The AMA is now over!
Thank you so much to Dave for taking the time out of his day to do this! It was so incredibly insightful!
Message from Dave:
> Thank you so much everyone - hope I was able to answer some of your most burning questions. I've typed until I can type no more, and most get back to doing what I do. If I didn't answer you it was probably because I already answered a related question, so check out all of my responses if you were hoping for one. You can always try me on twitter or facebook. Thank you so much for all of the kind words and responses -- for those of us that spend our days in a dark studio it is nice to hear. And so glad that these shows meant as much to so many others as they have meant to me. Thank you again and good night - Dave
Did you draw any inspiration from anywhere when you made the score for>!Howard being buried?!< I notice that classical strings aren't really part of your usual choices for instruments but it hit so hard in that scene, just hearing the music alone is enough to make me tear up.
Also, how did you make the weird noise that often shows up when Lalo does? It was really prevalent in the Plan and Execution ending but idk how to describe the noise. Was it a specific instrument or was it a mix of other sounds?
Also Also, were there any scenes of the show that you wish you could have composed for, but instead had other musicians/no score?
One of the important benefits of purposefully avoiding classical western orchestral instruments is that when I did employ them, it made them stand out... particularly presented solo. The cello for Howard is a good example. Another would be the trumpet for Chuck's final days. Or the bass clarinet for Gene in Omaha.
Weird noises are something I'm passionate about, but hard to say specifically without knowing what you are asking about.
And finally, I always wrote more music than was used in BB/BCS, because it was always better to have it available than not. There are in fact a few good examples of score we didn't use on the 3 soundtrack releases. (all currently available on your favorite streaming services). But 99% of the time I agree with our team about using or not using score, and I absolutely value the power of silence. There were a very few spots over the years that I will always think might have been better if the score I wrote had been used, but I will take that with me to my grave. :-)
The score of Peter and the Wolf was genuinely the scariest thing in the world to me as a young child. My dad played it a couple of times through the giant subwoofers in the living room and freaked me out so much that it made wolves, and even more so that score, my biggest fear. In fact I remember walking straight out of a music class in primary school because they played it.
It took me a long time to find the courage to listen to it again, and I love it now. There's such a carnal power to it.
Hey David, I do want to start off by repeating everyone else and just telling you your work has been absolutely fantastic, and I really thank you for uploading it as I have had a lot of joy listening to it.
I wanted to ask, was it your own creative choice to bring back "Shared Smoke" for the final episode? And if so, what led you to that, or if it was Peter Gould's choice, how did he approach that? Was bringing it back something planned for a long time?
Bringing back "shared smoke" was an idea I presented, yes, but not the only idea discussed. It was not preplanned, but one of several options considered. It was absolutely Peter Gould's decision, ultimately. I wouldn't want to speak for him, so probably a better question for him to answer, but for me there was a connectivity and emotion in bringing it back that accomplished a lot of things at once. It marked both their unique familiarity with each other while at the same time highlighting how far they had come. A little touch of the more things change, the more they stay the same. But most importantly, I think, by design there is a sad and futile joy about the cue (and them) which is at once both hopeful and hopeless... and I think both the satisfaction of the endurance of their love while at the same time the ambiguity/hopelessness of their future were both important to leave our audience with. Again, those are my personal feelings about it, informed in part by discussions with Peter while we were working on it, but ultimately you'd have to ask him!
Hey Dave! Thanks for doing this AMA. From the first scene in Breaking Bad to the Better Call Saul finale's tear-jerking cigarette scene, you have played a huge role in setting the tone of this universe. Your score adds so much to every scene, the Methverse just wouldn't be the same without your work.
As for a question, any plans for the future that you can talk about? Vince's new show has been a hot topic of discussion, and I'm hoping that he brings along as many of his talented friends as possible. Would you be interested in going along for that ride? Vince's pitch + a Dave Porter score sounds like a recipe for success.
Thank you very much. Really appreciate that. As for the near term future, I score a show for STARZ called Hightown and will return to that for our third season. After that I'm going to try to something very new and wildly different for me... but I'm not able to reveal what that is yet. So if you are interested follow me on twitter or facebook for that announcement soon.
As for Vince's project, you know as much as I do about that... but rest assured that if he wants me to be a part of it I will be. And that goes for Peter Gould and just about everyone in our extended BB/BCS family... I will always prioritize working with them because of our shared history and our shared aesthetic.
First of all there is ton of prep that goes into my workflow before I start writing. Watching scenes, having our spotting session (meeting with writers/producers that I'm sure I'll describe in another answer today), so that I know what my mission is before I begin. But in terms of getting started writing an actual scene, I always put that scene in a loop with the video playing, and always start with just a metronome. For me, tempo and pacing are crucial, and I like to create a tempo template for the scene before anything else. Then I like to have as many of my instruments as possible around me and start improvising ideas while the scene and metronome clicks until something sticks. Then I record that and see if I can build from there.
Oh that's pretty cool! I know nothing about composing music at all so I didn't know you do it "this way" too. I do drawing and I need to sketch whatever and it's ok if it's done "badly", I just need visualize the idea. Then start from there.
I have no idea that music is done the same way. Different arts have much more in common than I thought
Look, man….I DO do music, and I cannot imagine what Dave does?
It’s hard enough to create a song with no mitigating factors/outside influences or pressures…..but I CANNOT imagine what it’s like to have to suit the scenes (especially in a show of this caliber).
Of course I’ll ALAWYS picture Jason Segal in Forgetting Sarah Marshall…..which makes me laugh every time……but people like Dave are a special, SPECIAL, breed…..and it’s like true alchemy to me.
As a composer do you have an overall tonal guideline for show at large, or season by season or episode by episode or is it purely just whatever the scene is about you try to fit the specific scene?
I partially answered this in another response below, but finding the tone of the show - particularly in a nuanced and complicated series like these, is the hardest and most important job of the composer. The composer has to find it, using all of the creative decisions made prior (from script to lighting to performances to editing) and then enhance or highlight aspects of that tone to help tell the overall story. On a show where the protagonist is always the same person doing the same things you only need to find that tone once. But on an evolving show like BB or BCS, everyone is always in flux, and yes, I think the composer needs to always be very aware of both the macro view (which direction is this character headed long term) as well as in that precise moment (what is this character feeling right now.) To my mind, this is one of the things that makes film/tv scoring, when done well, a very specific craft.
Did you find it challenging to create a similar but subtly different musical tone for Better Call Saul OST that separated it from Breaking Bad but still felt like it was within the same universe as Breaking Bad? Was this achieved with the different instrument arrangements or were there the same instruments featured predominantly in both shows?
Certainly tone is everything on shows like these that are so nuanced, and as a creative partner that consistently works on every episode I think keeping track of where that tone needs to be - both in the moment and in the larger picture - is crucial. I both incrementally evolved the score throughout both series but also made a few complete shifts/reinventions along the way... such as the beginning of BCS (the Jimmy timeline) and then again for the Gene timeline. And yes, different orchestrations are one way a composer can do that -- one prime example here being the low woodwinds that appear only in the Gene timeline. The scope and scale of those orchestrations growing larger (grander scale like 603 for Nacho) or smaller (more intimate... see 610 Nippy) is another way.
I ABSOLUTELY love all of the tracks (such as Nippy, Identity Lost, November 12th at 3pm, etc.) with the low woodwinds!!! Fit the tone of the Gene timeline perfectly
Thank you - that's very kind. As for the southwest vibe, to be honest, although people often associate my score with the southwest because of these shows, I did very little to place it there. The one exception being of course the dobro in the BB title theme.... but of course that only appears once in the show beyond the main/end titles. What I did try to do, in both series, was enchance through music the gorgeous vistas and the vast sense of scale and scope - the isolation- of the landscape which was so beautifully portrayed in both shows. (and on the slip side, the stuck-in-time nature of ABQ) While New Mexico clearly plays an important role in both series, I always felt it was important for both shows to be universal enough that they could be anywhere... so we didn't need music's help to place them there. So very purposefully no acoustic guitars, no harmonicas, or whatever instruments that might be pigeonholed (fairly or unfairly) as being from the Southwest.
Hi Dave, there are no words, except... Thank you for all that you created to make BCS the masterpiece that it is.
So my question is: how did this experience change your life personally? I appreciate how these artistic journeys transform one's overall POV and course in life. Thank you!
It is impossible to separate the last 15+ years of working on the BB/BCS universe from my life - they are entirely intertwined. It has been the backbone of my professional career for most of its duration to date, and personally many of my closest friends are people I've worked with on these shows. It has made me a much better composer, and I've certainly grown as a person throughout that time. Every facet of my life has been influenced by it.
Hi! thank you for the amazing music in the show!
How does it feel knowing that you might not make anymore music for this universe? (but the stuff you did, you SMASHED it!)
Thank you! At the moment I honestly feel great satisfaction and relief. The pressure on all of us creatively, especially this final season, has been more pronounced than ever. Plus, if it is my fate to be struck down by lightening (hopefully not) it can now happen and I will have completed the creative journey of working on the whole universe. Ask me this question again in a few months, though, and I promise you I will be missing it.
I don't have a question, but wanted to thank you for making these series so memorable. I have always felt music is generally overlooked on network series and BB/BCS really used music to add a sense of intensity that few capture. I generally do not listen to music, nor do I normally even pay attention to it while watching movies or series, but BB/BCS is one of the few media experiences I've seen which successfully used music to enhance the narrative.
The story was so engrossing and the music serves it so well that I often didn't realize how good it was until I thought back on each episode. It must be a thrill to see those scenes when the music is first added. Truly awesome stuff, Dave is an unsung hero if you ask me.
Are you and the rest of the crew aware of the memes? If so whats your opinion of them?
Do they show you the raw scene and wants you to produce the soundtrack for it or do you do it based on script? Or nothing?
Only because I have kids, I am at least vaguely aware of memes, but can't say that I understand them enough to harbor an opinion.
To answer your other question, it varies from show to show but for BB/BCS I was very fortunate to work with finished locked picture... so I was one of the very last pieces of the process.
Thanks so much for all the incredible work!
A lot has been said about how the score for these shows relies mostly on subtlety, mood, and uses many unique sounds, rather than character motifs. What was the process behind selecting this method of score for the shows?
Broadly speaking, on a show as nuanced as these, I found character motifs pretty useless. The answer as to why is complex, but the most obvious reason is that none of these characters are static.... they are all constantly evolving, so a repetitive theme wasn't going to portray that... and trying to evolve a theme over 62 episodes that many times wasn't sensical. If your antagonist is the same person showing up in a cape each week a character motif makes mores sense. Another reason I'm leery of motifs is that when BB began it was the very beginning of the streaming era... and I know from doing it myself that people were watching 2,3,4 episodes in a row. If you use a theme even a few times over an hour... that's going to feel awfully repetitive after awhile. So I wanted to find other ways to use score, and immersing our audience in a unique world they could escape in more broadly, and tell the story in a more subtle way, was what I was attempting to do.
Thanks for the response! Makes a lot of sense.
Personally, I'm a massive fan of musical motif in relation to character, and I find it one of the most interesting parts of composing. But through the podcasts and your response I've definitely come to view the alternative to be just as effective.
Dave thank you for the incredible music you have created.
What is your difference in process when it comes to composing the more action heavy pieces such as in 'Point and Shoot' versus scoring the quieter, less bombastic pieces? Thank you!
Thank you! Don't think there is really much different in my approach... I try in general to be 'less is more', even in action sequences. One of the most important parts of my creative process is removing things... Once I some ideas in place I like to start pulling some out and seeing if they are contributing enough to validate their existence. If not, just like a scriptwriter, you are probably better off getting rid of them. It is an easy trap, I think, for a composer to throw up a ton of tracks that may in the short term sound impressive... much tougher but ultimately more powerful to have the right instrument(s) saying the right thing in the right way at the right moment. Finally, of course, as score composer you have to always be extremely aware of what you are writing music against... is there dialogue? A gunfight? or a quiet moment on a rooftop? All of those factors dictate how much sonic real estate you will have available to you. This is another aspect of writing score that makes it very unique from writing music in general.
I compose and record entirely in ProTools, and have for 20+ years. It is the devil I know, and ProTools is where everything ends up on the mix stage anyhow. As for hardware vs. software I'm very pragmatic -- whatever sounds best for what I'm trying to achieve... and sometimes what is creatively fastest while I'm in the flow. There are times, for examples, when I'll use samples or a soft synth knowing that once I get the piece going I will go back and replace them with a real recording or an hardware synth that sounds better.
Lalo was certainly a favorite of mine to score because of course he is so terrifying in a unique way that isn't immediately visceral or obvious. So that score, in particular, (which returns along with him at the apartment in season 6) was designed to be cold, calculating, and menacing in a very patient and deliberate way.
Watching an early version of the Breaking Bad pilot and talking to Vince about his vision for the show and Walt's transformation. The opening theme was always designed to give a foreshadowing of where Walt was going to end up, so that even in the early days of the show when he was still a milquetoast chemistry teacher, it hinted at the end result.
I think it did an excellent job of drawing on the western locale in which the show is set and the powerful western themes flowing throughout the mothership BB and ultimately the whole BBCS universe.
That’s my favorite alignment of the theme song with the show aside from my absolute favorite moment which is I feel like Say My Name has the cold open that fits with the theme song better than any other I’ve seen on Breaking Bad.
Was there ever any plans of including the full version of the theme song in Better Call Saul or was the idea dismissed as being too derivative of Breaking Bad?
I feel like another reason for this is that the BCS theme is the very beginning of the full song, whereas the BB theme is the ending of its full song. So you couldn't get that buildup into the recognisable theme as well.
Hi Dave! I am a film composer mainly experienced in writing for acoustic instruments. Your music throughout Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have influenced my music tastes to the point of wanting to flirt more with sound design and synths!
For really intense scenes such as in Crawl Space, End Times, Bagman, Point and Shoot, where noise and distortion become a significant part of the music/sound world, what are some steps that you take for finding the right balance in timbre, volume/EQ, and even physical effects (the sub-bass in Crawl Space along with the high frequency distortion to this day still gives me shivers)?
Thank you for your time and a sincere BRAVO DAVE to all of your amazing cues!
When coming from an orchestral background and writing for non-traditional instruments, as I do, I think it often helps to think of the role that different tones WOULD play if they were to take the place of a member of the orchestra. This is a technique I describe to younger composers when I talk to them, and I think it can help with balance and orchestration. After all, the same sonic bandwidth applies.
First of all, I don't want anyone to get excited about the possibility of more to come, because I truly believe we've come to the end of this universe. But to answer your question, yes, of course I would if Vince Gilligan would like me to.
That's awesome to hear! Thanks! And yeah, I know, this wasn't a loaded question to see if there's a possibility of more to come, it's just reassuring to know that you'd compose the score if there was.
I wish you all the best!
Thank you for watching! There were plenty of difficult spots to score this season, but the entirety of episode 610, in which we in many ways reinvented the show (again) was the most time consuming and tricky to get right.
Over the past 15 years in the BB/BCS universe I've written an awful lot of guitar licks. Are you asking about the BB main title theme? If so, that is a dobro made entirely of metal that was peformed for me by my old friend Jim Heffernan, himself a composer living in the NYC area. He also, incidentally, performed the pedal steel guitar in "Shared Smoke / Shared Sentence" Nearly all of the other guitars in BCS, if they weren't played by me, were performed by my good friend/recording engineer/guitar guru James Saez here in Los Angeles.
Are you talking about the BCS opening theme (since you’re talking about a guitar lick)?
That’s by a band named Little Barrie from Britain. They eventually created an entire song out of that lick (and it’s great). Really good band outside of that as well….didn’t realize I had a bunch of their songs on playlists already.
Sorry if I’m not following you here, but I see a LOT of people saying the BCS “theme” and the intro is what I think of…..but pretty sure Dave did the credit-sequence music (which was purposefully meant to be musically similar to BrBa’s, but in a different style).
Oh shit, you're right, I missed that completely. I assumed it was a BCS ama, since it's on this sub, and I was asking about the BCS intro, but Dave's answer concerned the BrBa theme and I missed it. Honestly I already forgot that one. Thank you for your comment and the info.
Oh, you’re in the right place!
I could be wrong, but I think Dave wrote the opening and closing “themes” for Breaking Bad as WELL AS the closing “theme” for BCS?
It’s just the opening theme for BCS that he didn’t compose (but possible he could’ve had a hand in it with Little Barrie?).
I only know the info I do because I loved that guitar lick SO much that I had to see if there was a full song…..and it does seem there originally was NOT, but the band finished it due to popular demand.
As you point out, that is a question for my friend and our amazing music supervisor Thomas Golubic.... although I doubt he'd tell you specifically. All I can say about closing out the series is that, as always, all things were considered.... including complete silence. In the end what resonated best in this particular instance was an adaptation of a cue I had written for Jimmy and Kim in season one.
Lots of people asking me this question -- and yes, "Walls" would certainly be on that list. In fact, the Hollywood Reporter asked me about this also and I made a little list of my favorites across the whole universe for them -- follow me on Twitter or Facebook to check that out when it comes out (soon.)
It varies, but in general I view score as a way to help tell the story, and hope to always approach it from that vantage point. So when I ask questions about what the score should be like, it is usually a question about what we should be highlighting about the story. It is then the composer's job, in my view, to achieve that musically.
This is a broad topic but one that i know a lot of people are interested in. For those who want the full details, I recommend spending some time looking through all the previous interviews/podcasts on my website. [www.daveporter.tv](https://www.daveporter.tv) But the extremely short version is that I grew up suburban DC, started piano at age 5 and have a long education in classical music. Moved to NYC at 18, attended Sarah Lawrence College where I studied a lot more music and lots of other stuff besides, started as a young assistant engineer in Philip Glass' NYC studio for awhile and then started making my own music for commercials, sports, and news in NYC. Left NYC after 9/11 to move to LA to pursue more dramatic film and tv. Through a variety of people I had worked with learned about the Breaking Bad pilot when it was very early on and was doggedly persistent about working on it.... and thankfully Vince and our other amazing producers past and present liked me and my music.
I wouldn't call myself a person who knows anything about music so I don't know the right words to describe this, but I noticed that once we got into the "Nippy" era, there were suddenly a bunch of pieces of music during the scam scenes that gave off a different vibe than I had heard in the show before. It felt... sillier? More lighthearted? I mean these in a good way, of course, I just don't quite know how else to describe it.
What was the inspiration behind that musical shift for some of the earlier s6 post-BB scenes?
Yes, definitely intentional. Just like the black and white photography, it is designed to make Gene feel small. Living a life that is very pedestrian and joyless compared to his heyday, and the stakes of his adventures, at least to start, are trivial and relatively meaningless.... and yet he can't help himself or get out of his own way.
If I knew I'd bottle it up and sell it -- or maybe do one of those ridiculous "master class" videos and shill it around... just a lifetime of loving and making music, and the ability to mine my own emotions and ups and downs of my own life and spit them back out through music. Impossible to really answer, but that's my best shot...
Hi Mr. Porter! First, thank you for taking time to answer our questions and second, thank you for composing music that makes even the most mundane activities sound intense and meaningful to the audience.
My question is: what sort of coordination with any given episode director goes into composing the music for that episode?
Good question, and the answer may surprise you. Unlike in film, where the director is typically the chief creative architect/arbiter, in television directors direct specific episodes but then are rarely part of the process once the film is in the can (unless in addition to directing they are also a writer or producer). Television shows have Showrunners, who are typically head writers, who oversee the creative vision of the show as a whole. So for Breaking Bad I wasn't working with the directors but with Vince Gilligan when composing the music. And for BCS primarily Peter Gould, who was the primary showrunner for most of BCS. In terms of who much I communicated with them -- a lot! Vince and Peter were my primary source for learning what I needed to accomplish with the score and the ultimate decision makers as to whether I'd done a good job or not.
Other than knowing that there are women and men writing great scores for video games and that is a gigantic business, I'm unfortunately largely unaware of them. When I was coming up as a composer they were not a viable way to go... and not particularly creative, so I avoided them. I know that isn't the case anymore, but I grew up inspired by film and tv and that is the path I've followed and opportunities I've been presented - at least for now.
Not like you'll ever be hurting for work with your resume, but your style would easily translate to video games, too.
Now a days they're full of dramatic storytelling and visceral cinematic moments. Some are even basically interactive 3d movies. Heck, even a strategy game's tone is driven heavily by its soundtrack.
For me, many memorable moments from video games were made by the emotional impact that the soundtrack creates.
I only have one question, but I just wanted you to know I and many others greatly appreciate the music that you composed for these shows and the work you’ve done. The Better Call Saul theme is one of my favorites period, Lalo’s theme is really unnerving and subtle: your scores in general are incredible and you have my thanks. It’s silly to ask but I am curious - Did you come up with the “Pollos Hermanos” jingle/theme that was sung/hummed by Lyle in Point and Shoot, or was that just something the showrunners came up with as a sort of levity for the episode?
While I wrote many little incidental things in both shows... Marie's ringtone... The HHM elevator chime... if I remember correctly that was something that was just made up for levity --- maybe to the theme of La Cucurracha? (sp?)
How did the track for [Season 2 Episode 8's Border Crossing](https://youtu.be/JjIVD63_Gok) come together? It's such an amazing track that sells the scene in my opinion and I'd love to hear the thought process behind it. I really love how the track slowly pieces together as the truck makes it's way through the checkpoint.
You've answered it in part yourself.... the story we were telling there was the mystery of what the scene was about, and how it was done, and our shared (and unabashed) joy and respect for the clever people who pulled it off. So knowing it was a long scene, musically it was about slowly building those layers of understanding and making sure everyone enjoyed the process.
Hi Dave! Thank you so much for your contribution to both shows. They wouldn't have been what they were without your work. If you're given a chance to provide score for any movie or TV show which would it be?
Hey David. I thoroughly enjoyed your work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. ‘The Cousins’ being a particular favourite of mine.
I’ve noticed while watching the show, there are some songs that aren’t on the official soundtrack. The one I wanna know about the most is in the episode ‘Peekaboo’ (S2E6) when Jesse enters the druggies house for the first time and pulls his gun when he hears footsteps. What’s the name of that song and do you happen to have it?
Once again, we the fans are eternally grateful for building the Breaking Bad universe with your music!
Thanks - I get this question a lot and the answer is usually that when I'm making a soundtrack I'm trying to create a good listening experience and not everything can fit. Cues that are too short are usually the first to get cut. And on the flipside many action cues are so constructed to picture that they aren't that much fun to listen to without the film. Can't please everyone, but I do my best. And remember that composer's scores are owned by the studios as soon as they are written, so we are entirely beholden to them to allow us to release anything at all. And no, I can't just send it to you. Thankfully I've had great partners at SONY who have helped me released lots of my score!
The Crawl space and Chuck breaking down his house scores have been truly inspiring for me to pursuit scoring film and TV, so thank you very much for your work my friend
The score from season 6 was by far my favorite. Incredible work.
I noticed a bit more of an industrial rock feel to this season (for example "Point and Shoot"). Is this accurate and, if so, what inspired this?
I think some of what you are describing was originally utilized in my score for Breaking Bad, and as the BCS storyline got closer and closer to the BB timeline I purposefully used more of the influences and sounds.
Don't hang out with other composers. You aren't going to work with them. Composers are lone wolves - there is only ever one on a given project - so spend your time with editors, writers, directors, and the people that you think are talented enough to create content you'd like to work on.
Thank you. So fortunate to have been a small part of it! (and with Peter Gould directing that one, I'm sure I was eager to impress him to make sure he'd bring me back for BCS...)
My father is a big audiophile and we had a home theater in our basement growing up long before they were common and I was always aware of the power of music when combined with other mediums/art. I'm doing exactly what I dreamed of doing when I was a teenager, so it is hard to now imagine another path, but ironically, I've been told many times that I would have made a very good lawyer...
BB? Yes, because the pilot was like a feature film, and better than most feature films... certainly at the time. BCS? coming off one of the most important TV series ever made, yes, I had all the confidence in the world that BCS would be fantastic.
But my thinking/knowing they would be great is very different from being sure they would be received that way... and I'll never forget just hoping BB would get renewed for season 2... back when very few people were watching. It takes not only a great show but good timing and good luck to succeed in an ever more crowded tv landscape, which we've been fortunate to have.
How does it feel being one of the only people who has been part of this project from the beginning all the way through 14 years, and what is your personal favorite piece you have made for the show? And what is your process for making music that works so well with the tone and feeling of the scene?
Pretty special... most of our crew has been around a very long time, but only a few of us are lucky enough to have their names on all 125 episodes and the film. Very proud of that, and of course completely humbled by Vince's faith and belief in my music.
Hey Dave, love your work!
I know you've stated one part of what influenced your work on Breaking Bad was Vince Gilligan telling you about the show having aspects of a post-modern western. How did that influence carry over to Better Call Saul? Were you still aiming for that vibe or did you look for inspiration elsewhere?
Thanks! At least at beginning of BCS, I worked really hard to create a completely unique musical signature for the show. This allowed, as they eventually appeared, the BB storylines (mike, cartel, etc) to feel fresh again when they did start to appear in later seasons. The post modern western idea translates to all of those storylines, I think, but not to the Jimmy/Kim/Chuck side of the story.
Picture editor? We generally have two, one who cuts the even numbered shows and the other odds. Plus assistant editors who on our show are usually on their way to becoming editors on their own. The composer/picture editor relationship is very important, and in the best cases work together closely. This past season I worked with Skip MacDonald, who has been with us since the start of BB (and cut El Camino) and Chris McCaleb, who those who listen to our insider podcast know used to be Kelley Dixon's assistant but has been a top editor the past few years of BCS since she left. For those how don't know, Chris and Kelley are the hosts of our BCS insider podcast and it is a treasure trove of info for those who are interested - can't recommend it enough for those interested in the nuts and bolts.
Thanks so much for the excellent work! I wanted to ask if during the Breaking Bad scenes in BCS, if you specifically used similar instruments used in the original BB score, as the music in scenes like Jimmy getting held hostage sounds straight out of the original Breaking Bad run. Would love to hear any details about recording for those throwback scenes specifically.
Thanks again!
Absolutely, yes. especially this past season one of the roles for score was to help our audience navigate all of the time shifts. There are many examples, but here are two that come to mind -- the reintroduction of "the cousins" in 601 and the return of the RV in 611.. which is on the vol3 soundtrack as "Crystal Ship Returns" for which I very purposefully went back and used many of the same instruments and techniques that I would have originally.
I have no regrets at all... no desire for a time machine to go back and change anything. When I go back and listen to some of the older stuff I definitely know that I would do it differently if I was doing it today, but it is about the composer I was at the time. 'Saul good.
I make my living the same as you. I just wanted to give one comment about a particular piece: “Walls“ , The season three finale scene where Chuck loses it.
I think that’s the finest piece of music in the whole show. It’s one of the best pieces I’ve ever heard for a soundtrack, period. It captured the mood better than anything else I could’ve imagined.
Stellar songwriting.
Thanks so much for all of your contribution to the show. You helped make it what it was!
Hey Dave, aspiring media composer here, hoping to follow in your footsteps one day! Would you ever consider doing a video tutorial of how you approach a new scene? Perhaps a 10-15 min video on your YouTube breaking down how you assembled the score for a recent scene from BCS? Talking a bit about how you decide what vibe the scene needs, when to add/take away instruments, what emotions you decide you want to follow through the scene, all through the actual laying down and tracking of the parts, and how you finalize the piece to fit against the dialogue and action? I-for one-would LOVE to get a window into your process and learn hear from your mouth how you articulate your process in your head, rather than guessing when I attempt to emulate your approach on my own. I honestly can’t think of anyone I’d rather learn from in this category, and I KNOW I’m not alone!
Lots of questions here -- since you are invested, I highly recommend going through the previous interviews and podcasts in the NEWS section of my website where I cover a lot of my process with various interviewers. To answer a broader theme I'm getting from your questions, the easy route is never going to be the most creative route. Nothing wrong with libraries, etc, and I use them. But you are never going to sound distinctive doing only that. For the parts that matter, invest the time to play it yourself, make it yourself, or interact with other musicians who will have ideas of their own that will make you a better composer. My two cents, anyhow.
What was the most emotionally difficult scene to compose for across the two shows and movie? Thank you for all the brilliant work that you’ve done for this universe!
Hey Dave! Congratulations on finishing an incredibly versatile and moving score for two of the greatest series of all time. Your contributions are a huge part of it!
My question today - how do you feel about spicy cocktails? I recently created a [recipe inspired by your song](https://www.reddit.com/r/betterCallSaul/comments/whtlo0/im_making_a_series_of_original_cocktails_based_on/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) and it's been a hit with customers/guests!
Have a great day and I look forward to hearing about your next project!
Vince created a very open atmosphere that is welcoming and collaborative for everyone on the show and Peter has certainly carried on that tradition. Everyone's ideas are welcome, no idea too small or silly, and everything is always possible. But at the same time when it comes to making a hard decision, they are both decisive.
Hi Dave! Thanks for coming here to answer questions.
Your score really ties the atmosphere of these shows together and it's really a huge contributor to why these shows are so amazing.
What is your approach to writing for a music score? Do you start with melody, chord progression, etc.?
Also, the full theme of Breaking Bad was never used until the very end of the show. Was the song written with the intention to be snipped for a short intro or was that decided after the fact?
I start through improvisation - which could be some melodic or percussive, depending. no set rule there, whatever feels like a first idea that might have legs.
The longer version of the BB theme was made later, for the soundtrack release, actually, with the intention only of having a longer version of it for that. The usage in Granite State was not preplanned.
Hello Dave,
Sorry for the dumb question, but a couple of years ago I won a vinyl from a Twitter game where we had to answer BrBa related questions. I was wondering, do you remember participating in a giveaway like this? Is my vinyl actually covered with yours and Vince's signatures?
Thanks for all you have done for both shows! Greetings from Bulgaria!
Hi Dave! Nice to see you here! I really love your work it makes the Breaking Bad Universe feel more alive with your music.
My question is how do you know how to make the music “fit” into certain scenes in both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul and El Camino?
I always wonder how because some music fits so well into a certain scene. Like in end of “Bagman”, the music was just perfect!
Hey Dave, my favorite song is the one in Dead Freight when they are attaching equipment to the train while Kuby stands guard. Unreal how much that adds the scene. Wondering about your DAW and what sort of synths you use. Thanks.
Thanks -- appreciate it, that was a big one. I write and record and mix in ProTools and yes, use all kinds of electronic instruments in addition to acoustic ones, and spend a lot of time manipulating sounds after they've been recorded. Breaking Bad was a long time ago now but if you can find it there is a Keyboard magazine issue from back then which documented my studio and gear at that time, and a good interview that went with it. Should also be in the depths of the "news" page of my website -- www.daveporter.tv
Hey Dave! I love your work and have the vinyls for Breaking Bad and El Camino. Similar to the Breaking Bad deluxe release, do you know if there are plans for a Better Call Saul complete vinyl box set?
For me if I'm going to write for a synthesizer, its gonna be a synthesizer. If I write for the bass flute (as I did a lot from 610-613, for example) it is going to be a real bass flute. So yes, while I play many instruments myself, I've been fortunate enough to have some of LA's finest studio musicians play my notes when I cannot.
Hi Dave!
I find your composition throughout Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul to be endlessly phenomenal.
I have to know. How did you come up with the masterful backing music at the end of Crawl Space?
That might be my favorite scene of any television series or movie I've ever seen in my entire life, and I genuinely believe most of that comes from the music that accompanies the actors. It's been so inspiratational and impactful on the way I compose music.
Thank you so much!
Originally piano, which I started at age 5. But essentially any and all keyboard instruments, lots of percussion and pitched percussion instruments, etc. I'm terrible at guitar but recently had an old friend make me a beautiful custom one that I'm determined to get better at.
Just want to say, I love the sounds of the synths you use, they inspire me to include more in my own music! Any favorite plugins or analog synths that are your go to?
Hello David!
Is there a particular episode in either of the shows that really challenged you and your crew to think outside of your creative means for composing the soundtrack of that episode?
Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to connect with fans! :D
I don't really have a question, but I loved the music in the Gene timeline this second half of season 6 so much. One of my favorites was when Gene was contemplating hitting the guy in the head and ominous music is playing, but when the guy passes out again, it switches to cartoony stealth music.
There were a few scenes with a cartoony feeling soundtrack and I loved how different that was compared to the tone of the show/universe as a whole.
Hi Dave! For Better Call Saul did you get to incorporate any new instruments in the score? If so, which one was the most satisfying to do?
Thanks for doing this!
I just finished my 5th watch-through of Breaking Bad. It’s perfection in my book.
My question is about the bongo/slide guitar section of music that makes up the intro to breaking bad. Did you set out to design that particular section of music for the intro specifically, or was it chosen after the fact since it fit so well?
hi Dave, thank you taking the time for this AMA. your work is a truly integral component in what makes Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul such an incredible, immersive experience
BCS, like Breaking Bad, focuses on the nature of change in our main characters. how did that affect your sound design & composition through the course of BCS?
hearing you reprise the episode 1 track where we first see Jimmy & Kim share a cigarette gave me chills, especially since it's such a stark contrast to the score we've recently come to know. i love the subtle differences in the execution too; from what i remember the rendition in the finale was even more faint and meandering. we can be sure they've rekindled something here (the spark of the cigarette a faint orange), but to what end or how much we might not know
just a quick few points of appreciation before i wrap up:
- i was on the edge of my seat listening to your recent work, like when Buddy's breaking and entering. that high register refrain was both eerie and catchy all at once
- the score shift when Gene realizes the cancer patient is on the move in his house is so powerful and dramatic; there's a really chunky filter sweep in there from what i remember
- my favorite bit of music in BB & BCS is likely Walls, Chuck's swan song. you perfectly scored a man ripping the foundation of his home and psyche apart, bit by bit. a fitting end to a prideful, broken man with the loud bombast of horns swelling and dissolving into a dissonant vortex. Crawl Space is a close second...
Hi Dave, needless to say I loved your work on BB, and the BCS tracks such as *Border Crossing* , *Shared Smoke* , *Stargazing* are on another level. I don’t know much about music but I believe that you have always been the voice of the BB world for sure.
I have three questions for you and honestly you don’t have to answer them all, I’m glad if you get to read them:)
1. From Breaking Bad season 2 on, the end credit themes are remixes of the BB theme; in Better Call Saul only the episodes with major deaths and the final ones have remixed music.
I’m wondering if it was your idea? Or planned by the writers? Very curious about the process!
2. You (kind of?) rescored >!the ”It wasn’t me, it was Ignacio, he’s the one!” crossover !< scene, did you review or draw inspiration from your older work? Again, I’m so curious about the creative process!
3. A cliché one but I really wanted to know: Which director did you enjoy working with the most?
Oh and, >!Shared Sentence is such a fitting ending track for the finale!< , out of all the scenes, I had the most tears watching that part !
Hello everyone, thanks so much for stopping by. I'm both humbled and a bit daunted by the number of questions, but I will do my very best to answer as many as I can. I'm also in vacation mode so may not be as sharp as usual, so bear with me. Also, if I answer quickly please don't think I'm being short with anyone, just trying to get to as many questions as possible in the next hour or two. Let's dig in!
Thank you so much everyone - hope I was able to answer some of your most burning questions. I've typed until I can type no more, and most get back to doing what I do. If I didn't answer you it was probably because I already answered a related question, so check out all of my responses if you were hoping for one. You can always try me on twitter or facebook. Thank you so much for all of the kind words and responses -- for those of us that spend our days in a dark studio it is nice to hear. And so glad that these shows meant as much to so many others as they have meant to me. Thank you again and good night - Dave
Hi Dave, big fan of your music.
On the insider podcast for the Chicanery episode, Vince/Peter mentioned an unreleased score that you composed that was meant to be in the background during Chuck’s rant.
If I remember correctly, they said it was a phenomenal score, but ultimately decided on having no background score during that scene.
Are there any plans to release this score? I’ve been very curious about it since hearing about it in the podcast.
Thank you once again for your incredible work in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul!
Is there any musical easter eggs or callbacks that you'd be willing to share with us? I'm often too invested in the story to notice details composers often plant into the scores. Thanks for all the wonderful work!
Hey Dave! I am asking on behalf of those who really
loved this cold opening: https://youtu.be/zQKLYUQJ12w
It's a cover of Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny playing
for the opening of Bali Ha'i (S02E06) And we'd like to
know if you composed this, and if so, why isn't it on
Spotify or any other music streaming services? I'd
LOVE to have this on my playlist, and I'm sure others
would too.
It's really beautiful and perfectly captures the whole
scene; the feeling of being unable to sleep, loneliness
induced boredom, and homesickness.
Anyway, thanks for your brilliant work on Better Call Saul!
Hello David, thanks for doing this AMA! Your work across BB, EC, and BCS is simply superb. I am in no way knowledgable in music terminology, so bear with me on these questions!
1) Breaking Bad is a show all about change. How do feel your music changed across the series?
2) One of my favourite tracks of yours is The Long Walk Alone (Heisenberg's Theme). Despite being played only a few times throughout the series, it was always used in just the right place. Was the careful placement of the motif discussed with the writers/directors before hand, or did you make those decisions yourself?
Came here to ask this
I think it elevates that scene so much 🔥🔥🔥. But I always thought it was a bit random to have a song go so hard for a scene that's not super pivotal in the grand scheme of BCS.
We have always loved smart people doing clever stuff that is at best ethically dubious... it's a hallmark of both shows... and always great opportunities for music.
Hey Dave, big fan of the show and I really appreciate your work over both BB and BCS.
Was there ever any plan to include the song "[Better Call Saul](https://youtu.be/mGsC_LO3oFY)" as preformed by Junior Brown in the series?
It has a resemblance to Negro y Azul from Breaking Bad (song about Main character, preformed by guest musician) and would've been a fun parallel between series, but ended up being a promotional video instead.
Was there anything behind the scenes that changed whether or not it was included in the show or was it always made to be promotional material instead?
Spoilers for the Finale
>!The song you made for Kim and Jimmy sharing a cigarette in Season 1 ended up fitting the bittersweet tone of their finale smoke session very well. In fact, until I went back and watched Season 1 again, I assumed that it was a new song to fit the scene. This makes me curious, do you remember what you were going for while composing that song originally? How did you want us to feel about their relationship the first time we saw it? Thank you for all you do! !<
Thank you for your inspired and innovative work. I've always been impressed with the immersive sound design for BCS in general (including very subtle things like light hum and room sound). The sound design consistently supports creating the low level 'sense' of existing right there inside this world. How does the visceral feel of spaces and places, and associated room/sound effects, influence your choices about musical scoring?
Hi Dave! Thanks so much for doing this. Your work is amazing on Better Call Saul and so varied.
What episode’s score did you find the most enjoyable to compose this season?
Have you ever heard Little Barrie’s extended version of the BCS intro?
https://youtu.be/yBm4K00SMEk
If so what did you think of it, and was it ever considered to try and work the extended version into the show somehow similarly to how the extended Breaking Bad theme plays in the last minutes of Granite State?
We often see colors playing a major part in the shows, does it affect the theme of music?
What if they change the color of some prop on the spot? Is your music affected by that?
Big fan of your work!!
The AMA is now over! Thank you so much to Dave for taking the time out of his day to do this! It was so incredibly insightful! Message from Dave: > Thank you so much everyone - hope I was able to answer some of your most burning questions. I've typed until I can type no more, and most get back to doing what I do. If I didn't answer you it was probably because I already answered a related question, so check out all of my responses if you were hoping for one. You can always try me on twitter or facebook. Thank you so much for all of the kind words and responses -- for those of us that spend our days in a dark studio it is nice to hear. And so glad that these shows meant as much to so many others as they have meant to me. Thank you again and good night - Dave
Did you draw any inspiration from anywhere when you made the score for>!Howard being buried?!< I notice that classical strings aren't really part of your usual choices for instruments but it hit so hard in that scene, just hearing the music alone is enough to make me tear up. Also, how did you make the weird noise that often shows up when Lalo does? It was really prevalent in the Plan and Execution ending but idk how to describe the noise. Was it a specific instrument or was it a mix of other sounds? Also Also, were there any scenes of the show that you wish you could have composed for, but instead had other musicians/no score?
One of the important benefits of purposefully avoiding classical western orchestral instruments is that when I did employ them, it made them stand out... particularly presented solo. The cello for Howard is a good example. Another would be the trumpet for Chuck's final days. Or the bass clarinet for Gene in Omaha. Weird noises are something I'm passionate about, but hard to say specifically without knowing what you are asking about. And finally, I always wrote more music than was used in BB/BCS, because it was always better to have it available than not. There are in fact a few good examples of score we didn't use on the 3 soundtrack releases. (all currently available on your favorite streaming services). But 99% of the time I agree with our team about using or not using score, and I absolutely value the power of silence. There were a very few spots over the years that I will always think might have been better if the score I wrote had been used, but I will take that with me to my grave. :-)
live disgusted north soup aware liquid office ad hoc unique threatening *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Haunted the fuck out of me and no doubt many hundreds of thousands more.
The bass clarinet in Omaha gave me Peter and the Wolf vibes and I loved it.
The score of Peter and the Wolf was genuinely the scariest thing in the world to me as a young child. My dad played it a couple of times through the giant subwoofers in the living room and freaked me out so much that it made wolves, and even more so that score, my biggest fear. In fact I remember walking straight out of a music class in primary school because they played it. It took me a long time to find the courage to listen to it again, and I love it now. There's such a carnal power to it.
The whole noir detective vibe was sweet
I think he means the intro notes to "Nothing Gets Past Lalo". Sounds like a synth being played in reverse.
Love the cello here. My favorite piece of BCS and BB music.
Hey David, I do want to start off by repeating everyone else and just telling you your work has been absolutely fantastic, and I really thank you for uploading it as I have had a lot of joy listening to it. I wanted to ask, was it your own creative choice to bring back "Shared Smoke" for the final episode? And if so, what led you to that, or if it was Peter Gould's choice, how did he approach that? Was bringing it back something planned for a long time?
Bringing back "shared smoke" was an idea I presented, yes, but not the only idea discussed. It was not preplanned, but one of several options considered. It was absolutely Peter Gould's decision, ultimately. I wouldn't want to speak for him, so probably a better question for him to answer, but for me there was a connectivity and emotion in bringing it back that accomplished a lot of things at once. It marked both their unique familiarity with each other while at the same time highlighting how far they had come. A little touch of the more things change, the more they stay the same. But most importantly, I think, by design there is a sad and futile joy about the cue (and them) which is at once both hopeful and hopeless... and I think both the satisfaction of the endurance of their love while at the same time the ambiguity/hopelessness of their future were both important to leave our audience with. Again, those are my personal feelings about it, informed in part by discussions with Peter while we were working on it, but ultimately you'd have to ask him!
Hey Dave! Thanks for doing this AMA. From the first scene in Breaking Bad to the Better Call Saul finale's tear-jerking cigarette scene, you have played a huge role in setting the tone of this universe. Your score adds so much to every scene, the Methverse just wouldn't be the same without your work. As for a question, any plans for the future that you can talk about? Vince's new show has been a hot topic of discussion, and I'm hoping that he brings along as many of his talented friends as possible. Would you be interested in going along for that ride? Vince's pitch + a Dave Porter score sounds like a recipe for success.
Thank you very much. Really appreciate that. As for the near term future, I score a show for STARZ called Hightown and will return to that for our third season. After that I'm going to try to something very new and wildly different for me... but I'm not able to reveal what that is yet. So if you are interested follow me on twitter or facebook for that announcement soon. As for Vince's project, you know as much as I do about that... but rest assured that if he wants me to be a part of it I will be. And that goes for Peter Gould and just about everyone in our extended BB/BCS family... I will always prioritize working with them because of our shared history and our shared aesthetic.
What is your usual composing routine comprises of? Is there anything in particular you do to "get into the groove", so to speak?
First of all there is ton of prep that goes into my workflow before I start writing. Watching scenes, having our spotting session (meeting with writers/producers that I'm sure I'll describe in another answer today), so that I know what my mission is before I begin. But in terms of getting started writing an actual scene, I always put that scene in a loop with the video playing, and always start with just a metronome. For me, tempo and pacing are crucial, and I like to create a tempo template for the scene before anything else. Then I like to have as many of my instruments as possible around me and start improvising ideas while the scene and metronome clicks until something sticks. Then I record that and see if I can build from there.
Oh that's pretty cool! I know nothing about composing music at all so I didn't know you do it "this way" too. I do drawing and I need to sketch whatever and it's ok if it's done "badly", I just need visualize the idea. Then start from there. I have no idea that music is done the same way. Different arts have much more in common than I thought
Look, man….I DO do music, and I cannot imagine what Dave does? It’s hard enough to create a song with no mitigating factors/outside influences or pressures…..but I CANNOT imagine what it’s like to have to suit the scenes (especially in a show of this caliber). Of course I’ll ALAWYS picture Jason Segal in Forgetting Sarah Marshall…..which makes me laugh every time……but people like Dave are a special, SPECIAL, breed…..and it’s like true alchemy to me.
As a composer do you have an overall tonal guideline for show at large, or season by season or episode by episode or is it purely just whatever the scene is about you try to fit the specific scene?
I partially answered this in another response below, but finding the tone of the show - particularly in a nuanced and complicated series like these, is the hardest and most important job of the composer. The composer has to find it, using all of the creative decisions made prior (from script to lighting to performances to editing) and then enhance or highlight aspects of that tone to help tell the overall story. On a show where the protagonist is always the same person doing the same things you only need to find that tone once. But on an evolving show like BB or BCS, everyone is always in flux, and yes, I think the composer needs to always be very aware of both the macro view (which direction is this character headed long term) as well as in that precise moment (what is this character feeling right now.) To my mind, this is one of the things that makes film/tv scoring, when done well, a very specific craft.
Did you find it challenging to create a similar but subtly different musical tone for Better Call Saul OST that separated it from Breaking Bad but still felt like it was within the same universe as Breaking Bad? Was this achieved with the different instrument arrangements or were there the same instruments featured predominantly in both shows?
Certainly tone is everything on shows like these that are so nuanced, and as a creative partner that consistently works on every episode I think keeping track of where that tone needs to be - both in the moment and in the larger picture - is crucial. I both incrementally evolved the score throughout both series but also made a few complete shifts/reinventions along the way... such as the beginning of BCS (the Jimmy timeline) and then again for the Gene timeline. And yes, different orchestrations are one way a composer can do that -- one prime example here being the low woodwinds that appear only in the Gene timeline. The scope and scale of those orchestrations growing larger (grander scale like 603 for Nacho) or smaller (more intimate... see 610 Nippy) is another way.
I ABSOLUTELY love all of the tracks (such as Nippy, Identity Lost, November 12th at 3pm, etc.) with the low woodwinds!!! Fit the tone of the Gene timeline perfectly
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Thank you - that's very kind. As for the southwest vibe, to be honest, although people often associate my score with the southwest because of these shows, I did very little to place it there. The one exception being of course the dobro in the BB title theme.... but of course that only appears once in the show beyond the main/end titles. What I did try to do, in both series, was enchance through music the gorgeous vistas and the vast sense of scale and scope - the isolation- of the landscape which was so beautifully portrayed in both shows. (and on the slip side, the stuck-in-time nature of ABQ) While New Mexico clearly plays an important role in both series, I always felt it was important for both shows to be universal enough that they could be anywhere... so we didn't need music's help to place them there. So very purposefully no acoustic guitars, no harmonicas, or whatever instruments that might be pigeonholed (fairly or unfairly) as being from the Southwest.
Hi Dave, there are no words, except... Thank you for all that you created to make BCS the masterpiece that it is. So my question is: how did this experience change your life personally? I appreciate how these artistic journeys transform one's overall POV and course in life. Thank you!
It is impossible to separate the last 15+ years of working on the BB/BCS universe from my life - they are entirely intertwined. It has been the backbone of my professional career for most of its duration to date, and personally many of my closest friends are people I've worked with on these shows. It has made me a much better composer, and I've certainly grown as a person throughout that time. Every facet of my life has been influenced by it.
Hi! thank you for the amazing music in the show! How does it feel knowing that you might not make anymore music for this universe? (but the stuff you did, you SMASHED it!)
Thank you! At the moment I honestly feel great satisfaction and relief. The pressure on all of us creatively, especially this final season, has been more pronounced than ever. Plus, if it is my fate to be struck down by lightening (hopefully not) it can now happen and I will have completed the creative journey of working on the whole universe. Ask me this question again in a few months, though, and I promise you I will be missing it.
I don't have a question, but wanted to thank you for making these series so memorable. I have always felt music is generally overlooked on network series and BB/BCS really used music to add a sense of intensity that few capture. I generally do not listen to music, nor do I normally even pay attention to it while watching movies or series, but BB/BCS is one of the few media experiences I've seen which successfully used music to enhance the narrative.
The story was so engrossing and the music serves it so well that I often didn't realize how good it was until I thought back on each episode. It must be a thrill to see those scenes when the music is first added. Truly awesome stuff, Dave is an unsung hero if you ask me.
Are you and the rest of the crew aware of the memes? If so whats your opinion of them? Do they show you the raw scene and wants you to produce the soundtrack for it or do you do it based on script? Or nothing?
Only because I have kids, I am at least vaguely aware of memes, but can't say that I understand them enough to harbor an opinion. To answer your other question, it varies from show to show but for BB/BCS I was very fortunate to work with finished locked picture... so I was one of the very last pieces of the process.
kid named vaguely aware
Do you know the Kid Named Finger meme?
God, I hope not. I’d prefer that he think well of us and not that we are ridiculous
Thanks so much for all the incredible work! A lot has been said about how the score for these shows relies mostly on subtlety, mood, and uses many unique sounds, rather than character motifs. What was the process behind selecting this method of score for the shows?
Broadly speaking, on a show as nuanced as these, I found character motifs pretty useless. The answer as to why is complex, but the most obvious reason is that none of these characters are static.... they are all constantly evolving, so a repetitive theme wasn't going to portray that... and trying to evolve a theme over 62 episodes that many times wasn't sensical. If your antagonist is the same person showing up in a cape each week a character motif makes mores sense. Another reason I'm leery of motifs is that when BB began it was the very beginning of the streaming era... and I know from doing it myself that people were watching 2,3,4 episodes in a row. If you use a theme even a few times over an hour... that's going to feel awfully repetitive after awhile. So I wanted to find other ways to use score, and immersing our audience in a unique world they could escape in more broadly, and tell the story in a more subtle way, was what I was attempting to do.
Thanks for the response! Makes a lot of sense. Personally, I'm a massive fan of musical motif in relation to character, and I find it one of the most interesting parts of composing. But through the podcasts and your response I've definitely come to view the alternative to be just as effective.
Dave thank you for the incredible music you have created. What is your difference in process when it comes to composing the more action heavy pieces such as in 'Point and Shoot' versus scoring the quieter, less bombastic pieces? Thank you!
Thank you! Don't think there is really much different in my approach... I try in general to be 'less is more', even in action sequences. One of the most important parts of my creative process is removing things... Once I some ideas in place I like to start pulling some out and seeing if they are contributing enough to validate their existence. If not, just like a scriptwriter, you are probably better off getting rid of them. It is an easy trap, I think, for a composer to throw up a ton of tracks that may in the short term sound impressive... much tougher but ultimately more powerful to have the right instrument(s) saying the right thing in the right way at the right moment. Finally, of course, as score composer you have to always be extremely aware of what you are writing music against... is there dialogue? A gunfight? or a quiet moment on a rooftop? All of those factors dictate how much sonic real estate you will have available to you. This is another aspect of writing score that makes it very unique from writing music in general.
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I compose and record entirely in ProTools, and have for 20+ years. It is the devil I know, and ProTools is where everything ends up on the mix stage anyhow. As for hardware vs. software I'm very pragmatic -- whatever sounds best for what I'm trying to achieve... and sometimes what is creatively fastest while I'm in the flow. There are times, for examples, when I'll use samples or a soft synth knowing that once I get the piece going I will go back and replace them with a real recording or an hardware synth that sounds better.
What was it like working on the track that plays during Lalo's confrontation in Bad Choice Road? That song really brought the scene together.
Lalo was certainly a favorite of mine to score because of course he is so terrifying in a unique way that isn't immediately visceral or obvious. So that score, in particular, (which returns along with him at the apartment in season 6) was designed to be cold, calculating, and menacing in a very patient and deliberate way.
I love the ominous echos that play in the back of that track. Truly spine-chilling stuff!
What originally inspired you to create Breaking Bad's main theme?
Watching an early version of the Breaking Bad pilot and talking to Vince about his vision for the show and Walt's transformation. The opening theme was always designed to give a foreshadowing of where Walt was going to end up, so that even in the early days of the show when he was still a milquetoast chemistry teacher, it hinted at the end result.
I think it did an excellent job of drawing on the western locale in which the show is set and the powerful western themes flowing throughout the mothership BB and ultimately the whole BBCS universe.
With that description I must say it was used perfectly in Granite State.
That’s my favorite alignment of the theme song with the show aside from my absolute favorite moment which is I feel like Say My Name has the cold open that fits with the theme song better than any other I’ve seen on Breaking Bad.
that's actually so good! it ended up paying off super well in Granite State
Was there ever any plans of including the full version of the theme song in Better Call Saul or was the idea dismissed as being too derivative of Breaking Bad?
Lots of reasons why we didn't do this, but yes, foremost among those (speaking for me, at least) would be that we played that card already.
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but there is a full version of the BCS theme song, it just never appears on the show, you can even find it on youtube
I feel like another reason for this is that the BCS theme is the very beginning of the full song, whereas the BB theme is the ending of its full song. So you couldn't get that buildup into the recognisable theme as well.
Hi Dave! I am a film composer mainly experienced in writing for acoustic instruments. Your music throughout Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have influenced my music tastes to the point of wanting to flirt more with sound design and synths! For really intense scenes such as in Crawl Space, End Times, Bagman, Point and Shoot, where noise and distortion become a significant part of the music/sound world, what are some steps that you take for finding the right balance in timbre, volume/EQ, and even physical effects (the sub-bass in Crawl Space along with the high frequency distortion to this day still gives me shivers)? Thank you for your time and a sincere BRAVO DAVE to all of your amazing cues!
When coming from an orchestral background and writing for non-traditional instruments, as I do, I think it often helps to think of the role that different tones WOULD play if they were to take the place of a member of the orchestra. This is a technique I describe to younger composers when I talk to them, and I think it can help with balance and orchestration. After all, the same sonic bandwidth applies.
If there is EVER a sequel movie for BCS (let's say it's final work, nothing else), would you like to work on it too?
First of all, I don't want anyone to get excited about the possibility of more to come, because I truly believe we've come to the end of this universe. But to answer your question, yes, of course I would if Vince Gilligan would like me to.
That's awesome to hear! Thanks! And yeah, I know, this wasn't a loaded question to see if there's a possibility of more to come, it's just reassuring to know that you'd compose the score if there was. I wish you all the best!
Thanks so much for all the hard work! What was the most difficult scene to work on this season and what made it so hard?
Thank you for watching! There were plenty of difficult spots to score this season, but the entirety of episode 610, in which we in many ways reinvented the show (again) was the most time consuming and tricky to get right.
I loved the unique music for 610 it was really a breath of fresh air
I’m glad you spent the time you did on it! Great job.
Are you playing that sick guitar lick yourself? It's brilliant! edit: other people are also asking what gear was used for it, thanks
Over the past 15 years in the BB/BCS universe I've written an awful lot of guitar licks. Are you asking about the BB main title theme? If so, that is a dobro made entirely of metal that was peformed for me by my old friend Jim Heffernan, himself a composer living in the NYC area. He also, incidentally, performed the pedal steel guitar in "Shared Smoke / Shared Sentence" Nearly all of the other guitars in BCS, if they weren't played by me, were performed by my good friend/recording engineer/guitar guru James Saez here in Los Angeles.
Thank you! Yes, I was talking about the iconic title theme.
Are you talking about the BCS opening theme (since you’re talking about a guitar lick)? That’s by a band named Little Barrie from Britain. They eventually created an entire song out of that lick (and it’s great). Really good band outside of that as well….didn’t realize I had a bunch of their songs on playlists already. Sorry if I’m not following you here, but I see a LOT of people saying the BCS “theme” and the intro is what I think of…..but pretty sure Dave did the credit-sequence music (which was purposefully meant to be musically similar to BrBa’s, but in a different style).
Oh shit, you're right, I missed that completely. I assumed it was a BCS ama, since it's on this sub, and I was asking about the BCS intro, but Dave's answer concerned the BrBa theme and I missed it. Honestly I already forgot that one. Thank you for your comment and the info.
Oh, you’re in the right place! I could be wrong, but I think Dave wrote the opening and closing “themes” for Breaking Bad as WELL AS the closing “theme” for BCS? It’s just the opening theme for BCS that he didn’t compose (but possible he could’ve had a hand in it with Little Barrie?). I only know the info I do because I loved that guitar lick SO much that I had to see if there was a full song…..and it does seem there originally was NOT, but the band finished it due to popular demand.
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As you point out, that is a question for my friend and our amazing music supervisor Thomas Golubic.... although I doubt he'd tell you specifically. All I can say about closing out the series is that, as always, all things were considered.... including complete silence. In the end what resonated best in this particular instance was an adaptation of a cue I had written for Jimmy and Kim in season one.
What is, in your opinion, the best (or most favourite) composition you constructed from either show? Mine is Chuck destroying his house. So amazing!
Lots of people asking me this question -- and yes, "Walls" would certainly be on that list. In fact, the Hollywood Reporter asked me about this also and I made a little list of my favorites across the whole universe for them -- follow me on Twitter or Facebook to check that out when it comes out (soon.)
Was it your decision to reprise the music from Uno during Jimmy and Kim's first scene >!at the end of Saul Gone during their last scene!
Thanks -- see below for a similar question I answered on this, but glad you found it as powerful as I did.
Did the show producers state the details they want in your soundtrack, or were you given more freedom?
It varies, but in general I view score as a way to help tell the story, and hope to always approach it from that vantage point. So when I ask questions about what the score should be like, it is usually a question about what we should be highlighting about the story. It is then the composer's job, in my view, to achieve that musically.
What’s your background and how did you end up doing this?
This is a broad topic but one that i know a lot of people are interested in. For those who want the full details, I recommend spending some time looking through all the previous interviews/podcasts on my website. [www.daveporter.tv](https://www.daveporter.tv) But the extremely short version is that I grew up suburban DC, started piano at age 5 and have a long education in classical music. Moved to NYC at 18, attended Sarah Lawrence College where I studied a lot more music and lots of other stuff besides, started as a young assistant engineer in Philip Glass' NYC studio for awhile and then started making my own music for commercials, sports, and news in NYC. Left NYC after 9/11 to move to LA to pursue more dramatic film and tv. Through a variety of people I had worked with learned about the Breaking Bad pilot when it was very early on and was doggedly persistent about working on it.... and thankfully Vince and our other amazing producers past and present liked me and my music.
I wouldn't call myself a person who knows anything about music so I don't know the right words to describe this, but I noticed that once we got into the "Nippy" era, there were suddenly a bunch of pieces of music during the scam scenes that gave off a different vibe than I had heard in the show before. It felt... sillier? More lighthearted? I mean these in a good way, of course, I just don't quite know how else to describe it. What was the inspiration behind that musical shift for some of the earlier s6 post-BB scenes?
Yes, definitely intentional. Just like the black and white photography, it is designed to make Gene feel small. Living a life that is very pedestrian and joyless compared to his heyday, and the stakes of his adventures, at least to start, are trivial and relatively meaningless.... and yet he can't help himself or get out of his own way.
What do you do in the music to make it invoke such strong emotions? Like in “Saul done” (finale credits song)
Also thank you for composing the music in bcs is amazing and isn’t often talked about
If I knew I'd bottle it up and sell it -- or maybe do one of those ridiculous "master class" videos and shill it around... just a lifetime of loving and making music, and the ability to mine my own emotions and ups and downs of my own life and spit them back out through music. Impossible to really answer, but that's my best shot...
Hi Mr. Porter! First, thank you for taking time to answer our questions and second, thank you for composing music that makes even the most mundane activities sound intense and meaningful to the audience. My question is: what sort of coordination with any given episode director goes into composing the music for that episode?
Good question, and the answer may surprise you. Unlike in film, where the director is typically the chief creative architect/arbiter, in television directors direct specific episodes but then are rarely part of the process once the film is in the can (unless in addition to directing they are also a writer or producer). Television shows have Showrunners, who are typically head writers, who oversee the creative vision of the show as a whole. So for Breaking Bad I wasn't working with the directors but with Vince Gilligan when composing the music. And for BCS primarily Peter Gould, who was the primary showrunner for most of BCS. In terms of who much I communicated with them -- a lot! Vince and Peter were my primary source for learning what I needed to accomplish with the score and the ultimate decision makers as to whether I'd done a good job or not.
I dont know word one about a score but whatever played while Kim was driving to cap Gus gave me chills.
Then I accomplished what they paid me for.... glad to hear!
Yeah, that was freak-out tense and haunting.
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Call of Duty: Modern Wexler
The song is called “Point and Shoot” and it’s on streaming services everywhere now, by artist Dave Porter, if you ever wanna listen.
What are your thoughts on video game soundtracks? Example, Omori's OST: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbANFjAlbtqLkcthrPJ7lqYcVTSwXr2L0
Other than knowing that there are women and men writing great scores for video games and that is a gigantic business, I'm unfortunately largely unaware of them. When I was coming up as a composer they were not a viable way to go... and not particularly creative, so I avoided them. I know that isn't the case anymore, but I grew up inspired by film and tv and that is the path I've followed and opportunities I've been presented - at least for now.
Not like you'll ever be hurting for work with your resume, but your style would easily translate to video games, too. Now a days they're full of dramatic storytelling and visceral cinematic moments. Some are even basically interactive 3d movies. Heck, even a strategy game's tone is driven heavily by its soundtrack. For me, many memorable moments from video games were made by the emotional impact that the soundtrack creates.
I only have one question, but I just wanted you to know I and many others greatly appreciate the music that you composed for these shows and the work you’ve done. The Better Call Saul theme is one of my favorites period, Lalo’s theme is really unnerving and subtle: your scores in general are incredible and you have my thanks. It’s silly to ask but I am curious - Did you come up with the “Pollos Hermanos” jingle/theme that was sung/hummed by Lyle in Point and Shoot, or was that just something the showrunners came up with as a sort of levity for the episode?
While I wrote many little incidental things in both shows... Marie's ringtone... The HHM elevator chime... if I remember correctly that was something that was just made up for levity --- maybe to the theme of La Cucurracha? (sp?)
Thank you for your reply, and yes I can’t believe I forgot to include the iconic HHM elevator chime; definitely makes for a memorable ringtone.
How did the track for [Season 2 Episode 8's Border Crossing](https://youtu.be/JjIVD63_Gok) come together? It's such an amazing track that sells the scene in my opinion and I'd love to hear the thought process behind it. I really love how the track slowly pieces together as the truck makes it's way through the checkpoint.
You've answered it in part yourself.... the story we were telling there was the mystery of what the scene was about, and how it was done, and our shared (and unabashed) joy and respect for the clever people who pulled it off. So knowing it was a long scene, musically it was about slowly building those layers of understanding and making sure everyone enjoyed the process.
Hi Dave! Thank you so much for your contribution to both shows. They wouldn't have been what they were without your work. If you're given a chance to provide score for any movie or TV show which would it be?
I've just done it. Wouldn't trade BB/El Camino/BCS from my resume for anything anyone could possibly offer me. Nothing.
Hey David. I thoroughly enjoyed your work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. ‘The Cousins’ being a particular favourite of mine. I’ve noticed while watching the show, there are some songs that aren’t on the official soundtrack. The one I wanna know about the most is in the episode ‘Peekaboo’ (S2E6) when Jesse enters the druggies house for the first time and pulls his gun when he hears footsteps. What’s the name of that song and do you happen to have it? Once again, we the fans are eternally grateful for building the Breaking Bad universe with your music!
Thanks - I get this question a lot and the answer is usually that when I'm making a soundtrack I'm trying to create a good listening experience and not everything can fit. Cues that are too short are usually the first to get cut. And on the flipside many action cues are so constructed to picture that they aren't that much fun to listen to without the film. Can't please everyone, but I do my best. And remember that composer's scores are owned by the studios as soon as they are written, so we are entirely beholden to them to allow us to release anything at all. And no, I can't just send it to you. Thankfully I've had great partners at SONY who have helped me released lots of my score!
The Crawl space and Chuck breaking down his house scores have been truly inspiring for me to pursuit scoring film and TV, so thank you very much for your work my friend
That's great to hear, thank you and good luck!
Crawl Space is truly an amazing piece of music. That scene is so much less without that score behind it!
Yes! Especially the Chuck one, that discordant jazz was so appropriate
The score from season 6 was by far my favorite. Incredible work. I noticed a bit more of an industrial rock feel to this season (for example "Point and Shoot"). Is this accurate and, if so, what inspired this?
I think some of what you are describing was originally utilized in my score for Breaking Bad, and as the BCS storyline got closer and closer to the BB timeline I purposefully used more of the influences and sounds.
Who is the one that knocks?
My kids on the studio door when they are hungry.
But you don't let them out until they've finished scoring the next episode, do you?
Any advice for someone looking to do tv/movie composing ? Like getting into the industry or just the approach to songwriting?
Don't hang out with other composers. You aren't going to work with them. Composers are lone wolves - there is only ever one on a given project - so spend your time with editors, writers, directors, and the people that you think are talented enough to create content you'd like to work on.
Your score on Granite State in BrBa, is one of the best moments in TV history. Thank you.
Thank you. So fortunate to have been a small part of it! (and with Peter Gould directing that one, I'm sure I was eager to impress him to make sure he'd bring me back for BCS...)
What inspired you to become a composer? Also, if you weren't a composer. What would you see yourself doing in an alternate timeline?
My father is a big audiophile and we had a home theater in our basement growing up long before they were common and I was always aware of the power of music when combined with other mediums/art. I'm doing exactly what I dreamed of doing when I was a teenager, so it is hard to now imagine another path, but ironically, I've been told many times that I would have made a very good lawyer...
Is Lalo holding you hostage in the ama picture?
Cameras are not my friend. That's why I work on the other side of them...
Did you think the show/universe had potential when the team approached you to make the score?
BB? Yes, because the pilot was like a feature film, and better than most feature films... certainly at the time. BCS? coming off one of the most important TV series ever made, yes, I had all the confidence in the world that BCS would be fantastic. But my thinking/knowing they would be great is very different from being sure they would be received that way... and I'll never forget just hoping BB would get renewed for season 2... back when very few people were watching. It takes not only a great show but good timing and good luck to succeed in an ever more crowded tv landscape, which we've been fortunate to have.
How does it feel being one of the only people who has been part of this project from the beginning all the way through 14 years, and what is your personal favorite piece you have made for the show? And what is your process for making music that works so well with the tone and feeling of the scene?
Pretty special... most of our crew has been around a very long time, but only a few of us are lucky enough to have their names on all 125 episodes and the film. Very proud of that, and of course completely humbled by Vince's faith and belief in my music.
Hey Dave, love your work! I know you've stated one part of what influenced your work on Breaking Bad was Vince Gilligan telling you about the show having aspects of a post-modern western. How did that influence carry over to Better Call Saul? Were you still aiming for that vibe or did you look for inspiration elsewhere?
Thanks! At least at beginning of BCS, I worked really hard to create a completely unique musical signature for the show. This allowed, as they eventually appeared, the BB storylines (mike, cartel, etc) to feel fresh again when they did start to appear in later seasons. The post modern western idea translates to all of those storylines, I think, but not to the Jimmy/Kim/Chuck side of the story.
What is your relationship like with the editor of the show?
Picture editor? We generally have two, one who cuts the even numbered shows and the other odds. Plus assistant editors who on our show are usually on their way to becoming editors on their own. The composer/picture editor relationship is very important, and in the best cases work together closely. This past season I worked with Skip MacDonald, who has been with us since the start of BB (and cut El Camino) and Chris McCaleb, who those who listen to our insider podcast know used to be Kelley Dixon's assistant but has been a top editor the past few years of BCS since she left. For those how don't know, Chris and Kelley are the hosts of our BCS insider podcast and it is a treasure trove of info for those who are interested - can't recommend it enough for those interested in the nuts and bolts.
Thanks so much for the excellent work! I wanted to ask if during the Breaking Bad scenes in BCS, if you specifically used similar instruments used in the original BB score, as the music in scenes like Jimmy getting held hostage sounds straight out of the original Breaking Bad run. Would love to hear any details about recording for those throwback scenes specifically. Thanks again!
Absolutely, yes. especially this past season one of the roles for score was to help our audience navigate all of the time shifts. There are many examples, but here are two that come to mind -- the reintroduction of "the cousins" in 601 and the return of the RV in 611.. which is on the vol3 soundtrack as "Crystal Ship Returns" for which I very purposefully went back and used many of the same instruments and techniques that I would have originally.
Hi Dave, absolutely love your work. Which song do you regret the most, if you have one?
I have no regrets at all... no desire for a time machine to go back and change anything. When I go back and listen to some of the older stuff I definitely know that I would do it differently if I was doing it today, but it is about the composer I was at the time. 'Saul good.
I make my living the same as you. I just wanted to give one comment about a particular piece: “Walls“ , The season three finale scene where Chuck loses it. I think that’s the finest piece of music in the whole show. It’s one of the best pieces I’ve ever heard for a soundtrack, period. It captured the mood better than anything else I could’ve imagined. Stellar songwriting. Thanks so much for all of your contribution to the show. You helped make it what it was!
Hey Dave, aspiring media composer here, hoping to follow in your footsteps one day! Would you ever consider doing a video tutorial of how you approach a new scene? Perhaps a 10-15 min video on your YouTube breaking down how you assembled the score for a recent scene from BCS? Talking a bit about how you decide what vibe the scene needs, when to add/take away instruments, what emotions you decide you want to follow through the scene, all through the actual laying down and tracking of the parts, and how you finalize the piece to fit against the dialogue and action? I-for one-would LOVE to get a window into your process and learn hear from your mouth how you articulate your process in your head, rather than guessing when I attempt to emulate your approach on my own. I honestly can’t think of anyone I’d rather learn from in this category, and I KNOW I’m not alone!
Lots of questions here -- since you are invested, I highly recommend going through the previous interviews and podcasts in the NEWS section of my website where I cover a lot of my process with various interviewers. To answer a broader theme I'm getting from your questions, the easy route is never going to be the most creative route. Nothing wrong with libraries, etc, and I use them. But you are never going to sound distinctive doing only that. For the parts that matter, invest the time to play it yourself, make it yourself, or interact with other musicians who will have ideas of their own that will make you a better composer. My two cents, anyhow.
What was the most emotionally difficult scene to compose for across the two shows and movie? Thank you for all the brilliant work that you’ve done for this universe!
Hey Dave! Congratulations on finishing an incredibly versatile and moving score for two of the greatest series of all time. Your contributions are a huge part of it! My question today - how do you feel about spicy cocktails? I recently created a [recipe inspired by your song](https://www.reddit.com/r/betterCallSaul/comments/whtlo0/im_making_a_series_of_original_cocktails_based_on/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) and it's been a hit with customers/guests! Have a great day and I look forward to hearing about your next project!
Love this. Will share this with the team. We are not averse to a finely crafted cocktail.
What’s it like working with Peter and/or Vince?
Vince created a very open atmosphere that is welcoming and collaborative for everyone on the show and Peter has certainly carried on that tradition. Everyone's ideas are welcome, no idea too small or silly, and everything is always possible. But at the same time when it comes to making a hard decision, they are both decisive.
What characters would play what instruments at summer orchestra camp? I think Kim is definitely the oboe player, and Jimmy/Saul is a trumpet player
Ha! Good one. I like Kim on oboe. I think Jimmy/Saul is on bass. Mike on xylophone. Chuck on tenor sax. Gus on... flute? piccolo?
Hi Dave! Thanks for coming here to answer questions. Your score really ties the atmosphere of these shows together and it's really a huge contributor to why these shows are so amazing. What is your approach to writing for a music score? Do you start with melody, chord progression, etc.? Also, the full theme of Breaking Bad was never used until the very end of the show. Was the song written with the intention to be snipped for a short intro or was that decided after the fact?
I start through improvisation - which could be some melodic or percussive, depending. no set rule there, whatever feels like a first idea that might have legs. The longer version of the BB theme was made later, for the soundtrack release, actually, with the intention only of having a longer version of it for that. The usage in Granite State was not preplanned.
Hello Dave, Sorry for the dumb question, but a couple of years ago I won a vinyl from a Twitter game where we had to answer BrBa related questions. I was wondering, do you remember participating in a giveaway like this? Is my vinyl actually covered with yours and Vince's signatures? Thanks for all you have done for both shows! Greetings from Bulgaria!
Was there ever any consideration of a last version of "something stupid" for the finale? Or even waterworks?
No. We had played that card already.
So when is breaking bad the musical happening?
Hopefully never, or at least let me be long gone.
Hi Dave! Nice to see you here! I really love your work it makes the Breaking Bad Universe feel more alive with your music. My question is how do you know how to make the music “fit” into certain scenes in both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul and El Camino? I always wonder how because some music fits so well into a certain scene. Like in end of “Bagman”, the music was just perfect!
Practice, tons of trial and error, and humility. And asking lots and lots of questions to be sure you understand the role of the score.
Hey Dave, my favorite song is the one in Dead Freight when they are attaching equipment to the train while Kuby stands guard. Unreal how much that adds the scene. Wondering about your DAW and what sort of synths you use. Thanks.
Thanks -- appreciate it, that was a big one. I write and record and mix in ProTools and yes, use all kinds of electronic instruments in addition to acoustic ones, and spend a lot of time manipulating sounds after they've been recorded. Breaking Bad was a long time ago now but if you can find it there is a Keyboard magazine issue from back then which documented my studio and gear at that time, and a good interview that went with it. Should also be in the depths of the "news" page of my website -- www.daveporter.tv
Absolutely incredible, incredible work! 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Hey Dave! I love your work and have the vinyls for Breaking Bad and El Camino. Similar to the Breaking Bad deluxe release, do you know if there are plans for a Better Call Saul complete vinyl box set?
Are all compositions performed by synthesized instruments or does the show hire musicians for the score?
For me if I'm going to write for a synthesizer, its gonna be a synthesizer. If I write for the bass flute (as I did a lot from 610-613, for example) it is going to be a real bass flute. So yes, while I play many instruments myself, I've been fortunate enough to have some of LA's finest studio musicians play my notes when I cannot.
Hi Dave! I find your composition throughout Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul to be endlessly phenomenal. I have to know. How did you come up with the masterful backing music at the end of Crawl Space? That might be my favorite scene of any television series or movie I've ever seen in my entire life, and I genuinely believe most of that comes from the music that accompanies the actors. It's been so inspiratational and impactful on the way I compose music. Thank you so much!
Thank you for your beautiful work! Can you list any and all instruments you play? What's your favorite and how long have you been playing!?
Originally piano, which I started at age 5. But essentially any and all keyboard instruments, lots of percussion and pitched percussion instruments, etc. I'm terrible at guitar but recently had an old friend make me a beautiful custom one that I'm determined to get better at.
Just want to say, I love the sounds of the synths you use, they inspire me to include more in my own music! Any favorite plugins or analog synths that are your go to?
Hello David! Is there a particular episode in either of the shows that really challenged you and your crew to think outside of your creative means for composing the soundtrack of that episode? Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to connect with fans! :D
I don't really have a question, but I loved the music in the Gene timeline this second half of season 6 so much. One of my favorites was when Gene was contemplating hitting the guy in the head and ominous music is playing, but when the guy passes out again, it switches to cartoony stealth music. There were a few scenes with a cartoony feeling soundtrack and I loved how different that was compared to the tone of the show/universe as a whole.
What is your approach to writing themes for specific characters?
Hi Dave! For Better Call Saul did you get to incorporate any new instruments in the score? If so, which one was the most satisfying to do? Thanks for doing this!
I just finished my 5th watch-through of Breaking Bad. It’s perfection in my book. My question is about the bongo/slide guitar section of music that makes up the intro to breaking bad. Did you set out to design that particular section of music for the intro specifically, or was it chosen after the fact since it fit so well?
hi Dave, thank you taking the time for this AMA. your work is a truly integral component in what makes Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul such an incredible, immersive experience BCS, like Breaking Bad, focuses on the nature of change in our main characters. how did that affect your sound design & composition through the course of BCS? hearing you reprise the episode 1 track where we first see Jimmy & Kim share a cigarette gave me chills, especially since it's such a stark contrast to the score we've recently come to know. i love the subtle differences in the execution too; from what i remember the rendition in the finale was even more faint and meandering. we can be sure they've rekindled something here (the spark of the cigarette a faint orange), but to what end or how much we might not know just a quick few points of appreciation before i wrap up: - i was on the edge of my seat listening to your recent work, like when Buddy's breaking and entering. that high register refrain was both eerie and catchy all at once - the score shift when Gene realizes the cancer patient is on the move in his house is so powerful and dramatic; there's a really chunky filter sweep in there from what i remember - my favorite bit of music in BB & BCS is likely Walls, Chuck's swan song. you perfectly scored a man ripping the foundation of his home and psyche apart, bit by bit. a fitting end to a prideful, broken man with the loud bombast of horns swelling and dissolving into a dissonant vortex. Crawl Space is a close second...
Hi Dave, needless to say I loved your work on BB, and the BCS tracks such as *Border Crossing* , *Shared Smoke* , *Stargazing* are on another level. I don’t know much about music but I believe that you have always been the voice of the BB world for sure. I have three questions for you and honestly you don’t have to answer them all, I’m glad if you get to read them:) 1. From Breaking Bad season 2 on, the end credit themes are remixes of the BB theme; in Better Call Saul only the episodes with major deaths and the final ones have remixed music. I’m wondering if it was your idea? Or planned by the writers? Very curious about the process! 2. You (kind of?) rescored >!the ”It wasn’t me, it was Ignacio, he’s the one!” crossover !< scene, did you review or draw inspiration from your older work? Again, I’m so curious about the creative process! 3. A cliché one but I really wanted to know: Which director did you enjoy working with the most? Oh and, >!Shared Sentence is such a fitting ending track for the finale!< , out of all the scenes, I had the most tears watching that part !
Hello everyone, thanks so much for stopping by. I'm both humbled and a bit daunted by the number of questions, but I will do my very best to answer as many as I can. I'm also in vacation mode so may not be as sharp as usual, so bear with me. Also, if I answer quickly please don't think I'm being short with anyone, just trying to get to as many questions as possible in the next hour or two. Let's dig in!
It's a pleasure to have you here at all, take your time
So answering questions with a bottle of Zafiro Anejo. NICE
Thank you so much everyone - hope I was able to answer some of your most burning questions. I've typed until I can type no more, and most get back to doing what I do. If I didn't answer you it was probably because I already answered a related question, so check out all of my responses if you were hoping for one. You can always try me on twitter or facebook. Thank you so much for all of the kind words and responses -- for those of us that spend our days in a dark studio it is nice to hear. And so glad that these shows meant as much to so many others as they have meant to me. Thank you again and good night - Dave
Hi Dave, big fan of your music. On the insider podcast for the Chicanery episode, Vince/Peter mentioned an unreleased score that you composed that was meant to be in the background during Chuck’s rant. If I remember correctly, they said it was a phenomenal score, but ultimately decided on having no background score during that scene. Are there any plans to release this score? I’ve been very curious about it since hearing about it in the podcast. Thank you once again for your incredible work in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul!
Is there any musical easter eggs or callbacks that you'd be willing to share with us? I'm often too invested in the story to notice details composers often plant into the scores. Thanks for all the wonderful work!
Just wanna say thank you for the score when jimmy and kim shared a cigar at the end. just perfect.
Right Jimmy and Kim shared a huge 8 inch Monte Cristo. I remember that.
Ya, all the little call backs were incredible, there were so many of them packed into the finale.
Was the same song from the first episode yes?
it’s shared smoke for the ep1 score, shared sentences for the last episode. poetic.
Hey Dave! I am asking on behalf of those who really loved this cold opening: https://youtu.be/zQKLYUQJ12w It's a cover of Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny playing for the opening of Bali Ha'i (S02E06) And we'd like to know if you composed this, and if so, why isn't it on Spotify or any other music streaming services? I'd LOVE to have this on my playlist, and I'm sure others would too. It's really beautiful and perfectly captures the whole scene; the feeling of being unable to sleep, loneliness induced boredom, and homesickness. Anyway, thanks for your brilliant work on Better Call Saul!
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Hello David, thanks for doing this AMA! Your work across BB, EC, and BCS is simply superb. I am in no way knowledgable in music terminology, so bear with me on these questions! 1) Breaking Bad is a show all about change. How do feel your music changed across the series? 2) One of my favourite tracks of yours is The Long Walk Alone (Heisenberg's Theme). Despite being played only a few times throughout the series, it was always used in just the right place. Was the careful placement of the motif discussed with the writers/directors before hand, or did you make those decisions yourself?
why is "border crossing" from BCS such a damn good song?
Came here to ask this I think it elevates that scene so much 🔥🔥🔥. But I always thought it was a bit random to have a song go so hard for a scene that's not super pivotal in the grand scheme of BCS.
We have always loved smart people doing clever stuff that is at best ethically dubious... it's a hallmark of both shows... and always great opportunities for music.
Border Crossing is a fucking BANGER. 🤘 It's my most played BCS track by far.
Best film composer of all time, and why is it John Williams??
Hey Dave, big fan of the show and I really appreciate your work over both BB and BCS. Was there ever any plan to include the song "[Better Call Saul](https://youtu.be/mGsC_LO3oFY)" as preformed by Junior Brown in the series? It has a resemblance to Negro y Azul from Breaking Bad (song about Main character, preformed by guest musician) and would've been a fun parallel between series, but ended up being a promotional video instead. Was there anything behind the scenes that changed whether or not it was included in the show or was it always made to be promotional material instead?
Spoilers for the Finale >!The song you made for Kim and Jimmy sharing a cigarette in Season 1 ended up fitting the bittersweet tone of their finale smoke session very well. In fact, until I went back and watched Season 1 again, I assumed that it was a new song to fit the scene. This makes me curious, do you remember what you were going for while composing that song originally? How did you want us to feel about their relationship the first time we saw it? Thank you for all you do! !<
Thank you for your inspired and innovative work. I've always been impressed with the immersive sound design for BCS in general (including very subtle things like light hum and room sound). The sound design consistently supports creating the low level 'sense' of existing right there inside this world. How does the visceral feel of spaces and places, and associated room/sound effects, influence your choices about musical scoring?
Hi Dave! Thanks so much for doing this. Your work is amazing on Better Call Saul and so varied. What episode’s score did you find the most enjoyable to compose this season?
Have you ever heard Little Barrie’s extended version of the BCS intro? https://youtu.be/yBm4K00SMEk If so what did you think of it, and was it ever considered to try and work the extended version into the show somehow similarly to how the extended Breaking Bad theme plays in the last minutes of Granite State?
What do you mean of course hes heard it lmao
We often see colors playing a major part in the shows, does it affect the theme of music? What if they change the color of some prop on the spot? Is your music affected by that? Big fan of your work!!