Seth Schaeffer is a filmmaker and composer based in Nashville, Tennessee. For over two decades, he’s scored his visual work, keeping most of his musical output behind the scenes. “I Found A Monster” is his first public release.
The song idea started with an old acoustic bass that only had three strings left. It rattled when played, barely stayed in tune, and wasn’t supposed to be usable. That tone became the base of the track – literally and creatively – and everything else built around it. Schaeffer brought in collaborators remotely to fill in key pieces: strings from Marco Pescosolido and Nikos Mavridis, vocals from Emily Hatch, and trumpet from Vigilance Brandon.
It opens with a heavily processed vocal: degraded, distant, and hard to place emotionally. Bowed strings enter shortly after, holding a tight, dry tension. The low end comes in saturated and heavy, with brass tucked into the mix.
There’s no verse-chorus structure. It moves from section to section without repeating itself. It feels more like a scored scene than a song built for radio. That’s what makes it work. The pacing feels designed, not looped.
This could sit in a darker series or film, something like Arcane or Interview With the Vampire. It’s better suited to a quieter moment that needs tension without a release.
It’s a sound piece. It ends when it’s done. That’s the whole point.
Discover more from Cinematic Giants
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
