#421 the recording is indeed vintage...

[Tunesmith]

Hello #421, just want you to know that my song "The Relation Ship" that you returned was actually recorded back when, not now to make it sound so. All vintage synths, Fostex 8 track reel to reel synched with an Atari ST with Dr T's phantom and using their KCS Level II. I used to work for them in the 80's.

The song:
https://soundcloud.com/lindacullum/the- ... my-weather

Your critique:
Pretty decent vocal arrangements...Cool analogy as well...However, this one seems like a newer recording made to sound Vintage. Client can only use authentic, original, vintage recordings, and only as long as the sound quality is reasonably good.

Listing:
Y190705VS
ORIGINAL VINTAGE SONGS that were Recorded in the 1960s-1980s are needed by a successful Los Angeles-based Production Music Library that’s brand new to requesting music from TAXI's members!

NOTE: We’re not providing any references for this request, as they’re open to hearing Songs in most of the popular/commercially viable genres, including Pop, Rock & Roll, Blues, Soul, Jazz, Country, etc. Male, Female, or Duet vocals can all work for this request.

Please submit Vintage Masters of Original Songs recorded between 1960 and 1989. The recording quality is not expected to be on par with today’s broadcast quality! They’re much more interested in finding music that sounds authentic to the time period rather than worrying about pristine recordings.

Your Songs can range anywhere from very simple, stripped-down versions, to fuller productions with more full arrangements. Whichever genre or sub-genre you’re pitching, the music should have the appropriate instrumentation and production to match. Mid-to-Up-Tempo Songs are usually more easily placed; but if you have a really strong Ballad, feel free to take a shot!

Please submit Full-Length Songs that are at least 2:00 in length.

They DO NOT want material that was recently recorded and made to sound old! They can only use AUTHENTIC, ORIGINAL, VINTAGE RECORDINGS, and only as long as the sound quality is reasonably good.

[ScreamieBirds]

This is concerning and I’m a bit hesitant to submit any more songs.

I just had a song for an Electro Swing listing returned saying they liked it but returned it because it used loops and made a point of asking if I had the rights to use them for commercial use. So I forwarded the email to the office to make sure Loops were okay and they said yes, as long as I had the rights (now said for the second time).

I then asked for it to be reconsidered since that was the only critique and it was supposed to be forwarded to the head screener. Still waiting.

But I don’t know what’s more concerning: the lack of screener qualifications or the suggestion that I would submit loops without proper rights.

[andygabrys]

Bummer about the return - cool tune. Places like this often ask for the copyright registration to go with the signing as they make their bucks off authentic old masters (the one place I am thinking of in the south-west US that has signed tons of old TAXI member masters).

[andygabrys]

This is concerning and I’m a bit hesitant to submit any more songs.

I just had a song for an Electro Swing listing returned saying they liked it but returned it because it used loops and made a point of asking if I had the rights to use them for commercial use. So I forwarded the email to the office to make sure Loops were okay and they said yes, as long as I had the rights (now said for the second time).

I then asked for it to be reconsidered since that was the only critique and it was supposed to be forwarded to the head screener. Still waiting.

But I don’t know what’s more concerning: the lack of screener qualifications or the suggestion that I would submit loops without proper rights.

Kathy - this situation is a little different. The reason they are worried is because publishers are worried and in some cases people have been taking loop packages from manufacturers like Big Fish Audio and signing the complete tune with a vocal on top of it. If they use the instrumental version of that song then there is copyright infringement. Check out the Big Fish terms of use if you want to see part of the issue.

Its gotten to the point where you have to be super careful of where you get your loops and one shots from and keep a terms of use document on hand for every source (maybe you do this already).

For example: Splice has two sections of content.

One is use created and uploaded, and has different terms of use from the "curated" content produced by Splice.

If you use loops from the user section, there is no buyout - the loops and sounds are still owned by the original producer. This means that there is actually a copyright split involved in signing a composition that uses these sounds and it must be registered as a derivative version. That would turn out to be a total mess for a production music piece. Its like using a sample of an old R&B tune in a hip hop track.

In the second curated section, there is a buyout clause so that you may use the sounds in production music - and sign the resulting music as original by you - as long as you don't repackage the sounds as one shots and sell them. Buyout clauses exist for many things you will find - like Native Instruments Sounds, the Logic X included content, etc.

Sorry for the verbose response but its often cleaner to create your own loops and parts rather than use something you find.

[Tunesmith]

Bummer about the return - cool tune. Places like this often ask for the copyright registration to go with the signing as they make their bucks off authentic old masters (the one place I am thinking of in the south-west US that has signed tons of old TAXI member masters).

Hi Andy,

I must say I wasn't expecting any replies! I do have my copyrights. And whoever may have received this if it had been forwarded will not see that now. I have vintage recordings signed with one library and all copyrights to prove vintage.

Thank you for your input and I wish you the best in your music!

Linda

[Tunesmith]

This is concerning and I’m a bit hesitant to submit any more songs.

I just had a song for an Electro Swing listing returned saying they liked it but returned it because it used loops and made a point of asking if I had the rights to use them for commercial use. So I forwarded the email to the office to make sure Loops were okay and they said yes, as long as I had the rights (now said for the second time).

I then asked for it to be reconsidered since that was the only critique and it was supposed to be forwarded to the head screener. Still waiting.

But I don’t know what’s more concerning: the lack of screener qualifications or the suggestion that I would submit loops without proper rights.

Hi Kathy,

Maybe it should just be made a rule to TAXI members that all loops in pieces forwarded are to be copyright free, ie, no infringements of...no strings attached. Like in the listing descriptions it could be posted along with the statement that accompanies the listings, not to copy the references... Maybe you can suggest this to the head screener when you hear back. Also screener qualifications are pretty high (to be a screener).

Would love to hear your track!
Linda

[ScreamieBirds]

I heard back from the head screener and she went into detail why it was returned, which was more helpful than the original screener. Apparently, it wasn’t the loops themselves but the transitions weren’t smooth enough. Okay, I can accept that.

[ScreamieBirds]

Would love to hear your track!
Linda

Hi Linda,

First of all, I'm sorry to hijack this thread. But I did want to respond.

I understand the return as the Head Screener explained it - I objected to the original screener's response - it sounded more like an accusation than a critique. I've used loops before and screeners have never said that to me. But, yeah, it might be a good topic for TaxiTV. Anyway, here's the link to the song:

https://soundcloud.com/kathy-holmes-mus ... ion-3-5090

This is the second time I've tried Electro Swing and I do have to rely heavily on loops - so maybe it's just not my genre, even though I love i!

Lesson learned.

Kathy

[andygabrys]

Would love to hear your track!
Linda

Hi Linda,

First of all, I'm sorry to hijack this thread. But I did want to respond.

I understand the return as the Head Screener explained it - I objected to the original screener's response - it sounded more like an accusation than a critique. I've used loops before and screeners have never said that to me. But, yeah, it might be a good topic for TaxiTV. Anyway, here's the link to the song:

https://soundcloud.com/kathy-holmes-mus ... ion-3-5090

This is the second time I've tried Electro Swing and I do have to rely heavily on loops - so maybe it's just not my genre, even though I love i!

Lesson learned.

Kathy

Good start Kathy! You might want to start a new thread for your tune by itself.

If it were me I would concentrate on 4 things:

1) Whatever loops you use you need to slide them along the time line so that where you hear "1" is the same place as where your kick drum plays. Right now I am not hearing them hook up and it sounds weak as a result
2) Get a full beat going at some place in the tune so that it builds from just a kick (like add snare and off beat hi-hat as most of these tunes do).
3) Restrict the number of loops you use so that a tune is built on one particular motif - then use your editing and sound mangling skills to make it change creatively along the tune. You conserve ideas this way - if you have three loops you can have three different tunes.
4) Use master compression, eq, and brick wall limiting to bring your finished mix up to a competitive loudness level to what you hear on the Youtube link below.

One of a million electro-swing references: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cETltsJ39Qw

[ScreamieBirds]

Awesome! Thanks for the tips! And, again, I'm sorry for hijacking the thread - didn't really mean to get into things here, but thanks, again, for the help.

Kathy