The production music industry can feel like an impenetrable fortress to aspiring composers. But according to Taz Mattar, Head of Studio and IT Services at Cavendish Music鈥攐ne of the UK's largest production music libraries鈥攂reaking in is more straightforward than most composers think.
With nearly two decades of experience spanning commercial recording studios (including eight years working for legendary producer Trevor Horn) to mastering 70+ albums annually for production music, Taz offers rare insight into how this billion-dollar industry actually works.
Understanding the Production Music Ecosystem
Production music serves as the budget-friendly alternative when clients can't afford commercial tracks. "If they don't have a big budget and they think 'we want something to sound like Coldplay but we can't afford Coldplay's track,' they would come to a library like Cavendish," Taz explains.
The system operates on standardised rate cards set by performing rights societies, such as PRS, allowing everyone from Netflix and BBC to individual YouTubers to license high-quality music at appropriate price points. Cavendish alone maintains nearly a million tracks spanning every conceivable genre鈥攆rom "Mongolian nose flute to full orchestral trailer music."
What's Hot Right Now
Currently, reality TV shows like "Love is Blind" and "The Traitors" are driving massive demand for specific styles. "We've been churning out music in that sort of style鈥攈ousey, bright pop, tension beds, vocal-led tracks," Taz notes. While creatively less exciting than orchestral scores, these placements pay composers handsomely and often lead to multi-volume deals.
The industry also maintains strong demand for trailer music, though Taz clarifies that Cavendish isn't exclusively a trailer house: "A lot of our trailer stuff doesn't always find its way into trailers鈥攊t will find its way into big promos, sports promos, or adverts."
The Art of Getting Your Foot in the Door
Research and Strategy
Taz recommends studying library catalogues to identify gaps: "If there's something you're working on or you love writing that you find really comfortable doing and we don't have something like that, get in touch and say, 'Have you tried this genre or this style?'"
Building Your Showreel
Quality trumps quantity in initial submissions. Taz prefers "a 60-second demo that gets the point across and it's amazing than a three-minute epic that sounds pretty dreadful."
For trailer composers specifically, tracks must be genuinely trailer-ready: "If you send a track that doesn't have anywhere for any client to edit into or use against a trailer, it's not worth my time. You've got to do your homework and watch a million trailers and work out what's going on structurally."
Presentation Matters
A professional presentation can make or break a submission. Include:
- A concise bio and track descriptions
- Conceptual framework for your music
- Evidence of research and understanding of current trends
- Professional communication (never mention money in initial emails)
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Sending overly long tracks without clear edit points
- Including poorly sung guide vocals when you're not a vocalist
- Trying to showcase too many genres instead of focusing on strengths
- Submitting outdated material that doesn't reflect current trends
The Production Process
Once accepted, composers typically work on multi-writer albums rather than solo projects. The process is highly collaborative:
- Brief Development: Detailed project briefs ensure consistency across contributors
- Back-and-forth refinement: Unlike some libraries, Cavendish provides hands-on feedback during development
- Professional mixing/mastering: Most mixing and all mastering happens in-house
- Flexible deliverables: From basic stems to full multi-tracks, depending on the project needs
The Business Reality
Taz is refreshingly honest about timelines: "You need to be making a minimum of 50 tracks a year to start seeing any useful revenue from production music." The industry operates on long cycles鈥攄ecent earnings typically don't materialise until years three to five.
His strategy advice: "Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Send it out to loads. It's all a numbers game. Don't just keep hammering one library."
Looking Forward: The AI Question
On the industry's biggest current concern, Taz sees nuanced changes ahead rather than wholesale replacement: "AI in its current form is not producing really high-quality, nuanced music."
He predicts AI will first impact "the lowest common denominator of music鈥攆ormulaic drone bed kind of music that is very quick turnaround and doesn't cost any money to make."
However, Cavendish currently prohibits AI in final tracks while allowing it for demos and guides, maintaining their "quality over quantity" ethos.
Key Takeaways for Aspiring Composers
- Don't be precious: Flexibility and professional attitude matter enormously
- Play to your strengths: Focus on genres you're genuinely passionate about
- Think like a numbers game: Consistent output across multiple libraries increases success odds
- Stay current: Regularly analyse new trailers, ads, and TV shows to understand evolving trends
- Professional relationships matter: The industry values reliability and pleasant collaboration
The production music world remains accessible to dedicated composers willing to approach it strategically. As Taz emphasises: "The outreach with a strong portfolio and being a nice person goes a huge, long way."
For composers ready to treat their craft as both art and business, production music offers a viable path to sustainable income鈥攑rovided you're prepared for the long game and willing to serve the music supervisors who ultimately decide what gets placed.
The full interview provides extensive additional detail on technical requirements, delivery specifications, and industry relationships that serious composers will find invaluable.
