IamA composer Brad Breeck (GRAVITY FALLS, We Bare Bears, Pickle and Peanut...) AMA!

Which episode of Gravity Falls has your favorite score?

Did you also write the words to the songs, such as T8king over Midnight and Disco Girl?

I noticed several leitmotifs throughout your scores, notably for Bill and Gideon. Can you explain how you tailored the music to each character's personality?

I think "Not What He Seems" was my favorite to work on. Especially the big climactic ending. I love that episode so much. Cried a bunch, etc!

Alex wrote the words to all of the songs.

For the leitmotifs, I would just kind of play around with sounds and themes until I found something that fit the character. For Bill, Alex had the idea of using the Shepard's tone, to give him an unsettling feeling. I coupled that with a whole tone scale for additional weirdness.

Was it the same with the song goat and a pig?

i didn't write that one, i just produced it. i'm not sure how the lyrics for that one happened

How did you meet Alex Hirsch?(Sorry i've always wanted to know) Did Gravity Falls help you write better music? Also side note:I love how your music maches each of the Gravity Falls's episodes"personality".Thank you

I met Alex through the show.

Yes, GF definitely made me a better composer. Alex's direction taught me a lot about how to support a scene emotionally.

Thanks!

Favorite Gravity Falls quote(s)?

Grunkle Stan: "You've been buying gold, right?" not sure if that's the correct quote, but you know..

Who's your favourite modern composer?

Also what's your favourite original score?

For film composers Alexandre Desplat is hands down my favorite. For composers in general, hmm not sure, I'm kind of out of touch with current modern composers... Maybe Terry Riley

Hi Brad! Is there going to be a full version of the Gravity Falls theme? Thanks!

probably not. i like it at the length it is. but maybe!

1. Many composers haave their favourite directors (and vice versa, eg. Chris Nolan and Hans Zimmer). Who is the man you enjoyed work with the most?

2. There was a theory Gravity Falls theme was made reversed first, because it sounds better reversed. Can you confirm/deny it?

1. i've learned so much from every one i've worked with. i've been lucky to work with lots of great people!

2. hmmm, don't think that's a true thing.

Will you be releasing a full song of Straight Blanchin', or at least one that is edited? The Society of the Blind Eye score you released is unedited, so its not as deep and banging.

Also, how did you end up being a composer for cartoons? Were you ever in a band?

sorry no. full length songs take a lot of time unfortunately.

i used to be in a band called Mae Shi.

i got into cartoons when a friend asked me to score her short film for Nickelodeon and went from there :)

There were a few different versions of the theme song before the final one was decided, right? Which one was your favorite?

I think the one that made it is the best, but there was one (can't remember the name) that we used in the first act of Tourist TRapped that I really loved too.

If there was any other show you wanted to compose for, what would it be?

Whatever Alex's new show is! ;)

Also would have loved to score LOST!

Hello Mr. Breeck! Huge fan! Thanks for doing this AMA!

1. What are your favorite characters, episodes, songs in GF or WBB?
2. What was your favorite part of working on those shows?
3. Are you blanchin' in a mansion?

1. I love all the characters, but Soos was probably my fav GF character. Favorite song I've done is probably "Gonna Be Chillin" from WBB.

2. I love getting to do so many styles of music.

3. Yes I'm Blanchin'

howdy! What's your preferred hardware for work flow? do you sketch on one type of hardware then record on another etc.?

i do everything in pro tools. sometimes i use some analog synths and acoustic guitar, but 95% of the score is done in pro tools with kontakt and soft synths

Hey Brad, I haven't seen all the shows you compose for, but I love the soundtrack of gravity falls, especially Not what he seems, I even remember you saying somewhere that it was some of your best work. I listen to these scores all the time now that you have them up. Without the music, gravity falls wouldn't have moved me as much as it did. I have a few questions:

1) which is your favorite to compose, playful music like most of the season 1 music, epic music like the music that plays down in the portal room, or hauntingly beautiful backstory music?

2) What was the inspiration for the theme song? And as I'm sure it went through many revisions, is there a beta version that comes close to being as good as the final?

3) So "take back the falls" is coming in 5 days. I know you can't spoil any finale stuff for gravity falls, but if I really enjoyed the music so far, will the finale music blow my mind?

Keep making great music! -PegasusCoconut

thanks for the nice words!

1. i think i enjoy making the kind of haunting/moody stuff the best

2. hard to answer the inspiration question. was kind of just trying to make something based on what little i knew about the show at the time

3. i hope the music blows your mind, the episode surely will!

thanks!

Hello Brad, thank you for taking time to visit us! I got a few questions (I'm a fanatic of crystal clear quality music, and your music is exactly that!)

1. Could you please tell us if the score for The Legend of the Gobblewonker will be released?

2. Would you consider making a real extended version of the Gravity Falls Main Theme?

3. Are you going to share the music featured in the Gravity Falls shorts?

4. Could you please release the full Weirdmageddon theme in perfect quality, without the whisper?

5. How long does it take to create a soundtrack for a single episode?

Your music is amazing! It made me watch Gravity Falls and that in turn managed to repair the relationship between me and my sister. The Gravity Falls Theme is one of the best pieces of music I've ever heard. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

1. Yes, soon. sorry for the delay!

2. If I ever have time, sure. But I think it kind of works best at the length it is :)

3. Yes, eventually.

4. If I have time after I get all this other stuff out :)

5. For Gravity Falls usually about 7 days.

Thanks so much for the kind words!

Do you find this frustrating?

Because they are so closely intertwined now, it seems that so many people just accept "Made Me Realize" as the Gravity Falls main theme and it's somewhat frustrating to know that they aren't. I don't know, maybe I'm just being pedantic.

edit: a word

yes that is very frustrating!

Do you like pizza? Where do you like to eat it?

Pizza is number one. My favorite is Monicals pizza in the midwest and Casa Bianca in LA

A silly question, but in the Full Score for the inconveniencing during the lamby lamby dance segment it sounds like there is a skip between the line "hi there, hi there" and "so march march march..." Was there a verse cut because it didn't fit?

yes, exactly

What would you change about the music you've composed for Gravity Falls (if anything?)

good question. there are some cues form early episodes that i don't think are as strong as they could be. i wish i could go back and re-score tourist trapped and some of the other early ones. therer's good stuff in there, but could be stronger

1. If you had to pick one, what's your favorite show you've composed for?

2. What software do you use to compose? Does it vary with the Network? Or do you use Hardware?

1. I like em all!

2. I use pro tools for everything beacuse that's what I'm comfy with.

Thanks for making this AMA!

1. Will there be an extended Gravity Falls theme song? An extended Weirdmageddon theme song?

2. The music of Gravity Falls is really good! Do you plan to do music for Alex Hirsch's new show on Fox?

3. Will there ever be a full Taking Over Midnight song without the Pines singing it?

4. Who is your favorite Gravity Falls character?

But seriously, wow, the music of Gravity Falls is amazing! I hope you continue to make AMAZING music!

1. answered above

2. thanks! if he asks i will surely say yes, but he's probably sick of me by now!

3. sorry probably not

4. probably soos. that dude funny

Dear Brad:

1) What is the name of the song that plays in Inconceniencing when they go on to the roof? Could never find the name or a raw recording.

2) Puma shirt or panther shirt?

1. can't remember the name. might be on my soundcloud with the S1 gravity falls scores.

2. puma every time

Do you actually like pickle and peanut? Who's your favourite gravity falls character and what's your favourite piece of music or song from the show?

I LOVE Pickle and Peanut and think it's the funniest show!!

Thanks for the music! A few questions...

1. Star Wars or Star Trek?

2. Who was your inspiration?

3. Worst experience on any show

4. Most interesting question on this AMA?

1. wars

2. my son, my wife, ennio morricone, rodney mullen, robert smithson, greg saunier...

3. being asked to talk at press events :)

4. it ain't over yet don't know!

How long on average does a song take to compose and produce?

depends. could take an hour or so could take a whole day or more. usually less than half a day since i'm working on tight deadlines

What has been the most difficult piece you have written outside of cartoons? Did you write the lyrics for the Mabel song?

every song we made for our band Mae Shi

What battle would you rather score: A person fighting a hundred duck sized horses or a person fighting a single horse sized duck?

horse sized duck!

Would you say your Breecking Brad with your career?

most def

What is your favorite sandwich?

pastrami!

Howdy there! I'm a composer myself hoping to get a job in one of many media industries, doing what I do. That being said, I have a question or two for you.

1. Did you attend a college for music? If so, was it more helpful to your career than just knowing the right people?

2. Any advice on finding projects/teams to join as a composer? I want to get some real world experience but I'm always afraid that I won't be good enough for any project I try and be a part of.

1. yes BFA at University of Denver and MFA at CalArts. the people i met at CalArts got me into the industry and that was the most important thing. sorry to say, it's all about being lucky enough to meet the right people, being ready when you get the opportunity, and working really hard once you get the opportunity.

2. score ANYTHING. work for free. make friends with filmmakers. take film classes. if you don't know any filmmakers, make your own thing with friends and score that. take a show or movie you like and do your own version of the score for practice. make a TON of music. the more you make the better you'll get.

Where did you get the inspiration to make the soundtrack for Gravity Falls? I love your work, I can't imagine the series without that soundtrack.

mostly from the show itself. they usually put temp music into the edits to show the general area of music they want, but the show itself is the inspiring thing.

Question - it's obvious you use synthetic orchestras and electronic synths for your GF scores, could you tell us what soundfonts you use? Also, are any instruments recorded live? (I have a hunch that the acoustic guitar that pops up now and again is a real guitar but I could be wrong...)

Also, Is there any chance you can upload the instrumental of Takin' Over Midnight to your soundcloud or something? The GF Fandom needs it's karaoke night and needs it soon. (also, that thing is probably the catchiest song I've ever heard.) ;-D

Also also, another track request - the Made Me Realise-esque extended version of the GF theme used in the SDCC 2015 Look Ahead trailer - the mix is amazing, but the trailer itself has an unfortunate stereo-phasing glitch that makes it really hard to listen to. Could you release the theme as a stand alone please?

Also also also (I know, this is getting redonkulous), was there ever an extended version of Mable's "Smile Dip" theme? You've said somewhere else that you really liked making that one, but the version/s on your soundcloud is/are juuuust too short to loop cleanly by a fan....

Okay, sorry for so many requests, I'll lay off now. Keep doing what you're doing, you're a great inspiration to me! (not to mention a lot of other people besides.) ;-D

MK

i don't use soundfonts i mostly use kontakt libraries for orchestral sounds.

i'll try to post that instrumental.

will try to find that version of made me realize

sorry, no extended smile dip exists

thanks!

Is there a Kontakt library for the "weird, synth, 70s" sounds heard frequently in the show?

sorry, i'm not exactly sure which sound you are referring to. might be a mellotron sample with a bunch of reverb

Thank you so much, you've made my day! Stay cool my friend! ;-)

MK

(Also... what's to stop you from making your own extended version of Smile Dip...?) >;-D

time, time is stopping me from doing a lot of things my friend!

I absolutely adore the song Zombieluv you did for the summerween episode (like i dont think i can emphasize how much i love the song) it really reminds me of the song She's Fallen In Love With The Monster Man by Screaming Lord Sutch (another personal favorite) and i was wondering if that was one of you influences for the song? or if it wasn't, then what was?

for real tho i love that song i really wish there was a longer version of it

thanks! i like that song too :) was inspired by the Monster Mash!

Do you know any way to get "Gonna Be Chillin'" out of someone's head?

listen to the gravity falls theme!

How many times have you ever sat on a toilet with no poop coming out?

oh man, like every day

What do you think is the best music you've made? The worst? The creepiest?

i think some of my best is in the last several episodes of GF. i think the best songs i've done are in We Bare Bears.

How did you get involved with making the music of Gravity Falls?

i did several demos for the theme song and eventually they liked one and hired me

Hi Brad, fantastic to see you doing this AMA for the Gravity Falls community!

My question is: What is the most memorable moment you have had whilst you have been on the Gravity Falls team?

Thanks!

the few times I got to see Alex record dialogue were amazing. awesome to see that.

Dear Brad, I've noticed many characters from Gravity Falls have their own theme. Which one is your favorite? Also what is your favorite Gravity Falls episode? Least favorite?

P.S. Thanks for doing this AMA for all the fans of your work(> ͜ <)

i think bill's theme is my favorite... no gideon's! i'm not sure :)

Not What He seems was probably my favorite.

thank YOU

What's your favorite "goofy" music piece you've created?

mabel's smile dip music probably

What's your favorite episode of We Bare Bears?

hmmm, probably tote life.

I like food, do you like food too?

food is so awesome

Hey, firstly I'd like to thank you for all the goosebumps I've got from listening to your music! With that said, I was wondering if you have any tips for setting a specific mood/emotion with the music besides using certain instruments/tempo.

In case you haven't answered this yet, I'd also like to know what software or hardware do you use. Do you use any sample libraries or you record most of the instruments?

Thanks in advance!

not sure i have any great tips, i think it mostly comes from practice, scoring a million scenes, and from having listened to a ton of music and watched a ton of movies. however, if you find yourself stuck some good ways to get out of a rut are: - trying a different instrument or sound - adding reverb, delay and/or distortion, - trying a key, scale, or mode that you aren't comfortable with. - if you are mainly a keyboard player, try writing the scene on guitar or vice versa. - listen to a similar piece of music from a movie/scene you like and learn that piece on the piano or guitar. analyze it to learn how it works then try your own version in a different key

i use pro tools because that's what i know and am comfy with. i use lots of libraries in kontakt. pretty much any orchestral library you name i have and have used on gravity falls.

thank you!

Have you seen Mike Inel's fan work?! It's cool!

i have not. will check it. thanks for the tip

Heya Brad! Ford's musical motif gives me chills every time I hear it (and variations of the main title theme). How do you get the emotion packed so well into each score?

the emotion comes from the scene i'm just reflecting it :)

I absolutely loved your work on the show, fantastic job!

Are there any songs or themes from previous episodes that will return as reprises in the finale? And can we expect a karaoke version of Taking Over Midnight any time soon?

thanks!

i can say that bill's theme will probably be in the finale somewhere and the theme song will be in there somewhere :)

Hiya mr. Breeck, I just wanted to thank you for not only the AMA but for all the hard work and love you put into composing.

Anyway my questions are

1 how does the composing process work? For example, would Alex hirsch come up to you and say " we have this scene, I want something happy."

2 how did it feel when you saw your music and how intertwined with the finished animation?

3 how do you feel about the people who compose for the show Steven universe?

That's about it. Thanks again for doing this AMA!

1. alex and i watch the full episode. he gives me his thoughts.

2. very exciting!

3. i haven't gotten to watch yet, but i hear it's awesome!

Thanks for doing this AMA! I LOVE your work on gravity falls. It really goes with the feeling of the show. It really adds to the mystery. I particullary love Bill, The author and Gideon's recurring themes. I'm so glad that you uploaded thr NWHS soundtrack... Can't wait for Dipper and Mabel vs the future! And also weirdmageddon! Simply amazing!

1) Is there any super interesting fun fact about something in the soundtrack that would require a very specific question like this one in order to be brought up?

2) Which is your favourite soundtrack in the show?

3)What was the hardest soundtrack to compose?

4)How is it working with the crew of gravity falls?

1. hmmm not sure. i usually work in my underwear. is that interesting?
2. Not What He Seems and the finale
3. the finale for sure
4. lovely!

hey Brad! here are a few questions?

1. do you play clubpenguin?

2.who is your fav band, or one of your fav band?

1. you dont have to talk about it, but i would just like to know if you have seen/ know the ending of gravity falls?

2. have you ever high five-ed alex?

3. in episodes of gravity falls, when things get really intense, a really interesting sound (or music, because im pretty sure it is in the music) plays that sounds like a ton of violins going wild. it plays in a few scenes, but i think the scene you can hear it the best in is (GRAVITY FALLS SPOILERS) when mabel gives blendin the rift. sorry for making you read all that, but my question is, is that sound in the music inspired by the x-files, because i hear in the x-files every little while?

thanks ;)

keep up the good work ;)

1. sorry no. i'm really old
2. melt banana and britney spears (i'm not joking!)
3. ummmmmmmmm
4. yes and have also shaken his hand and even given him a hug!
5. it's a pretty common technique and you've probably heard it in lots of scores actually.
   thanks!

What was the best dramatic scene to do musically throughout either season?

the end of the finale and the climax of not what he seems i think

Do you ever work at home?

i always work from home. underwear!

Hey Brad! Nice to have you here!

Can you describe the finale in 3 words?

holy meat balls !

What is your favorite color?

greeen... no blue... no....!

What musical piece did the Gravity Falls team like the most?

maybe the theme song? don't know

Big fan of the show and the music used in it. Two questions for you.

1. What is your favorite musical genre?

2. What are your top 5 favorite bands/albums? Or most influential if you prefer.

1. i don't have a favorite. i legit like all styles of music

2. tough question... boredoms super ae fennesz plays ennio morricone (spaghetti western soundtracks) xenakis (any) britney spears (any) d'angelo voodoo

Could you tell us anything about the Weirdmageddon 3 music? I'm expecting it to be amazing, as usual!

Also, did you have any inspirations for the Gravity Falls music? If so, what were they?

can't tell you anything other than i'm very proud of it and the episode is awesome!

Two Question for you, Brad Breeck!

In the post-apocalyptic setting of Gravity Falls, what version of hell would Bill Cypher curse you to?

Which of the three brothers do you relate most to in We Bare Bears?

(Thank you so much for the AMA! I look forward to reading all your answers.)

my version of hell is probably being stuck in traffic with nothing to listen to.

probably Panda as I'm shy and insecure :)

Hey man! I have a couple questions, if it's not too much.

Was the music in the end of Between The Pines, the sad music and the intense serious music, made for the special or is it from the finale?

and will you be uploading the original "Made Me Realize" from Awkward?

Between The Pines I haven't seen that

What is the song (that you made for Gravity Falls) that you are the most proud of?

not sure about song, but for score it's probably the Not What He seems score and the music in the finale.

Do you enjoy working with Disney more or Cartoon Network? Also, why?

both are fun for different reasons :)

Hi Brad! I have a couple of Gravity Falls-related questions for you.

1. Which character's theme is your favorite?
2. Which episode was the most difficult to compose for?
3. What was your inspiration for the music in the series?

Thanks for taking the time to do this! :)

i think i answeered these above. please have a look. thanks!

Thanks for doing this, Brad, your music is amazing and so fitting of GF!

What is your personal favorite theme song of any show?

Have you ever thought of releasing full scores aligned with the episodes?

i love the bob's burgers theme!

most of them are on my soundcloud and i'm releasing more as we approach the finale.

Hi Brad Breeck!!!!!! Please answer my question or just say hi.
1. Did you get to work with all the voice actors on Gravity Falls? If so who was you favorite to work with? 2. Where did you get the inspiration for your work? 3. What was your favorite Fanboy and Chum Chum and Gravity Falls Episodes?

BTW You are a huge inspiration. Please answer or just say hi. It would make me soooooooo happy. Thanks!!!!

1. I worked with Alex, Jason and Kristen. they were all so great to work with!

2. the show :)

3. fanboy and chum chum: can't remember the names anymore, but i loved the whole second season!. gravity, not what he seems

thank you!!

Hello, Mr. Breeck! Welcome to reddit. Hope this AMA is good fun! On that note-

1) NWHS is, IMO, your best Gravity Falls score. What kind of processes and thoughts and effort went into making it, and how long did it take to score that episode?

2) What are your thoughts on character leitmotifs?

3) Who is your favorite composer?

1. that's a very confident assertion! same process as the other episodes i think. watch the show, get nervous that i won't be able to make music good enough for the show because it's so awesome, get to work!
2. i think it's always great icing on the cake, can be a very useful tool.
3. morton feldman

Ok, first off, you are awesome at what you do, and can make any moment seem so much more special. Also two questions: Who's character theme do you like the most (for Gravity Falls) and of course-the reoccurring question that everyone is asking, will there be a full length theme song? And I know I said two questions but my phone won't allow me to go back without having to delete everything before this, but will the alternate theme songs for gravity falls play an important roll in the final episode?

i've answered the first parts above.

the alternate theme is in the finale, but i can't say if it plays an important part

How did you get into music and what is your inspiration?

played in school band and played in rock bands as a kid. went to college for music (i don't recommend it). i'm inspired by everything! i love lunch!

Why did you decide do not use any lyrics in GF opening? You've made lots of awesome scores with vocal (Star vs Forces of Evil opening, for example) but GF theme is speechless. Was it an intentional decision?

that was alex's choice. i think it was a good one :)

Which episode score was the hardest to produce?

Thank you very much for this AMA!

probably the finale. thanks!

how long have you known about the finale of gravity falls?

maybe 9 months? can't remember. they tell me last!

Hi Brad,

How did you first get into music? Were you born into a musical family, did you learn to play at a young age, or did you learn it later? What piece of music or media, would you say, has inspired you the most in your work on various shows? Also thanks for doing this AMA! Can't wait to see how Gravity Falls wraps up next week, and I'll be sure to keep my ear out for your wonderful music!

-15 year old guy

my family was not musical at all. i started in school band and playing in rock bands. i started playing drums at age 10. probably some xenakis or some steve reich piece had the biggest affect on me thanks!

Hi Mr. Breeck! Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into creating something incredible for the shows you work on. How do you think your work on Gravity Falls has impacted your overall style as a composer? What have you had to do differently when composing for Gravity Falls than when you're composing other works in order to fit the tone, etc. of the show? Thanks!

i think GF has made me a stronger composer because i had to rise to the quality level of the show (hopefully i did that!). i'm not sure it affected my style but it definitely affected my competence level. every show is different and needs a unique approach. the instruments and sounds you choose to score the show affect how you work greatly

What program is your favorite for composition? Live? Pro Tools?

Also, what is it like working with Alex Hirsch?

i use pro tools because that's what i'm comfortable with. i used to use LIVE a lot though and really like it.

alex is great! he taught me a ton!

do you watch the episodes before you score them?

yes several times usually

How does composing for television work? Do you like get an entire version of the episode with no music? And then do you send the music to Disney as a full score or as individual tracks?

yes, usually get the full episode and usually (depending on the show) it has some temporary music that the editors and show runner had been using as inspiration. i usually send stems to disney, which is a combination of some instruments, i.e. strings, percussion, guitars, etc

First of all, thank you for hosting the AMA! I love your little chippy arps in your scores, and I was wondering if you have heard of or enjoy listening to Anamanaguchi? If not, what music or bands do you enjoy listening to?

yes, i like anamanaguchi. thanks!

Hey Brad! Love Gravity Falls and We Bare Bears. My question is this: what's a memory from working on shows that sticks out in your mind? Could be a favourite song, or something you were proud of, or whatever. Thanks!

working on Not What He Seems was a really intense experience for me. the climax scene was very affecting emotional for me.

and the finale was very challenging and emotional for me