Hi folks, I've noticed we seem to be getting a fair number of new forum members (and some new Taxi members). I was new here once and didn't know the ropes, and some very kind people accepted me into the group and let me know how things work.
So, newbies, here are some thoughts:
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after you join, please introduce yourself (General Hangout), tell us a little about you... don't be afraid to join in the discussions!
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don't be afraid to ask questions, we were all newbies once. If you can't figure out how to add your photo, or change your signature, or create a shortcut to your music on taxi.com, just ask.
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it's nice if you do a search for your topic before you post (buttons above, that say home-help-search-), as many things have been covered before (not that we mind repeating ourselves but some excellent advice has already been posted on a variety of topics).
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on posting songs for feedback - naturally, you'd like us to listen to your music and tell you how you are doing... but give us one or two specific songs, not everything on your page... and pay it forward by going to
Peer to Peer or
Lyric Lovers and listening to several songs / reading several lyrics by posted by others, and leaving your feedback on what they've been up to. If you aren't getting feedback on the stuff you post, this is why. (Also, be patient. It might take 2 or 3 days for people to get to your post.) Please don't use this board simply to post your songs and not participate or reciprocate. This is a community and every community needs both give and take. And this forum is here to foster and encourage folks - no matter what stage of the game they're in.
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there is a BSP forum (blatant self promotion), if you just want folks to listen to your music & not give feedback, post there, this is also where you can announce your gigs & CD releases & stuff like that.
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take a moment to read through the forum and try to post your thread in the right section so it doesn't get lost, cause we do want to join in the discussion you've begun! Please also do not double post. Avoid posting entire messages or thread titles in ALL CAPS. It gets hard to read. Don't worry - every single post has an equal chance of being read, no matter where it's posted.
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try not to highjack a thread... so if, for example, someone posted in Success Stories about a deal they just got... don't ask a question on that thread about music publishers. Start your own thread, in general hangout, for example.
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you don't have to be a member of Taxi to be on this forum. There are Taxi members, former Taxi members, maybe-gonna-be Taxi members, and maybe a few never-will-join members. However, this is Taxi's forum, and while we all welcome debate and discussion about all things music and all things Taxi...
it should be remembered that this forum is here because Taxi supports our networking with each other. We've all invested a considerable amount in what we are doing. So err on the side of respect when discussing the merits of the organization that maintains this board and in whom many of us trust.
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there are moderators here, but they prefer free discussion, as long as folks are respectful of each other. There are going to be disagreements from time to time...try to be polite, or at the very least civil, and resist responding to those who antagonize you.
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do not spam! It's ok to mention your studio or your band or your company's songwriting-related product, book or recording equipment - especially in the context of a conversation. But please don't join this community merely to advertise or solicit business. That's not what it's here for. It's here for actual discussion. If you have no intention of taking part in discussions, the people that *are* regulars will know and your message will fall on deaf ears anyway.
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if you didn't sign up using your real name, please put your real name & a link to your music in your signature. If you want to conduct productive communication and present yourself as a professional, using your real name when you post would be a good step in that direction. (Go to 'user control panel', click on 'profile', click on 'signature' add in your signature line, avatar, etc)
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yes, we are friendly. If you stick around a while you'll find that we're extremely helpful to, and supportive of, each other. Join in, post some reviews, add a dash of respect to whatever you post, and you'll quickly become part of the community. OTOH, if your first post is negative towards Taxi, or you're just here to flame, or give other folks a hard time, the welcome mat will disappear.
The main reason we are here is to support and encourage each other, share information and share feedback, and watch each other grow & improve in craft. We sympathize with each other when music is rejected, and celebrate when it is accepted... and leap for joy when someone lands a deal through determination & hard work!
Welcome to the family!
warmly,
Hummin'bird
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PS - there are many good articles on the taxi.com site, if you need to know more about the music industry & how songwriters make their money, it's a good place to start --
http://www.taxi.com/faq/index.html _____________________
EDIT - some FAQ:Q: How often do the Taxi listings come out?A: Twice a month, on the 1st & 15th, if you get them via email.
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Q: How do I link to my taxi music page?A: What name did you use when you signed up for your music account? Let's assume it was "myname"... E.G.
http://www.taxi.com/myname If you signed up as "my name" with a space inbetween, then it would be
http://www.taxi.com/my_name-----
Q: How do I link to a song on my taxi music page?A: Nobody knows anymore. I just give my page link and say the name of the song :-/
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Q: How do I get my avatar on my posts?A: You have to upload a jpg to your webserver, and then go into your profile and give the link to the image in "Avatar URL". It would probably look something like this (NOTE: replace the "*" with "." for a proper web address):
http://www*yourservername*com/~youruser ... ixname*jpg-------------------
Q: How does Taxi screen music? How do I know the screeners are qualified? A: Read these threads, they are informative:
Taxi Land - Dave - Part Ihttp://taxi.proboards27.com/index.cgi?b ... 1185818579Taxi Land - Dave - Part 2http://taxi.proboards27.com/index.cgi?b ... 1186789715Taxi Land - Dave - Part 3http://taxi.proboards27.com/index.cgi?b ... 1188921401Taxi Land - Screener Queries - Horacehttp://taxi.proboards27.com/index.cgi?b ... 1185748342-----
Q: When will my submission be screened?A: Your submission will be screened AFTER the submission deadline. There is no way to know WHEN it will be screened. After
all submissions are reviewed, the results are sent out by email (if you submitted on-line) or by snail mail (if you mailed it in/dropped it off).
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Q: I uploaded a new mp3 after I submitted my song - which version will be screened?A: The screeners listen to whatever is on-line when they go to review your song. Once the submission deadline has passed, there is no way of knowing when your piece(s) will be screened. If you update the mp3 after the submission deadline, then you run the risk of not knowing which version was screened.
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Q: How do I upload a new mp3 for a song already on my page?A: Sign in, go to 'My Music' & find the song on your song list and click on EDIT.
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Q: How do I submit a photo/bio with my song(s)?A: When submitting, scroll down to the bottom of your song list & you will find your photo & bio there (assuming you've uploaded a photo to your page & completed the bio)
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If there are other common questions you'd like listed here, please PM me & let me know.
...AND AWESOME! 
