Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaun Moore.
Hi Shaun, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey to becoming a professional Music Producer and getting into the Music Industry started officially while I was still in college. However, my gifts and talent for music actually started in the fifth grade of elementary school. It was at that time in fifth grade when I decided to join the elementary school music program. Initially, I chose the Bassoon as my instrument of choice to begin learning as my parents suggested to pick something that wasn’t the normal choice. To everyone’s surprise, including my music teacher, I was excelling extremely fast on the Bassoon without the help of a tutor or taking private lessons. That’s when my parents and music teacher realized I had a natural gift for music and immediately supported me from that day forward. By the time I got into high school, I was still playing the bassoon, but I had picked up a couple more instruments and was winning auditions and first chair placements in all of the ensembles that I played in. I was doing so well that by the time I got into the eleventh grade of high school, I earned eleven full-music scholarships to colleges across the country. That’s when I knew for sure that I wanted to go to college and study music in order to pursue my dreams of working professionally in the Music Business. On a full-music scholarship, Jackson State University was my school of choice that I attended to begin my journey into the Music Business.
I’m from Stone Mountain, GA, but while at Jackson State studying music, not only was I a student ambassador in all the ensembles performing on my instruments and traveling throughout the country, I was also producing music in my dorm room with equipment that my parents helped me get. I would send my productions to contacts that I had in Atlanta, and my records were being recorded on different up-and-coming artists. During the summers, or when school was not in session, I would return to Atlanta and work in studios producing music with local Atlanta talent and also build rapport with them. I kept this routine up for all my years at Jackson State in addition to keeping a 4.0 GPA every semester working on my degree. By the time I was a senior, not only did I have a 4.0 GPA, but I also had some of the records that I had been producing get into the hands of some very well-known and successful Music Executives in Atlanta. I graduated Jackson State University with a 4.0 GPA and came back to Atlanta with the relationships I built and utilized my connections to help get me in the door of the Atlanta Music scene. Within a short period of time, I was presented with an opportunity to work in a successful music studio which gave me my first start at being 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. To this day, even with where I am now and have come from, I still have some of those same relationships that I built when I was first starting out. Some key components that have helped me get to where I am today are hard work, determination, patience, maintaining and growing relationships, and being driven to succeed at all costs.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I can definitely say that it has not been a smooth road for me in my career. Some of the things that were challenges early on as a Music Producer were and sometimes still are financial stability, getting your music heard by the right people, relationship building, and excelling in a space that is very competitive. When you’re starting out as a Music Producer, no one really knows who you are, and it’s your drive, work ethic, and relentless desire to achieve that has to carry you as you work towards your goals. It doesn’t happen overnight, so you have to employ patience as well. In today’s landscape of saturation, you also have to try and go that extra mile to set yourself apart from others when building and sustaining relationships and business opportunities. The Music Business changes, and you have to be agile enough to recognize this and adapt in order to keep moving forward with any vision or goal that you may have in mind. For me, I also have run into the challenge of creative differences. This just means that as a Music Producer, sometimes what you produce may not resonate with a particular artist or may not fit a particular project you were asked to work on at that time. However, I always try to create a win/win situation in the relationship because the project owner may come back to you at a later time for another project simply because of your professionalism and being easy to work with. This interaction creates referrals and endorsement opportunities. Which without things like that, it can be challenging to get to your next assignment.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
For work, I am currently a professional Music Producer. I work and am known for working with a handful of GRAMMY Award-Winning and Multi-Platinum songwriters, artists, record labels, and executives within the Music Business. My primary role as a Music Producer is to provide high quality music to fit the needs of any and everyone who’s looking for a particular type of music or brief. My goal is always to create a win/win situation so that the outcome of the project is successful. I specialize in all things music as I also work with an organization/company as a Music Educator helping clients of all ages learn all things related to music. From the business side to the creative side and everything in between. And I am also a professional musician who regularly works and tours with GRAMMY Award-Winning and Independent Artists. I can’t really pinpoint one specific event or moment in my career that I am most proud of because for me, this has been a childhood dream of mine that I began taking seriously at such a young age. I think all my successes and challenges have helped shape where I am today. I think the ability to connect with my peers and other individuals in a way that adds value and feels more personable is something that I do very good which, in a way, sets me apart from others. I have always been a team player and have built my relationships where they are definitely mutually beneficial, and I think that has contributed to my longevity.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I would say that with networking, always be polite in your interactions with others, especially with who you feel may be able to assist you along the way. Try to add value first, even if you think you don’t have much to offer in the beginning. Sometimes, your personality and the type of person you are will give off the right energy, which can be received well by others. For me, when all I had was talent, I would find a way to connect with others by making them feel valued and that I was the right person for them to work with by getting to know more about them and their needs. Also, being friendly and personable helps make someone feel at ease as well. I actually try and build personal relationships with many of the people that I meet. It’s not a quick process, but a lot of times, it helps build longevity in what you’re doing. I have been presented opportunities and been introduced to new people just from word of mouth because of how well my relationship was with the person who spoke highly of me. It works!
As far as a mentor, I would say look or try to find someone who has done something similar to what you are trying to do and see if they would be willing to support you in any way. That has worked for me. I know many people now who have achieved some of the things that I want to achieve, and I have the ability to ask them questions or for assistance as needed. Their insight, wisdom, and knowledge allow me to make better decisions to put into action. Even in today’s climate.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @11thgrademusic
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-m-moore
- Other: E-mail: Eleventhgrademusic@gmail.com
