Rob Gokee
Music Composer and Arranger
Rob Gokee Music
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Picked up the guitar at 16.
Met my wife, a producer.
Got married at 18 & had to postpone school for kids.
At 26, went to college for the first time.
Moved back to LA after college.
Studied privately under composer Christopher Young.
Found Twitter.
Got an agent.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
Music Theory and Composition
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Music Theory and Composition
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Career
Music Composer and Arranger
I'm a composer for TV, Film & Web.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Television
Film
Being Creative
Day to Day
I'm up at 7am, and I use the first few hours of the day to answer email, write blog posts, and network on social media. I don't start writing music until around 10 or 11am, break for lunch around 2, and then keep writing until 8 or 9pm, when I stop for dinner. If I have an intense deadline, this changes - I can write in the morning if I need to, and I'll stay up as late as I need to in order to finish a project. Sometimes, that's 6am.
Skills & Qualities Beyond School
Honestly, in Hollywood, no one cares if you went to college, where you went, what you studied. It's all about how easy you are to work with, how fast you can get it done, and if you can do it well. That said, I think college teaches you important things about deadlines and managing your time efficiently. I'm glad that I went.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
They don't tell you in school that, in the beginning, you're your own small business. You need to know Marketing and Accounting in order to move forward. Also, networking is the biggest part of my job. Learn where people are meeting, and go there. Of my job 40% is writing music, 60% is everything else.
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Bachelor
Music Theory and Composition
Music Theory and Composition
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"You should find a stable job, you'll never make enough money writing music."
In the entertainment industry, you come up with a 5 year plan that expands to 20. If you keep hustling, and perfecting your craft, the work will come, and eventually so will the money. It takes patience, and ignoring the critics, who are often people who gave up themselves.
Challenges I Overcame
Financial
Financial
My work comes and goes in waves. Sometimes, I'm scoring 5 projects at once. And then there's nothing for two months. Learn to budget your money well to cover your expenses when you're between gigs.
Single Parent
Single Parent
I went back to college as a single dad with full custody of my kids - 6 & 7 at the time. I used grants and loans to cover costs, & worked part-time. If you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to make it work.