Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

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weslong
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Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by weslong » Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:59 am

Why do I run across people that say TAXI is just a scam that will do nothing for an artist and just empty the wallet? I don't hear much negative feedback, but what I do hear is usually pretty jaded and bitter. Being a newbie, I can't say one way or another myself. I'm still in the 'I have faith in the system if I work hard at it' mentality.

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Re: Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by guscave » Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:53 am

Most of the people who call it a scam have never tried the service or believe that "everything" is a scam. I remember back in the late 90's it was worse because Taxi didn't have as many success stories as they do now. But time has proven that if you stick with it and use the advise from the screener's you'll succeed. In the last 10 years I've must have used over 7 different tip-sheets and other similar services. None can stand up to what Taxi offers for the price.just my 2 cents...

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Re: Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by flyingtadpole » Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:58 am

Refer them to the 2008 Songwriters Market Directory (google on "songwriters market"). Perhaps they'll be less jaded if they see it in print. For me, being cheap, I actually didn't buy the book until a few weeks ago, and although I'd worked it out for myself, still it's nice to see TAXI being praised there as THE one head and shoulders above the rest. One's creations are like one's children. It's so easy to interpret return as rejection as meaning "sorry, this child is just ugly and unwanted, by anyone" and that way lies jade and bitters.Fact is, breaking in is not easy, but getting jaded (and bitter) is! It was a hard realisation for me that Taxi is way beyond Amateur Hour, and it's taken a long time to get professional again, and even that is no guarantee of success. But "not easy" doesn't equate to "not worthwhile". I've had a couple of good and one spectacular thing happen to me the last four weeks, consequence of Taxi though not directly associated. But I've had to work eighteen months of seemingly getting nowhere for that to be able to happen.Now I'd bettr get back to the day job

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Re: Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by davekershaw » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:09 am

Quote:It was a hard realisation for me that Taxi is way beyond Amateur Hour, and it's taken a long time to get professional again, and even that is no guarantee of success.Well said!It is a shock to the system, and you soon realise how high the bar is set, but it certainly does raise your own game, if you stick with it.I've had people contact me asking whether Taxi is genuine.Others on the forum probably have too.I must admit, I did some research before I joined, but found only positive remarks wherever I looked, so I took the leap, and have learnt so much in the past year.I get my fair share of returns - well, I consider 100% very fair but my games getting there!Dave.

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Re: Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by drew » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:23 am

Sept 11, 2008, 3:59am, weslong wrote:Why do I run across people that say TAXI is just a scam that will do nothing for an artist and just empty the wallet?It's the "Crab Bucket Syndrome"For those that aren't familiar with it, if you put one crab in a bucket it will crawl out but put two or more in and one will always pull down the one trying to climb out... REALLYIt's a case of "If I can't get out you can't either", the losers who have tried and failed don't want to admit it's their own fault and try to place blame on anything/everything else.And I'm not just talking about fiddler crabs, it's also the drummer crabs, singer crabs, etc.
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Re: Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by davekershaw » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:32 am

Quote:It's the "Crab Bucket Syndrome"

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Re: Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by davewalton » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:53 am

Sept 11, 2008, 3:59am, weslong wrote:Why do I run across people that say TAXI is just a scam that will do nothing for an artist and just empty the wallet? I don't hear much negative feedback, but what I do hear is usually pretty jaded and bitter. Being a newbie, I can't say one way or another myself. I'm still in the 'I have faith in the system if I work hard at it' mentality. I think it boils down to two things... (a) unrealistic and unprofessional expectations and (b) lack of understanding about what Taxi does and doesn't do.Starting with (b), if this were a dating service, Taxi can make the introduction but they can't force the other person to take us on a date. It's about the listings, the opportunities. Many, many people confuse the "opportunity" (the introduction of the music to the person asking for the music) with the "results". What the listing client does or doesn't do, Taxi has no control over that. I'll never get a deal though if I never get my music on the decision maker's desk.Finishing with (a)... we see it on the forum all the time. The person who throws a fit either because we're not paying enough attention to them or their music or because the song that their mom really likes didn't get forwarded for an ultra-high bar Country listing for Brooks & Dunn. It's unrealistic to think that film/tv placements are easy and almost delusional to think that artist listings or songs for artists are easy.So, Taxi is what it is. Clients (very good ones I might add) list opportunities. We send music. Taxi screens so the client only gets "cream of the crop" music (one main reason the clients keep coming back). That's it. We get an opportunity for our best music to be heard at the exact time the client is looking for music. AND the forwarded music isn't cluttered with everything else under the sun. Some of those forwards result in deals for us. The listings are real... somebody gets the deal, just not always us.HTH,Dave

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Re: Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by hummingbird » Thu Sep 11, 2008 3:47 am

Quote:It was a hard realisation for me that Taxi is way beyond Amateur HourAnd a even harder realization to see that the music one is so excited and proud of... won't fly in the commercial realm. That's where I was when I joined in June, 2004. I got my first forward (a co-write with an already established Taxi member) in December of 2006, my first solo forward in March of 2007, and signed my first deal in June 2007. I had upteen returns in those first 2.5 years, and I was terribly angry and frustrated. It was so easy to blame Taxi for their short-sightedness in turning down my obviously wonderful & ground breaking hit songs. When I got another return, the air would be blue, and I'd throw the feedback sheet in a drawer and stomp around the house for a couple of days. Then I started going back, and reading the feedback again.... and I'd think "I can fix that". As I opened my mind to the possibility that I needed to learn something here in order to make the grade... I started to progress. Taxi, and this forum, brought me & my music kicking and screaming up the ladder until I started to get forwards... and started to get deals. Not an easy road for anyone to travel. Much easier to blame the messager than have the integrity to say 'I write a lot of crap BUT I can learn how to do it better AND you can't bet I will no matter how long it takes.' One thing I have definitely learned along the way is that I have to be emotionally detached from my music. Another thing I've learned is... the music world isn't waiting breathlessly for me to come along and set them straight on what "real music" is. They are looking for something 'a la' something, produced in a specific way, and that's all they want. If I'm willing to be creative within that framework, then I will have more chance of success.
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Re: Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by anne » Thu Sep 11, 2008 4:48 am

I think a lot of people also delude themselves when it comes to their music. They think "if these people hear my music, they will get my new-age/alt-punk style immediately, and see that I'm a musical genius!" If they just send music to music supervisors blindly, then they don't ever get a "rejection" per se - they go on happily believing that execs. are listening to the music right this second since there is no feedback to the contrary.If they send it to taxi, they get a return of your new-age/alt-punk style on an orchestral listing because there is a violin in the mix for 4 measures, and then say "taxi just doesn't get my music " and start blaming taxi. The bar is high at Taxi, and some people would rather be praised then be better musicians.

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Re: Bitter Words about TAXI, So I've Heard...

Post by suzdoyle » Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:16 am

Well said, everyone! I've only been a Taxi member for 2 years, and on the forums here for a month (sheesh! wish I'd joined in sooner) -- but I appreciate how clearly committed Taxi (meaning the home office + all of you wonderful Taxi members) is to giving honest feedback to help composers hone their craft.I've learned so much already, and view Taxi as a good friend who encourages you along the way, but always tells the truth about how you might improve.And the best part is that we all get to share our unfolding journeys with one another along the way. How cool is that? !!High Five to my Fellow Taxi-meisters, ,Suz

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