Five Year Update

[carel11]

great post
thanks Mark
I need to see that hard work and dedication get results if you hang in there and just keep on keepin' on
I've only gotten into one library, and the fact you've gotten into several libraries with placements shows me that that can be done
Like you I would be writing anyway, cos its what I do.....and while money would be nice, I would really like to hear some of my cues in use, as you have
I wish you much more success in the days to come
and will do my best to be right behind you
thanks for posting
carL

[SteveBaruah]

Thanks for the update, very interesting.
Our timelines/trajectories are around the same. I signed my first cue in 2017 and have since signed over 400 cues to several libraries.
My earnings are a little more than yours, but not by a huge amount.
I think 4 years in is a good reflection point, and I really can't see how the TV cue game is going to work out money-wise.
It's cool getting placements, but I have so much more fun doing songs/EDM instrumentals for general release (Spotify), where doing albums of cues felt like 'work'.
It's great 'work' if your making a living off it, not so much if you're not. I kind of feel like the market is way over crowded, and I even had a publisher tell me they're not taking any hip hop/EDM anymore(!).
It sounds like there are just too many 'bedroom producers'.
I'm currently taking a break from cues to do songs/general releases (Spotify) and I'm excited about making music again.
I know some Taxi members have had some huuuge success, but they built their empire many years ago, and I'm not sure that the 'five year plan' is still possible with cues. (Songs are a different story).
When I started TV cues, I committed to giving it a good go, and I have. I knew that even if I never made a cent it would be worth it just to get the production experience, and it absolutely has been.
This is just my current opinion of the market as it is. I would love to hear other experiences.

Thanks,
Steve

[cosmicdolphin]

It's great 'work' if your making a living off it, not so much if you're not.

Some excellent points Steve - I guess I would say for me it doesn't feel too much like "work" , yes it's demanding and can be tough sometimes but it's an enjoyable challenge for me. I have released multiple demos, EPs and albums etc over the last 30 years just for "myself" but the best I ever achieved was having a couple of them reviewed in music magazines and not many people actually heard them. So I'm cool with the work as long as I'm improving and there are things getting placed and I'm growing my catalogue. Maybe one day I will write my Magnum Opus but I doubt anyone will want to listen to it

It sounds like there are just too many 'bedroom producers'.

True , the barrier to entry is significantly reduced to what it was when I started making music. All the hardware required for starters is now in the box and some of it's free, and you couldn't really fix things in the mix like you can now. It's little wonder it's become so much more commoditized. I think how you win in this scenario is simply that many will not stick it out, and just playing the long game will see you rise above the constant churn of newcomers ( so long as the quality is there of course ) and as you make further inroads and make more industry contacts you become that reliable source that can hit deadlines at a certain quality level and not flake on them.

I know some Taxi members have had some huuuge success, but they built their empire many years ago, and I'm not sure that the 'five year plan' is still possible with cues. (Songs are a different story).

Or is it partly because they stuck at it a long time ? It's probably a mixture of being in the game a bit sooner, having or developing the music and production sklls and sticking with it long term. It will be interesting to see what next year's numbers are like - I've already had more placements in Jan/Feb than all of last year.

Mark

[SteveBaruah]

I've already had more placements in Jan/Feb than all of last year.

Yes, last year was quiet (Corona) and I have also seen things pick up on Tunesat so far this year.
I'm sure I haven't made my last cue, but I'll take a bit of time to explore other avenues.

[irthlingz]

Years ago, I asked someone I considered to be a successful singer/songwriter (he was getting gigs in coffeehouses where I was playing open stages) if he had any advice on how to "make it" in "the business".

He said, "If you can do anything else, do it."

Not taking that too literally, I think there's wisdom in it. If for some reason I couldn't make music any more, I might still be reasonably happy, but it would be a big loss to me. Maybe something like walking around. If there's somewhere profitable and important to walk to, great. If not, I'll walk just because it feels good and is good for me. If I couldn't walk for some reason, I'd make the best of it. But I wouldn't give it up just because I couldn't make money or win walking competitions.

As for TAXI specifically, we've gotten our money's worth out of it without ever getting a forward (YET!!!) because:

1) We get honest and knowledgable critiques of our own stuff, as well as "listening in" on the forum and learning from other people's attempts or successes. Our composition, production, mixing and listening skills have improved. You're not going to fix something if you don't know it needs fixing. Just one example: We thought the piano sounds from our Korg N364 synth were fine, but got consistent feedback from screeners and members that there was "room for improvement." Took a deep breath, invested in the Pianoteq 6 plug-in. Now getting no complaints on our piano sounds, and also having fun playing with other cool high-quality instruments in the package, like marimba. (https://www.taxi.com/members/mike_shar/ ... nal-anthem)

2) Listings inspire us. This is an example created for a listing. : https://www.taxi.com/members/mike_shar/ ... Q-i-say-so We listened to it a bunch of times after we uploaded it just because it made us feel happy. (Full disclosure: Instrumental music is our version of Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag", composed in 1899, public domain.) And we may still improve it with a better vocal - spurred on by the screener's $5 worth!

Anyway, my two cents. Thank you TAXI members who have taken time to help us, thank you TAXI, thank you Michael L.

====
Michael

[mwb2]

I'm not sure that the 'five year plan' is still possible with cues. (Songs are a different story).

Hi Steve, thanks for sharing this experience. I'd love to know more about why you think songs are a different story - I remember Michael in more than one Taxi TV comparing TV cue writing to "painting houses" and I thought the implication was that the "painting portraits" (what you love to do creatively) meant songwriting, or whatever. But obviously numbers like these aren't going to even be considered a "side hustle" income for people who do need at least that....

Cheers,
Mike

[SteveBaruah]

Hi Mike,

"Painting portraits" means just doing what you love for the fun of it (and then hopefully earning money as well). So, not writing to a brief or trying to avoid all the things that can't be used on TV, or only sticking to genres mainly needed in TV.
Writing songs can still be "painting houses" imo.
What I meant was a great song is something unique and valuable that can't be (legally) copied. Where as there are 1000s of trap cues out there which are just as good, and probably very similar, to yours.

Thanks,
Steve

[mwb2]

What I meant was a great song is something unique and valuable that can't be (legally) copied. Where as there are 1000s of trap cues out there which are just as good, and probably very similar, to yours.

Yeah, a flooded market is an issue for sure. I do think I was under the impression that there was still more of a market for "usable" stuff (and it takes a lot of learning to get to that "usable" point, which I'm very happy to be doing). I guess in the "painted houses vs portraits" analogy, I think of house painting as reliable if unglamorous. But perhaps now the market has been flooded enough that that's not even reliable.

Cheers,
Mike