We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shaun Moore a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shaun, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I first knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally as a Music Producer in the eleventh grade of high school. But before that, my interest in music actually began when I was in elementary school. In the fifth grade I joined the music program and started learning my first instrument which was the Bassoon. My parents and music educator at the time quickly realized that I had a natural gift and talent for music because I was doing so well without the assistance of an instructor. They immediately became very supportive of my endeavors. As I left elementary school and matriculated to middle school, I started learning more instruments all without private instruction. I was participating in all the school’s ensembles and auditioning in every competition that was available. In doing so, while still in middle school, I ended up winning or placing first chair in all my competitions that I auditioned for. These outcomes remained consistent all through middle school and still continued when I got into high school. Once I got into high school, my music educator at that time who instantly saw the talent and gift, had me become a student ambassador for the music program. Not only was I introduced to music technology, which was my first introduction to wanting to become a Music Producer, but I was also still performing in every ensemble on more than one instrument. In addition to that, I was also competing in district/state competitions winning and even traveling throughout the country performing in different ensembles all before I got into my junior year or the eleventh grade. I was doing so well that by the time I did get into the eleventh grade, I had earned eleven full-music scholarships to colleges across the country! That year, eleventh grade of high school, was the year I knew for certain that I wanted to go study music, be a professional musician, and become a professional Music Producer.
Shaun, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
For me, I started my journey to becoming a professional Music Producer and getting into the Music Industry while I was still in college. I’m from Stone Mountain Ga but I went to college in Jackson, Mississippi at Jackson State University. While I was there at Jackson State studying music, I was producing music in my dorm room with equipment that my parents helped me get. On a regular schedule, I would send my music productions to a contact that I knew in Atlanta who I met while I was in high school. Throughout that process, my music was being recorded on local Atlanta talent and artist who were also looking to get into the Music Industry. When college was not in session, I would always come back to Atlanta and get in the studio with these local artist and help produce songs. I did this same routine all my years of college and by the time I became a senior, some of my songs that I produced were introduced to very successful Atlanta Music Industry Executives at that time. When it was time for me to graduate Jackson State, I had built so much rapport and so many relationships with my Atlanta contacts, I created an opportunity to get in the door of the Atlanta music scene. After I graduated Jackson State, I came back home and began to take advantage of the opportunities that I had created for myself. Not too long after I graduated, while moving around in the Atlanta music scene, I met a very well-known and extremely successful Music Industry Executive who presented an opportunity for me to work with him inside a very successful music studio. Of course I jumped at the opportunity. My beginnings working in this studio is what gave me my official start as a professional Music Producer. I learned so much from the experience and I was able to contribute creatively as a producer to the continued success of that studio. In doing so, I built even more relationships with working artists, engineers, executives, managers, and other great people who work in different areas of the Music Industry. I still to this day have some of those same relationships that I built when I was first starting out.
As a Music Producer, one of my main primary roles is to provide high quality music or productions for those who are looking. Whether it be an artist or a record label, or a brief for film/tv or an open project that needs music. I provide that solution. One of my biggest assets that has helped me grow my career and sustain longevity as a Music Producer is that I am a team player. I’ve always been like this. I always try and create a win-win situation for me and whoever I am working with. In a way I think that sets me apart from others because I am able to provide value first and that is what helps me build and nurture all my relationships. It’s a skillset that I have always had since I was a child and because of that I have been able to build more personable relationships that last for a very long time. I think I am most proud of the fact that a career path that I thought about as a child, and started working towards as a chid, has actually come to fruition. Sacrifice, dedication, perseverance, discipline, hard work, and resilience are all a part of the equation to success. The journey hasn’t always been easy but I am very grateful for the successes that I have had along the way. Even with that, I still feel like I’m just getting started. I would like everyone to know that if you have a natural gift in something and dream big while believing in yourself, you can turn that gift and dream into a reality and become blessed in so many ways. I’m living proof and a testament!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Well, I think for me the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is that I am living out a child-hood dream in every sense. Being a professional Music Producer on a day-to-day basis is so fulfilling. When I was a child coming up, I knew this was what I wanted to pursue not just because of who or what I saw in those already in the Music Industry, but because I was also submersed in music my whole childhood and realized it was a gift & talent that I cultivated on a daily basis. No one had to tell me to practice or study my craft. I held myself accountable and in doing so I received the support of others to grow and develop. Now, as a professional Music Producer, I’m able to interact with many of my peers in such a fashion that is value added and the love of the work is shared in camaraderie. The shared experiences of the processes to get success is in a lot of ways enjoyable because I’m doing something that I love. My energy and enthusiasm for my craft is felt by others who I come in contact with. This helps me achieve positive outcomes.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
There are many resources that have impacted my management and entrepreneurial thinking for sure. Some come from the area of financial literacy to start. As a Music Producer, the business side of things can be complex if you don’t learn the in’s and out’s. Some people think that as soon as you get a successful song or music placement that you can act reckless with no regard on the financial responsibilities that have come with that type of success. I have invested in studying financial literacy resources so that I can learn better ways to manage my money and set myself up for the future. In doing so, it helps me navigate working budgets, needs verses wants, and prioritize things that will be best suited for my present goals and future intentions. Today, there are so many free resources available online that I really don’t have an excuse to not invest the time and energy required to learn better practices. With this new way of thinking, it allows me to function more responsibly and within a certain framework in most cases that helps aid in successful outcomes instead of always needing to manage risk tolerance.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @11thgrademusic
- Twitter: @11thgrademusic
- Email: [email protected]