On the song selection approach for The Conversation, he said, “I didn’t consciously put together a playlist of material. This was a very personal journey in that I simply took a year to write material that I had not allowed myself the time to do. The only agenda was to write freely. In the world of ‘underscore,’ we are hired to write the appropriate music at the appropriate time, according to the vision of at least one producer and director. I just wanted to go where the music took me for a change.”
Regarding his favorite songs on this album, he said, “I like different pieces for different reasons. For instance, I love ‘Waltzing’ because I have always loved that song, such a beautiful melody, and harmony. I like the simplicity of the arrangement, the way you can hear all the instruments talking to each other.”
“I love the journey of ‘The Conversation.’ I love where I went harmonically on ‘Passive Aggressive.’ Probably the ones that will ring deepest to me are the two songs because they are both so personal and soul-satisfying,” he said.
On his plans for the future, he said, “I would love to perform this material for a bit, and then if called for I would like to do this again. I love writing for film, so I am always hopeful for a nice project. And beyond that, I want to travel and teach and spend time with my family and enjoy the beautiful life I’ve been given.
His music and compositions are inspired by “everything.” “You know, if I sit down to tell you how I write, I can’t do it. The truth is I don’t really know. I know what I do, I know the craft very well, but I don’t know why when I interpret what I see and feel it comes out in music, it just does,” he explained.
“Others would take all that emotion and write a poem or a story or paint, or a million other things. I suppose what inspires me is the human condition, the love, the fear, the fragility. I like to tiptoe around all that,” he said.
Davich was the recipient of the Emmy Award for “Outstanding Main Title Theme Music” for Trinity on NBC. “Winning that Emmy, actually hearing my name and walking up to the stage, was really an out-of-body experience. I was freaking out walking up to the stage and managed to thank a few people and get off the stage without tripping. It was honestly so exciting to be recognized for my work, just for a minute, it was nice,” he said.
On being a composer and a musician in this digital age, he said, “I actually have been using electronics my whole writing career. When I began, all the synths were just coming into use, in that there was a group of us who began writing scores that sounded like they had orchestral instruments but were actually synths sounding like the orchestra. This was very appealing to producers who wanted that sound but did not have the budget for an orchestra date.”
Regarding his use of technology in his daily routine as a composer and musician, he said, “Unless I’m sitting home writing at the piano, I am using technology in all my writing. I write on a Digital Audio Workstation, the music is mixed and transported electronically, the sounds I use are digital recordings of all the instruments, I can work with any musician, anywhere in the world from my studio as we collaborate digitally. I am really a musician and need and count on my technicians to keep things running.”
On his definition of success, he said, “If I answer this question honestly, I think I have achieved it. I actually made a living doing what I love and dreamed about my whole life but that without my family would not be a success to me. I was fortunate to have a wonderful wife and family who helped me balance everything out. If you asked me at the end of my days if I would like to have one more day to either write an episode of music or spend the day with my family, my family would win hands down.”
For young and aspiring composers, he said, “Young composers need to be totally self-sufficient, in that they must be able to write and produce all their material so that it sounds competitive with anything out there. So, working knowledge of all the necessary technology, as well as a strong fundamental musical base, are crucial. They will give you the confidence to pay attention to the film and not worry about your fundamentals.”
“Beyond that, if you are writing music for film, or any music for that matter, if you don’t make me feel something then I think you’re taking up space that someone else could use. Music in film, as well as song, is invisible but can have a profound effect on you, causing you to feel emotions just by the way it resonates inside you. Find the music that really reflects what you are feeling,” he said.
For his fans, he concluded about The Conversation album, “This album is music that I wanted to write for a long time, music that is personal to me and that is inspired by all that went before it. I write from the heart. I hope you enjoy it.”
The Conversation is available for pre-order on Apple Music and on Amazon Music.
To learn more about Emmy winner Martin Davich and his music, check out his official homepage.
