To better connect you with the brilliant talent behind our music, we're proudly spotlighting various artists, composers & producers on the Megatrax roster. Frank Peter Pascale is a multi-instrumentalist born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut. A self-taught musician, he approaches writing music with an unorthodox style. Currently based in Los Angeles since 2019. You can hear his music on Life Below Zero, Life Below Zero: Next Generation, and Life Below Zero: First Alaskans.

Hi Frank! Please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?

I was living back in New Haven, CT as a stone mason and decided to take a risk on myself. I spent 80 hours a week working while saving all my money, studying composition, and reading as many books as possible. I packed my car with nothing but instruments, books, art, a French press, and my dog and drove 3300 miles to Los Angeles with other 3 people to reach out to. One of them was an editor for the current show I write music for (Life Below Zero) who was from the same town as me, but we never really knew each other. I never asked him to listen to my music, instead I looked for what I could offer him. I waited til he asked to hear my music. One random Wednesday he called and asked if I could help him finish the documentary he was wrapping up which he co-directed with his boss. I said yes without even knowing what I was doing and spent the next 13 hours lining up master audio stems to the final cut of the film. The next morning his boss/the showrunner of Life Below Zero showed up to pick up the hard drive and found out I helped finish it. He sat and listened to a song placed in the film and said "This sounds like Life Below Zero. Want to give us a library?" I said "Sure. How many songs would you need to start?" He replied, "About 40 to start?" I said "No problem!" knowing I only had 2 solid songs written that were worthy. I went home, and wrote 40 songs in 11 days with about 1000mg of caffeine fueling my 18-hour work days and the rest is history!!

How do you think the music industry will change over the next decade?

I really believe artificial intelligence (AI) will have a heavy influence on almost every creative facet, it's something I see a lot of people fighting and while some of the prospects of it do scare me, I think it's something that could also be utilized. In the same regard, many pencil and paper composers were terrified of DAWs [digital audio workstations]. As of right now, there is only so much the AI can do and in terms of custom storytelling I don't know if it will ever get there as many directors and executives do not speak in musical language, but rather emotional descriptions and what is or isn't missing from what the visual story is telling us. It's our job to fill in those gaps and tell the audience what they should be thinking and/or feeling. I'm sure AI will get there one day, but as of right now, that's something only a human is capable of.

Has there been a particular challenge that you’ve faced over the years?

Of course! There were times when I didn't know where I would be living or how I'd get my next meal. I don't think that's a prerequisite for everyone's hero journey, but it certainly was a part of mine and that's how I viewed it. Even though I got the gig with Nat Geo/BBC within 4 and a half months of landing in LA, it takes about 18 months from when the episode airs to start seeing those royalties so I had to get creative with odd jobs and side hustles to hold me over until I saw my first payment.

Any advice for fellow composers out there?

Creativity is a muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. I notice I only feel a bog in my writing when I take time off. With that being said, I've written close to 700 songs and cues in the last 5 years of living in LA and the burnout can be real. It's important to know when to grind and when to recharge your creativity flow. Working 12-18 hours a day is not sustainable for the long term, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't absolutely necessary at times.

What can you tell us about your composition and production process?

I generally pick an instrument to start with. Maybe a drum pattern or a motif on an instrument and then I slowly build around it. I look at a composition like a conversation. When one instrument speaks, I look for a proper response from another. I always try to make sure my compositions have plenty of room to breathe. I think the silence in between the notes is almost more important than the notes themselves.

How do you see the music you created being used?

A way to help tell a story, a way for the audience to know which direction their experience should be guided to. Not only what you're seeing on screen, but maybe what one person is thinking or feeling that the visuals don't so easily tell you.

What are your biggest musical influences?

I'm all over the place musically. I grew up with a father who loved Hendrix, Santana, Miles Davis, and Zappa. A mother who took me to plays and musicals and in my teens I found myself heavily involved in the punk and hardcore scene. As a composer and musician, I really think having a vast taste in music is super important. If you're a chef, you want all the ingredients possible to create whatever dish you see fit. Nobody wants a bland meal.

Tell us about your upcoming projects! What does the rest of this year have in store for you?

The next year I am spending on the road with my dog, my 2 guitars, and portable workstation. My plan is to visit the top 30 national parks in the country and try to see what they bring out of me musically. Excited for all of it!

Hear all of Frank Peter Pascale's tracks for Megatrax here.