I interviewed Michael Hamilton, a musician and composer known for his work with Midas Fall and film/video game soundtracks. We discussed his creative process, his new single “In Spite of Everything,” upcoming projects, and his advice for aspiring musicians.
Michael shared his dedication to consistent work in the creative process, his love of bringing ideas to life through music, and the importance of being a nice person in the music industry. He also discussed his passion for yoga to maintain focus and productivity and shared his three studio essentials: coffee, Crocs, and comfies. Read on for more insights from this talented artist.
How did it all begin? What encouraged you to start playing and making music?
Michael Hamilton: I got my first instrument, a guitar, when I was 10. Not because I showed any propensity for music up to that point or anything – I’m the only musician in my family – but rather it was my parents’ way of trying to get me to do something more useful with my hands than playing the Nintendo 64 for days on end. I still don’t know what made me persevere through those lackluster days of tunelessly plucking at the strings of that ½ size classical guitar, but I did. Eventually, music became “my thing” – my way of making sense of the world and my outlet for expressing myself.
Talk me through your creative process when you write new music.
Michael Hamilton: Honestly, it’s hard to articulate. Though it’s not very romantic, I’m a big proponent of the “Nick Cave” method. I read somewhere that. He has an office with a piano and a typewriter, and he goes in and works on whatever music he’s working on every day, from nine to five, the same as any other job. That’s my creative process, rather than waiting for the planets to align or a fully formed song to emerge from a dream. It’s not really about waiting for inspiration to strike to begin composing so much as it is about showing up and being consistent. I try to dedicate myself and put in the hours even when I sometimes appear to have little to show for it. If I turn up and reserve my time and focus, I know something will happen eventually, and the more frequently and consistently I do it, the quicker and richer the results will be.
Can you tell us about your new single, “In Spite of Everything“?
Michael Hamilton: It’s one of the sonically darker moments on the album – I was listening to many old-school British Dubstep then – but it’s also quite a playful, kind of indulgent track. I just wanted to make a chock-full track of the ear candy that I love so much in Neuro and Glitch Hop tunes but put my spin on it by placing it next to many acoustic instruments like pianos and strings. Fun fact: that squelchy percussion in the high end started as a recording of me rolling chopped onion skins around in my hands, a sound design trick I learned from KOAN Sound.
What do you like most about being a music artist?
Michael Hamilton: The moments during the creative process when you hear an idea that previously only existed in your imagination begin to take shape and become something tangible that can be heard and shared with others. There’s a kind of intimacy in those moments that I find pretty magical.
What projects do you coming up with? Can You give us any info on them?
Michael Hamilton: A few. I have a new album coming out this year with my band, Midas Fall, so I’m looking forward to getting that out and hitting the road to play some shows with them. These days, however, most of my time is spent working on soundtracks. I’m putting the finishing touches to the score for “The Labyrinth,” my good friend Stephen Alexander’s first feature film. I’ve also been working on music and sound design for a game, “One Wee Robot,” currently being developed by Neil Robertson. I’ve been working on both of these projects for a while now, but they’re both in the final stages of production and should be out this year, which is very exciting for me.
Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to enter the game of music?
Michael Hamilton: This is stolen from Charli XCX, but I’ve always liked it. The advice is: “be like Tom Hanks.” To elaborate: everybody worldwide is like, ‘Tom Hanks, what a nice guy!’ Yes, people know his talent as an actor, but they’re equally aware of his reputation as a nice, warm person. So, when people encounter you, be it other musicians, industry folk, or your audience, always try to leave them thinking, ‘Oh, they’re really nice!’. I say this because, in my experience, being good at what you do allows you to make the most of opportunities, but being nice to be around is what gets you the opportunities in the first place.
How do you solve productivity/scheduling problems and reduce overwhelming situations?
Michael Hamilton: The short answer: is daily yoga. The long answer: I don’t, but I’m trying to. I’m a working musician, and nowadays, you always have to have lots of plates spinning to make ends meet. But I find that I’m most productive when I’m able to focus on one thing at a time and not let my mind wander onto other stuff that’s not relevant to what I’m doing – stressing over stuff that I have to do later, ruminating on stuff that I’ve already done, etc. Yoga is just my little ritual for cultivating that kind of mindfulness. How you get there doesn’t matter if it yields the same results.
Name three things you can’t live without when recording in the studio.
Michael Hamilton: Coffee, Crocs, and comfies.
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