Favorite Things or Moments at Road Rally 2012?

[admin]

Dear Road Rally Friends,

Thank you SO much for joining us and trusting that we would make your journey to this year's Road Rally well worth the trip. As usual, many, many people (probably hundreds!) shook my hand and told me that the Rally was "life changing." Music to my ears, especially knowing how much effort it took to come from countries all over the world—37 at last count!

I'm sure everybody is sick of me telling them how great the Rally is. Who's really going to believe the guy who owns the company anyway?

So please do me a favor, and post up your favorite things or moments on this thread, so those who didn't come this year can make a point to join us next year. Maybe if they hear it from the horse's mouth...

Thank you!
Michael

[bobcrow]

Thank you for everything, Michael, that was an incredibly inspiring weekend! I didn't attend any panels or classes that I didn't get a bunch of great things from, but here are a few things that stood out to me this year:
1) The 5-year plan panel. Getting a realistic view of what it takes and what can be achieved with hard work, all straight from Taxi members themselves. Great way to start things off.
2) Debra Russel's outstanding class on internet marketing & social media. I have always viewed these things as "necessary evils", and as a result, deal with them as little as possible. Debra's incredible amount of information, and passion for WHY it is so important, was indeed a complete game-changer for me, and I am planning ways to learn and grow in these areas as much as I can.
3) Tim Meyers interview. Work ethic re-defined for me, right there. Plus, proof that you can do music you love and STILL make money from it in ads/film/tv.
4) Steven Memel "Science of Switching On" class. Taking the seemingly "you-either-have-it-or-you-don't" aspects of performing and connecting with your audience, and giving you practical ways to work on it in your own way.
5) Robert Miltenberg's advertising music panel in the ballroom. I could barely clear my throat without fear of missing some great piece of information.
6) I have spent a fair amount of time reading & working with songwriting books by Jason Blume & Robin Frederick, and knew they would be fantastic. But yeah - seeing them illustrate their ideas in person REALLY brings a lot of things home. Time for some re-reading...
7) Like I mentioned to Michael - the sense of TRUST I felt from everyone was amazing! It takes a lot for me to feel like I can trust someone I don't know in the business, and I really felt like everyone I heard from and worked with was genuinely there to help.

The whole weekend was great though... definitely coming back next year, and definitely have a lot to work on before then!

[mikeymike2000]

Hi Michael,

It was great to meet you as brief as it was, but to shake your hand (and hug ya) was one of the best moments at the rally for me.

I went with an open mind and really no expectations cause so many people said how life changing it would be I decided that was an ultra high-bar of expectation that would only lead to a let down so I did my best to dismiss these comments before arrival.

BUT I gotta say, it lived up to the hype and then some. It changed my perspective on many levels and now I see that it is time I stop being so damn shy. I posted up a lot here in the past year and one of those things was about being shy. There were times I was overwhelmed with being around so many people but did enjoy every minute.

Hopefully by next year I will be able to talk in person more cause we are really all in the same boat with the same goals.

With some new friends, face-to-face connections of forum members and 15 pages of notes, not to mention a supercharged and changed outlook/focus I am already excited about next year!

Thank you Michael and all Taxi staff and members, that was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

[brentmagstadt]

Thank you, Michael, sincerely.
As always, Sherri and I love seeing you and being around your amazing energy.

As for the Rally, there's simply too much to really dig into, in terms of value. Seriously. If you've never been, change that. If there's only one musical goal you set for the coming year, make it attending this event. It will, in all honesty, change your life - or at minimum, the way that you think about creating music, pitching/presenting music, listening to music, and really every other thing music....

For me, there were two big things this year:
1. The Keynote - crazy beautiful, tough to not just burst into amazing tears of gratitude for the people who support what we all do (John, Michael, Diane, everybody...).
2. And... Everything else. And I'm NOT kidding.

And my bonus point worth mentioning - for me at least - is, I was accompanied for the first time by my amazingly talented and beautiful wife, who made excellent headway in the world of music on her own this last weekend. If ever there has been something I've desired in life, it's to create music with the person I love.

Yep, feeling pretty filled up!!
-- brent

[jmarkinman]

There were so many great moments at the Road Rally. I think my personal favorite was the following thought I had during the melody class by Jason Blume.

First, a little background, I'm a highly trained classical pianist and have been composing for over 20 years. So, at first I thought, what could a class on melody writing teach me that Bach hasn't already? And the clas just happened to be right during a mentor of mine's class, which I really did not want to miss since I was getting a consult from her the next day, but Jason's bookseller really said that I should go since I liked Jason's lyric class so much, and agreeing that the lyric class was one of the best classes I've ever had in that area, I decided to just go and take the melody class. By the end of the class, after basically dissecting the most important elements in contemporary pop melody (in short, how and when to use repetition and the use of syncopation), Jason said, "And that's it. That's what makes a hit melody." At which point I said to the person next to me, "And I spent all those years in music school when I could have just taken this class."

While I was being a bit tongue and cheek, there is actually a lot of truth in that. I DIDNT have to go to music school to learn how to write a hit song. We make songwriting harder than it is to "challenge" ourselves when really it can be a very simple process. And so, it might have been a long and round-a-bout way to get to this point in my life, but after the rally, I'm ready to write my first hit.

[stevecollom]

I have been with taxi for over 3 years and this was my first Rally...... Duh!!!! ...... 3 years to late better late than never!

I have to say one of the biggest and most infuencing moments was when Mr Chuck Schlacter, called me over, said he knew me from the forum and started introducing me to everyone ...... Wow ..... Talk about the "taxi forum family"

Apart from all the new friends I have made, going to Rob Chiarelli class on VIBE was incredable, oh and also Tim Myers was soooooo inspiring.

I can't wait to next years rally!

[Russell Landwehr]

I learn so much from this forum, but the Road Rally certainly cranks the info up to that "higher-than-the-ceiling" level.

My favorite thing is how helpful, genuine, personable, approachable, caring and encouraging everyone is. (Including the top professionals.) I feel much less frightened now after meeting such wonderful people. I wonder if this is an indication of the music industry in general, or is it an indication of the kind of people Michael (and subsequently TAXI) associates with.

rl

[StanSwin]

Hi Michael, The Road Rally was really a high point of the year for me. I made some new friends from places like Norway and Japan, and got to check out their music. I got to meet the TAXI staff and chat with them - I know you gotta be proud to have such great folks in your organization. Personally, I got to focus on my instrumental work and received great feedback from David Trotter in my 1-1, as well as making some great industry contacts to help expand my reach. I got to finally meet the guys like Barry French, John Mazzei, Dean Krippaehne who work with some of the same libraries I do, where I've been secretly going to school on their music for awhile now in order to get better. And as a result, I made a resolution to get back out here in the forums. Tim Myers was another guy I've studied for the ad campaign songs I created for TAXI pitches (and got subsequent forwards), and he was just awesome.

Many thanks again to you and all your staff, for the Road Rally and everything you all do for us during the year. I'm very proud to be a TAXI member, and plan to be so for many years to come! Don't ever hesitate to call on me for any reason if I can help you in return.
Stan Swiniarski

[swhit]

I have a personal story to share with everyone and my humble self does not wish to brag. On the last day, at the final listening panel, my song was played over the massive PA system in the Grand Ballroom where hundreds were attending. I was totally shocked and in disbelief that my CD had been picked from the hundreds of CD's that were submitted to the panel. I had to pinch myself when my name was announced and my song started playing. When the music stopped I was asked some questions about my song by one of the panelists and I'll never forget his words when he said he would "take" my CD for further consideration. I still don't know how to explain it, was it just luck, the grace of God, I don't know but all I can tell you is it happened and now a very successful producer has my CD. And no, Michael is not paying me to say this. This is but one example, let alone a major one, on how the rally is worth every penny (and its free). I was satisfied up to that point of having a few songs listened to at other panles and received some good feedback. I also received some great information from the calsses I attended but I never dreamed the rally would end up this way for me. I will definitely be back next year!!

[Casey H]

Hi Steve
Congrats! I had a similar experience whereby my CD got picked and a music sup took a copy. It was an awesome feeling. Of course, I almost had to change my underwear when I heard my name!

Yes, it takes a bit of LUCK for your CD to be picked out of so many. But luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. If you didn't have the goods, your CD being picked wouldn't have meant anything. So, be proud... Humble but proud.

Best... Hope you get the call!
Casey