Composers
Featuring the ones who methodically draft out the sounds that we all want to hear
The Music Directory is submission-based! Please check out the submission form to be featured in any of the listed categories.
Alley Cat writes
“The Widow Project Album Blog -- The Widow Project is a concept album created by Alley Cat (aka Alicia Catherine Bauer) that's me - DJ Since 1997, and now album producer. This will be an ongoing project and blog as I do more releases that sit with the first album.”
On another note: “I am a woman more known as a DJ - I had sporadic releases since the year 2000 but have been making loads of music in the last couple years so there has been a big shift!”
see also: DJ/Selector, Producer, Musician
“DIY guitar music for sensitive people. New music every fortnight on Friday.”
On another note: “Hey, I'm A L O N G S I D E! Although I had classical training in guitar, I only rediscovered my passion for playing thanks to therapy and ironically, COVID. I’ve been writing music regularly since early 2020. My music is solely guitar-based (acoustic or electric), and while it falls under DIY, I would describe it as indie/alternative/art rock. Based on my experience, my music resonates deeply with sensitive people, as there’s a lot of emotion in it. I’m happy to engage in conversations about any music here, not just my own - after all, rather than being alone, it’s better to be alongside each other :)”
see also: Musician
Ben writes
“I write about how I write, arrange and record songs. Each post is about one song, and I go into details about the whole process.”
On another note: “I write music for the sheer enjoyment of it, not to make money.”
See also: Musician, Producer
Beth Anderson writes
“n=9 is an experimental music project blending progressive rock, hints of metal, EDM and symphonic soundscapes to create beautiful, powerful and thought-provoking songs, and how they came to be. And sometimes things a little further afield.”
On another note: “I have been a number of things - professional ballet dancer, musician, singer, composer, writer, biotech instrumentation designer/builder, 3D animator and business woman. Sportbike aficionado, wannabe racer, pretty fair hand with a hydrogen/oxygen torch.”
see also: Musician
Brian Gardner writes
“My substack is a combination of jazz instruction, especially about improvisation, and musical commentary.”
On another note: “I've been a jazz musician and teacher for over 50 years. I've also written and published books and articles on other topics, which may come up as I settle in to this form of publishing.”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Musician, Educator
Cecilia Gigliotti writes
“Così faccio io (Italian for ‘this is how I do it’) is a blog and newsletter for culture sluts—people who love reading and thinking about all manner of arts and humanities. I, Cecilia, began it in 2019 shortly after moving from my native New England to Berlin, Germany, and quite a while after conceiving the idea but being unable to choose what to focus on. Then I decided I didn’t have to. Although it is mostly music, and mostly music of a certain era, if I’m honest. So join me on a journey of listening, reading, watching, experiencing, creating, and meditating.”
On another note: “While much of what I write about skews retro, I'm just as invested in listening to and discussing the great music of the moment. #bumpingthat”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Reviewer/Critic, Musician, Historian/Scholar/Researcher
Charlotte Botterill writes
“The purpose of my page is to demystify the composition process. I give detailed breakdowns of how I composed existing pieces alongside realtime updates on projects which I am currently working on. My aim is to take the fear out of starting a large scale project, to give strategies to cope with feeling overwhelmed by said project, and to talk honestly about the challenges as well as the successes. I will also share my sources of inspiration.”
On another note: “My work has appeared in five publications and has been performed internationally. I also work as a piano and music tutor. I love travelling and take a lot of inspiration from my trips.”
See also: Educator
Dan Frost writes
“Composer, orchestrator and producer Dan Frost shares lessons from the history of music, composition techniques and behind the scenes.”
On another note: “Compositing and producing for film, games and songwriters. Sharing techniques, motivation and mindset for musicians of all levels who want to make more music. Written by not-yet-failed composer, Dan Frost.”
see also: Producer, Musician, Historian/Scholar/Researcher
Eric Pan writes
Evergreen music-imagination adventures — plus scenes from life as a touring, recording, trans-disciplinary artist — flown to your postbox pronto 🌮
On another note: "I’d love to introduce the Piano Liberation Workshop: teaching improvisation to students of all levels, even from scratch <3"
See also: Musician, Educator
Estevan Carlos Benson writes
“A newsletter about ethnomusicology, music technology, and culture.”
On another note: I am a music technologist and researcher.
see also: Producer, Musician, Historian/Scholar/Researcher
George Henderson writes
“to explain inspiring new music and inspiring old music in terms of each other, mythology, psychology, history.”
On another note: “I often suffer from retrophobia.”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Reviewer/Critic, Musician, Historian/Scholar/Researcher
Greg writes
“Questions and answers at the cross section of music, sound, technology, creativity, and culture.”
see also: Producer, Musician, Historian/Scholar/Researcher
“A broad range of topics regarding music (listening, composing, teaching, etc).”
On another note: “I provide insight into how music is made, perceived and understood, from a personal and well informed standpoint.”
see also: Musician
“30 years a musician..............Every Post Includes a New Recording or one from my personal archives. Sharing the working process of developing Solo Piano works that include live looping and sound creation. Intermittenly posting old recordings from bands I've worked with in the past in hopes of supplying the backstory to how I got here.”
On another note: “I focus on the music, all instrumental and do very little writing. I understand that is not what Substack was created for, but the audience is cool, the format is awesome and it's the only site I visit on a regular basis.”
see also: Musician
koyl writes
“Until recently, I used my newsletter to share my own music & releases. Now, I want to make it more of a creative/studio journal and share not only my process but also tell about how making music affect my life (ideas, perspective, empowerment a a physically disabled person, or just as a human being). The idea is to focus more on the consequences of the music making rather than the music itself.”
On another note: “Maybe that I'm physically disabled (cerebral palsy) and that music has been a great source of empowerment & emancipation in life, and I hope that can inspire others, whoever they are.”
see also: Musician, Composer
Laurie Fortune writes
“My name is Laurie Fortune, a tech student on the fast track to Fortune 500. Realizing that my destiny lies in creativity, not cubicle . From fashion, to Music, to dance and writing, I’m a multi-passionate creative. As I shape myself outside of the corporate mold, I'll be sharing my journey from corporate to the beautiful chaos of creativity. The FortuneCookiee newsletter serves to inspire introspection, spark a growth mindset, and encourage others on a similar path to embrace their own creative evolution.”
On another note: “This space is not just about sharing my journey—it's about fostering connections with other passionate creatives. I'm here to learn, grow, and exchange insights as we navigate the beauty and chaos of pursuing our artistic dreams.”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Musician, Playlist Curator, DJ/Selector, Producer
Lucas Grindley writes
“I’m an unusual combination of a composer and lifelong journalist, blending music and storytelling. One of my ongoing projects, "Scoring the News," sets original scores to current events, but my work goes beyond that. I create videos of all kinds—some featuring my own footage from travels, like Alaska’s vast landscapes or the Adirondacks’ quiet lakes, and others using footage I've sourced, bought, or collaborated on with other artists. (Reach out if you've got an idea on working together.) Privately, music has become my way of making sense of this crazy world. It’s also a way of expressing emotions too big for words—though you'd think I could've figured it out, as an award-winning writer. If you stick around beyond the music and videos, you’ll find I also write about what’s behind the sound—because after 20 years in journalism, I'm trained to always have a point.”
On another note: “Twice named LGBTQ Journalist of the Year by NLGJA 🏳️🌈. Living in Woodstock, NY, with my husband, teenage twin daughters, and our little dog.”
lucie nezri writes
“a bi-weekly newsletter on experimental music composition, lightly punctuated with personal stories and bad jokes. sometimes, the newsletter dives deep into the work of a specific composer/artist, and sometimes, it just highlights great music to listen to.”
on another note: “my writing is imbued with my experience as a composer/research, and a womxn with a diverse background.”
see also: Playlist Curator, Reviewer/Critic, Musician, Historian/Scholar/Researcher, Educator
Mat Eric Hart writes
“Sonic Tapestries is a part-publication, part-archive and studio journal curated by Mat Eric Hart. Featuring in-depth insights and explorations, join me in taking a behind the scenes look at my creative practices as an artist, travelling sound recordist, DJ, and sound effects creator!”
On another note: “I'm fascinated by recording the sounds of our surroundings - nature, people, places and environments. I try to reflect my passion in my writings and through sharing sounds from my archive.”
see also: Musician, Playlist Curator, DJ/Selector, Producer
Melted Form writes
“I provide weekly new music recommendations in the form of two lists: one list for new ambient releases, which is the genre I focus on most prominently, and another list for all other genres. I also offer reflections on life, creativity, and art, help promote independent artists and labels with relatively small followings, and share brief thoughts on new and old records.”
On another note: “I make my own ambient and experimental electronic music and frequently share demos of my work in my newsletters.”
see also: DJ/Selector, Producer, Writer/Journalist
Miter writes
“Writing music and writing about writing music”
see also: Musician, Producer, Writer/Journalist
Nick Vereshchak writes
“The main draw of Lately is a weekly music release roundup, albums and songs that interested me that I give brief commentary on. I also write a section at the end about the music I've been listening to lately, whether old or new. In addition, I write articles/essays about music topics that interest me, as well as album reviews. I'm a musician myself, so I feel I'm able to give unique or in-depth analysis of music.”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Musician, Playlist Curator, Producer, Reviewer/Critic
Nolan Green writes
“of sound and fury is a newsletter written by me, musician Nolan Green. I create music under the moniker the grassy knoll (1993-present) and have released 5 albums on the labels Nettwerk and Verve/Antilles. My compositions have appeared in television, film, and video games. Highlights include the Netflix series Bobby Kennedy for President (series theme song), Legion, Incorporated, The Mod Squad, and Roswell.”
On another note: “Other creative endeavors include Photo Editor of CMJ New Music Monthly Magazine (1999-2002), Video Editor for Izotope Software, Downunder Horsemanship, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Fragile (winner of the Short Corner: Cannes Film Festival Award).”
see also: Playlist Curator, Producer, Musician
Oliver Picken writes
“According to Making Music, over 228,000 music makers take part in nearly 4,000 leisure-time music organisations across the UK. In a world where people’s time and attention are precious commodities, these people choose to devote a set period of time per week to music-making, for they know the positive, life-affirming joy that it brings them. My newsletter is all about celebrating the act of recreational and leisure-time music making and is aimed at music educators, leisure-time players and aspiring conductors. However, everyone is welcome and if you believe in the power of music in your local community then I think you will like the posts I have in store for 2025! Thank you for reading!”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Historian/Scholar/Researcher, Musician, Educator
Patrik Skoog writes
“Your go-to place for valuable advice on music production, behind-the-scenes insights on working for clients, and a peek into the day-to-day of mixing & mastering—across all sorts of genres.”
This composer also wants listeners to know: “A Swedish record producer, mix engineer, and DJ since the 90s.”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Producer
Pedro writes
“debtor's island creates tuneful indie folk exploring memory, trauma, and the urban sprawl. The newsletter contains original songs and drafts, written pieces (generally autobiographical), poetry, lyrics, and illustrations.”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Musician, Producer, Historian/Scholar/Researcher
Qid Love writes
“Post-tonal sound baths for your existential crisis.”
On another note: “They/she pronouns”
see also: Musician, Producer, Sound Artist
“I’m a music obsessive who is deaf with a cochlear implant in one ear and natural hearing in the other. My writing focuses on my experiences with my music obsession and hearing loss. I’m currently writing a song by song analysis of Harry Smith’s legendary 1952 Anthology of American Folk Music.”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Musician, Reviewer/Critic, Historian/Scholar/Researcher
Ryan Egan writes
“American singer/songwriter Ryan Egan leaks a new song every week alongside dispatches from music life in Paris, France.”
see also: Musician, Composer
Sam Lou Talbot writes
“Blackout Baby: Night Drives on Music & More. Come on board…”
see also: Musician, Producer, Historian/Scholar/Researcher
“YeahYal is a podcast mix of eclectic vibes spanning multiple genres and eras. New mixes every month. DJ mixes and playlists offer nostalgic jams paired with “newish” songs as relevant companions. Genres include: funk, soul, house, r&b, hip-hop, electronic, indie, psychedelic, folk, jazz, new wave, post punk and disco that span the 60s to now. The goal of each mix is to combine a collection of disparate genres that still fit well when blended together. Playlists of each mixtape are also available to help spice up your steaming algorithm if you’re looking for better suggestions of new music (although about 10% of the tracks are not available on the streaming services). Basically, each mix consists of “relevant retro” tracks that influence me and which I think will inspire others. Mixes are upbeat enough to play while working out but also mellow enough to create a vibe suitable for working or hanging out.”
see also: Writer/Journalist, Musician, Playlist Curator, DJ/Selector, Producer, Collector, Podcaster
“The music and musings of a full time music composer based out of Scranton, PA”
see also: Musician, Producer
thank you <3
Thank you, Music Directory!!