With the demand for content booming, there’s more need for high quality, easy to clear music than ever before. That’s why Spirit Production Music, the world’s fastest growing independent production music library, has launched a new website to make it easier for content creators to find and license the best music for their projects. A division of leading independent publisher Spirit Music Group, Spirit Production Music was first launched in 2017 with the acquisition of the production music divisions of Alan Ett Creative Group (AECG), including the prestigious Opus 1 Music Library, The Music Collective and Audio Horizons companies.
Today, they represent over 200,000 pre-cleared tracks and more than 60 unique music catalogs around the world for use in every type of visual media, from large film/TV productions to YouTube videos. “If you’re going to be a company that can take care of A to Z, you really need to have music that spans A to Z, and you have to have a lot of it,” says Ryan Neill, VP Music Production at Spirit Music Collective, who has worked with some of the companies’ catalogs and clients for over two decades. The library, which covers all styles and genres from classical to contemporary, is growing on a daily basis as new tracks are created and further catalogs are acquired.
“If you’re going to be a company that can take care of A to Z, you really need to have music that spans A to Z, and you have to have a lot of it.”
– Ryan Neill, VP Music Production
Spirit Production Music’s new website, powered by Synchtank, provides intuitive new tools for searching, sharing and collaborating, all of which are designed to make it easier for content creators to find the perfect track to tell their stories. “We are always looking for innovative ways to unlock the power of music for our clients,” explains Jean Chadwick SVP, Operations of Spirit Production Music. This includes a series of curated playlists organized by theme, which helps to expose some of the amazing music the vast library has to offer. “We go through the crates for you and we bring up some of the most compelling sounds around a particular category,” says Chadwick.
For those wanting to dig even deeper, the site’s robust and user-friendly search engine has enhanced filtering which helps users drill down by a specific field or keyword, and allows the results to be sorted by criteria including recently added. “Users of music libraries have different ways that they like to search and find music,” explains Neill. With a multitude of features, the site is easy to navigate and caters for users with varying requirements. And for those wanting to go the extra mile, the Sync Video tool allows users to audition their music to an uploaded video of their choice with a full editing suite. “You do it right in the system,” he explains. “It’s not something that any other music library search engine is offering.”
The team at Spirit Production Music understands that music plays a pivotal role in the realization of the visual experience. In addition to the catalogs they represent, they also have a staff of music supervisors and experts with over 25 years of experience on hand to guide their clients. For more specific requests, they are able to tap into a global pool of musicians and composers to offer custom production music services. “One of the things that sets us apart from any other production music company is that we not only can curate, but we can create the music to bring your vision to life,” explains Chadwick. “We hear your vision and we have experts at the ready to unlock that vision for you.” It’s this client-focused approach, combined with expertise and bolstered by technology, that cements the company’s position as a global player in the production music sector.
“One of the things that sets us apart from any other production music company is that we not only can curate, but we can create the music to bring your vision to life.”
– Jean Chadwick, SVP, Operations
It’s also a deep understanding of the unique challenges associated with running a production music business. From an operational standpoint there are many nuances to be aware of, from the logistics of managing multiple versions and elements associated with individual compositions (full-length mixes, cut-downs, stems, alternate versions, etc.), to the importance of caring for both your clients and the catalogs you work with. “You have to make sure you find that balance between meeting the needs of your clients and meeting the needs of your partners,” says Chadwick. On the creative side, it’s about knowing where to dedicate your time, energy and budget into the music you’re creating. “You don’t always know what’s going to be a fad and what’s going to have a staying effect,” explains Neill. “Where you put your resources is a little bit of a leap of faith, so you have to be careful.”
And, of course, there are the external, unforeseen challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic that test a company’s ability to pivot and react in the face of adversity. “It has been tough,” says Neill, who saw potential deals taken off the table as productions shut down in a moment’s notice. “Right out of the gate we said, let’s be innovative,” explains Chadwick. “Let’s think differently and force ourselves out of the norm, because the norm just changed.” With productions starting to resume again, the team is confident in its ability to continue to serve creators. “We can be nimble and work with budgets,” explains Neill. “Production music has the flexibility to be nuanced from all spectrums, which is not necessarily as easy to do in a more traditional music environment,” adds Chadwick.
“Production music has the flexibility to be nuanced from all spectrums, which is not necessarily as easy to do in a more traditional music environment.”
– Jean Chadwick, SVP, Operations
Once dubbed a $1 billion global industry “hidden in plain sight”, the production music sector is thriving in a world where the demand for content and rate of content creation is at an all-time high. Gone is the stigma surrounding production music as being kitsch elevator music or a lesser option. New players are breathing life into the space and world class artists and composers are creating production music that easily rivals commercial music. With leading technologies in place and a focus on providing an unparalleled service, Spirit Production Music is future proofing its business for long-term success. “We have the ability to be agile and quick to respond with technology,” explains Chadwick. “The new website really brings our expertise to the forefront.”
