Thinking in Sound: Erik Lutz on Why There Will Always Be More to Learn
Erik Lutz is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles with over 14 years of experience in film, TV, and commercials. Most recently, Erik co-composed, along with Fall On Your Sword Composer Will Bates, the scores of two feature films, 'Birthrite', directed by Ross Partridge, and 'The Low End Theory', directed by Franciso Ordonez.
Erik’s extensive credits include writing additional music for numerous TV shows including; Hulu’s 'Class of ’09'; AMC’s 'The Mayfair Witches'; Netflix’s 'The Devil in Ohio'; Peacock’s 'The Lost Symbol'; Netflix’s 'Away'; Sc-Fy’s 'The Magicians'; Netflix’s 'Unbelievable'; CW’s 'In The Dark'; CW’s 'Charmed'; Netflix’s 'She-Ra and the Princess of Power'; and TNT’s 'The Last Ship'.
In addition to television, Erik contributed additional music for Neon’s 'Immaculate'; Sony Picture’s 'Dumb Money'; Blumhouse’s 'Delirium'; Vertical Entertainment’s 'Beyond Skyline'; Universal’s 'Killing Hasselhoff'; Universal’s 'The Purge Election Year'; and Universal’s 'The Purge Anarchy'.
Erik has also contributed music to several AAA video games including; 'Far Cry 6 DLC Insanity', 'Control', and 'Collapse'; Sony Bend’s 'Days Gone'; and 'Back for Blood'.
As a solo composer, Erik has composed music for the documentaries 'The Gamble House', directed by Don Hahn, and 'Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer', as well as the feature film Camp and tens of short films.
Erik has also composed music for commercials working with brands including; Canada Goose, Chevy, AT&T, Carling, and Dr. Scholl’s.
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 response?
Erik> I typically start a new brief by trying to connect with the primary emotion or feel of what the project entails. Then, I will begin to develop a musical palette around those ideas by creating new musical themes, textures, or snippets that I can grow and explore later.
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?
Erik> You know, for me the composing process is primarily a solo endeavour, but I do love collaborating when the opportunity arises. I often collaborate with other composers or musicians during projects. One of my favourite collaborations is working with Will Bates on musical cues; we bounce ideas back and forth and dial in the music cue's sound and emotion. We each get to bring a different flare, and it is a blast.
LBB> What’s the most satisfying part of your job and why?
Erik> I really love creating something new every day. One day I might be writing music for a gothic horror television show, and the next day, composing a hip-hop remix for an ad campaign; it's always a new challenge.
LBB> Who are your musical or audio heroes and why?
Erik> I started feeling inspired to create and dive into how music worked, as a young kid, after hearing Basil Poledouris's score for 'Free Willy'. I wanted to replay the melodies and figure out the intricacies of the harmonies. From there, I moved into a more creative space, composing my own music.
BasiI was just the start for me, I have several other musical heroes, including James Newton Howard, Dream Theater, Sting, Jacob Collier, Samual Barber, Snarky Puppy, and Thomas Newman. Cliff Martinez is also someone that I return to frequently. I enjoy his innovative analogue approach to things. He always inspires me to create new and interesting sounds and moods.
LBB> When you're working on something that isn't directly sound design or music (lets 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?
Erik> When listening to music (even if it is only in the background) my mind often drifts to what the theme is doing or asks how the composer created a particular sound or harmonic movement. Therefore, I struggle to be productive if I listen to music while trying to focus on non-music tasks. Background talking and ambient noise are not a bother to me though!
LBB> I guess the quality of the listening experience and the context that audiences listen to music/sound in 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?
Erik> I approach my work aiming for the highest quality, which often starts in the analogue world, dialling in a synth drone or arp. I always feel it is best to have as much of a human touch as possible, which, for me, starts in the analogue.
Regarding the quality gap, we are on the technological edge of these immersive surround-sound experiences being translated to mainstream consumer audio devices through 3D and spatial audio. High-quality work will always have the best chance of translating well to whichever devices you listen to.
LBB> On a typical day, what does your 'listening diet' look like?
Erik> I have a very intentional schedule of music consumption outside of work; I will spend a few hours a week listening to new releases, listening to artists I enjoy, or exploring a random song wormhole to discover new tunes and vibes. Outside of that, I tend always to have a podcast or audiobook in my ears!
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…)?
Erik> I am relatively organised with my music library. Knowing where to look for sounds and keeping things organised is something that I find enjoyable.
I do have a “digital” junk drawer though, where I tend to throw misc sounds and instruments that I make while I am writing music. I go through the “digital” junk drawer every few months and organise the sounds and instruments into more helpful folders!
Most of my media lives in the digital realm, although I have a significant collection of CDs, and I recently started a small vinyl inventory; my wife has asked me to keep it limited.
LBB> Outside of the music and sound world, what sort of art or topics really excite you and do you ever relate that back to music (e.g. history buffs who love music that can help you travel through time, gamers who love interactive sound design… I mean it really could be anything!!)
Erik> I love listening to a good podcast or a fantastic audiobook. I recently listened to 'Ready Player One' by Ernst Cline, read by Will Wheaton. It was an excellent narrative performance by Wheaton, and the story was highly captivating. The 15-hour audiobook went by in a blink of an eye. I also enjoy playing video games. I appreciate the gaming experience and being immersed in a fantastic interactive story with incredible sound design and score. One additional hobby I have is solving logic puzzles.
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 are the most exciting or inspiring experiences you've had when it comes to sound and music on your travels?
Erik> My wife and I recently travelled to Norway with my parents. Sailing the majestic fjords and seeing the vast landscapes under the northern lights had a tremendous emotional impact on me. Norway inspired me to create and has had a lasting impact on my music and creative process. It was a unique experience to hear the music of the native Sami people and learn about their culture. We also had the privilege of meeting several other outstanding musical performers on the trip.
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?
Erik> I used to be intimidated by how much there is to learn regarding music and sound. Still, as I have aged a bit, I have learned to appreciate fully, that no matter how much time I put into studying and mastering music and sound, there will always be more to learn.
I also feel that I have been able to engage more passionately in my hobbies as I have gotten older. I am much more intentional about how I spend my time and what activities I am actively pursuing. I am looking forward to continuing to explore how time affects my relationship with sound and music.
