David Rosen is a musician and an electronic composer based in Las Vegas, Nevada.  He recently released a new video for his new song, "Never."  The video was directed by Christopher Johnson of Free Your Mind Films in NYC.  

Rosen will be releasing a free companion album called Another Sky that features bonus tracks that were cut from An Unseen Sky in September.  He took a moment to speak with Kill the Music about what he does as an electronic composer.

KTM:  Tell me a little bit about yourself and your background.

DR:  I have been composing music for 15 years and my main focus is composing film scores.  Along the way I also started putting together albums of my instrumental music as a way to showcase my music outside of films.  It's a means of showcasing myself and my abilities.  It's also a way to explore my influences, try out new styles, and explore things that interest me when it comes to music.  The last few years have been the most busy and exciting since I released my first album, Echoes in the Dark.

KTM:  What drove you to choose your career path?

DR:  Music is really one of the most important things in the world for me.  I grew up with music.  My family owns a record store, Wax Trax Records in Las Vegas.  I was always around music ever since I was a little kid.  I never really got into a band.  I prefer making music on my own. However when I am composing, I collaborate with people on what they need.  It just makes sense because I get to work with filmmakers and producers but the music making is my own thing.

KTM:  What kind of experience and/or education did you need in your profession?

DR:  I think that a lot of entertainment careers are like this; there is really no one way to make your way into a particular field.  I don't have any formal training outside of a few music classes here and there and a few lessons. I read a lot and tried to learn as much as possible.  I went to UNLV but that didn't get me where I am musically.  If anything, it helped me with networking and meeting people.

KTM:  What do you spend the majority of your time doing?

DR:  The majority of my time I spend trying to find jobs.  As a freelancer, I am constantly looking for the next project.  A lot of times, the music is the last thing that people think about when making a movie.  Sometimes they wait until the last minute and then go to a music library or get tracks from a variety of other sources.  Luckily, some people still see the value in hiring a composer and collaborating to create something custom that really adds value to their project.

KTM:  What misconceptions do people have about your job?

DR:  The number one thing is when you tell people that you are a musician and a composer, they assume that you are a DJ.  That is not at all what I do.  Especially since I am an electronic composer.  I don't write music using pen and paper.  I play a little guitar and piano but am not an expert at either of them.  I don't play many instruments.  I do everything on the computer.  People hear electronic and think DJ or EDC music.

KTM:  What's the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?

DR:  I really don't dislike anything about the work.  Budgets are shrinking and there is less money available.  You have to work harder to find work.  I would love to have a lot of work lined up all of the time but that requires getting out and networking.  Finding work is a lot about who you know.  You have to get your name out there.

KTM:  What is the best part of the job?

DR:  The most enjoyable part is making the music.  It's exciting when I see projects with my work in it.  It is especially cool to see my music in a project in a movie theater.  That has happened several times already, especially in the last year or so.  Getting to be a part of movies is very rewarding.  My other favorite thing to do, besides making music, is watching movies.  It's great to be a part of both.

KTM: What advice do you have for someone wanting to enter the profession?

DR:  It's important to play your strengths.  Find out what styles you are good at and gravitate towards that type of work.  Do what you do very well so that people know you for that.

You can see Rosen's new video "Never" here.