often pop into my head as I’m working.

LBB> When you’re working on something that isn’t directly sound design or music (let's say going through client briefs or answering emails) - are you the sort of person who needs music and noise in the background, or is that completely distracting to you? What are your thoughts on ‘background’ sound and music as you work?

Matthew> Always silent. If I have music on, I have to listen to it and concentrate, so yeah, it would distract me 100%.

LBB> I guess the quality of the listening experience and the context which audiences listen to music/sound has changed over the years. There’s the switch from analogue to digital, and now we seem to be divided between bad-ass surround-sound immersive experiences and on-the-go, low-quality sound (often the audio is competing with a million other distractions) - how does that factor into how you approach your work?

Matthew> I listen to my tracks on a variety of monitors when I can. Everything from my studio to earbuds.

Just to make sure it'll work no matter what the listener has. I try and make sure, even at a low level, that the bit I want the listener to focus on is still audible/prominent

LBB> On a typical day, what does your ‘listening diet’ look like?

Matthew> Again, it varies, but I usually end the day browsing YouTube looking for amazing musicians to listen to - those with incredible technical skills and high levels of musicianship. I find that inspiring.

LBB> Do you have a collection of music/sounds, and what shape does it take (are you a vinyl nerd, do you have hard drives full of random bird sounds, are you a hyper-organised Spotify-er…)?

Matthew> A mix of Sonos and vinyl, all carefully catalogued. For the past couple of years, I’ve most definitely favoured vinyl….I love that sound!

LBB> Let’s talk travel! It’s often cited as one of the most creatively inspiring things you can do - I’d love to know what the most exciting or inspiring experiences you’ve had when it comes to sound and music on your travels?

Matthew> Cuba – what an experience. Their music and dance is just part of everyday life.

Also, the Dominican Republic. Music everywhere! – every shop, every restaurant – bachata, bachata, bachata! Sound-wise – the amazing natural sounds of Dartmoor.

LBB> As we age, our ears change physically and our tastes evolve too, and life changes mean we don’t get to engage in our passions in the same intensity as in our youth - how has your relationship with sound and music changed over the years?

Matthew> I’m much less tolerant of poor quality or poorly written and produced music. A.I. produced music (with really poor harmony or melody) drives me mad. Additionally, it's concerning that some people don’t seem to notice how bad it is.