We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Robert Mason Sandifer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Robert Mason below.

Alright, Mason thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Before I answer these questions, I think I have to answer the question of how I learned to love what I do. From an early age, I took an interest in music and began taking piano lessons when I was four years old. I soon discovered the beauty in music, creating my own little songs that stirred my soul and left me wanting to share this beauty with others. As I got older I learned that people do indeed still compose music for any form of media and so I pursued this path with a passion.

I learned and am still learning about composing through trial and error. Understanding sound design, instrumentation, and orchestration, is as much hands-on as it is learned in a classroom. My professors at the university are also encouraging and knowledgeable on many musical subjects and have willingly shared their knowledge with me. I’ve sought to learn everything I can, in order to be fully equipped for the industry.

I don’t know if I can say there’s anything I could have done to speed up my learning process, as I believe timing is everything and there are no accidents. Thanks to various connections, and perfect timing, I have had many opportunities to work and learn from that work, hone and craft my skills as a composer, and make lifelong friends along the way. I wouldn’t change that for the world.

The skills I’ve found to be of the most importance are to approach each opportunity I get with confidence, enthusiasm, and a drive to serve the creative director and the audience. Obstacles that have stood in my way are ones of my own making. Self-doubt, lack of motivation, or even pride in believing that I know enough, have all reared their ugly heads at one point or another. Working through these problems has helped me grow mentally and emotionally.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Robert Mason Sandifer and I’m a composer for multi-media. This means that I create music for forms of media such as films, video games, podcasts, audiobooks, audio dramas, etc. I’m drawn to projects that tell meaningful stories, serve the audience, and lift the spirit. A quote I read from the master composer Handel states, “I should be sorry if I only entertained them, I wish to make them better.” This resonated with me and is a high calling when it comes to the creative process. I may never create a perfect musical composition but my goal is that the people who view and hear my work will be reminded of timeless truths, unending graces, and endless hope.

As a composer, I have a permanent home studio set up that my dad built and designed for me. I also have a smaller “studio set up” that I travel with and that consists of my Nektar MIDI keyboard, my laptop, headphones, and my virtual sound libraries. I use Logic Pro primarily as my Digital Audio Workstation but have experience using StudioOne Five Pro and Ableton Live. The creative process every time I sit down to compose looks a little different but some things remain the same to maximize efficiency.

To date, the project that I’m most proud of is the book soundtrack I’m creating to accompany a fun sci-fi middle-grade novel I’m writing. The story follows a human who falls in with these quirky alien creatures and his journey with them as he tries to return home. The music here plays a big part in adding depth to the characters and situations in which they find themselves. As a kid, I always loved audiobooks and audio dramas and have a great interest in continuing to work on projects of this kind.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I believe that music exists to express the inexpressible, help the listener cope, and ultimately glorify the God who created it. This can come in the form of various projects and many types of music. These guiding principles are both my mission and driving my creative journey. Whether it is a piece of classical-style chorale music meant as a reminder and worship, to creating music for films that deal with people’s choices and the consequences that follow them, the music I write flows from a heart of gratitude, and a desire to serve others through it.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I’m still looking to grow my social media presence, but as of now, I’m grateful for the people I’ve connected with through social media and also in face-to-face meetings. I find that Spotify and other music streaming services are great places to share my music and I use Instagram as more of a portfolio and portal where people can get to know me in a more personal way. On Instagram, I connect with actors, editors, directors, creative producers, and other composers. I believe that ultimately everyone in the multi-media industry is on the same team- a partnership if you will- and we should strive to lift each other up, encourage, and recommend one another for projects and opportunities.

Though social media has many positive aspects, I believe it has just as many negative ones too. I believe you have to be grounded and comfortable with who YOU are or risk falling into jealousy, and discouragement, the unbenefical product of comparison. Ways to avoid this is to simply be real with your audience and yourself. Social media highlights the best of the best, thus giving a false, deceptive atmosphere. For me personally, I try to limit the number of people that I follow simply because I know I’m a flawed human being who can easily fall into the trap of comparing myself to someone else and that’s unhealthy.

If you’re looking to grow your presence be genuine, engage, and find people who are interested in the same kind of content you are producing. Be patient and remember, followers don’t define you- it is much better to have few people who actually uplift you, and encourage you, than hundreds who tear you down or don’t care. Also, connections are important- don’t underestimate the opportunity in a face-to-face meeting. Attend events, have business cards, shake hands, be confident, smile, and be yourself- that’s the most important thing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sandifersongandstudio.squarespace.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandifersongandstudio/
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2EUUAjv10OwJwODKYRQGzi?si=8Vr8sKoaRrm1R7a7Vp6rTQ