services offered
Forensic Musicology
Dr. Pope’s private musicology clients have included composers, producers, attorneys, and music supervisors employed by organizations including Warner Bros., ABC/Disney, Apple+, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and numerous production music libraries. He provides consulting services that include copyright infringement risk assessment, forensic musicology reports, public domain investigations, and other musical research. He has lectured on music industry topics at institutions including the University of Miami, UC Irvine, and Los Angeles City College.
Since 2017, he has been a primary music associate of renowned forensic musicologist Judith Finell in Los Angeles, and continues to work with her regularly.
Geoffrey Pope is a member of the American Musicological Society, the American Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP), and the California Copyright Conference.
Musicology Services Include:
• Temp track infringement risk assessment for composers and film/television/game studios
• Due diligence investigations and reporting for studios and counsel
• Musical comparisons, expert reports, and testimony
• Public domain status and history investigations
• Musical accuracy-checking for film and television dialogue, and coaching of actors in on-screen musical performance (diegetic/source music)
A composer should never be forced to choose between losing a job and infringing another composer’s work.
When scoring a film, a composer is often asked to emulate a temp track. These usually consist of well-known, emblematic cues or concert pieces written by other composers. Temp tracks serve as an efficient way to translate between the divergent technical vocabularies of composers, directors, music editors, and producers.
It is understandable that filmmakers grow accustomed to the temp track over the post production journey, and may seek an original score that is similar in emotion and aesthetic. When composers encounter “temp love” scenarios, in which they are asked—often over the course of multiple revisions—to closely emulate the temp, there is particular risk of music copyright infringement.
While ideas cannot be copyrighted, their expression can. Similarity of musical expression is a crucial component in a determination of copyright infringement, and accusations of “temp infringement” are frequent.
Unfortunately, there is no bright-line rule for determining substantial similarity, and each situation is unique. Composers usually stand in the crosshairs, and studios naturally do not want to be held liable for infringing content.
An accusation of infringement need not be grounded in musical fact. Rather, an accusation may arise simply from a perception of similarity.
Copyright law was enacted in the United States on behalf of its citizens to “promote the progress of science and useful arts.” While no musicologist can guarantee a complete absence of risk, consulting a musicologist who is conversant with the latest in copyright law can help avoid derailing this progress.
Disclaimer: The general information above is not intended as legal advice, and is not provided to represent the views of any other individual or organization. Geoffrey Pope is a musicologist and industry consultant, not an attorney. Visiting this website does not establish a practitioner-client relationship for any service, nor does it guarantee any outcome. Do not send unsolicited materials.
Conducting in the Studio
The premise is simple: Excellent musicians deserve excellent conductors—whether in the concert hall or the studio.
Similarly, composers, producers, and instrumentalists deserve recording sessions that are precise, efficient, and cordial.
Geoffrey Pope believes in fair compensation and treatment of all the musicians who bring life to a score. Music budgets are often disproportionately low, sometimes forcing composers to choose between hiring live musicians and ensuring their own fair compensation as composer. While the media music industry continues to push for reform, it remains the case that a live scoring session is usually the greatest expense incurred by a composer during a project. It is also a capstone challenge for the composer and their team—both musically and reputationally.
A scoring session can also be a transcendent experience for the composer, director, and producer. Many filmmakers view it as the moment a film truly coheres.
Every second counts.
Bringing the best from every musician in every take is essential, as is effective communication with the control room and respect for the composer’s requests—all within the framework of an expensive and time-limited experience. Geoffrey Pope brings sensitivity and experience meeting these sometimes-competing demands. While most often a conductor, he has also served as score supervisor in live and remote sessions in the United States and Europe.
He brings additional musical skills, such as free-time conducting with punches and streamers when a more organic recording is needed, and has developed techniques of eliciting more fluidity from musicians when recording to click.
Pope holds a master’s degree in conducting from the Eastman School of Music, where he conducted almost exclusively 20th century and contemporary music, and a doctorate in orchestral and opera conducting from UCLA. He combines this training with a keen understanding of session pacing, dynamics, and workflow—ensuring the most musical and timely of results.
Orchestration & Arranging
Geoffrey Pope provides orchestration services for composers who believe that human performers bring life to music in extraordinary ways. He brings more than two decades of work with instrumentalists and vocalists to ensure that a composer’s vision is translated with the utmost musical integrity, and that performers are respected through accurate, idiomatic, and efficient notation.
Geoffrey Pope has the privilege of coming to orchestration from the perspective of a composer and of a conductor. These disciplines are complementary, and Pope’s formal training in both fields forms the basis of his craft. Crucially, this has allowed him to provide musical solutions from the perspective of a composer and performer. His orchestrations have been recorded in the United States and Europe, and he is conversant with American and European formatting and notation conventions.
Whether you are recording with large orchestra and choir, simply need a solo instrumental line notated for an overdub, or anything in between, your requirements are met punctually with imagination and expertise.
Software / Service Formats:
Musical sources of all kinds are welcomed, including MIDI, MusicXML, and unexported DAW session files. The major DAWs and notation programs are supported.
Final delivery of scores and parts is typically via PDF. Professional printing and taping services, if required, are available in-house or via copyist affiliates.
Tempo mapping/conforming and audio transcription services are available for additional fees.
Other Services
Need further research? Historical accuracy checking? On-set coaching? A lecture? Be in touch!
As a musicologist
“Geoffrey was an absolute joy to work with! He was thorough with his research, provided a detailed breakdown to us for our project, and always responded with a prompt, positive response. I would highly recommend working with him.”
—Andrew Weaver, music supervisor
Triple Threat Supervision