Reddit AMA Recap: Brad Breeck talks Gravity Falls music composition

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Music composer recently stopped by Reddit to do an AMA in which he talked about his work most notably on Gravity Falls which is set to celebrate its series finale next Monday Night on Disney XD. Brad was cool enough to drop by and give us an inside look at what it’s like to produce music for animated comedies and his influences and we grabbed our favorite highlights that you can see below:

On how Brad got the Gravity Falls music composition gig

i got GF by pitching demos for the theme song. i got that opportunity by my manager pestering disney. i got my manager because i got a show on nickelodeon. i got the show on nickelodeon by doing a test demo. i got the opportunity to do that demo because i scored a short at nickelodeon. i got to score the short at nickelodeon because a school friend was the director of the short and asked me. that’s the whole story 🙂

How composing for a Disney show works

yes, usually get the full episode and usually (depending on the show) it has some temporary music that the editors and show runner had been using as inspiration. i usually send stems to disney, which is a combination of some instruments, i.e. strings, percussion, guitars, etc

On how Gravity Falls impacted Brad’s work

i think GF has made me a stronger composer because i had to rise to the quality level of the show (hopefully i did that!). i’m not sure it affected my style but it definitely affected my competence level. every show is different and needs a unique approach. the instruments and sounds you choose to score the show affect how you work greatly

What would he change to his early Gravity Falls music compositions

good question. there are some cues form early episodes that i don’t think are as strong as they could be. i wish i could go back and re-score tourist trapped and some of the other early ones. therer’s good stuff in there, but could be stronger

Other projects that Brad works on

I work on several other shows, so if you want to hear more of my stuff: I do another Disney XD show called Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, super funny. Doing a new show on Disney XD called Pickle and Peanut that’s hilarious. Also doing a really cool new show for Cartoon Network called We Bare Bears. And I do a show on MTV calls Awkward. Various other things here and there.

Think you’re the ultimate Gravity Falls fan? Test your mettle here, and then watch the epic 1-hour finale of Gravity Falls Monday, February 15 at 7P on Disney XD.