Can TAXI still Work for Me ?

[Len911]

Yes, Cruciform. I've started tracking down some of those specialty publishers. Hoping for some feedback soon...

And yes, Len, I flirted with the idea that some of my music could pass as Country. I submitted to several listings, but they are probably the most high-bar listings of them all, and the critiques leaned toward the same theme: "not contemporary enough. Not contemporary enough. Leans more to Americana. This is more Singer-Songwriter more than Country. Not contemporary enough". I got the hint and stopped looking at Country listings!

Gotcha, not enough tailgates, pickup trucks and beer.

Country might be more applicable in how you market yourself outside taxi I suppose. I already gave my opinion on singer-songwriter, not a genre, and Americana seems too sentimental and in the past, though cutting edge country implies a little beyond contemporary flavor of the month. Ultimately it's your audience, and your appeal is probably more mature (mental state, not necessarily chronological age,lol).

[HectorRContreras]

I probably should have included this idea in my piece: It's not a one or the other proposition. You don't have to give up on the artistic side of what you do. Just use the instrumental cues to create what could be a faster (and hopefully growing) income, while you pursue the artist side of your career as well. It's kind of like painting landscapes people would buy to decorate their homes to support yourself while you're working to succeed doing original modern art. HTH.

Michael

This idea is a workable and practical one, yes dear Michael.

Of course an Artist is always weary of being slightly trapped in composing Music for needs and demands, and there about facing increased little time for Artistic Projects that are unique and from one own's Spirit/Inspiration.

Having said that, in France, my Cousin Catherine LARA did well in composing Music for Commercials. And for Films.

So what were the rewards ?

Well, more money to pay for her own ambitious Projects with her Lyricists and Musicians. Musical Projects or and the creation of new Albums are expensive affairs, and can only be achieved within a team of Professionals.

It helped her that she appeared on French and Canadian (Quebec) TV at a very early stage in her Career. As she has the most wonderful personality.

So, next is the idea to make contacts with Musicians and Artists, and the Medias.
One little step at a time in the "Métier", and it grows from there.

Catherine LARA's Niece, called Eve Marie BODET, is a talented Jazz Violinist, (she does superb improvisations), and she associated with other Musicians and they play, in many different venues in France ; they are busy, and she is quite happy with all these Musical endeavours, and the money it gives.

[mojobone]

A few quick bullet points

Taxi is meant to be an arrow in your quiver, not the whole quiver. Your song is not a reject until everyone has rejected it, and even then, you can still put it up at iTunes, Bandcamp, Reverbnation, etc. There are also similar sites that are oriented more toward licensing than direct sales. Forum rules prevent my listing/discussing them, but even if they didn't, you'd still only know which ones are worthwhile through networking, and Taxi can also help you there, when you attend the annual Road Rally. My opinion, best practice is to go to Taxi first, because while the bar is often higher than with opportunities you'll find on your own, the feedback can help you get better faster and the Taxi opportunities are curated; vetted by the kind folks running this site.

Sustaining a career as a local musician is a full-time job that often pays like a part-time one, (ask me how I know, or better yet, don't bother, ) and there are a lot of plates that you need to keep spinning. It's not enough just being able to perform great music; you also have to find time to keep up your chops on your instrument(s), wrangle clubs, agents, owners, bookings, and rehearsals, (and students, if you also teach) and keep track of accounting, insurance and taxes. If you want to license the hopefully world-class music you've learned to perform, you'll have to record, mix and master it as well, and navigate occasionally byzantine publishing contracts, to boot. It's a lot to know, it's a lot to learn and...it's gonna take some time, but...

You can learn to be more productive in the no-doubt limited time you have left for actually writing, performing and recording your music, and there are many threads on how to do that, right here in these fora. And even if you don't go that route, you can still get lucky and score a significant national or international ad placement without bending your art too far outta shape. There are opportunities available where a single success can reap multiple rewards, or where a small thing can lead to several bigger things, but patience and persistence are key, because licensing is a very long game. You may have to get used to the idea that the rewards will not be as immediate as they can be in the live music arena.

[taxi4em4U]

Hello Jaredlutes, I would suggest to also send your songs to an Indie Record Label, as they tend to look for songwriters who are also performers. You might want to see if you can form a band as sometimes the combination of talent and the extra input from band members can produce some surprising results. The Indie Labels are a little more open to new and different songs. Taxi is doing their job, it's just that their music industry contacts are looking for very very specific songs which fit their needs in TV, movies, and Advertising. For myself, I find it very limiting and stifling to create songs which have many requirements and sound similar to the sample artists in the Taxi listings. When I create, I need to be free thinking or I will lose the desire to create. As well, the music industry is not as good as it was a few decades ago, so there is less money being invested in new artists and new music. Of course there will always be artists and businesses who can survive in todays music industry, but it's much tougher now.

[elser]

I'm going to expand on Mojo's post. "Taxi is an arrow in the quiver, not the whole quiver". In my experience in the music business, and from what I have seen from others who I have seen become successful. Diversity is necessary. So the ability to write in various styles, the ability to perform live shows, the ability to teach, the ability to produce are all arrows in the quiver. A career in music is achievable, but it's rarely the stereotypical one way path we expect. Just look at Michael, he starts out as an engineer and then starts this very creative and influential business...Taxi. Do you want a life in music or do want to be an accountant? Adjust, innovate, learn.

[ChipD]

Jared,
Your post resonates with me as I am having the same struggles. I'm trying to wrap my head around what it takes to be successful with Taxi and in the production music industry in general. And here's what I've surmised so far...

You have to be able to:
1. Write good songs
2. Write to a specification
3. Write quickly
4. Write in a variety of styles
5. Perform to professional standards all parts, including singing, yourself
6. Produce a pro-quality recording on your own gear

If you can do all six of those things, you can succeed (i.e., make at least as much money back as you spend).

I'm not there yet.

[eeoo]

You have to be able to:
1. Write good songs
2. Write to a specification
3. Write quickly
4. Write in a variety of styles
5. Perform to professional standards all parts, including singing, yourself
6. Produce a pro-quality recording on your own gea

r

If you can't do all of those things you can try and find collaborators, that has been a very fruitful avenue for several members.

eo

[Casey H]

If you can't do all of those things you can try and find collaborators, that has been a very fruitful avenue for several members.

+1
Casey

[jaredlutes]

Thanks for all the great advice - but I think i see from where all the conflict arises (at least from my point of view):

Everyone keeps telling me to be super-productive, diverse, versatile, perform everything myself, and to write to demand. Yes, I understand the merits of that - especially for cue/jingle/instrumental/production writers.

But what about those opportunities in search of genuine, authentic singer-songwriters, who possess a distinctive style. In my opinion, having well-defined style, sound, and message takes years to develop - and that's where I am; I doubt that the artists referred to in those listings (Jason Mraz, Bruce Springsteen, Ed Sheeran) are writing in several styles, worrying about edit points, and always concerned about universal lyrics. They are who they are, and write what they write. If they score a placement, great. If not they can rely on CD sales and concert revenue, and merch.

And that's my point: Maybe single-minded singer-songwriters like myself are at a great disadvantage pitching our precious few songs to film&TV. I don't crank out tunes and their alternative versions on a daily basis. I write from heart and experience. I feature real musicians on all tracks. I tell stories. I produce albums. I cater to my fans. I perform on the road. I sell t-shirts. I'm doing well at that, and maybe I should stick to what I know.

[admin]

Or you could do both! They're not mutually exclusive, and the instrumental cues could help generate income while you wait for the artistic stuff to bring in $, which, as you know, could take years... if ever. Cover your bases and build a safety net. That's some of the beauty of the film and TV instro market. Painting walls while you ALSO work on portraits.

I know this might sound harsh in print (and I don't mean it to be, at all!), but the odds of getting signed and THEN having a hit career are steep. You've got a family, and you're not going to want to tour at 50 years old, and labels like to sign young people with long careers ahead of them. What if it doesn't work out? Sorry to "impose" my safety net thinking on you -- that's just the way I think -- but why not at least take a shot at trying both routes if you can? If it doesn't work for you, at least you tried and won't have regrets.

Michael