COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

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COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by AlCompose » Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:35 am

Hi Guys, anybody able to decipher this one... Don't know where to start really, I worked on a piece yesterday halfway through realized that it wasn't really quirky at all but continued and ended up getting a good track for Kids TV Show but not sure it would suit the listing.. decided to have another go today, but scratching my head... The I'm not sure what direction to go in :?


Music Supervisor placement as the Theme Music for a new Cartoon Series on a Popular Cable Network. They’re looking for fresh, Mid-to-Up Tempo Instrumental Cues that would fall in the general stylistic ballpark of the following references:

“Friday Night Funk” by Flying Lotus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh44ghgHAeA

“When Irony Wears Thin” by Prefuse 73: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw3RRUxhZqc

“Quibb” by Yalone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LnGfP_iAd4

Quoting the source: “We’d like to hear The Jetsons theme song meets a more contemporary Top 40 sound.”

Seriously??? We don’t think the references they gave us sound anything like “the Jetsons meets a more contemporary sound!”

The Jetsons (Theme Song): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTq6Tofmo7E

Here’s how we’d interpret this request: Give them something that reflects the cool Jazzy swing in the Jetsons theme (but don’t copy it, obviously), but with a quirky, cool, modern-sounding beat. Break some quirky (but not silly or childish) new ground, while doing it in a way that sounds like what you’d expect emotionally upbeat, Up-Tempo theme music to sound like.

The checklist: Cool, hip, trendy, quirky, forward-moving, and building to a climactic (tah-dah!) TV theme-style ending. Do that while somehow finding a way to give them the essence of what they like about the Jetsons’ theme is your mission!

We THINK their reference to the “More contemporary top 40 sound,” means the sounds (literally) and not a top 40-style. When you think of it like that, it makes more sense. Getting clarification from the executive producer -- who probably made that comment -- would be impossible.

Your submissions should be at least 90 Seconds long with a stinger ending that sounds like a TV theme ending. You know…. an ending that implies, “Here comes the show!” Please do NOT copy the referenced music in any way, shape, or form. Use it only as a general guide for tempo, texture, tone, and overall vibe. Broadcast quality is needed (great sounding home recordings are fine).

The estimated license fee for this placement is (up-to) $10,000, depending on the ultimate use. This is a Direct-to-Music Supervisor pitch. This will likely be an Exclusive deal, with the final deal points being negotiated with the TV show’s production company. You must own or control the Master and Composition rights to pitch for this opportunity. Please submit as many Cues as you’d like online or per CD. All submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis – Short critiques only. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59PM (PDT), on Thursday, August 31st, 2017. TAXI #Y170831QM

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Re: COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by stevebarden » Thu Aug 31, 2017 8:40 am

AlCompose wrote:Hi Guys, anybody able to decipher this one... Don't know where to start really, I worked on a piece yesterday halfway through realized that it wasn't really quirky at all but continued and ended up getting a good track for Kids TV Show but not sure it would suit the listing.. decided to have another go today, but scratching my head... The I'm not sure what direction to go in :?
"Decipher" is definitely the operative word here. I racked my brain the entire weekend trying to figure out what they might be looking for. Like Taxi said, their examples are nowhere close to the Jetsons theme song! Almost anything that's quirky could potentially work here. I finally gave up and ended up repurposing an old unused cue from years ago. It's closer to the Jetsons style than anything they presented. Good luck to all on this one!

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Re: COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by AlCompose » Fri Sep 01, 2017 1:44 am

Hi Steve... Yeah I gave up on this one in the end... too tough to figure this one out, best of luck with your track Al

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Re: COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by davekropf » Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:01 am

I'm a bit in the same boat. Would be a nice placement if you landed it, but it smells a little too much like "the client doesn't know what the want until they hear what they don't want," and that can be a deep pit of revisions or worse: er... uh... spitting in the wind.

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Re: COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by misterphoneman » Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:56 am

Wow, I'm a Taxi noob and I was getting a lil down on myself as the clock struck midnight and I had nada because I really could've used that 10 grand. A lil comforting to see that I wasn't the only one (I guess :? ).

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Re: COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by AlCompose » Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:12 am

Hi Dave, Yeah you're right... I just gave up on it in the end, But I got a good track out of it that would work on a modern Kids TV cartoon show... so not a complete failure but I just wasn't feeling quirky :D

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Re: COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by AlCompose » Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:13 am

davekropf wrote:I'm a bit in the same boat. Would be a nice placement if you landed it, but it smells a little too much like "the client doesn't know what the want until they hear what they don't want," and that can be a deep pit of revisions or worse: er... uh... spitting in the wind.
Hi Dave, Yeah you're right... I just gave up on it in the end, But I got a good track out of it that would work on a modern Kids TV cartoon show... so not a complete failure but I just wasn't feeling quirky :D
https://soundcloud.com/alan-shelley

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Re: COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by AlCompose » Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:16 am

misterphoneman wrote:Wow, I'm a Taxi noob and I was getting a lil down on myself as the clock struck midnight and I had nada because I really could've used that 10 grand. A lil comforting to see that I wasn't the only one (I guess :? ).
No you weren't on your own... I think a few were left scratching their heads!

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Re: COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by Alasdair » Fri Sep 01, 2017 10:05 am

yep this listing didnt know what it was saying or playing.. but as i have never tried a kids style track before.. wanted to put the effort in..

In the end i decided to interpret (obviously could be way off) it as a child track with a cool feel, beat wise that has brass and /or strings.. I also took from the jetsons as in some of the modern cartoons, how the instrumentation lends to the introduction of a character or two or aspects of their powers. etc. so blocked the piece as follows.. Strong brass intro- cool fill- strong guitar intro- cool fill- combined brass & guitar intro with power ending adding strings.
i did submit the piece in the end although not overly happy with it "Go Teen Heroes" which is on my taxi page (click on signature)

i think you probably should have submitted the track you did create Alcompse, if only for the feedback but think your right the advertiser doesnt really know what they want.

so wish me luck :)

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Re: COOL, QUIRKY, MODERN SOUNDING INSTRUMENTAL CUES

Post by AlCompose » Tue Sep 05, 2017 4:18 am

Alasdair wrote:yep this listing didnt know what it was saying or playing.. but as i have never tried a kids style track before.. wanted to put the effort in..

In the end i decided to interpret (obviously could be way off) it as a child track with a cool feel, beat wise that has brass and /or strings.. I also took from the jetsons as in some of the modern cartoons, how the instrumentation lends to the introduction of a character or two or aspects of their powers. etc. so blocked the piece as follows.. Strong brass intro- cool fill- strong guitar intro- cool fill- combined brass & guitar intro with power ending adding strings.
i did submit the piece in the end although not overly happy with it "Go Teen Heroes" which is on my taxi page (click on signature)

i think you probably should have submitted the track you did create Alcompse, if only for the feedback but think your right the advertiser doesnt really know what they want.

so wish me luck :)
Hi Alasdair... Yeah It sure was a tough one... Best of luck with your submission, Al

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