Music is one of the prime story drivers in video.

Especially for commercials.

With only minutes to get the right message across, the soundtrack has a lot of heavy lifting to do.

And its job is never the same.

Sometimes the music is front and center – driving the creative. 

One perfect lyric could be the tagline for a client’s entire campaign.

Sometimes its job is more subtle — but just as vital.

Like music layered quietly under a voiceover to create the perfect vibe for an entire piece.

Whichever its task, it always drives a narrative. 

It always tells some story. 

And it always evokes emotion.

When you hire professional musicians to create a custom soundtrack, you’re inviting them to help tell your story.

It’s a big responsibility. And it’s an honor to be trusted with the job.

It’s also smart of you. Because musicians are great storytellers.

 

Why We Want to See Your Face: The Benefits of Doing A Music Search Together

For us to help you, first we need to understand your story. And we need to understand the way you want to tell it.

How do we do that?

We’ve found that hands down, there is one way that works best.

It’s the fastest, most efficient, and most rewarding way to collaborate on a composition with a client.

What is it?

The simple act of listening together, In Real Time (IRT).

It’s not always possible to meet IRL (In Real Life). But we do have the technology to meet face-to-face — no matter what.

And that’s one of our biggest secrets for success. 

Here’s why…

 

Clear and Honest Communication Wins Every time

It may sound quaint, but there really is no substitute for one-on-one communication.

A little human contact goes a long, long way…

Ever regret having an important conversation via text?

You can’t read tone. You can’t see facial expressions. You waste time going back and forth trying to clarify what you mean. Usually, at least one person ends up frustrated, dissatisfied, and unheard.

That’s what doing a music search without “IRT” is like.

There’s no reason it has to be that way.

We can say that with complete confidence, because —like much of the world — we’ve become recent Zoom pros. We’ve found time and time again that you can collaborate faster “in person” — even online.

That’s because communication flows more easily when you and your music team do a music search together.

You can fine-tune that perfect message… that ultimate tagline… that certain vibe…  until it’s tweaked *just* right.

There’s a flow of creative energy that ebbs and builds when you work In Real Time.

 

Opus Orange has just released their incredible new single, Breaking Mirrors. Mixed by Tucker Martine (Modest Mouse, Sufjan Stevens, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Neko Case and more) and Masterd by Doug Van Sloun (Focus Mastering), Breaking Mirrors is a true indie-rock anthem. Directed by Bernard Chadwick (Loud Forest), the video puts the usually camera-shy frontman, PB, front and center. In Bernard’s own words, the video is “a poetic montage of what it feels like to try to break free from a certain kind of anxiety.” Watch the video below and make sure to like, comment, and share across all social media platforms.

Personnel…

Katie Hampton: Vocals

James Neil: Drums

Alex Strahle: Electric Guitar

Carlen Walth: Bass

Tucker Martine: Mixing Engineer

Doug Van Sloun: Mastering Engineer

Tanner Teale: Artwork

Can You Really Nail the Right Creative on “Just A Demo?” 

We’ll be blunt: Nope. 

You can’t. 

Not with the “traditional” way most people work anyway. 

First off, it’s never “just a demo.”

Or at least it shouldn’t be.

Unless of course you like to waste time, throw money out the window, and dwell in a frustrating swamp of miscommunication. 

But are there some concrete ways to squeeze the most juice out of the initial discovery session for a new project?

We’re so glad you asked.

Because we’ve fine-tuned super successful strategic hacks that save our clients time, money, and frustration. 

Through careful planning, and a meticulously crafted vision… 

Oh, who are we kidding. 

Through trial and error, a whole lot of wasted time, and a bunch of expensive mistakes― we finally figured out what works.

Since PB needs a break from belting misquoted 80s lyrics in the bathroom and Schultz is waiting on his espresso delivery, we figured we’d take a minute to share a few insights. 

Hopefully this sneak peek into our process helps you the next time you’re ready to collaborate on a custom composition for your next project.

We hope these tips help you in the quest for conceiving the perfect creative. We think they can make music-making more productive, more economical, and less frustrating. 

They certainly did for us and our clients.

How one tweak changed everything

Once we made this one, small change in how we approached a project, everything else kinda fell in line. 

In hindsight, it should have been more obvious. 

But since we constantly see so many others still making the same mis-step, we figured it was time to speak up and share some insight. 

Hack #1: Shift the Communication Model

Maybe you’ve already heard this famous quote: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Kinda sums up round after round (after round… after round… after round…) of passing digital files back and forth with a new client.

Being able to translate words and musical descriptions into someone’s actual creative vision is mostly an art. But what if you could turn it into a science?

You can. In fact, that’s exactly what we did.

We created a process so simple, it’s almost silly. 

Look, it’s unavoidable that creating the right custom soundtrack for someone else starts out by playing some twisted musical version of Marco Polo.

But if we only took stabs in the dark, we’d create a lot of unnecessary grief for the whole team. And likely a lot of frustration for our clients.

That’s why we threw “industry norms” out the window and started following our gut instincts.

How? We skip the back and forth demo bullshit and work together with our clients from the start.

Because as you’ve probably experienced yourself, *trying* to interpret what another human means can take a lot of time-consuming trial and error.

Why not start making music in real time, and give instant feedback ―before your hired gun runs miles and miles down the wrong road?

We’ll go a little deeper into our process in our next blog, so keep your eyes peeled for more specific tips on how to start benefiting from this tweak yourself.

Honestly, we’re kinda surprised someone else didn’t think of this before us. It’s a game changer.

Hack #2: Trust Your Composer’s Genius –  It’s What You’re Paying Them For

If you wanted some generic, pre-packaged, boring filler, you wouldn’t have hired a pro in the first place. 

After all, with today’s technology it’s not like you don’t have a hundred other options.

(It goes without saying your go-to team needs to check their egos at the door before they even think about walking into the studio. After all, they’re not creating their own personal opus. Their #1 job is to bring your vision to life. This should be a given.)

But remember, you did reach out to a bona-fide artist for a reason.

Never underestimate their unique ability to help get you where you dream to be. They have a trained ear and particular skill set lost on non-musicians. 

Look for someone who owns that. Humbly.

Hack #3: Don’t Sweat Having the “Perfect” Musical Lexicon.

It’s impossible, so don’t spend too much time stressing over it.

When it comes to describing music, there really isn’t one right or wrong way to do it.

One person’s “brighter guitars” is another person’s “can you make this more pop-y?”

Very few folks share any common definitions when it comes to talking about their musical vision. 

We guarantee your composer has heard the same words you think are vivid, specific, and clear to describe pretty much the opposite of what you actually want.

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to stress over finding the perfect descriptive adjective.

Remember, our unique gift as musicians is that we’re blessed with the ability to hear things differently than other people.  

It’s how we bring your artistic vision to life. We have the power to read through the musical lines and dig out that sonic gold you’ve been trying to mine.

Once we get to know your particular vocabulary, we’ll have a shortcut to getting you the sound you want – faster and more accurately. 

But we never make the fatal mistake that any musical lexicon is universal. To get the right track, we figure out our client’s unique dictionary every time. 

Want More Words of Wisdom from Emoto Music? 

We hope those three tips help you birth creative visions faster, easier, and cheaper. 

Want more insight on how to get the best custom commercial music made? Have a mistaken 80s song lyric you need corrected? Need tips on brewing the perfect espresso?

Make sure you’re on our mailing list. We’re gonna be coming at you with more hard-learned tips, unsolicited advice, and commercial music-making gold. 

If you’ve been watching the new PeopleTV show, then you’ve heard some Emoto magic! PB worked with Warner Chapell Music on the new intro theme for PeopleTV. It’s funky, it’s fun and it’s just *perfect* for the show. Make sure to catch it streaming for free, weeknights at 7:00 PM ET. 

Here’s something cool from 2020 we at Emoto can reflect back fondly on – Emoto Alumn (both intern; then staff composer), Ryan Elder, keeps taking the torch higher and higher. We’ve always known his work on Rick and Morty was award-winningly stellar, and in 2020 the show garnered more accolades with it’s 2nd Emmy win for Outstanding Animated Program. We’re just waiting to see what more the Academy has in store for Ryan in the years to come. Congratulations Ryan!

Columbia Sportswear new “Warm Smarter” campaign was a tight collaboration between Emoto Music, 740 Sound and San Francisco-based, 215 McCANN. Produced in real-time on a Zoom final recording session, these spots feature various curious critters crashing on your favorite campsites.

Clif Bar & Company and Emoto Music have partnered again to create Clif’s new “Sustained Energy” campaign, featuring tennis phenom Venus Williams and USWNT legend, Megan Rapinoe. Written by Stuart Rau and arranged by Paul Bessenbacher, the music puts viewers right in the middle of the action. These spots are sure to get you out of your seat!

Emoto Music teamed up with Merkley + Partners advertising agency to develop “Fortune Teller,” as part of Mercedes-Benz USA’s 2020 ad campaign. Co-written by Alex Kovacs and Paul Bessenbacher, with sound design by 740 Sound, Emoto’s contribution fully captures the mystery of the car buying experience. Check out the spot below!

When we’re not closing down Sunday brunch’s, mixologizing (made up) variations on the Vieux Carre or baking sourdough bread from hundred-year old starter, you’ll likely find us at any of the local farmer’s markets. Local, in season and keeping small farmers afloat is one of our many passions. So imagine how thrilled we were to have the opportunity to work with Serena Creative on a package of public service announcements for Food Forward – “fighting hunger and preventing food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people in need and inspiring others to do the same”.

Check out the :60 spot directed by Ric Serena, music by PB, mixed by Durand Trench, location sound by Stan Gonzales!

 

Having to keep this hush-hush during production, we are now thrilled to share our Twilight Zone Super Bowl promo for the upcoming reboot with Jordan Peele, premiering on CBS All Access. With the internet all atwitter immediately after it aired, the video racked up over 1M views in under a day.

Directed by Ric Serena with sound design by Durand Trench, PB’s mysterious score alludes throughout to the iconic Twilight Zone theme, culminating at the end with the original theme as we all know it.

Emoto worked with the music department and creative team at Deutsch LA for the Taco Bell “Desperate Dinners” radio campaign, featuring a 90s-era jingle that updates frequently. The Emoto Group-Three Singers record tongue-in-cheek tongue-twisters for both the general market and multi-cultural versions that included spots like “Cupful of Ramen”, “Boyfriend-Made Dinner”, and “Overly Ambitious Dinner”. What’s on the menu at your home tonight?  Will it be breakfast for dinner or possibly pasta!

Check out a quick medley featuring some of the work below!

Broad City is the latest show to license music from Opus Orange’s library. The second of the two tracks, “Take Your Time” can be heard in the episode “Bedbugs,” airing for the first time on Wednesday, Nov. 29th at 7:30pm EST / 10:30pm PST. In this episode #409 “a fancy new bag gives Abbi confidence during unemployment. Ilana and Jaimé deal with an inevitable New York City nightmare: bedbugs.” Previously licensed on October 25th for episode #406 was the single, “When I Look In Your Eyes.”

This will be Opus Orange’s second placement on the half-hour scripted series on Comedy Central adapted from the critically acclaimed web series created by and starring Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer as 20-something best friends who are trying to navigate life in New York, despite that their adventures always seem to lead down unexpected and bizarre paths. They have very little money, but they are survivors who aren’t afraid to throw themselves into sticky situations, no matter how messy the end results may be. Jacobson and Glazer both honed their comedy chops at New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. UCB co-founded Amy Poehler is an executive producer on the series and joins Fred Armisen, Rachel Dratch, Janeane Garofalo, Michelle Hurst, Jason Mantzoukas and Amy Sedaris, among others, as guest stars.

Children’s book author/illustrator Jennie Palmer muses on the balance of parenthood and creative ambition.

 

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Directed/Shot/Cut by Ric Serena
Still Photography by Jen Serena
Produced by Serena Creative
Music by Paul Bessenbacher
Illustrations by Jennie Palmer
First AC: Miles Custer
Location Sound: Stan Gonzales
Additional assistance by Mauricio Hoyos

Emoto’s Paul Bessenbacher partnered with LA drummer John Robinson (Daft Punk, Quincy Jones, Micheal Jackson) on this latest spot for Cox Extreme Internet from Doner Detroit.  Cartwheels, backflips, hoverboards, trampolines and banister slides all in one continuous take.

Emoto’s Paul Bessenbacher worked with director, Dave Meyers and Dolly Singh, founder and CEO of Thesis Couture on their latest NSFW film:  The status quo is no longer acceptable to the women of this generation. We must elevate our expectations, to elevate our experience. We must Break Through and find our thrones.

 

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Emoto featured artists Loud Forest and Opus Orange are performing on June 30! Join us for this summer concert at one of our favorite venues as we celebrate the debut of Loud Forest’s latest single “I’m Not Your Girl.”

Show Details:

When: Friday, June 30, 2017 @ 8PM

Where: Legge Alley Projects 93 E. Union St., Pasadena, CA

RSVP Here!

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Emoto featured artist, Opus Orange is perfoming an intimate acoustic show on Friday, June 2. Hosted at a private loft in the Fashion District of Downtown LA, the performance will be filmed as part of a featured segment for a Chinese travel program.

Seating is limited so please RSVP to confirm your spot on the list today!

Emoto featured artist, Loud Forest, has released a remix of their track “If Words Had Power” in collaboration with The Human Touch.

Check out “If Words Had Power (THE HUMAN TOUCH REWORK)” below.

Emoto Music’s Paul Bessenbacher is partnering with Matt Bowen to compose the soundtrack to a new documentary titled “My Indiana Muse.” This project is another collaboration with director Ric Serena and tells the story of artist Robert Townsend as he makes a deeper connection with the subject of his series of large paintings.

Check out the trailer to the documentary below, featuring PB’s score.

Produced by Serena Creative, Inc.

Directed & Shot by Ric Serena

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Emoto Music’s latest commercial, “Ready to Play,” developed in collaboration with BBDO Atlanta was featured in AdWeek. The PSA, created for Baseball for All, features a beautifully re-arranged acoustic recording of John Fogerty’s classic, “Centerfield.” This project featured Emoto’s Paul Bessenbacher serving as Arranger and Paul Schultz as Executive Producer.

Check out the spot below or read the full article on AdWeek here.

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Friends of Emoto, Serena Creative, partnered with Opus Orange and created a stunningly beautiful, stop-motion animation music video for “Let You Down” from their latest album “Anatomic” released earlier in 2016.

Produced by Serena Creative
Directed and Animated by Ric Serena
Character Design by Vaj Potenza

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Emoto Music’s Opus Orange will be embarking on a three day tour in New York from September 14-16, starting with a Mondo.NYC Artist Showcase at The Hall and followed by shows at a secret venue with Sofar Sounds and wrapping up at The Delancey! Here’s a full itinerary of their shows below:

  • The Hall, Williamsburg, Wednesday 9/14
  • Sofar Sounds, Manhattan, Thursday 9/15
  • NYU Live, Manhattan, Friday 9/16
  • The Delancey, Manhattan, Friday 9/16

For more details or to RSVP, contact paul@emotomusic.com for a special spot on the guest list!

Mondo.NYC is an annual business summit, festival and digital platform bringing together music, technology and innovation in the most vibrant city in the world. Mondo launches September 14-18, 2016 in New York City with a business summit hosted at New York University and live music showcases presented at venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn. At Mondo.NYC, music fans, artists, tech pioneers and entertainment professionals converge to celebrate music, technology and the entertainment industry.

Mondo

Emoto Music featured artists, Opus Orange and Loud Forest, are performing an intimate and experimental ‘quiet show’ on Saturday, 8/27 at the Legge Alley Projects! Rounding out the lineup is friend of Emoto, Elkke (formerly known as Emy Reynolds Band)!

Admission is FREE and guaranteed to be an unique musical experience! RSVP here.

Quiet Show

Emoto Music lent it’s talents to frequent collaborators, The Muir Project, for their latest release NOATAK: Return to the Arctic which is now available on Vimeo in 4K. Scored by Emoto’s Paul Bessenbacher and Matt Bowen, this short film premiered at the 2016 Banff Mountain Film Festival and has screened with the Wild & Scenic Film Festival Tour, Dances With Films and most recently the G2 Green Earth Film Festival!

Directed & Shot by Jason Fitzpatrick, Jen Serena & Ric Serena

Emoto Music’s featured artist, Loud Forest recently enjoyed their first airplay on the World Famous KROQ for their song “True Love/True Love” during Rodney On The Roq, hosted by the legendary KROQ DJ Rodney Bingenheimer! Listen to Loud Forest’s “True Love/True Love” below and check out the full playlist from the July 25 show here!

But that’s not all from our favorite rockers, their self-titled and self-released debut album “Loud Forest” recently charted at number 6 last week on FMQB’s Submodern Album chart! See the full chart from the week of August 3 below.

Loud Forest-FMBQ Submodern Album

Emoto Music featured artist, Opus Orange, recently recorded an acoustic EP, Lost Canyon Recordings, on an iPhone while in Sequoia National Park! The EP features three tracks from their album Anatomic and is available exclusively on Curensea.

Check out a preview of the album below with the track “Radio Silence.”

Emoto Music’s featured artist, Loud Forest, recorded a 360 music video for their song “Loneliness Is Making Us Wild” at their album release party in May 2016! For the optimal 360 viewing experience, check it out on your smart phone!

Filmed by 360Trooper

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Emoto Music’s featured artist, Opus Orange, has released the lyric video to “Not Ready” off their latest album “Anatomic” and the song has received several great reviews in the past week from The RevueIndie ShuffleMusic Host Network and Obscure Sound!

This is the latest in a series of lyric videos directed and produced by Ric Serena of Serena Creative. You can catch all of the previous lyric videos on the Opus Orange YouTube channel!

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Emoto Music is excited to share a collection of photos of the LIA 2015 edition of “The Book.” We are honored to have our Silver Award for Original Music Underscore for the GE “Ideas” commercial documented along with all the other award-winning work from LIA 2015.

For this project, we teamed up with BBDO NY Creative Director Greg Hahn, SVP Director of Music & Radio Production Rani Vaz, and Executive Producer Diane Hill to create this sentimental spot for General Electric focused on the evolution of ideas.

The arrangement, composed by Steve Hampton, features a full orchestra led by Mark Robertson of Allegro Entertainment.

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Emoto Music featured artist Opus Orange, is playing a short, acoustic set with composer Matt Bowen between screenings of The Muir Project‘s newest documentary NOATAK: Return to the Arctic and Paddle for the North on Saturday, June 11, at Adventure 16 in West LA. See details below for this FREE event for all ages.

When: 5:30 PM – Happy Half Hour | 6:00 PM – Presentation

Where: 11161 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064

Opus Orange last partnered with The Muir Project for their widely-acclaimed documentary Mile…Mile & a Half.

Emoto composer Tony Morales completed the score for ‘Fastball‘, a new baseball documentary directed by nine-time Emmy Award winner Jonathan Hock and produced by Legendary Pictures.

The film was theatrically released on March 25th & is now playing in select theaters. You can also watch Fastball on-demand via iTunes, Vimeo, Google Play & more!

View the trailer now, below:

Fastball from Gravitas Ventures on Vimeo.

Emoto Music worked alongside Leo Burnett Chicago, to create the new “Recalculating” spot for Marshalls‘ ‘Surprise is Waiting’ campaign, featuring Opus Orange song “Almost There” (w/ Lauren Hillman aka Kotomi).

Check out the finished product below, then see what people are saying & sound off yourself on Twitter: #surpriseiswaiting

Marshalls – “Recalculating”

Purchase “Almost There” on iTunes or Bandcamp

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Emoto Music’s Ryan Elder (Rick and Morty, Princess Rap Battle) has officially been named the composer for Party Over Here – airing Saturday, March 12 (@ 11pm ET/PT) on FOX

The half-hour late-night show will feature upcoming comedians Nicole Byer, Jessica McKenna, and Alison Rich – skewering everything from pop culture to politics, with some segments filmed before a live audience.

The sketch-comedy series is produced by KABLAMO! and is executive produced by Emmy Award-winning/Grammy-nominated comedy trio The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone) & actor/comedian Paul Scheer – who also serves as one of the series’ directors.

See more about Party Over Here at FOX.com (linked above) & on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram (@PartyOverHere)

Check out some tracks from Emoto’s Composers & Featured Artists that are currently available for licensing!

All inquiries:

Lindsay Froemke

Lindsay@emotomusic.com

ANATOMIC PRINT NEW

Friday, January 29th  –  8pm  –  Legge Alley Projects / 93 E Union St, Pasadena

Join Emoto Music + Emoto Featured Artist Opus Orange for a night of live music – celebrating the release of their debut album Anatomic!

Performances by Loud Forest, The Rough Johns and, of course, Opus Orange

RSVP: Tara@emotomusic.com

(view this event on Facebook)

 


Pre-order Anatomic on limited edition white vinyl, CD, or digital

Licensing inquiries: Lindsay@emotomusic.com

Emoto Music’s Opus Orange has just premiered their second track, along with the first official music video, from their soon-to-be-released Anatomic LP!

Watch, listen, and dive into a colorful psychedelic world created by Joshua Dumas – it’s what you do.

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Opus Orange – “It’s What I Do” [Official Music Video]

‘Anatomic’ will officially release on January 29, 2016. Pre-orders and pre-released tracks are now available via Bandcamp & iTunes.

Licensing inquiries: Lindsay@emotomusic.com

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Emoto featured artist Opus Orange has made their upcoming full-length album Anatomic available for digital, CD, and vinyl pre-order – officially dropping January 29, 2016! In anticipation and celebration of Anatomic’s release, Free Bike Valet premiered “Radio Silence”, the first leaked track from the to-be-released album, just this past Friday.

You can hear “Radio Silence” at Free Bike Valet (linked above), Soundcloud, or Youtube AND you can pre-order the Anatomic album via Bandcamp or iTunes. Trust us, you won’t want to miss this one.

 

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Emoto composer, Lauren Hillman aka Kotomi has gone virtual in Ryan Hemsworth’s new video for “Surrounded”.  This is a must see as it was shot inside Ubisoft’s motion capture studio!

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Emoto is thrilled to announce that GE “Ideas” has made the shortlist in the 2015 London International Awards for Original Music Underscore! The arrangement, composed by Steve Hampton, features a full orchestra led by Mark Robertson of Allegro Entertainment.

We teamed up with BBDO NY Creative Director Greg Hahn, SVP Director of Music & Radio Production Rani Vaz, and Executive Producer Diane Hill to create this sentimental spot for General Electric focused on the evolution of ideas.

View the complete shortlist here! Winners will be announced November 10th – we’ll keep our fingers crossed until then.

Emoto composer Paul Bessenbacher & composer Matt Bowen have scored “NOATAK: Return to the Arctic”, a new short film brought to you by The Muir Project – the creative team behind Mile… Mile & A Half. The film was dreamt up and directed by Jen Serena & Ric Serena of Serena Creative & Jason Fitzpatrick. NOATAK will premier at Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival in Toronto Canada in the coming weeks. Check out the teaser below and stay tuned for a release date!

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35 years after their first visit to the Noatak River in Alaska’s wild and spectacular Brooks Range, two adventurers in their 70’s reflect on a lifetime of outdoor experiences and what still awaits them.

Emoto featured artist Opus Orange will be performing live in San Diego this Thursday, August 20th!

Don’t miss the final free+outdoor Art of Music concert this summer at The San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. Bring a blanket or chair, grab a bite to eat at Panama 66, or pack your own picnic for this Thursday night concert featuring Opus Orange.

The San Diego Museum of Art, Plaza de Panama
Thursday @ 7:15 pm
Free!
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In tribute to the musical performances that were a central component of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, the Museum marks the centennial of this event with the monthly Art of Music concert series. Exploring the duet of visual and musical arts, this series is presented in conjunction with and in anticipation of the Fall 2015 Art of Music exhibition (taking place September 26 – February 7).

 

Did you know that Emoto composer Ryan Elder has been working alongside Whitney Avalon, Steve Gossett, and Michael Sullivan in producing the “Princess Rap Battle” comedy short? Each individual music video is already boasting views up to the multi-millions on Youtube – which is not so surprising to the generations of us, who were raised on Disney Princesses and storybook Fairy Tales, left perpetually wondering and weighing which character (protagonist? antagonist?) had really been dealt the worst hand turned ‘Happiest-Ever-After’.

Elder composed the music (but not the lyrics) for Cinderella vs Belle (ft. Sarah Michelle Gellar), Maleficent vs Daenerys (ft. Yvonne Strahovski), & Mrs Claus vs Mary Poppins – in addition to mixing and mastering the music of the entire series so far.

It’s been super fun working with Whitney and the team on those. The positive response to them has been really exciting,” – Elder said of his experience working on the musical comedy short.

You can purchase the music to each “Princess Rap Battle” on iTunes (via Whitney Avalon) and find more of the “Princess Rap Battle” music videos, like the one featured below, on Youtube!

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Emoto composer Ryan Elder wrote a song performed by Jemaine Clement (Flight of The Concords/Rio) in this week’s episode of Rick and Morty! The show premiered it’s second season on Cartoon Network [adult swim] just last week! New episodes air every Sunday night at 11:30pm so stay tuned for more!

Watch the full episode via [adult swim] here (available this week only) or view a clip of the song “Moonmen” below!

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Emoto’s Opus Orange will be performing at Eat See Hear, before the Reservoir Dogs outdoor movie screening, on Saturday, August 29th! These dog-friendly events are a fun way to see an outdoor movie, dine from some of LA’s best food trucks and hear great live music!

WHERE: The Autry in Griffith Park, 4700 Western Heritage Way, LA/CA 90027 – This is a very large, grassy lawn. You’ll want to bring pillows, cushions and blankets.

PARKING: FREE! Across the street at the LA Zoo Parking lot.

WHEN: August 29 – Doors 5:30pm, Music 7:00pm, Movie 8:30pm

EATS: Steel City Sandwich, CJs Wings, White Rabbit, Sista Soul Food, Postcards CAS, Phantom, Kimbobrex, India Jones, Haute Burger, VCHOS, Peaches Smokehouse BBQ, Mandoline Grill, Chanchos Tacos, My Delight Cupcakery, Coolhaus and Brasil Kiss

Check out Opus Orange performing at Eat See Hear last year below & get your tickets to Opus Orange at Reservoir Dogs here! You can also RSVP to the event on Facebook to share it with your friends!

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Check out “Begin” the 4-track EP released TODAY (07.24.15) by Cyril Hahn of PMR Records!  –  Cyril Hahn “Begin”: SpotifyiTunes

Emoto’s featured artist Kotomi (aka Lauren Hillman) collaborated with Hahn for the last track on his EP release, titled “Grace”.

“I started following [Los Angeles singer] Kotomi on Soundcloud, and a few hours later she messaged me and said she liked my stuff, and said we can work together. I emailed her some instrumentals, and she picked that one. Then she went for a drive around California, around the coast, all day, recording in her car on her voice recorder. That’s pretty cool. I wish I could write music like that. She pretty much wrote it in a day and sent it back,” – Hahn said of his partnership with Kotomi in a recent interview with SPIN.

In addition to collaborating with other artists, our songstress Kotomi has been releasing a new song on the first Tuesday of every month this year! Keep up with her by following her on Facebook or Soundcloud.

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Emoto featured artist Kotomi (aka Lauren Hillman) has just premiered “Shiny”!

Week before last, her single “Swimming” was featured on Spotify’s ‘New Music Tuesday’ playlist – which changes weekly and features Spotify’s 50 new music favorites!

Kotomi has been releasing a new song on the first Tuesday of every month this year! You can keep up with her by following her on Facebook or Soundcloud.

Check out Emoto featured artist Kotomi (aka Lauren Hillman) on this week’s ‘New Music Tuesday‘ Spotify Playlist, which boasts over 715,000 followers! Her single ‘Swimming‘ is featured as track #22, amongst artists ZZ Ward, War Paint, Drake, and more.

Kotomi is releasing a new song on the first Tuesday of every month this year! The next one premiers this upcoming Tuesday, July 7th, so stay tuned!

                                                                 [Note: This playlist is updated weekly]

Equilibrium Cover Sheet

Sheet music to the solo piano album, Equilibrium, recently released by Emoto featured artist Opus Orange is now available for FREE download! Learn your favorite songs – all you need is a printer and a piano.

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Emoto featured artist Kotomi (aka Lauren Hillman) has just released “Bright Side”. The new single premiered this morning at San Francisco based music+food blog Turntable Kitchen.

Kotomi will be releasing a new song on the first Tuesday of every month this year! Listen to what she has released so far on Soundcloud and keep up with her on Facebook for news about her next release!

Emoto composer Paul Bessenbacher has scored the music for “Czappa” a short documentary directed by Ric Serena of Serena Creative and The Muir Project. The seven-minute film features Bill Czappa, a television repairman by profession and object-sculpture artist by passion, who’s repair shop doubles as a gallery displaying over 70 works of his “California Assemblage” styled artwork. Opus Orange “Bloom” is also featured in the short, fresh from their latest release Equilibrium.

“Czappa” has been selected to premier at Dances With Films Festival on June 2nd.

Emoto composer Ryan Elder has scored a crossover bit, featuring Cartoon Network’s Rick and Morty, which aired May 17th in the Season 26 finale of The Simpsons.

In this episode of The Simpsons, Rick and Morty literally drop-in on the beloved Simpson family in another one of their outlandish adventures throughout space and alternate universes. Check it out below!

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The Simpsons, created by Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon and written by Michael Price, first aired in 1989 and has been a television favorite for decades now. Rick and Morty is a relatively new animated series, created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, which will celebrate it’s Season 2 premier on Cartoon Network’s [adult swim] Sunday, July 26th.

If you can’t wait until July for more Rick and Morty, catch up with Season 1 online at [adult swim]. The Simpsons will be back with Season 27 in late September of this year.

1 Day. 35 Venues. 150 Performances. All Free!

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Emoto featured artist Opus Orange will be performing on the Levitt Pavilion Stage at Make Music Pasadena 2015, Saturday June 6th!

Make Music Pasadena is a free, all-day, all-ages music celebration and a non-profit event generously funded by sponsors and donations. The musical lineup totals more than 150 bands spanning 35 venues and features an eclectic mix of diverse music, including seasoned award-winning performers and emerging homegrown talent, coming together for one day to celebrate the spirit of music and community.

Opus Orange goes on at 3pm! Check out the Levitt Pavilion Stage line-up below and follow Opus Orange and Make Music Pasadena on Facebook for information and updates!


Levitt Pavilion Stage presented by Lincoln Property Company  @  85 E. Holly Street, Pasadena CA 91103

Alexandria Maillot | 12:00pm – 12:40 pm

Raspin Stuwart | 1:00pm – 1:40pm

Boroughs | 2:00pm – 2:40pm

Opus Orange | 3:00pm 3:40pm

Mudbug Brass Band | 4:00pm – 4:40pm

The Moth & The Flame | 5:00pm – 5:40pm

Making Movies | 6:00pm – 6:45pm

Nick Waterhouse | 7:05pm – 8:00pm

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Emoto featured artist Opus Orange will be releasing Equilibrium, a solo piano album recorded on a 1913 Knabe upright piano tomorrow, Tuesday May 12th. Equilibrium encompasses Spring: the lingering of Winter, the Vernal Equinox, the new life of flowers. It is reflection rather than expression. Texture and tone rather than melody and chords. It is an audible picture of the need to slow down and take time to observe nature changing.

[05.12.15] UPDATE:

Opus Orange Equilibrium (via Emoto Music)

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For licensing inquiries, please contact Lindsay Froemke at Lindsay@EmotoMusic.com.

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Emoto Music is excited to announce that GE “Ideas” has made the AICP Awards Shortlist for original music! The arrangement, composed by Steve Hampton, features a full orchestra led by Mark Robertson of Allegro Entertainment.

Emoto teamed up with BBDO NY Creative Director Greg Hahn, SVP Director of Music & Radio Production Rani Vaz, and Executive Producer Diane Hill to create this sentimental spot for GE focused on the evolution of ideas.

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Emoto featured artist Kotomi (aka Lauren Hillman) has just released “Please (Say You Never Will)”.  The new single premiered this morning at online UK music and culture magazine The 405.

Kotomi will be releasing a new song on the first Tuesday of every month this year!  Keep up with her on Facebook and stay tuned!

Check out some of our newest songs from Emoto composers and artists now available for licensing! Click the down arrow to download!

All inquiries: Lindsay Froemke – lindsay@emotomusic.com.

 

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Emoto featured artist Opus Orange has released a solo piano track exclusively on Soundcloud.

The composition titled “Bloom” was recorded on a 1913 Knabe upright, then slowed down to half speed.

Follow Opus Orange on Facebook to be sure you hear all of their new music first!

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Emoto composer Tony Morales has co-composed Bloodline, a Netflix original series, with composer Edward Rogers.

The series is created and executive produced by Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman & Glenn Kessler (of FX series Damages).  The dramatic thriller follows a close-knit family of four adult siblings whose secrets and scars are revealed when their black sheep brother returns home.

The first season earned strong reviews, with several outlets dubbing it the best Netflix original to date.  Bloodline was officially renewed for a second season to debut in 2016, just 10 days after hitting Netflix.

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Online UK music and culture magazine The 405 has just premiered the second single from Emoto composer Lauren Hillman (aka Kotomi) titled “Sober For The Weekend”.

Kotomi will be releasing a new single on the first Tuesday of every month this year.  Keep up with Kotomi on Facebook to hear it all first!

 

Emoto Music is proud to have teamed up with Saatchi & Saatchi NY, Goodwill® Industries and the Ad Council to compose original music on a series of new PSAs.  We collaborated with creative director, Michael Sullivan, agency producer Radu Olievschi and music producer Eric Korte via cyber-session – a live, interactive recording session projecting video and music from Emoto’s Santa Monica studio to Saatchi’s NY office.

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Chevy has licensed Emoto featured artist Opus Orange‘s song “So It Goes” for their new “Cruze” spot produced by Tricia Hoover at Commonwealth.  Check out the finished product below!

Check out some of our newest songs from Emoto composers and artists now available for licensing!  Click the down arrow to download!

All inquiries: Lindsay Froemke – lindsay@emotomusic.com.

Opus Orange’s newset music release will be available Tuesday, January 27th!

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Emoto featured artist Opus Orange’s latest release “Outside In” was recorded entirely outside in the California wilderness above 10,000’ elevation. Using only solar power off the grid, they have reinvented their songs with washtubs and old BBQ grates for percussion, a washtub bass with a broom handle, and a variety of instruments found around camp including banjo, ukulele, melodica, and kalimba. Birds sing, insects buzz, and the wind whistles throughout these six songs – nature as an improvising musician.

(01.27.14) UPDATE:

Opus Orange Outside In

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Don’t miss Emoto Music’s featured artist, Opus Orange, live at El Cid in Los Angeles on Friday (12/19) for their last show of 2014!

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•4212 W. Sunset Blvd.

•21+

•Doors open at 9PM, show begins at 10PM

10PM: Pher

11PM: Opus Orange

12AM: IAN

•Tickets: $10 at the door

RSVP to the event on Facebook for updates and more information!

Arrive early and enjoy dinner before the show at El Cid’s flamenco dinner theater featuring Manuel Gutierrez from 6:30pm – 9pm!

Emoto Music composer Tony Morales has scored a five-minute Rocky and Bullwinkle short titled “Another Fine Moose You’ve Gotten Me Into,” or “The Man In The Iron Moose!”

The short, written by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant and directed by Gary Trousdale, has been included on the recently released 3-D DVD/Blu-ray of Mr. Peabody & Sherman.  Watch an exclusive first-look clip of the Rocky and Bullwinkle short below!  You can purchase Mr. Peabody & Sherman online and at most major retailers.

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Emoto featured artist Opus Orange has scored another license with their song “Time of Year”!  Check out the CBS holiday spot, celebrating Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer’s 50th anniversary, below!  Happy holidays!

Emoto Music’s featured artist Opus Orange will be performing this Friday (11/21) at The Empty Bottle in Chicago!

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•1035 N Western Ave, Chicago

•21+

Tickets $8

•Doors open at 9PM, Opus Orange goes on at 10PM

Check out the event on Facebook for updates and more information

Opus Orange song “Range of Light” has been licensed by Nature Valley for use in their latest campaign.

Emoto worked alongside Casanova Pendrill’s Director of Broadcast Production Manuel Carvajal, Chief Executive Creative Director Elias Weinstock, Senior Producer Nelly Medina, Creative Director Fernando Poblete, Art Director Daniel Vicente, and Copywriters Fernando Poblete, Claudio Vera, and Josué Mendoza to bring Nature Valley the series of heart warming new spots featuring blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer.

“Range of Light” was originally written for and released on the Mile… Mile & a Half soundtrack last year.  Check out one of the spots below:

Emoto Music worked alongside The Escape Pod agency’s Executive Producer Ken Kwiatt, Producer Mary Ann Holecek, Executive Creative Director Vinny Warren, and Creative Directors Kurt Lenard and Matt Wilcox to bring Toys R Us a series of spots featuring a new theme song composed by Emoto artist Opus Orange.

Check out a few of the completed spots below:

 

Toys R Us “Crayola”

 

Toys R Us “TMNT”

 

Toys R Us “Y-Glider”

 

 

Emoto teamed up with BBDO NY Creative Director Greg Hahn, SVP Director of Music & Radio Production Rani Vaz, and Executive Producer Diane Hill as well as a full orchestra led by Mark Robertson to create this sentimental spot composed by Steve Hampton for GE focused on the evolution of ideas.

We’re especially proud of our recent work with Conill Advertising in Miami on T-Mobile.

Agency producer Allan Rivera, along with creative team Ruben Salavert, Frank Traynor, Mariana Weinzimer and Jonathan Morffi, brought us a fun pair of spots produced for this year’s World Cup.  Check them out below:

T-Mobile “Colors”

 

T-Mobile “Pep Talk”

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Emoto’s Ryan Elder will be composing the music for Season 2 of Rick and Morty on Cartoon Network, rumored to air in late 2014.

Rick and Morty is an animated series created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon.   The show features lead-character Rick, who is a mentally-unbalanced alcoholic yet scientifically-gifted old man that has recently reconnected with his family.  Rick spends most of his time taking his young grandson, Morty, on dangerous and outlandish adventures throughout space and alternate universes.

You can now watch the whole first season of Rick and Morty online at [adult swim].

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Emoto’s own Ryan Elder has completed composition on Harmontown the documentary.

TV Writer/Producer/Performer Dan Harmon creates rise from potential ashes with documentary Harmontown.  A follow up of the LA-based live-show and Feral Audio podcast.  Join Harmon and friends as they take to touring the country committing no-holds-barred comedy.

Learn more and grab tickets here.