Tyler Charles Grow- Composing on the Rise (2018):

Issue Two- December 2018:

By Mercedes Barreto

Tyler Charles Grow is a surging composer and musician who, for his awards and works of art, deserves a space of admiration as a deserving & honorable candidate for true artistic success.

As a composer, what are some achievements?

“I recall one of my greatest achievements in my musical career so far would have to be the honor of being recognized for my work by the Hans Zimmer competition.

Indi.com was the host site that invited ambitious composers to re-score Hans Zimmer’s opening theme to the television show Genius; which happened to be in the era of Albert Einstein at the time. As I was getting myself into this, I knew I had to have something that stood out from the crowd. I decided to go with a Victorian kind of feel with clocks ticking, which sort of led the beat of the song. I believe it was the violin bit towards the middle of the song that caught their attention, though… I had one violin bowing marcato the chords of the song, and the other doing a sliding-fifth of each note that was apart from the motif.

After about three weeks of working on the song and from submitting my submission, I had received an email from Indi.com, letting me know that the judges had reviewed my work and had sent it off to the main composers from the competition to have a look at. Lorne-Balfe (who had recently just done the music for the newest Mission Impossible film) was one of the composers who commented on my work saying: ‘Interesting, some baroque quality to it’.”

What would you consider are some of your best works?

“I’ve had the privilege of working with a friend of mine who is recognized on a greater scale by the gaming community and EA themselves.

He mostly puts out Battlefront II videos, but once in a while, he has me do the soundtracks for some of his more cinematic films for the inside of the game. I think that’s where most of my best work comes to life. I haven’t really completed a series before, but sitting down and being able to come up with a motif for Iden Versio and her crew was lots of fun.

The series is called Inferno Squad, and in case you were wondering, his title is known as ‘Cinematic Captures’. 

You can check out some of their works if you just google those two things together.

How would you describe your style of work?

I’ve always liked tenser and powerfully driven music,

so I think that’s where I am with my music.

It’s almost on the borderline for trailer music sometimes! I do, however, like to make some more relaxed and beautiful music now and again sometimes. It just always ends up going dark toward the end of the track for some reason.

Who, or what is your motivation? What motivates you the most?

Hans Zimmer. When I’m in the industry, all the buzz is around Hans Zimmer. What he accomplishes in his music is the standard of what a film composer in today’s world should at least try to match in my opinion. John Williams is also a master at composing melodies, he is someone I also look up to.

As for my motivation, I think it’s honestly the realization you can compose anything. I mean that seriously when you realize that you have the freedom to create any kind of music you want that’s where my motivation kicks in.

Is there a message for composers out there, who seem to be struggling?

When it comes to paper and pencil, vs computer and software I don’t really think there is one way that is better than the other; although I prefer the latter.

What matters is that you are doing what you love and that you can take confidence in what you are creating.

With that mindset, you can take on any challenge that this brutal industry will throw at you.