What does a monthly music retainer actually include?

A retainer means you pay a fixed monthly fee and receive a set number of original tracks in return. Every track is composed specifically for your brand or platform — not pulled from a library. Full licensing is included, meaning you can use the music across all your platforms and markets without additional clearance fees. Each track is registered with SOCAN, delivered at broadcast quality, and includes revisions until it's right.

How long does it take to deliver a track?

Typical turnaround is 7 to 14 days per track depending on complexity. If you need a track with vocals, allow a few extra days for recording and production. Rush delivery is available for Partner tier clients. I have never missed a delivery deadline in over 32 years working in the industry — that is not a boast, it is the baseline expectation I hold myself to.

What happens if I need revisions?

Revisions are included at every tier. I work until the track is right for your needs. In practice, most tracks land close on the first delivery because I spend time understanding your brand and audience before composing — not after. The brief matters more than the revision process.

Do I own the music?

You receive a full licence to use the music across your platforms, products, and marketing — in perpetuity, globally. I retain the underlying copyright and SOCAN registration, which allows me to collect performance royalties when the music is broadcast or streamed publicly. This is standard practice for composer-client relationships and is the same model used by every major production music library. It does not affect your ability to use the music however you need to.

What is SOCAN and why does it matter?

SOCAN is the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada — the equivalent of ASCAP or BMI in the United States. When your app or platform uses music registered with SOCAN, you are using music that is properly tracked, licensed, and attributed. This protects you from Content ID claims on platforms like YouTube and ensures the music you are using is commercially clean. Every track I deliver is SOCAN registered as a standard part of the process.

Can I cancel the retainer?

Yes. I do not require contracts longer than 90 days to start. After the initial period, arrangements continue month to month and can be cancelled with 30 days notice. I would rather earn your continued business by delivering work you love than lock you into something that is not working. WhisperWings has been a retainer client for over two years — not because of a contract, but because the work is good.

Do you take one-off projects?

Yes. If you need a single piece of music for a specific purpose — a film, a campaign, a product launch, a trailer — get in touch and we will discuss what makes sense. Retainer arrangements are preferred for ongoing needs, but every good working relationship starts somewhere.

What does it cost to hire a composer for a children's app?

For original music on a monthly retainer basis, expect to invest between $1,500 and $4,000 per month depending on volume — typically one to four tracks per month. One-off commissions for a single piece of children's app music range from $800 to $3,000 depending on length, complexity, and whether vocals are included. Licensed library music costs less upfront but carries ongoing clearance risk and lacks the brand specificity that original composition provides. WhisperWings has been a retainer client for over two years at $3,200 per month — that is the proof of concept for this model. Their arrangement includes original music composition as well as podcast production and other audio work, which reflects how retainer relationships naturally evolve over time.

What makes music work for sleep and wellness apps?

Tempo is the foundation — music between 60 and 80 BPM naturally synchronises with a resting heart rate and signals the nervous system to slow down. Instrumentation matters as much as tempo — acoustic guitar, piano, soft strings, and ambient textures create warmth without stimulation. But the most important element is emotional arc. Music that moves from gentle tension to resolution mirrors the psychological process of releasing the day. Background music fills space. Intentional sleep music guides the listener somewhere specific.

What is the difference between original composition and licensed music?

Licensed music is music someone else made that you pay to use. Original composition is music made specifically for you. Licensed music is faster and cheaper upfront — but it can be used by your competitors, it can be pulled from libraries without notice, and it will never fit your brand the way something made for it will. Original composition takes longer and costs more, but it becomes an asset your brand owns and builds on over time. The WhisperWings album exists nowhere else on earth. That is what original composition gives you.

Why not just use AI-generated music?

AI-generated music is improving rapidly and has legitimate uses for rough cuts and temp tracks. But research in 2026 consistently shows that engagement drops significantly when human composition is replaced by AI — listeners feel the difference even when they cannot articulate it. The value of human composition is not technical perfection. It is the relatability and shared emotion of an artist who has lived something and put it into sound. That is not something AI can replicate — and for a children's sleep app or wellness platform where trust is the entire product, the difference matters.

Can tracks include vocals?

Yes. Tracks can be instrumental or include vocals depending on what your platform needs. I am a guitarist and singer-songwriter as well as a composer, and can perform vocals myself. Alternatively, you are welcome to bring your own singer to the project — I will handle the composition, arrangement, and production around them. If you need a vocalist but do not have one, I can source a singer from my own professional network for an additional cost. For children's apps specifically, I can deliver lullaby-style vocal tracks, character voice music, and narrative musical pieces. The WhisperWings album includes both instrumental and vocal compositions. Vocal tracks take slightly longer to deliver due to recording and production time.

What genres and styles do you compose in?

My primary languages are cinematic, acoustic, and ambient — the intersection of film scoring depth, singer-songwriter warmth, and flamenco-influenced rhythm. For apps and platforms I compose across a wide range including children's lullabies, meditative ambient, corporate brand music, documentary scoring, and emotional narrative pieces. I do not use templates. Every piece begins with understanding what your platform needs to make a listener feel.

Who have you worked with before?

Current and recent clients include WhisperWings — a children's sleep app featuring Ora, the voice used by BMW globally in four languages, currently being presented at APEX FTE EXP Asia. Television credits include How I Met Your Mother, Kitchen Nightmares, and Top Gear across more than 6,000 episodes. I served as Music Director for the award-winning play Ugly directed by Nelsan Ellis, covered by Variety in 2005. Full credentials are available on the Work With Me page.

Do you work with clients outside Canada?

Yes — entirely. WhisperWings is based in the United States and the working relationship has been entirely remote for over two years. I work with clients across North America, Europe, China, India, and anywhere else a good project exists. Time zones have never been an obstacle. All deliveries are digital. All communication is asynchronous unless a call is useful.

How do I know if we are a good fit?

The best fit is a company that cares deeply about how their product makes people feel — not just how it looks or performs technically. If music is central to the experience you are building and you want it to be genuinely good rather than adequate, we are probably a good fit. If you need music fast and cheap with no relationship attached, there are better options. A 20-minute conversation is usually enough to know.

What is the first step?

Send an email to eric@ericharpermusic.com and tell me what you are building and what music challenge you are trying to solve. No pitch deck required. No lengthy brief. Just tell me what you need and what you are hoping music will do for your product. I respond within 48 hours and we take it from there.

What is it like to work with you day to day?

Consistent. On time. No drama. You brief me, I compose, I deliver, we refine if needed, and you receive something broadcast-ready. I have been described as a composer who makes clients feel trusted — which means you never have to chase me, manage me, or wonder if the work is coming. It is coming. That reliability is as much a part of what I offer as the music itself.