Meet S. Neal Thompson | Media Composer

We had the good fortune of connecting with S. Neal Thompson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi S. Neal, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
Conventional wisdom often dictates chasing the hottest, highest-paying jobs. This discourages pursuing our inherent interests, relegating them to “hobbies.” Having spent 20 years as a musician in IT, I’ve seen firsthand that this approach, while seemingly logical, clashes with our unique individual wiring.

My advice: Instead of blindly following perceived trends, prioritize understanding your natural talents and passions. Building your career on that foundation leads to greater fulfillment, success, and ultimately, a more valuable contribution to society.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What excites me most about music is the endless potential for sonic discovery. I’m fascinated by experimenting with both vintage and cutting-edge technology, and exploring unfamiliar musical traditions. We’ve only scratched the surface of music’s emotional power, and as a composer with a tech background (transitioning from software engineering to film scoring) — their ability to leap ahead depends on each other. This connection fuels my philosophy: to hold tradition in one hand, studying our rich musical heritage to build upon the past, while embracing a childlike imagination that constantly experiments, subverting musical materials, gear, and processes to unlock new possibilities.

In practice, my “sound” evolves with each project. The project dictates the research and experimentation – whether it’s mastering a new genre, instrument, technology, or even developing and building new tools. My background is unconventional; I’m self-taught, starting with my dad’s ear-based piano playing and the raw energy of the Southeast punk and hardcore scenes. That DIY spirit heavily influences my harmonic language, grounding my more theoretical explorations.

Right now, success in film scoring is still on the horizon for me. I recently left a successful software engineering career to pursue this passion. However, I’m incredibly proud to be a finalist in an international scoring competition with the Chigiana Music Academy, composing a small piece for a clarinet choir in Boulder, and developing a concept album that involves rescoring a 1960s film with a modular synthesizer and chamber orchestra.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
1 – Sie FilmCenter – fantastic local indie theater with a great vibe and great people.
2 – The Grateful Gnome – best pints of ESB & Ruben sandwiches in Colorado.
3 – Wax Trax Records – easily lose a day sifting through beautiful rows and rows of used vinyl
4 – Pete’s Kitchen – Best 24×7 diner; especially since Breakfast King closed down.
5 – Colfax Guitars – straight shooters; will fix anything appears to be a guitar.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely. First, my wife, Autumn, whose unwavering support always pushes me beyond my comfort zone. Also, my former bandmates, Marshall Meeker and TJ Adkison, now in film, remain close friends and collaborators. Finally, my mentor Felipe Moreno and the team at Cinematic Composing who helped provide the crucial production skills and industry knowledge to become successful in this gig.

Website: https://www.snealthompson.com/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/snealthompson

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SNealthompson