We recently connected with Robert V. Lampkin and have shared our conversation below.
Robert V., so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
Honestly, my parents instilled in me from an early age the idea that all things are possible with time, discipline, dedication, and a cool head. I can’t say that I’ve always been optimistic, but over the years, I’ve tried to develop more of a can-do attitude. Every problem has a solution, and patience can bring about things that you couldn’t have otherwise planned to achieve. I have my moments, though, where being optimistic seems like a waste of energy, but at the end of the day, I chose to write music because I love it through and through. So if I’m doing something I enjoy, why make it sour with worry or pessimism. I think my grandmother was the one that showed me what it was really like to make the most out of any situation. Even if we had nothing we thought we needed to solve a problem, she’d put a few things together and turn them into a solution, even if it was only temporary.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Robert and I’m a film and media composer, where I create music scores for films, video games, and other media. I center my work around the orchestra, and spend a good deal of my time practicing and crafting pieces that are ready to be played live. I can very easily say that if I could live in a recording studio 5 days out of the week, I would. It is such a lively and rewarding feeling to be in an environment where 30+ brains come together in unity to create something no one individual could accomplish on their own.
In my day-to-day outside of school, I score films, orchestrate, arrange, and prepare music for performances with ensembles of varying sizes.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Being detail-oriented is probably the one skilled I’ve spent the most time developing, completely unintentionally at first. I would spend an absurd amount of time working on making my mockups (virtual renderings of orchestral music) sound as realistic as possible, while also trying to maximize the utility of the tools I had at my disposal. Because I’ve been self-taught for about 90% of my career, much of what I learned through this was from trial and error.
Being able to communicate effectively is probably the one skill that I have been trying my hardest to develop recently. It is absolutely crucial that ANY professional has the ability to communicate exactly what they mean to say in a way that fosters development and mutual understanding. It’s probably the most challenging skill I’ve had to develop.
Just be you, be friendly, and understand that we’re all moving along as the centers of our own lives. There’s no need to be rude or fake, because I’ve found that, many times, people value authenticity and amicability in those they work with even more than their skills. If you’re a pain in the butt to work with, what good is your skill? Sure, sometimes it’s enough, but I’ve heard my fair share from mentors and teachers, who are much more experienced than I, who echo that same sentiment.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
I think beginners entering creative industries as freelancers need to realize that, most likely, they are entering into a feast-or-famine industry. There’s ways to minimize the effects, but the reality is that you can spend a good chunk of the year not doing the job you “signed up for”, and when it comes time to do the job, you’re swamped. It’s a beautiful thing, I think; the rush isn’t like anything else I’ve done. But the stress is there year round for various reasons. In the feast, you can get overwhelmed by rushing deadlines, near-impossible tasks, conflicts of interest, communication failures, and all sorts of craziness. During famine, it feels like world has dried up!
I’d say my best advice to combat this is to 1) diversify your income [3 Bucket Risk Management], 2) have projects in the pipeline way in advance, and 3) plan to have at least 6 months worth of living expenses put away and saved UNTOUCHED because you absolutely will need it at some point.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.robertlampkinmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert_lampkin_music/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobertLampkinMusic
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-v-lampkin/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RobertVLampkin
Image Credits
Don Teva Arman Kouchak
