Feedback Request: Dramedy

[mteezykeys]

He guys, I'm trying to get better at Dramedy Cues. Any feedback is helpful, thanks in advance.


Several DRAMEDY INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a very successful boutique Music Library that's distributed by Universal for placements in Promotions, Advertising, and other TV Programming.

This is a catalog you want to be in! Please listen to the following examples to get yourself in the general ballpark of what they want:

[BBvideo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0JAQ587tE8[/BBvideo]"Quirky Stuffed Animals" by Eric Chevalier

Jane The Virgin (from 2:20 - 2:45)

[BBvideo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQyNOyO ... e=youtu.be[/BBvideo]"Dark Comedy Central" by Jim Ellis

"Un fino acechador" by Mauricio Yazigi

IMPORTANT: This Library is NOT looking for standard Dramedy tracks, so please think outside the box with this request!

Please submit well-produced Dramedy Instrumental Cues that utilize instrumentation other than pizzicato strings to convey a quirky, lightly dramatic vibe and feel. Your submissions should be crafted around one central motif and have top-notch arrangements with plenty of dynamics, forward motion, layers, and interest. This Library is looking for Cues that focus less on pizz strings and more on other instruments and elements – think replacing the pizz strings with alternative instruments like acoustic guitar, piano, woodwinds, xylophone, etc. Some strings can still be included in your pieces – just please avoid using pizz strings as a focal element. Please be sure your production is polished and any virtual instruments or samples you use are high-quality and current-sounding – nothing dated-sounding will work.

All submissions should be about 2 minutes long, give or take. Good edit points and non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings are required. Do NOT copy the references in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, tone, texture, and overall vibe. Do NOT submit any material with unauthorized samples of any other artists’ music, sounds, or any other form of media. Broadcast Quality is needed.

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM THE LIBRARY: "Many composers throw in way too many ideas and are not focused on ONE CENTRAL MOTIF: they try to keep things interesting by adding new harmonic lines and elements (melodies, even improvisations, etc) instead of focusing on the production and textures. Put simply, keep it SIMPLE! We know that other Libraries like to receive music with complementary A and B sections, but this Library is NOT one of them – stick with ONE CENTRAL MOTIF per submission, please!

[nicorivers]

Great track! Admittedly this is not my genre, but my first impression is that the lead piano line is a little meandering. I thought the central motif I'd be following was the woodwinds/mallets line in the intro and that piano threw me off. I think shorter, simpler melodies are easier to fit into that idea of one central motif. Also, when the two play at the same time I found that they competed with each other for my attention. A revision of that piano could sort that all out. Hope that helps!

[BrentI]

Hey Mike, this sounds great! I dig the piano melody, but in my opinion, it's too loud in the mix respective to the other instruments. It also sounds like some of the notes sustain a little long too.

That's my main observation! Again, I think it's a great track, and I hope it gets forwarded!

[Paulie]

Hi Mike,

Fun track, but definitely not Dramedy. It sounds more like the genre kitschy lounge music, which is actually something that Taxi will ask for occasionally. This track is a 12bar blues format, which is not something you hear often on tv for stuff other than the blues. I've had a lot of placements in this genre, (Kardashians, Love and Hip Hop, Real Housewives, among others).

I created a video specifically for Taxi members based on their common struggle with Dramedy. I did two actually, but perhaps start with this walkthrough to see the form. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRIVgrMN74g[url][/url]. I did a second video that talks about keeping it simple, which is the most important thing about Dramedy.

Dramedy melodies are short, staccato, normally, with a simple melody. And they are often very chromatic, They are also repetitive, and there is usually some sort of counter melody. Then you have different instruments play the melody to give the listener some variety.

There are a couple of very good books from Taxi members that break down this genre in great detail: Demystifying The Genre/Cue - Dean Krippaehne, and Deconstructing Production Music for TV - Steve Barden. Both are excellent resources written by great guys.

Hope this helps.

[mteezykeys]

Hi Mike,

Fun track, but definitely not Dramedy. It sounds more like the genre kitschy lounge music, which is actually something that Taxi will ask for occasionally. This track is a 12bar blues format, which is not something you hear often on tv for stuff other than the blues. I've had a lot of placements in this genre, (Kardashians, Love and Hip Hop, Real Housewives, among others).

I created a video specifically for Taxi members based on their common struggle with Dramedy. I did two actually, but perhaps start with this walkthrough to see the form. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRIVgrMN74g[url][/url]. I did a second video that talks about keeping it simple, which is the most important thing about Dramedy.

Dramedy melodies are short, staccato, normally, with a simple melody. And they are often very chromatic, They are also repetitive, and there is usually some sort of counter melody. Then you have different instruments play the melody to give the listener some variety.

There are a couple of very good books from Taxi members that break down this genre in great detail: Demystifying The Genre/Cue - Dean Krippaehne, and Deconstructing Production Music for TV - Steve Barden. Both are excellent resources written by great guys.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Paulie! I've been following your youtube channel, and have the books. The listing said it wasn't looking for standard dramedy, so I was trying to get away from the standard beat 2 and 4 pizz type dramedy cue. I do a I-IV chord progression but it's still 8 bar tv format. But I'll see if can shorter my melodies and make them more chromatic and quirky sounding. Thanks again!