1st submission and review

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JimmiO
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1st submission and review

Post by JimmiO » Fri Apr 29, 2022 7:15 pm

So I made my first submission and received my first review. Would love to hear your opinions and suggestions on how to improve it.



New link to Soundcloud of my Cue if you can not listen to it please let me know.
https://soundcloud.com/user-773631690/r ... al_sharing

[highlight]REVIEW:[/highlight]

What I like most about this song
Solid performance and vibe here.

I think you could improve this song by
For this listing I'd suggest some better quality drum and percussion sounds to best match the references. A more instantly catchy motif would also work best for this one.

I returned or forwarded this song because
I returned this instrumental because it's a bit off target for this listing request. It's on the right track but the sound quality and motif need adjustments to get there.

Additional things I noticed...
Style
Style/Genre is off target with the listing request Mood is off target with the listing request Tempo is not within requested range Song length doesn't match listing request Not contemporary as requested
Composition
Intro is too long Melody could be stronger Hook(s) requested in Listing not present Could have a better developmental "arc" Too Repetitive
Performance
There are tuning, rhythm, or dissonance issues Instrumentation feels stiff or over-quantized
Recording and Production
Song instrument sounds or samples sound dated or of a lower quality Recording/Mix needs improvement Not Broadcast Quality in context of this listing
Forward
Return
Recommended Reading
Listener ID: 447
The boxes that were checked in the additional things I noticed were :

Song Instrument sounds or samples sound dated or a a lower quality

Melody could be stronger

[highlight]LISTING TEXT:[/highlight]

EMOTIONALLY UPBEAT, ACOUSTIC-Based INSTRUMENTALS and/or INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by an expanding International Music Library that needs lots of new music!

They’re searching for Mid-To-Up-Tempo Instrumentals (or Cues) that are in the general stylistic ballpark of the references below:

Chewy Commercial

Queer Eye NERDS Makeover (from 2:28 - 3:06)

Queer Eye NERDS Makeover (from 4:06 - 4:25)

Please submit current-sounding Acoustic-based Instrumentals (or Cues) with an overall positive, emotionally uplifting sound and vibe. Your submissions should have memorable motifs, engaging rhythms, and predominantly acoustic-based instrumentation that is generally similar to the style of the references – think acoustic guitar, piano, ukulele, organic drums, etc. Crafting your pieces around a central melodic idea and layering instrumentation in and out as they progress to help create dynamics and forward momentum is recommended. Please be sure your production is top-notch and any virtual instruments or sounds you use are high-quality and sound like the real thing. Nothing dated, obviously quantized, or MIDI-driven will work for this request.

Your submissions should be roughly 90 Seconds long for Cues, and about 2 to 4 minutes long for Instrumentals, give or take. Non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings will work best. Do NOT copy the referenced music in any way, shape, or form. Use it only as a general guide for tempo, texture, tone, and overall vibe. Do not submit any material with unauthorized samples of other artists’ Songs, sounds, or any other form of media. Broadcast Quality is needed.

This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal, so please be sure the Instrumentals you pitch for this opportunity are NOT already signed with any other Companies or Catalogs. Any sync fees will be split 50/50 with the Company. You'll get 100% of the Writer's share, and the Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher's share. You must own or control your Master and Copyright to submit. Please submit as many Instrumentals as you'd like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PDT) on Monday, April 25th, 2022. TAXI # S220425AC
Last edited by JimmiO on Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Telefunkin
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Re: 1st submission and review

Post by Telefunkin » Sat Apr 30, 2022 2:00 am

Sorry, but your listing link takes us to ALL of the listings, and the links to your song and your review are not available to anyone else (unless you make them so). Every new member does this, so you're not alone :).
Its probably easiest to include the listing in your post, together with a link to your track on Soundcloud, then copy/paste the review details.

Also, for a bit more help its worth a look at this....
posting-listing-text-important-t149225.html
...and this....
https://youtu.be/gkr96Inx-Vc

I hope those links work :shock: :)
Graham (UK). Still composing a little faster than decomposing, and 100% HI.

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Re: 1st submission and review

Post by JimmiO » Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:34 am

Telefunkin wrote:
Sat Apr 30, 2022 2:00 am
Sorry, but your listing link takes us to ALL of the listings, and the links to your song and your review are not available to anyone else (unless you make them so). Every new member does this, so you're not alone :).
Its probably easiest to include the listing in your post, together with a link to your track on Soundcloud, then copy/paste the review details.

Also, for a bit more help its worth a look at this....
posting-listing-text-important-t149225.html
...and this....
https://youtu.be/gkr96Inx-Vc

I hope those links work :shock: :)
Thank you
I had a feeling this might have been the case I will make the changes to my post.

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Re: 1st submission and review

Post by Casey H » Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:08 am

The review pretty much says it all. Always read listings carefully. Submitting a 1:02 cue for a 90 second minimum listing is a non-starter obviously. I'll let others help you as far as the sound and production quality. One thing that stood out to me was it was a bit busy melodically. The chord pattern works well but the lead guitar kills it. The goal is to sit behind dialog and and not be intrusive. Do A/B compares with something like that Chewy commercial and note the differences between your track and that.

Chewy Commercial https://youtu.be/smqZxolbWYw

Good luck!
:D Casey

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Re: 1st submission and review

Post by JimmiO » Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:19 am

Casey H wrote:
Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:08 am
The review pretty much says it all. Always read listings carefully. Submitting a 1:02 cue for a 90 second minimum listing is a non-starter obviously. I'll let others help you as far as the sound and production quality. One thing that stood out to me was it was a bit busy melodically. The chord pattern works well but the lead guitar kills it. The goal is to sit behind dialog and and not be intrusive. Do A/B compares with something like that Chewy commercial and note the differences between your track and that.

Chewy Commercial https://youtu.be/smqZxolbWYw

Good luck!
:D Casey
Thank you, for the reply and the critique. I was a little unsure about the length , but the listing did say give or take so I did not think it had to be a 90 second minimum. I see your points about it sounding to busy as well.

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Re: 1st submission and review

Post by Casey H » Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:41 am

JimmiO wrote:
Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:19 am
...but the listing did say give or take so I did not think it had to be a 90 second minimum.
The "give or take" thing can be confusing and the rules aren't always consistent but almost 30 seconds off of 90 is way beyond reasonable. Best thing is to assume it means no more than around 5 seconds or don't even push it, make it the minimum and avoid that one possible issue.

:) Casey

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Re: 1st submission and review

Post by JimmiO » Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:51 am

Casey H wrote:
Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:41 am
JimmiO wrote:
Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:19 am
...but the listing did say give or take so I did not think it had to be a 90 second minimum.
The "give or take" thing can be confusing and the rules aren't always consistent but almost 30 seconds off of 90 is way beyond reasonable. Best thing is to assume it means no more than around 5 seconds or don't even push it, make it the minimum and avoid that one possible issue.

:) Casey
Ok Thank you again, still learning here so all advice is welcomed . I know it will take some time to improve and there will be a learning curve. Trying to absorb as much as I can.

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Re: 1st submission and review

Post by VanderBoegh » Sat Apr 30, 2022 9:29 am

Yeah, those drums just aren't gonna cut it. But what I noticed beyond the review is:

This song is almost all upper mid-range. That jangly acoustic guitar will pose so many problems when matched up against dialogue (the human voice is in this same frequency range) that it would take a LOT of EQ'ing to make this piece sit in the background of a commercial.

Also, I'm not sure if this is a MIDI guitar or if you played it live..... but regardless, it sounds synthetic. If you played it, that sound is probably from DI'ing the guitar if I'm not mistaken. For future acoustic guitar work, always mic your guitar. Put one at the sound hole, and another mic near the fretboard, than pan hard left and hard right. And never plug that thing directly into your interface!! It just ruins the sound of an otherwise good instrument.

~~Matt

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Re: 1st submission and review

Post by Telefunkin » Sat Apr 30, 2022 1:30 pm

You've already got some great advice here, all in the spirit of being positive and helpful. I agree with all that's been said but would like to add just a few more comments (based on only being able to find the barely audible 2nd and 3rd refs). Those refs seem to have very basic acoustic guitar chord structures and simple (almost child-like) and unobtrusive melodies using a uke or something similar, then the perky drums are supportive, maybe with claps to emphasise the upbeat feel, and I can hear in your submission that you were aiming at those things. However, the two acoustic parts are competing with each other for attention, whereas it would help to have one stick to chords and the other (or a different instrument) play a simple melody. Ideally, the drums should then support and compliment the guitar parts, perhaps with syncopation, but not feel like they're joining the fight. All the parts should work together, like a team (or a band) rather than individuals just playing at the same time :). Also, reverb helps to impart a sense of space and separation but be careful not to make things sound like they're at the back of the room.

I hope that helps a bit more, but I realise that all this feedback can be a lot to take in and respond to, and maybe somewhat overwhelming. Therefore, take it easy and at your own pace, and it'll start to come together. Good luck.
Graham (UK). Still composing a little faster than decomposing, and 100% HI.

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Re: 1st submission and review

Post by JimmiO » Sat Apr 30, 2022 1:50 pm

VanderBoegh wrote:
Sat Apr 30, 2022 9:29 am
Yeah, those drums just aren't gonna cut it. But what I noticed beyond the review is:

This song is almost all upper mid-range. That jangly acoustic guitar will pose so many problems when matched up against dialogue (the human voice is in this same frequency range) that it would take a LOT of EQ'ing to make this piece sit in the background of a commercial.

Also, I'm not sure if this is a MIDI guitar or if you played it live..... but regardless, it sounds synthetic. If you played it, that sound is probably from DI'ing the guitar if I'm not mistaken. For future acoustic guitar work, always mic your guitar. Put one at the sound hole, and another mic near the fretboard, than pan hard left and hard right. And never plug that thing directly into your interface!! It just ruins the sound of an otherwise good instrument.

~~Matt
Thank you for the Reply. You were correct in your observation of the guitar, it was run directly into the interface. I am sort of limited on mics right now but will mic it next time. I only have a Shure SM58 and a SE X1 R ribbon with figure 8 pattern. Slowly building up my equipment as I can. Any advice on what I can do with the drums to make them sound better? I am using EZ Drummer software I did play with the velocity to make them sound more human like. I have an Alesis DM10 kit but am not really at a level to play them yet. Since that is an electronic kit and would be using the same software sounds from EZ Drummer would it still be too Midi sounding ?

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