One more thing to watch out for in a TAXI listing

[Onaginoffegin]

When I get a TAXI listing to which I plan to submit, I copy and paste it to a text file, then bold all the descriptive words. I do this because it's so easy for me to miss something, even after rereading the listing multiple times.
And I've learned that TAXI screeners usually don't miss any of the descriptives.
I also bold the length, which for tension cues usually says "must be at least two minutes long." I bold the "two minutes" part.

A few months back, I got a forward where the screener said: "The cue sounds good and I'm going to pass it on. This cue is only 1:59. It's better to make the cues a little longer than 2 minutes when they're short of what the listing asks for we can't forward them. I will because it's just 1 second."

So today I got four forwards for the listing below. On Afraid of the Dark, the screener said: "Nice writing on this cue. Good hybrid approach to this listing. Please be careful of the time requests on these cues - this one is a bit shorter than usual."
I wondered did I make the same mistake again? I checked, and the cue was 2:06.
I looked at the listing again, and sure enough, "two minutes" was in bold.

Once again, I'd missed something. I'd missed what came before the bolded "two minutes," which was "should be at least 60 Seconds to 2 Minutes long."
So thanks to the screener for forwarding, and for giving me one more thing to bold in future listings.

Anyway, the four forwards were:

https://soundcloud.com/henry-winckel/se ... sing-child
https://soundcloud.com/henry-winckel/afraid-of-the-dark
https://soundcloud.com/henry-winckel/afraid-of-the-dark
https://soundcloud.com/henry-winckel/crime-scene



D160829AT
TENSION INSTRUMENTALS needed by a very successful Music Library with a really long track record of placements in TV, Films, and Commercials. They’re looking for Tension-filled Instrumental tracks in a range of styles and tempos. Please listen to these references to get an idea of the braod range of styles that could appeal to them: “Main Theme” from Mr. Robot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfqlbHadp40 Casino Royale (0:00-0:20) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZxNbAwY_rk “No Time For Caution” from Interstellar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3zvVGJrTP8 Blindspot (0:27-1:01) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8S2ktZQJmw This company wants to hear all of the awesome Tension Instrumentals you have, so instrumentals that range from more sparse to driving and intense could work. They’re also open to both orchestral and electronic elements by themselves, or a hybrid of the two. Build your Cue around a simple, central melodic theme that’s engaging and tense, while being able to easily sit behind the dialog or voiceover. Add and subtract layers of instruments as your Cue progresses to keep it from sounding too repetitive or linear. All submissions should be at least 60 Seconds to 2 Minutes long with non-faded endings. Do NOT copy or rip off the referenced tracks in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe. Broadcast Quality is needed (great sounding home recordings are fine). This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal. Sync fees will be negotiated on a Deal-By-Deal basis. The Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher’s share, and you’ll get 100% of the Writer’s share. You must own or control your Master and Copyright to pitch for this opportunity. Since this is an EXCLUSIVE deal, please be sure the material you submit to this pitch is NOT already signed with any other Libraries or Publishers. All submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis - No full critiques. Please submit one to three Instrumentals online or per CD no later than 11:59 PM (PDT) on Monday, August 29th. TAXI #D160829AT

[daveydad]

Great points Henry. Sometimes I too will rush into composing and submitting without really having a grasp on the details. Congrats on those forwards!

[Onaginoffegin]

Thanks David.


Henry

[artturner]

Congrats on the forwards Henry!

All good cues, but really nice reverse fx and string work on Search for Missing Child!

[Onaginoffegin]

Thanks Art. I appreciate your comments.


Henry

[Paulie]

Great advice. I do the exact same thing. I have a rich text file on my desktop for the month, when listings come out I go through them and copy/paste the ones I want to pursue. I make the genre and due date bold and red. Then go through the listing to see the quotes from the customer or the listing details, marking things bold like "keep it not to busy to avoid dialog" or "you'd be wise to...". Then, when the listing is submitted I change the color of the text for that listing to green (as in go). If I have a listing in my sheet that I can't get to but wanted to submit to, I change all of the text red. If I decide not to pursue a listing, I make the text gray. Separate document for each month, consistent naming convention, all kept in my Taxi desktop folder. I also have a whiteboard in my room that lists the target listings and due dates.

[Onaginoffegin]

Paul you're absolutely right. If you're going to compete against the number of really good musicians out there, most with home studios, you have to have a system.
Admittedly, I was haphazard my first couple of years with TAXI.
It wasn't until my third year (this year) that I started keeping a record of all forwards and what the listings were for those forwards.
It wasn't until this year that I started keeping a record of all screener comments on forwards and returns.
And it wasn't until this year that I started bolding all the descriptives in listings.
You've certainly taken that a step further.

Thanks for the input.


Henry

[jdstamper]

First - Congrats on your forwards!!!!

Second ... I'll add to the warning ...

I also read listings carefully and highlight points like the timing, etc .... But this one caught me off guard.

I submitted 3 tracks, got 1 forward. The other 2 were returned due to being over 2 minutes, the returns came in at 2:10 and 2:15.

It's unusual in Taxi listings to have a hard stop at 2 minutes, and this listing just wasn't clear, to me anyway. I read the listing several times and it just never struck me that way. I think because most listings are written to say "at least 2 minutes", I must have somehow assumed it here too.

It would have been much better IMO if the listing had been worded something like 'at least 60 seconds and no longer than 2 minutes'

PS. My forward was for "Sustained Evil" on my Taxi page.
PPS. Lucky for me, one of the returns was just signed to a great library I've been working with (relationship started from a Taxi forward in 2013)

Thanks! Jim

[Onaginoffegin]

Thanks, Jim.
And congrats on getting your piece signed by a library. That's better than a forward,

BTW, for those of you who do ambient and tension cues, there are two more listings, due Monday and Tuesday, that have the same time requirement:

AMBIENT, MELODIC INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a NON-Exclusive Music Library that’s always getting placements in a bunch of TV Shows, Film projects, and Movie Trailers. They’re looking for Down-To-Mid-Tempo Instrumental Cues that are in feel, vibe, and production ballpark of the references below:
 
“Lungs” by Glocque

“Nobodies” by LAIRE
 
“3 am” by Glxy
 
Develop your tracks to create an ambient, atmospheric sonic landscape that could underscore a tense television scene. Your Cues should use huge, lush pads and airy, reverb-drenched percussion, with electro, bouncy melodies and counter-melodies that deliver a light, smooth, fluid, and soothing texture.
 
Submissions can range from 60 seconds to 2 minutes in length. Short intros to no intro at all and Non-faded endings with a natural decay/ring out are recommended. Do NOT copy or rip off the referenced artists or songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a guide for texture, tone, and vibe. Broadcast Quality is needed (Great sounding home recordings are fine).
 
This Library offers a NON-EXCLUSIVE, 50/50 split. You’ll get 50% of any applicable sync fees and 100% of the Writer’s share. The Publisher will get 50% of the sync fee and 100% of the Publisher’s share. You must own or control your Master and Copyright. Please submit 1-3 Instrumentals online or per CD no later than 11:59 PM, (PDT), on Monday, September 12th, 2016. TAXI # D160912AM
——————————————————————

DRAMATIC TENSION INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a fast-growing, NON-Exclusive Music Library that’s placing music in all types of TV shows, Films, Commercials, and Trailers. They’re currently on the hunt for Down-Tempo Instrumental Cues that are stylistically in the general ballpark of the references below:
 
“36” by Forever
 
“And Then I Woke Up” by Owsey
 
“Before Dawn” by Grandyzer
 
Please submit minimal, atmospheric compositions with a whole lot of texture, emotion, and tension in your soundscapes. Think of suspenseful scenes you’d see in Game of Thrones or True Detective that have that dreamy depth and escalating ambience stuff going on, and you’ll be on the right track. Avoid any harsh, bombastic, distracting sounds, as the goal here is to provide a sonic “bed” for visuals. Percussive elements should be very subtle and minimal, if included at all.
 
Submissions can range from 60 seconds to 2 minutes length. Short intros to no intro at all and Non-Faded endings with a natural decay/ring out are recommended. Do NOT copy or rip off the referenced artists in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a guide for texture, tone, and vibe. Broadcast Quality is needed (Great sounding home recordings are fine).
 
This Library offers a NON-EXCLUSIVE, 50/50 split. You’ll keep 50% of any applicable sync fees and 100% of the Writer’s share. The Publisher will get 50% of the sync fee and 100% of the Publisher’s share. You must own or control your Master and Copyright. Please submit 1-3 Instrumentals online or per CD no later than 11:59 PM, (PDT), on Tuesday, September 13th, 2016. TAXI #D160913DT
—————————————————



Henry

[Paulie]

Yep. I seemed to notice some changes in the listing length requirements a month or two ago. Definitey have to check that part of the listing... some say "at least two minutes", others say "2-3 minutes" while others say 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Sometimes there is no time requirement so you just have to go with what works... in those cases I always provide at least two minutes worth.

A good thing I've noticed about the libraries I'm with is that they all seem to be fine with 90 seconds or less in most cases.