Why I Compose for Musical Theatre

🌍 https://www.musicnation.co.nz - Visit Music Nation for indepth reviews, pro audio news and editorial articles for composers and song writers. ⸻ Why would a composer choose musical theatre over film and TV? In this video, I explain why I focus on writing full-scale original musicals instead of chasing the cinematic scoring world - and how that decision shapes everything in my studio. I’m currently developing a new dark orchestral rock musical called Grimmwood - a vampire-inspired stage production blending symphonic orchestration with heavy rock influences inspired by bands like Rammstein, Nightwish, and Ayreon....this is not your nana's musical! 🎭 What I Cover In This Video: • Why I chose musical theatre over film & TV • Writing orchestral + rock hybrid scores • Developing a full original stage musical from scratch • Using AI vocals for demo production (then replacing with real singers) • My hybrid workflow using hardware + software • Why I focus on composing - not mixing 🎹 My Studio Workflow My studio is built around the Yamaha Montage 8 and REAPER, combining: • Hardware synthesis and tactile control • Custom REAPER scripts and track templates • MIDI note channel articulation workflow • AI-assisted vocal demos • A digital mixing console for hands-on balance 🎶 Why Musical Theatre? Musical theatre allows for: • Character-driven composition • Large orchestral arrangements • Rock and symphonic fusion • Emotional storytelling across full-length works • Complete creative ownership It’s not the most commercial path - especially here in New Zealand - but it’s creatively limitless. If you’re a composer interested in stage musicals, hybrid orchestration, AI-assisted workflow, or building a serious writing-focused studio, this channel is for you. Subscribe to Music Nation TV for more Reaper tutorials, MIDI workflow tips, and real-world composing techniques. Ask any questions below, I'm always happy to answer if I can. ⸻ 📘Join me on   / musicnation.co.nz