My inspiration comes from the music of "The Motorcycle Diaries." The acoustic guitar paired with ambient sounds captures the vastness of the open road and lands of South America. At the same time, its slow rhythm creates a contemplative tone reflecting the spiritual journey of the film's main character.

Open Road

I have always had a spiritual connection to music. Music is how I express myself. I made this piece while watching the sunrise and drinking coffee. I don't know how to explain it, while watching the sunrise I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. My goal was to translate that feeling into this piece. Thanks for listening :)

Make A Wish

This is an audition piece I submitted to a music library to be used on various T.V. shows and commercials. 

While I love acoustic guitar and picking, I also wanted a more atmospheric and reflective tone. Music that draws me in tends to be simpler and thought-provoking, like Explosions in the Sky, to carry listeners away into their thoughts. Cerulean Skies is my tribute to the existential.

Cerulean Skies

The inspiration for this piece came from watching Classic ESPN. I would love for this piece to be used for a "Greatest Moments In Sports" commercial on ESPN.  

Our Story Begins

This was an audition piece I did for a Reality TV Show. This piece was meant to be used for the theme/intro of the show. Out of 142 composers I was in the top 10 for consideration. In the end this piece wasn't chosen which was a bummer because I really wanted it. But when one door closes another one opens. A different music library is interested in using it so it all worked out. 

South Loop

Audition piece for a French cafe scene.



Paris est toujours une bonne idée.

This is a piece meant to sound like a jazz combo playing in a wedding or party scene of a film. While the audition criteria states "simple and elegant," the song is also not supposed to stand out since it's a background piece.

Sometimes music isn't supposed to be the star.

Single Malt

Coffee addict with a passion for video games, film, TV, and books... basically any form of storytelling. Love listening to new music and learning about new artists.  

As far as my music background goes, I was the drummer and a founding member for a band called Breathing Machine back in the late 90's. We recorded 3 albums, one with a national label. Since then I received a BA in Film/Video Production from Columbia College Chicago, composed for several short films including a documentary, nonprofit AIDs commercial, and "Second Chance," winner of the Silver Remi in the Experimental genre at the World Fest Houston Film Festival.
Now I'm living in Los Angeles pursuing a career in digital composing for visual media. If you're interested in collaborating on a piece for your project, would like to purchase or license my music, or have any other questions, message me and we'll talk. Also, I appreciate constructive feedback, so stop by and say hello.



Michael J Nicholas

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