Another Peculiar Return ala Craig Morgan

[rnrmachine]

The screening process is frustrating. IMO, the screeners are listening from a negative viewpoint. Although Mr. Laskow says that they want to forward us, it doesn't seem so.
The screeners are listening for that one negative to return you. One negative erases all the positives. With all the good points the screener made, it should have benn a forward.
These are the hardest kind of rejects to take. When the screener's opinion gets in the way of good music getting it's due.
The screener is supposed to find music that is relevent to the pitch, not decide for the company what music will sell or not. IMO, this screener and submission should be reviewed by the staff.

On a similar note, I was mixing with a friend and we were thinking that the best music ever made wasn't perfect. Music doesn't have to be perfect.

Eb

The staff did review the song and decided it did not fit what the client was looking for. Sadly I would have to agree, for reasons I stated in prior posts. It was one HELL of a jam!! Worthy of due praise and proper respect... no doubt. But in the world of professional "Songs for hire" it's just not "top notch".

OF COURSE Taxi wants to forward us... IF Taxi could claim a 100% fill ratio they would dominate the market... be the "Microsoft" of the music connection world. Who wouldn't want their business to be that successful??!! It's POOR business NOT to supply clients with the things they are looking for. It is NO different then playing live. The audience WANTS you to succeed... they are there to be entertained. <period> Taxi WANTS to have the music the client is looking for... it means they return for more later... future sales is good business and the length of Taxi being in business helps to solidify that they care about the future of their company and are not out to make a quick buck then declare bankruptcy. Which has seemed to be the American way the last 10 years or so.

I am sure ANYONE no matter how much success they have achieved feels bad when they get rejected. I am quite sure that Mazz, Matt, Dave and whomever else that has had a decent amount of success, still get returns and aren't happy about it. But they don't let it consume them, because they understand, If a client wants a "pink Cadillac" and you don't give them that... there's just nothing you or anyone can do. You can have every color in the world except pink and it will not matter, you do not have what the client wants. Sadly in the world of music it's not as simple as "the right make, model and color vehicle"

You are perfectly within "Taxi Policy" if you want to dispute a return. Taxi allows for this and I am confident would not blindly stand behind a poor decision by a screener. Please do not take this as I am defending Taxi, I wouldn't dare defend them not being 100% sure that they are worth defending. What I am doing is trying to protect you and your decision making process. Things done out of anger and rejection RARELY result in a positive outcome. Well thought out judicious decisions is what we need to strive for. As emotionally charged people us musicians can be, we need to try and be leveled headed in the business aspect of this world. Save the passion and emotion for the music... and the occasional business meeting when you are trying to convince someone that YOU are the right person!!

We as people on this forum, truly do care, that includes just about everyone I have met on this forum, I can't think of any that even seems like they do not care. And to treat them any differently is just wrong.

Good luck in all you do,

Rob

[GEOKOS]

And just for the record I like Erics post
The screening process is frustrating. IMO, the screeners are listening from a negative viewpoint. Although Mr. Laskow says that they want to forward us, it doesn't seem so.
The screeners are listening for that one negative to return you. One negative erases all the positives. With all the good points the screener made, it should have benn a forward.
These are the hardest kind of rejects to take. When the screener's opinion gets in the way of good music getting it's due.
The screener is supposed to find music that is relevent to the pitch, not decide for the company what music will sell or not. IMO, this screener and submission should be reviewed by the staff.

On a similar note, I was mixing with a friend and we were thinking that the best music ever made wasn't perfect. Music doesn't have to be perfect.

[mazz]

Of course you like Eric's post. No surprise there!

I don't recall ever bashing you. And I think most every one that has attempted to communicate with you regarding your complaints was really just trying to relate that their experiences ran counter to your own, which is, the last time I checked, what makes a discussion. You are free to relate your experiences in whatever fashion you choose to. But to then be aghast that your method of communicating pushed some buttons is actually laughable. Your manner of stating your experiences was provocative. Did you really think coming in here and flat out calling TAXI a scam and expecting folks to just agree with you would actually happen? Sure you'll get some agreement, but if you've spent any time in other sections of the forum, you'll see a huge amount of information that supports a viewpoint the opposite of yours.

And why is it so wrong to believe in something and to take offense when someone doesn't agree with another's assessment? If I choose to say "I don't agree with you that TAXI is a scam and here's my experience", why is that automatically labeled as "defending the faith" or whatever other disdainful remarks have been thrown about? My experience with TAXI has been overall positive and yes, I admit to some confusing reviews from screeners, but I'm not focused on one song or piece of music, I'm taking the long term view and those types of reviews have been, in my experience, anomalies.

If you are truly only writing for yourself and your family, then why did one review cause you to make the assessment of TAXI that you did? Why does it matter if some bone headed screener doesn't "get it" in relationship to your music? If you're truly not going for the "big time" or trying to put your music out there in a professional manner, then one bad review wouldn't matter as long as your mom, kids, etc. like the music?

From all of your words, I'm still not understanding what the big deal is here? This is a discussion forum. Let's agree to disagree.

[GEOKOS]

basicaly Mazz is I am not calling taxi a scam I am pointing out somethings that could make it a scam ...I think its kinda scamish how the screening process is like what eric said about the screener should be reviewed I am not saying fire the guy but maybe if they look at some of the problems with having just one screener maybe the mishaps wouldn happen as much to say you or alot of people that may have went through the same kinda thing ...Like the guy who said he submitted to a listing for punk and the screener told him it was a metal song then the guy submitted to a metal listing and the same screener said it wasnt metal I cant remeber the whole post but if it was true or not you dont know it could very well be
I am just wondering as from a few response's from long time members that stuff like that has gone on for awhile why has no one tried to change it or atleast thought of a way to try and change it by coming together and asking these questions at the road rally And the reason I am so concered is cause yes I did join and if I am paying for a screeners point of veiw atleast I would like a somewhat good honest one not one to make me feel better even if the song was garbage for the reasons I joined taxi I told you earlier I already expected nothing from the get go ..I dont really care if people listen to my songs but my wife doe's and encourages me to submit .. I write souly cause I love doing it . If you going to pay for something you should least get what you pay for ..You dont go to mcdonalds to get a whooper haha

Now as I said my returns wasnt bad I actually liked what they had to say about a few of them but the thing that got me was the songs that was recorded in a real nice big studio got a lesser score on the overall enginering and the songs that was recorded on a home studio got a better score so that kinda baffeled me as to a pro with a education in mixing and pro audio got a lower score then someone with out the education in recording ...but anyway I am done thats my beef with it

[mazz]

I think matto pointed out in another post that there is such a thing as "screen the screeners", and it does happen. And in my experience TAXI does take into consideration feedback from the members in regards to screeners and so if you do have a beef, the best strategy is probably to take it up with TAXI.

I mentioned a few critiques that were questionable in my experience, but I did say that I consider those anomalies and just part of the law of averages because I was submitting a lot at the time. This is music we're talking about, after all, and no one is infallible.

I agree that you should get what you pay for! If you go to McDonald's and get a bad meal, you have a couple of choices. You can bring it to the attention of the store manager, or you could go on Yelp or whatever and slam the crap out of McDonald's for selling you a bad meal. It may feel all great to anonymously bash "big brother" McDonald's on the internet, but that won't get you a refund. It's much the same here. In my experience, TAXI is willing to listen to feedback and in some cases have refunded submission fees, which I think was discussed here or the other thread, so take advantage of that customer service, because that's part of what you are paying for!

I still disagree that the screeners are looking for only negative aspects. I honestly feel that the biggest mistake that folks make is mis-targeting their music for the listings. I have a hunch that many folks feel that their music sounds good and that just by that virtue alone it should get forwarded but they may have submitted the totally wrong style for the listing. I'm going to be in LA in a couple of weeks and I'm going to ask Michael if I can do a mini-screening session so I can give a first hand account of what the experience is like and what is required of screeners and how they go about their business. Of course, my screening won't be "official", no one will get forwarded or returned based on my assessment, but I will be happy to report back on my experiences here on the forum. I'm not a TAXI employee, I'm a paying member just like you and I've always been curious about the screening process myself. I do know some TAXI screeners (don't know their numbers, don't want to know!) and I can tell you that they are not sleazy folks that are deviously plotting to destroy our careers. But again, that's just my experience and you don't know me from Adam so of course you're skeptical, rightly so.

OK, I'm done too. Not trying to get the last word, I just sensed that we might be coming to some common ground and wanted to acknowledge that.

Cheers, Peace and Blessings,

Mazz

[GEOKOS]

yeah I feel ya on it Mazz about the bashing on the net sometimes its wrong but sometimes thats a way of getting its attention haha and I wasnt in agrement with the screeners looking for the negative from erics post Ither haha. I liked the thing about theres no such thing as bad music cause really there isnt its all in personal taste of what you like I gues
I get frustrated cause it always seems like one mans fight against the world when we are all in this thing together you know the old saying one voice is gonna be pretty hard to hear over a crowed unless you cause a rucus..and my intention is all good I d rather see alot of positive posts rather then the bad it would certianly lightin my spirts to see morw forwards for people and like I said maybe just maybe taxi will read it and decide on maybe having a a two man screeners to concur the others findings it could mean more forwards or it could mean less forwards for people haha

[Len911]

How did this thread go from one by tbar to geokos? Peculiar indeed, and I live in Peculiar,lol!!

[michael11]

OK... just to defend my honor as a composer and musician. I hate to pull out the big artillery like this but here's a contemporary minimalist piano piece that I wrote a few years ago, performed live in my hometown...

http://www.DaveWaltonMusic.com/MyMusic/C.mp3

Hi Dave,I am just trolling through this thread after a couple of days away and knowing your wicked sense of humour I am guessing this is your April !st one note masterpiece!!!
and I often listen to your music,not because of who you are,what you have done or what I can learn I quite simply love it!


I will continue trolling

[GEOKOS]

looks to me like the trolls like drinking the taxi cool aid !! haha
and lenn911 it went from him to me cause I would like to know what We are paying for atleast Tbar. sportmac and a few others brought some helpful insight to to attention haha no one really can justify why there has been so many mistakes with the screeners SO with that I will be putting in my letter as well for a refund and by the way I just did some checking on the net and it apears theres more then just the select few that question Taxi's rep...as well

[mazz]

looks to me like the trolls like drinking the taxi cool aid !! haha
and lenn911 it went from him to me cause I would like to know what We are paying for atleast Tbar. sportmac and a few others brought some helpful insight to to attention haha no one really can justify why there has been so many mistakes with the screeners SO with that I will be putting in my letter as well for a refund and by the way I just did some checking on the net and it apears theres more then just the select few that question Taxi's rep...as well

The beautiful thing about the internet is that you can always find what you're looking for and someone who agrees with you!!

I wish you all the best in your musical endeavors!!

Cheers!

Mazz