Brooding

[johnclavin]

My two songs "Brooding Theme" and "Paranormal Brooding" were both just returned with no forward. The screeners said that they were both stylistically off target.

With all due respect to Taxi and the screeners, I can't see these themes being stylistically off target.

There were some production issues, like keeping the theremin in tune on Paranornal Brooding, and maybe some arranging issues, like repeating the brooding line too many times, but I can't see stylistically off target. Maybe it could be anything that they don't like and they check "stylistically off target" because they are not doing a complete review.

[davewalton]

My two songs "Brooding Theme" and "Paranormal Brooding" were both just returned with no forward. The screeners said that they were both stylistically off target.

With all due respect to Taxi and the screeners, I can't see these themes being stylistically off target.

There were some production issues, like keeping the theremin in tune on Paranornal Brooding, and maybe some arranging issues, like repeating the brooding line too many times, but I can't see stylistically off target. Maybe it could be anything that they don't like and they check "stylistically off target" because they are not doing a complete review.

Oh I've been in a bad mood all day so here it goes...

To be honest, I personally think that the composition "Brooding Theme" was just fine but the production (which does define the style) is really thin and uses synth sounds that are way outdated. This is where I say that probably your composing skills are ahead of the equipment and samples that you're using. I took my track that I did (using Ministry Of Rock, Stormdrum2, Omnisphere, and Stylus) and used that setup to play your opening riff. Now, listen to the difference... I have the first 15 seconds of your instrumentation/recording followed by the same thing but ran through my system. Same composition (which I like) but a whole different style just because I ran your notes through my setup...

http://www.DaveWaltonMusic.com/PrivateA ... Styles.mp3

Carrying that idea on to the end... replacing the older outdated synth sounds with modern, cutting, razor-edge synth sounds... it would be a whole different track. Except it's the same track really. Brindabella did the same thing a while back. Songs using her old piano samples were getting returned. She ran those same notes through a really nice virtual piano from Sampletekk (probably a few hundred dollars) and *presto*... instant forwards and some deals! About getting better sounds... I tend to write better music because the "sound" kind of defines what I'm going to write.

Anyway, back to the listing itself. Think about this. This is a listing for the theme for a television show. Themes are high profile, high dollar items and the bar for this is *really* high. What you send has to be ready as-is and has to really kick ass. It's a one in ten thousand chance (because they're probably getting music submitted from lots of sources). Sending something in for this extremely high bar, high profile listing that has "production issues, like keeping the theremin in tune on Paranornal Brooding, and maybe some arranging issues, like repeating the brooding line too many times"... well, this is like the major leagues and they just won't (and can't) accept anything that has those issues to start with (using your words so I assume that those issues are valid).

Now... back to the style. Listen to some of the music that did get forwarded and you'll notice that the style of those is a much bigger sound, harder hitting, really working that "dark/brooding" element. Stylistically yours just needs a lot more OOOMMMPPPHHH!

Hope that helps,

Dave

[johnclavin]

To be honest, I personally think that the composition "Brooding Theme" was just fine but the production (which does define the style) is really thin and uses synth sounds that are way outdated. This is where I say that probably your composing skills are ahead of the equipment and samples that you're using. I took my track that I did (using Ministry Of Rock, Stormdrum2, Omnisphere, and Stylus) and used that setup to play your opening riff. Now, listen to the difference... I have the first 15 seconds of your instrumentation/recording followed by the same thing but ran through my system. Same composition (which I like) but a whole different style just because I ran your notes through my setup...

http://www.DaveWaltonMusic.com/PrivateA ... Styles.mp3

Hi Dave, Thanks for taking the time to do that. I can't say that I like your version, but you are getting forwarded and I have never been forwarded, so I should pay attention.

John