Advice please on how to interpret screeners critique

[DavidBeardmoreMusic]

This is my first Taxi submission and first critique but I'm not quite sure what I should actually change to improve my track in line with the critique received. I'd welcome any helpful comments from you experienced folks!

Here's the listing details in S220927UP:
A Bunch of EMOTIONALLY UPLIFTING PIANO & STRINGS INSTRUMENTALS are needed by a Music Licensing Company that's secured tons of great placements with Major Network TV Shows, Films, Commercials, and Video Games. This Company has signed many TAXI members over many years and has garnered lots of placements for them!

This Company is on the lookout for heartfelt Instrumentals in the general ballpark of the references below:

"The Optimist" by Michael Logozar / "Sugarcane" by Ensemble Rivr Dane & Ana Olgica / "Blessings" by David Tolk feat. Steven Sharp Nelson

Please send them well-composed Instrumentals that feature piano and strings as their primary instrumentation and convey an overall uplifting, inspiring, relaxing, and emotionally moving vibe and feel. Your submissions should have expressive melodies, top-notch musicianship and performances, polished production, and solid arrangements. If you plan to use any virtual instruments or sounds, please be sure they are of the highest quality and sound like the real thing – nothing stiff or obviously MIDI driven will work.

TAXI Tip: We suggest trying to keep your submissions on the simpler side, melodically. Your job is more about establishing an uplifting mood rather than winning "Composer of the Year"!

Submissions should be about 2 minutes long, give or take, and have non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings.

And here's my track: https://www.taxi.com/members/Iz17J_nAS7 ... g-twilight

And the critique:
I think you could improve this song by: "The strings seem shy and unsure if they would play. The pizz at 01:51 could be removed."
I returned or forwarded this song because: "I think this is really close. It's just the mixing and layers that we could work on more."

Any constructive criticism / feedback welcome!

Thanks, David

[cassmcentee]

From my ears...
I had the tune at Mid-volume on my monitors.
The strings almost sounded like static noise in the background
All that is getting past the piano voicing seems to be the Mid to High HZs of the strings
So I agree with the screener about the shy strings
I then turned my monitors down low and the strings pretty much disappeared
Could be as simple as bringing the string volume up
Piano has a lovely sound
Cheers

[Telefunkin]

Really nice! I'm with Cass here, and its a real shame this track wasn't forwarded because if its only minor mix adjustment that's needed then the library could have asked for that. Also, as Cass did, its a good tip to check your mixes at very low volume (like they might be used beneath dialogue) to hear what comes through and what disappears.

[DavidBeardmoreMusic]

Really nice! I'm with Cass here, and its a real shame this track wasn't forwarded because if its only minor mix adjustment that's needed then the library could have asked for that. Also, as Cass did, its a good tip to check your mixes at very low volume (like they might be used beneath dialogue) to hear what comes through and what disappears.

Thanks both of you for your comments - very helpful. I guess that in trying to make the strings subtle I've gone too far and they need bringing up in the mix. I'll re-mix it and also EQ it to bring more of the lower frequencies
Thanks again!

[cosmicdolphin]

The piano is great.

I don't think there is a lot wrong with the strings really and in another context it may have been fine, but the initial patch that comes in is quite airy sounding and a bit masked by the piano. Sounds more like one of these modern scoring type strings patches that comes across a litlte like white noise almost - I might try a different patch / articulation. It might possibly benefit from a higher octave double so we can here it distinct from the piano. But something more solid and less airy for me.

I'm not a fan of the pizzi part - it sounds too percussive and takes something away from the feel of the track. I would just mute that part.

Mark

[DavidBeardmoreMusic]

The piano is great.

I don't think there is a lot wrong with the strings really and in another context it may have been fine, but the initial patch that comes in is quite airy sounding and a bit masked by the piano. Sounds more like one of these modern scoring type strings patches that comes across a litlte like white noise almost - I might try a different patch / articulation. It might possibly benefit from a higher octave double so we can here it distinct from the piano. But something more solid and less airy for me.

I'm not a fan of the pizzi part - it sounds too percussive and takes something away from the feel of the track. I would just mute that part.

Mark

Hey Mark, thanks for our comments. As I mentioned above I think I was trying too hard to make the strings so subtle / airy that they kinda get lost in the arrangement. I'm going to try a different sample, slightly higher in the mix but also doubling up the octave too!
Appreciate you taking the time to listen and reply
David Beardmore