Closing in on 200 Forwards

[cdl]

Having joined Taxi back in April 2017, I am currently closing in on 200 forwards. About 90% of my material is made up of film, television, ambient music, and piano instrumentals. With the exception of an international music library in Australia who picked up three of my ambient tunes this year, I haven't had any further offers. Since I realize the success rate of getting music to the point that it can generate some sort of income is rare, I agree with those posts which suggest, “write, record, and forget.” Based on my current forward rate with Taxi, I am hoping to get 3-5 song deals for every 200 forwards? Of course, a song deal doesn't mean it will generate any income , or if it does, it could take years! Because of that low rate of return, I am now starting to contact other music libraries and music supervisors directly in hopes that they might consider my material? I will continue to submit through Taxi, but establishing a business relationship with 10 or more other companies and libraries will hopefully bring me faster and greater success.

Best to all!

CDL

[RustyP]

Thanks so much for your perspective.
I just got my first three forwards. I was elated ..... but I've turned my back on them! They are dead to me now! And I'll move forward.

Just curious if you've attended a Taxi Road Rally and had any success with connections made there.
Good luck!

Rusty

[cdl]

Hi Rusty,

Congratulations on your forwards! For me, each forward encourages me to continue writing and reaffirms that my music is at least being considered as being marketable. I hope my original post doesn't discourage anyone from pursuing their musical dreams or using Taxi as a vehicle to help achieve them? I'm sure there are countless stories of people getting wonderful deals early in their membership, but for me it is taking longer. Matt at Taxi's has always been gracious and encouraging when I call, and the company continues to deliver on every membership promise. No, I haven't attended a rally, but hope to do so in the future. I live in the Midwest part of the US, and firmly believe that networking is important.

Best,

CDL

[RustyP]

Hi CDL,
Well, I can't say it was strictly encouraging or discouraging. Reality is often tinged with both joy and sorrow. What I can say is that it helped me to set appropriate expectations for this forward. So, thanks for that!

I was very affirmed when I got the forwards. There's no0 accounting for taste and needs, but at least someone felt the quality was there.


I can understand completely the distance issues. As fate has it, I live in Southern California so I will be attending. I'm expecting to be totally overwhelmed.


Best!
Rusty

[MShipps]

Definitely not a discouraging post. I'm closing in on 100 forwards and i'm doing the same thing and have the exact same mindset. Taxi is just reassuring of talent at this point. I look at forwards as a certified stamp that i'm doing things right when I do decide to submit on something. If I get a return, I look at that as a opportunity to assess somethings I can improve on to just learn and improve. It's really not a losing situation either way it goes. Definitely doing the same also and taking the liberty into my own hands to seek out publishers, supervisors, major artists, artists, and advertisers. Doing that so far I secured one great publisher by myself. I sent the publisher 40 beats and they already locked in a placement In a overseas asian documentary. Exhaust all options, time waits on no one.

[cdl]

Thank you MShipps for the response. Congrats on your forwards! I've always said that the easy part of the music biz is the creative process. Wearing the hat of an artist, marketer, promoter, and business man/woman is key to having a chance at any possible monetary returns. If I let discouragement start to creep into my thoughts, I always go back to why I first started playing music. My reason is that it was and still is exciting to create a piece of work that no one else has ever done whether someone in the music industry likes it or not? The other reason, it is therapy to just sit down, play and produce.

Keep writing and submitting.

Best,

CDL

[DesireInspires]

Exhaust all options, time waits on no one.

YES!!!

[markhimley]

...I live in the Midwest part of the US...

Congrats on the forwards!!! That's a healthy number right there! May I ask what part of the midwest you're in?? The reason I ask - I am in South Dakota. Not many other people around here who tend to take music seriously, and even fewer who even know what production music is lol. Always looking to connect with people in the relative area. And btw, make it a TOP priority to go to a road rally, SERIOUSLY. I went to my first one last year, and it was absolutely life changing. During the last Road Rally, I was at ZERO placements. Going into this year's road rally I have around 30. I know 30ish isn't that impressive, but it feels like a major improvement to me, and it's largely thanks to the rally. Learned SO much and made so many great connections. Can't recommend it enough.

[cdl]

Hello Mark,

Glad to hear that you endorse the Road Rally as so many others do. Thirty placements and counting is wonderful! The challenge for me in getting to the Rally is that I am also a local high school cross country and track coach. Our state cross country meet along with several national meets, which follow, conflict. I bet if you called Matt at Taxi's office, he could probably suggest someone closer to you in which to co-write?

Thank you again for your response!

CDL