SNL Digital Shorts Composer Talks Shop

Are you a “D**k in a Box” fan? A friend of “Ras Trent?” Does the sight of actress Natalie Portman making like a gangsta rapper make you collapse with laughter? The jokes for Saturday Night Live’s Digital Shorts might originate elsewhere, but the music comes from Asa Taccone, the brother of SNL writer and Lonely Island member Jorma Tacconne.

In a short interview with Creativity Online, the man behind last Saturday’s “Mother Lover” discusses his craft.

Here’s an excerpt:

How does composing this type of thing differ from your commercial and other work?
With comedy, there’s an element of trying not to make the music too invasive. You can’t use anything too complex. For “Mother Lover,” I had some complex string sections and other stuff that got cut because at the end of the day, you just want to joke to be audible.

This type of work takes some precedence because of the deadline and you know a lot of people are going to see it. It differs a little bit because the pace is pretty crazy, but you know, commercial work can be insane too.

Check out the full interview here.