30 FORWARDS this year! No Placements.Should I renew membersh

[joeyhatcher]

In 11 months of being a Taxi member, I have had 30 forwards! I signed one song to library. Did it take a while before YOU first got placements? Would love some feedback! Trying to decide if I should renew my Taxi Membership...Thanks!
Joey

[bobporri]

Joey,

YES!!

No forwards this year. I'll be renewing!

A member told me at last year's rally he had like 60 or so signed deals through Taxi forwards and hadn't seen any placements/money yet. You just never know. That member and you are obviously doing something HUGELY right. I can't even say what I'd do to have that level of forwards. This sounds dangerously close to belly aching, and I don't mean it to. Again, you are doing it right. Don't give up. That would probably be one of the only things you could do wrong. I do understand everyone's situation is different. But if you can see your way to do it, you are on a roll, so keep it up. (stepping off soapbox)

Doing a lot of editing here. Just to mention, I did have 6 forwards last year, so I know I can be in the ballpark at times, no deals through Taxi yet. I've been being much more selective in my submissions this year also.

YES!!!

Bob P.

[VanderBoegh]

Hi Joey. I've been a member since July 2008, but I didn't get my first deal until almost exactly 2 years ago. But I stuck with it because it's a company I believe in, and know it works wonders for many people.

Even though my first handful of years were sparse with submissions and forwards, I promised myself to undertake home production and involve myself more in what Taxi offers it's members. In my early years, I kinda felt like I was flushing money down the toilet, but that's MY FAULT because I wasn't taking advantage of what Taxi gives people. Now I utilize all of the services that Michael & the gang give to us and I've learned tremendously, and my forwards have led to quite a few deals during the past few years.

So, if you do decide to stick with it, make the most of the experience. Be active on these forums. Watch Taxi TV. And perhaps most importantly go to the Road Rally.

P.S. I just renewed for another 2 years, so I'm gonna be 8 years deep before I have to write another check for membership.

[joeyhatcher]

Thank you Bob, and thank you Vander, I appreciate your thoughts. I have been getting great value out of Taxi. We are still deciding... Thanks!

[ronnie35]

I have had 0 forwards this year and last year but I will renew holy cow! 30 forwards I 'd be in heaven just getting the forwards. Good luck Bro

Ron

[themichaelscott]

I'm in the same boat but with 11 forwards. When I joined, I hoped at the end of the year I would either have 1 or more signed tracks through Taxi, or not one single forward. Then this decision would be easy.

I did sign a few songs with a library about a month after I joined Taxi and continue to submit and sign songs with them. The listings here help me to have a pulse on what's needed today. But then I don't need the membership to see the listings. However, the libraries I can get the attention of with unsolicited email is very limited and the companies with an easy submission process are bombarded daily. Taxi is a great way to get your foot in the door of doors that don't open easily. But once you get in the door your songs still have to compete against the best of the best.

If I box my way to Tyson, I've still got to beat Tyson.

Michael

[andygabrys]

30 forwards is a good effort.

its been said many times on this forum, the music licensing angle is a "marathon" not a "sprint".

There is always a time lag between getting a forward, getting a deal offer, sending tracks in, having them catalogued and then pitched on enough projects to actually be licensed.

If it were me - I would stick to the 5 year plan idea which has been discussed at length on this forum. Keep rocking as hard as you can and then see what happens after that time period.

If you have one song signed - that's one industry connection. ideally you would have many and that takes some time.

good luck!

[kclements]

I can understand your desire to move quickly, but it takes time. 11 months just isn't long enough to judge in my experience. I'm with Andy, look at it again in 5 years. I started my Taxi ride about four years ago and I am just now starting to see regular placements. I got my first forward in year one and signed my first deal about half way through year 2. But there are no general rules. It is different for everyone and a lot depends on what kind of music you are writing and what kind of music they are looking for. The one you can control, the other, not so much.

If you are getting forwards, you are doing something right - just keep going. The best you can do is keep writing, keep submitting, attend the Rally, be active here on the forum and build those relationships and networks.

hth
cheers
kc

[Russell Landwehr]

Hi, Joey.

Welcome to the Forums.

I'll just pose a couple questions for you to ponder the answers.

In the last year of membership, would you have been able to get those 30 into the ears of the people that Taxi got them to... on your own?

In the next year, will you be able to (on your own) get your music into the ears of the people that Taxi will get them to?

Regards,
Russell Landwehr

[joeyhatcher]

You guys are really great, thank you for your salient points, advice and encouragement. The 5 year plan sounds like the right thing to do. I will take your advice KC, and I get your point Russell on the questions posed.

I just realized that when I was counting how many forwards I got this year (doing a search on "[f]" ) the last month or so was cut off. So counting the forwards in the archived section, I've actually gotten 39 FORWARDS in the last year! Full charge ahead!