Feedback for S210502ND

[NMN]

Hello all, I am sharing with you some feedback I received for listing S21050ND. Here is the listing:

Several INDIE/ALTERNATIVE SONGS with a THROWBACK Vibe and Male or Female Vocals are needed by an extremely busy
Music Library with a tremendously long list of killer placements in Hit TV Shows!
This Library is on the hunt for a bunch of Songs in All Tempos that are in the general stylistic ballpark of these references we got
directly from them:
"Little Uneasy" by Fazerdaze
"Dreams Tonite" by Alvvays
"Off My Mind" by Hazel English
Please submit top-notch Indie/Alternative Songs with a retro/throwback-influenced vibe and sound. Your submissions should have
inviting rhythms, memorable melodies, well-crafted lyrics, and lots of Indie/Alternative charm. You'd be wise to stick with generally
similar instrumentation to the references: organic-sounding drums, jangly guitars, dreamy synths, etc. Any virtual instruments or
samples you use need to be fresh and high-quality. Well-performed, almost ethereal vocals could be the cherry on top!
TAXI Tip: Having a retro/throwback influence does NOT mean that your Songs should sound dated. Marry retro-inspired
rhythms, sounds, and elements with current-sounding production techniques, and you could be on the right track!
Lyrics that avoid references to specific names, dates, times, brands, and profanity are strongly recommended. Do NOT copy the
referenced tracks in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe. Broadcast Quality is
needed.
This company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal. You’ll split all upfront sync fees 50/50. You’ll keep 100% of the Writer’s share and the
Publisher will get 100% of the Publisher’s share. You must own or control your Master and Copyright. Since this is an EXCLUSIVE deal,
please be sure the material you submit for this pitch is not already signed with other Libraries or Catalogs. Please submit as many
Songs as you’d like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI. Submissions must be received no later
than 11:59 PM (PDT) on Sunday, May 2nd, 2021. TAXI # S210502ND
TAXI # S210502ND

Here is the feedback I received:

I think you could improve this song by

I dig the song and the vocals. Unfortunately, this is a bit too traditional, left of center and festive sounding. Stylistically this is just not the right sound or vibe. I'd save this for a more relevant request.

Aside from the "left of center" comment making absolutely no sense for a listing for Indie music, it is politically disturbing rhetoric. I would be very, very disappointed if TAXI was some sort of ridiculous right-wing pyramid scheme. Is this sort of unprofessional feedback supposed to elicit some sort of reaction? It would seem so. It's the kind of veiled response that makes a person wonder whether the "screeners" will always find some way to reject a submission from some one that doesn't fall in line. Maybe I should "like" the TAXI TV YouTube channel postings more. Please let me know your thoughts in this topic. And, I would prefer not to get some of your weird "cartoon cult" spam or be trolled by your "internet forum tough-guy attack dogs" like I did on the previous thread that you can see here. Unless of course you removed this content, which wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[cassmcentee]

Sounds like the Screener liked your tune.

[Telefunkin]

As Cass says, the screener seemed to like your submission, suggesting it should be saved for an appropriate listing, but gave reasons why it didn't match the one it was submitted for. It seems like a fairly standard return with some favorable content. I'm not sure what else you would want to hear.

Everyone gets returns, and often in abundance compared with forwards. Taxi clients want only what they asked for, so only music that meets the brief gets passed on. No matter how fantastic the rest is it gets returned if it isn't a good match. I don't see any trickery in that. Returns can be frustrating, but the tracks that are forwarded are openly declared and everyone else can see them as well as listen to them (if they are set to 'public'). Also, there's the Forward section of the forum where composers who got it right for a particular listing share their joy. It does happen .

[Cameloide]

Aside from the "left of center" comment making absolutely no sense for a listing for Indie music, it is politically disturbing rhetoric. I would be very, very disappointed if TAXI was some sort of ridiculous right-wing pyramid scheme.

I don't think you have to worry about that. That's just a common figure of speech. Plus this is the entertainment industry and Taxi is based in L.A., so if anything it would be a "ridiculous left-wing pyramid scheme" or they wouldn't still be in business.

[cosmicdolphin]

Please let me know your thoughts in this topic. And, I would prefer not to get some of your weird "cartoon cult" spam or be trolled by your "internet forum tough-guy attack dogs" like I did on the previous thread that you can see here. Unless of course you removed this content, which wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Can't comment on the feedback as I've not heard your song but where I'm from " left of centre " means " something or someone that is different from the norm. "

I don't follow politics but I would think a right wing pyramid scheme sounds fun. Taxi should start a cult.

[NMN]

Well I think "pyramid scheme" is probably the key term.

Let's see... we have so far:

• Complete 180 in forum response tone

• Squirming from familiar accounts quick to post ridiculous defenses

• Corporate-sounding canned responses

• Attempting to deflect to a contrived "left-wing scheme" (If you want to perpetuate the concept of "sides" then I already have no use for your feedback.)

• Trying to talk circles around something and explain away a contingent that clearly already exists and has been started

Well, what do you know, we must be on to something here!

And CosmicDolphin, I thought I told you and your troll cronies not to reply to my posts. Unless of course you care to elaborate on and share with all of us on how and what you have "already seen" with your pre-emptive trolling with the previous topic.

There's one way to prove me wrong. And I'll give you a hint: sending me all sorts of compliments in reviews whilst simultaneously rejecting everything I submit isn't the way. What a fantastic way to keep someone from success by complimenting them through forum channels and rejecting them through other channels. I joined TAXI to get to work, not have my hard earned money nickel-and -dimed away. Do not waste my time.

Keep smilin, Telefunkin

[Cameloide]

Well I think "pyramid scheme" is probably the key term.

Let's see... we have so far:

• Complete 180 in forum response tone

• Squirming from familiar accounts quick to post ridiculous defenses

• Corporate-sounding canned responses

• Attempting to deflect to a contrived "left-wing scheme" (If you want to perpetuate the concept of "sides" then I already have no use for your feedback.)

• Trying to talk circles around something and explain away a contingent that clearly already exists and has been started

And I'll give you a hint: sending me all sorts of compliments in reviews whilst simultaneously rejecting everything I submit isn't the way. What a fantastic way to keep someone from success by complimenting them through forum channels and rejecting them through other channels. I joined TAXI to get to work, not have my hard earned money nickel-and -dimed away. Do not waste my time.

Everyone on here can relate to the sting and frustration of a rejection. But I don't really understand what you're talking about. I'm not seeing this "180" you mentioned or the corporate sounding responses either. Usually the majority of people in the forum agree more or less with the screener's decision to forward or not. I'm not sure if you're insinuating somebody from Taxi has been commenting in this thread, but I find that highly unlikely that they'd care to be in here wasting time for free. I wasn't attempting to deflect or perpetuate the concept of sides either. If I'm not mistaken you brought it up, insinuating that Taxi was some sort of Right-wing scheme because a reviewer used a common figure of speech with the word "left" in it, and I was just pointing to a couple of obvious reasons why that didn't make any sense.

Regardless, it's not a pyramid scheme because none of the members need to recruit more people in order to get paid, and when/if one does get paid it's never by Taxi.

I think what you're really wondering about is if Taxi is a scam. And hell, I have no way of knowing for sure. I don't know much about the company or anybody that works there, but I do know that in the year and 4 months we've been members we've (through Taxi contacts) signed a few songs with music libraries and about 30 instrumental cues with 2 publishers for 4 cable TV shows and we've already made over 10 times the price of 2 years of Taxi membership. Of course, everybody's Taxi experience is different though & and one's success depends on a number of other variables aside from Taxi. Most of the time you won't see any money until you're 3 to 5 years into the sync world, if you put in a lot of work and are lucky and if you can deliver what clients are asking for.

[SubRivers]

Imagine if Deontay Wilder joined Taxi and got a return.
Or that other guy with the weird hair and orange face.

[cosmicdolphin]

And CosmicDolphin, I thought I told you and your troll cronies not to reply to my posts.

Well, had I known that was directed at me I probably would have made doubly sure to reply. You have the option to mute other members in the forum account settings using the friends/foes option, probably more effective than hinting at who can or can't reply and then it being ignored.

Unless of course you care to elaborate on and share with all of us on how and what you have "already seen" with your pre-emptive trolling with the previous topic.

Sure

" You will see , I have already seen " is a slight mis-quote of a character from a TV show. The full quote by the character called Cassandra is " We shall see, or rather, you shall see; I have already seen."

From Wikipedia : Cassandra or Kassandra, was a Trojan priestess of Apollo in Greek mythology cursed to utter true prophecies, but never to be believed. In modern usage her name is employed as a rhetorical device to indicate someone whose accurate prophecies are not believed.

So with 10+ years on the forum and 6 years of experience of music licensing plus all the years watching Taxi TV and other Sync Licensing channels/podcasts etc. I've noticed certain patterns that repeat themselves and tell us a lot about the prospects or otherwise of those new to the industry. Enough for me to be able to tell with some degreee of accuracy which 'path' people are on and whether it's likely to get them where they want to go.

When I listen to the music and I know from personal experiemce it isn't what Libraries would sign but the member responds to the Screener feedback with statements like I've pasted below, I've basically heard it all before.

Your reaction is very similar to others I've seen come and go over the years who find out they aren't up to scratch, but instead of doing something about it get all defensive. The same excuses, reactions, blaming others and thinking that the industry is wrong in it's assesment or corrupt and should somehow change to suit them and not the other way around.

They tend not to accept that it's them that need to change and usually leave after a couple of years of very few forwards telling anyone who listens that Taxi sucks and is some sort of scam.

----------------------
"wasn't catchy enough / That's not really the goal of these two songs "

"most songs that I write have non-standard structures to them"

" These are the kinds of songs ( non standard structure ) that are most interesting to me usually "

"I'm not really too concerned about this feedback."

"There are tuning, rhythm, or dissonance issues". The song "Beauty" definitely has a non-standard rhythm to it in places, but I'm not hearing the reasoning behind this. "
----------------------

So yes. Have seen / heard it all before - that's not to say that people can't change and improve , many have and many still do.

Just remember, they want what they want. So best to give them what they want or you won't get very far. Oh, one more thing....I predict you won't believe me.

Mark

[NMN]

And CosmicDolphin, I thought I told you and your troll cronies not to reply to my posts.

Well, had I known that was directed at me I probably would have made doubly sure to reply. You have the option to mute other members in the forum account settings using the friends/foes option, probably more effective than hinting at who can or can't reply and then it being ignored.

Unless of course you care to elaborate on and share with all of us on how and what you have "already seen" with your pre-emptive trolling with the previous topic.

Sure

" You will see , I have already seen " is a slight mis-quote of a character from a TV show. The full quote by the character called Cassandra is " We shall see, or rather, you shall see; I have already seen."

From Wikipedia : Cassandra or Kassandra, was a Trojan priestess of Apollo in Greek mythology cursed to utter true prophecies, but never to be believed. In modern usage her name is employed as a rhetorical device to indicate someone whose accurate prophecies are not believed.

So with 10+ years on the forum and 6 years of experience of music licensing plus all the years watching Taxi TV and other Sync Licensing channels/podcasts etc. I've noticed certain patterns that repeat themselves and tell us a lot about the prospects or otherwise of those new to the industry. Enough for me to be able to tell with some degreee of accuracy which 'path' people are on and whether it's likely to get them where they want to go.

When I listen to the music and I know from personal experiemce it isn't what Libraries would sign but the member responds to the Screener feedback with statements like I've pasted below, I've basically heard it all before.

Your reaction is very similar to others I've seen come and go over the years who find out they aren't up to scratch, but instead of doing something about it get all defensive. The same excuses, reactions, blaming others and thinking that the industry is wrong in it's assesment or corrupt and should somehow change to suit them and not the other way around.

They tend not to accept that it's them that need to change and usually leave after a couple of years of very few forwards telling anyone who listens that Taxi sucks and is some sort of scam.

----------------------
"wasn't catchy enough / That's not really the goal of these two songs "

"most songs that I write have non-standard structures to them"

" These are the kinds of songs ( non standard structure ) that are most interesting to me usually "

"I'm not really too concerned about this feedback."

"There are tuning, rhythm, or dissonance issues". The song "Beauty" definitely has a non-standard rhythm to it in places, but I'm not hearing the reasoning behind this. "
----------------------

So yes. Have seen / heard it all before - that's not to say that people can't change and improve , many have and many still do.

Just remember, they want what they want. So best to give them what they want or you won't get very far. Oh, one more thing....I predict you won't believe me.

Mark

Great prediction that you aren't very believable Cosmic! Keep on squirming if that's what you gotta do. A quick Wikipedia reference applied to the rescue!