A few notes on a glockenspiel, and a child across the room looks up at the screen. That is the theme you are here to write.
Tatako is hiring a Composer to write original music for our series: a theme for each character, cues for each scene and small pieces that make a quiet moment feel safe. This is project work, booked episode by episode with the Music Producer and the Series Director.
About Tatako
Tatako is a first-words app for families raising a child with two languages. A lesson takes about five minutes, there is nothing to read, and a small round octopus keeps everyone company. He has eight arms, no socks, and usually loses count at seven.
The language of home stays the language of home. Tatako adds a second one on top, at a toddler’s pace, from the very first words. A guide voice can explain what to do, and you can switch it off whenever you like. Every lesson has three small steps: Hear it, say it. Touch it. Name it. In the last step the picture comes back without the word, and the child names it first.
We started with English: first words and phrases, from “hello” and “mommy” to colors, animals and what the teacher says at preschool. More languages are on the way. Tatako works in the browser on any phone or tablet.
The role
- Remote project work, open to candidates anywhere in the world
- Fluent English
- An agreement signed before you start: your work is made for Tatako, Inc. and its rights go to the company in writing
By the end of your first project, the series has its own palette of instruments, the main characters have their themes, and one full episode runs on your music.
What you will do
- Compose original cues for each episode, shaped by the picture and the pace of the story.
- Give each main character a short theme a child can recognize with eyes closed.
- Leave room for speech: the music sits well under every line, and the word that matters lands in near silence.
- Grow new arrangements out of our existing melody and sound mark, so the series keeps one musical identity.
- Write the quiet endings: a small, warm piece that tells a child the day is done and all is well.
- Keep every note your own: no samples from other records, no borrowed melodies, nothing written to sound like a named artist or a known song.
- Deliver stems, session files and a dated list of every cue, and work with the sound engineer on the final mix.
What you bring
- 4+ years composing for animation, film, games or children’s media, with a reel of music to picture.
- A small acoustic palette you love: ukulele, woodwinds, glockenspiel, upright bass, light percussion.
- Fluency in Logic Pro, Cubase or Ableton Live, plus notation for live players.
- Exact timing to picture, without losing the tune.
- Melodies that stay simple and still sound like nobody else’s.
- Fast, friendly turnarounds on notes from people who are not musicians.
Bonus points
- You play several of these instruments yourself.
- You have written for preschool audiences, or you test your tunes on real small children.
Why you will love it
- A new musical world, with room for a clarinet to be the funniest thing in the scene.
- Short forms where every note has to earn its place.
- Tunes that get hummed in the kitchen by people who have no idea they are humming.
How to apply
Meet the octopus at tatako.com, then email join@tatako.com with your LinkedIn profile or portfolio. Make sure it shows music you wrote to picture.
If your experience matches the role, our team will get in touch to discuss next steps.