Have I upset screener #452 ?

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cosmicdolphin
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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by cosmicdolphin » Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:21 pm

Piano patch just has way too much FX compared to the refs and whatever you've layered it with makes it sound dated.

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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by tpwmusic » Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:34 pm

cosmicdolphin wrote:
Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:21 pm
Piano patch just has way too much FX compared to the refs and whatever you've layered it with makes it sound dated.
Piano sound is this...

https://youtu.be/jQ0WOuYy7Dc?t=746

layered with this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8NpXpqzKy4&t=339s

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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by cosmicdolphin » Wed Oct 26, 2022 6:57 am

tpwmusic wrote:
Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:34 pm
cosmicdolphin wrote:
Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:21 pm
Piano patch just has way too much FX compared to the refs and whatever you've layered it with makes it sound dated.
Piano sound is this...

https://youtu.be/jQ0WOuYy7Dc?t=746

layered with this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8NpXpqzKy4&t=339s
But does it sound like the Refs ? The things that are already on TV...emulate music/production that has already been succesful

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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by Casey H » Wed Oct 26, 2022 7:32 am

cosmicdolphin wrote:
Wed Oct 26, 2022 6:57 am
But does it sound like the Refs ? The things that are already on TV...emulate music/production that has already been successful
Just to also emphasize. Does it sound like real piano? Not saying it's easy but some here have gotten really good at using virtual but making it sound very realistic. I would recommend going beyond your initial disappointment with the returns and seeking out advice from others here, finding the best youtube videos on making virtual piano sound real, collaborating, etc. Another key phrase in the listing:
If you choose to use any virtual instruments or samples, please be sure they are of the highest quality and sound like the real thing as nothing stiff, dated, or overly MIDI-driven will work.
There already has been some valuable feedback on this thread. Good ears (Not necessarily mine! :shock: ) can pick up realistic vs. not very quickly.

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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by Paulie » Wed Oct 26, 2022 7:50 am

Beautiful music, nice piece. I've stopped submitting to emotional piano requests because I think the genre can be extremely subjective (based on several returns of my own).

A lot of people love Keyscape, it can sound great, but I have not figured out the right velocity curves yet, so to me it still sounds a little brittle. In your track I don't think you need to layer in any DX sounds, at the very beginning it sounds "Rhodesy" to me. I listened through my monitors first, then headphones. The headphone listening really brings out the 80s layered keyboard vibe that I think moves the piece sonically in the wrong direction. I've become a big fan of Noire by Native Instruments.

Also, the move from E- to C- in the intro is a very cool progression, but I think it immediately removes the track from the moods portrayed in the references.

The track does not build at the end, which is specifically requested in the listing. You start slowing down around 1:30, the C- brings the mood down again, then the ending is gentle, not building.

Overall, a nice piece, might be cool to restructure into a song format and add a vocalist. But not quite right for the listing, IMHO.
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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by cosmicdolphin » Wed Oct 26, 2022 10:51 am

Paulie wrote:
Wed Oct 26, 2022 7:50 am
The headphone listening really brings out the 80s layered keyboard vibe that I think moves the piece sonically in the wrong direction.
That's what I am hearing too. I have Keyscape and I've had many a placement with it - but not sounding like this

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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by OwenGrech » Thu Oct 27, 2022 5:06 am

Nice piece but I have to agree with Paulie in that the chord change mentioned here steers the track into a much darker territory rather than keeping it in the inspirational zone the refs are going for.

From my limited experience (this is my 2nd consecutive year at Taxi), the screeners are RARELY wrong. I usually let a couple of days pass and then re read the critique only to find that yeah they were right :|

Although I am not a piano expert like some of my peers here, i can totally agree with the rest of the comments in that the piano sounds different than the refs as well so yeah as painful as it sounds I think the screener is right here.

One thing I learned the hard way with regards to production music is that it is VERY different than normal music where one might get rewarded for being different or cool or whatever. You liked the different sound you came up with and figured the screener will like it too but this doesn't work that way. It doesn't matter how great you play, how great your track sounds or how well the track is composed IF the track is not what they're looking for. I think most of us musicians come in here with a little bit of ego in the sense that we think that our music is so great that they will love it no matter what but that never happens! It can be great and all but if it's not right then it just doesn't work. This requires a service based mentality....

...OR It can also be just a subconscious thing as well, you start to write to the listing and then subconsciously steer away and do your own thing. Happened to me personally gazillions of times and what really helped me with that was to keep referencing as you go just to make sure you are in the right direction.

Despite all this, I do make silly mistakes occasionally (still got A LOT to learn), as I'm sure most of us here are willing to admit. What matters is that we learn from these mistakes, stay humble and most important, keep a positive attitude.
One thing is for sure, no screener is out to get you :)

You are already at an advantage as you can clearly play and convey an emotion with your writing. Just need to re calibrate your focus so that you can deliver what is needed and I'm sure you will be posting your forwards in due time!

Just my 2 cents.
Owen

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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by tpwmusic » Thu Oct 27, 2022 5:26 am

Thanks for all the feedback guys. It's very much appreciated and will be taken on-board!

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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by eandersonmusic » Thu Oct 27, 2022 5:53 am

OwenGrech wrote:
Thu Oct 27, 2022 5:06 am

One thing I learned the hard way with regards to production music is that it is VERY different than normal music where one might get rewarded for being different or cool or whatever. You liked the different sound you came up with and figured the screener will like it too but this doesn't work that way. It doesn't matter how great you play, how great your track sounds or how well the track is composed IF the track is not what they're looking for. I think most of us musicians come in here with a little bit of ego in the sense that we think that our music is so great that they will love it no matter what but that never happens! It can be great and all but if it's not right then it just doesn't work. This requires a service based mentality....

...OR It can also be just a subconscious thing as well, you start to write to the listing and then subconsciously steer away and do your own thing. Happened to me personally gazillions of times and what really helped me with that was to keep referencing as you go just to make sure you are in the right direction.

Just my 2 cents.
Owen
This is great!! So on the point. And yeah I still make this mistake quite frequently. Great advice, great attitude and outlook Owen!
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Re: Have I upset screener #452 ?

Post by OwenGrech » Fri Oct 28, 2022 2:44 am

eandersonmusic wrote:
Thu Oct 27, 2022 5:53 am

This is great!! So on the point. And yeah I still make this mistake quite frequently. Great advice, great attitude and outlook Owen!
We all do I guess :)
tc
Owen

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