Here we go again!

[johnclavin]

A-LIST HOLLYWOOD MUSIC SUPERVISOR is searching for HARD ROCK combined with ELECTRONICA INSTRUMENTALS in the spirit of The Chemical Brothers meets Nine Inch Nails meets Prodigy for FEATURE FILM and TV PLACEMENTS. Your tracks should be FULL SONG length INSTRUMENTALS that sound CONTEMPORARY and have competitive production values. NO SINGING through the verses and chorus please. The Supervisor ONLY wants to hear your INSTRUMENTAL take on the Nine Inch Nails/Chemical Brothers/Prodigy vibe, however, IF your song has DJ style vocals used as a HOOK (only), that's OK. For example: NIN's "Block Rockin' Beats" or Prodigy's "Firestarter." The Music Supervisor is teaming up with a major Music Licensing Company to populate a catalog for a NEW Production Music Library they're jointly building. Consider it a plus that the Supervisor AND the Licensing Company are both extremely well "connected." It's ALSO a plus that it's a NEW library and should h ave more slots to fill than a catalog that has been around for a long time. They're running this listing EXCLUSIVELY with TAXI. All submissions need to be Broadcast Quality (excellent home recordings are fine). You must own or control 100% of the Master and Composition rights. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS by a person from the Music Supervisor's team. No critiques from TAXI due to the short deadline. Submissions must be received no later than TUESDAY, JUNE 21st at 10 am. TAXI #Y110621RK

Do they want backing tracks that someone will sing over, or do they want instrumentals that stand on there own?

The problem I find is that if you add a instrumental melody line that tries to sound like the referenced vocal, the song sounds like a demo waiting for a singer, but if you add a strong melody that is something different then it doesn't sound like the referenced songs anymore.

So the question is: How do you make an instrumental of referenced artists that always have vocals as the main component of their songs.

[sedge]

So the question is: How do you make an instrumental of referenced artists that always have vocals as the main component of their songs.

Hey John , my opinion is that the vocals are not a main component of these artists.

The main component is the production / grooves / instrumental hooks vibe !

The Supervisor ONLY wants to hear your INSTRUMENTAL take on the Nine Inch Nails/Chemical Brothers/Prodigy vibe

Where the vocal is part of the groove (used as a sound) - this has been considered here too ...

IF your song has DJ style vocals used as a HOOK (only), that's OK. For example: NIN's "Block Rockin' Beats" or Prodigy's "Firestarter."

Proper cool listing hey!

Sedge

[Casey H]

A-LIST HOLLYWOOD MUSIC SUPERVISOR is searching for HARD ROCK combined with ELECTRONICA INSTRUMENTALS in the spirit of The Chemical Brothers meets Nine Inch Nails meets Prodigy for FEATURE FILM and TV PLACEMENTS. Your tracks should be FULL SONG length INSTRUMENTALS that sound CONTEMPORARY and have competitive production values. NO SINGING through the verses and chorus please. The Supervisor ONLY wants to hear your INSTRUMENTAL take on the Nine Inch Nails/Chemical Brothers/Prodigy vibe, however, IF your song has DJ style vocals used as a HOOK (only), that's OK. For example: NIN's "Block Rockin' Beats" or Prodigy's "Firestarter." The Music Supervisor is teaming up with a major Music Licensing Company to populate a catalog for a NEW Production Music Library they're jointly building. Consider it a plus that the Supervisor AND the Licensing Company are both extremely well "connected." It's ALSO a plus that it's a NEW library and should h ave more slots to fill than a catalog that has been around for a long time. They're running this listing EXCLUSIVELY with TAXI. All submissions need to be Broadcast Quality (excellent home recordings are fine). You must own or control 100% of the Master and Composition rights. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS by a person from the Music Supervisor's team. No critiques from TAXI due to the short deadline. Submissions must be received no later than TUESDAY, JUNE 21st at 10 am. TAXI #Y110621RK

Do they want backing tracks that someone will sing over, or do they want instrumentals that stand on there own?

The problem I find is that if you add a instrumental melody line that tries to sound like the referenced vocal, the song sounds like a demo waiting for a singer, but if you add a strong melody that is something different then it doesn't sound like the referenced songs anymore.

So the question is: How do you make an instrumental of referenced artists that always have vocals as the main component of their songs.

No one is going to be singing over these. They have to provide the right backdrop for the applicable film/TV scene.

My suggestion is this. Listen to tracks by the ‘a la’ artists. If those have vocals, try to listen well to the music behind the vocals. The intro and in-between vocal passages are helpful. This is often about groove. You want a track that has the groove as well as the sectional contrast that a song might have. So change-ups in the sections that mimic the artists would work and also they would provide good edit points. If you already have songs that are a lot like the ‘a la’ artists, strip off the vocals and see what you have. Maybe post some here for thoughts. Starting from scratch tends to be better but I’ve seen backing tracks that work ‘as is’ or with some minor mods.

I’d say groove and sectional contrast rule.

Best,
Casey

[DavRom]

For example: NIN's "Block Rockin' Beats"

good thing these are not being screened by the person who wrote this

Taxi needs an editor

[mazz]

All of the referenced artists have lots of instrumentals in their catalogs to reference. In fact, vocals are often used as part of the texture in this style.

I suggest you spend some time with the a las while reading the listing. It may become clearer with that reference point.

[johnclavin]

Thanks all for the good advice.

It is hard to turn in a song length piece of music with no melody, but as mazz pointed out I am finding some instrumentals by the referenced artists.

This would be a good ustream show topic for Michael.

[mazz]

In this case, they do mention "song" once without "length" associated with it, but they say "spirit", "vibe" and "instrumental take" on those artists, so I would imagine they aren't looking specifically for a song form but rather a vibe piece that has a cool groove and some instrumental hooks in it. These bands often use textural changes as hooks or to delineate sections of the piece. It's a bit of a different way of thinking, more influenced by dance music than by songs. And although NIN does have a fair amount of songs in their catalog, this listing is more asking for the vibe rather than straight up song form. At least that's the way I read it.

Another band to check out in this style is Crystal Method. They also do the Rock/Electronic/Dance thing and often the vocals just pop in and out as little hooky inflections, not as actual songs, although even Crystal Method does have some songs.

A lot of production music writing is being referential and hinting (sometimes more blatantly hinting than others! ), at styles because clients want what they know. The trick is to give them something that they can relate to and yet is somewhat fresh. Some of that is for legal reasons, obviously (can't rip off something), but also it's nice to put our own spin on something and yet still have it be well in the ballpark. It's a skill set that's worth developing, IMO.

[Casey H]

In this case, they do mention "song" once without "length" associated with it, but they say "spirit", "vibe" and "instrumental take" on those artists, so I would imagine they aren't looking specifically for a song form but rather a vibe piece that has a cool groove and some instrumental hooks in it.

Hey Mazz.... Did I miss something? It says:

FULL SONG length INSTRUMENTALS

and also:

NO SINGING through the verses and chorus please.

The mention of verses and choruses leads me to believe they want song form or close to it.

Casey

[mazz]

An instrumental can still have verses and choruses, but in this style, they may be delineated by changes in texture rather than a melodic structure or a melodic line.

The OP's post gave me the impression that he was inquiring as to whether the piece should be just an instrumental bed track, and I don't think that's the case here, it needs to have a vibe that stands on it's own without sounding like a bed track, but it may or may not have overt melodies, as in many of the instrumentals in this genre. Often the "melody" in this genre could be a really hooky bass line that then passes to some other element to complete the line or answer, and even percussive elements can be considered hooks. I was trying to get the OP to step outside the "song" box not necessarily in a song form way, but rather a conceptual shift towards creating melodic interest in other ways.

It's a pretty vague subject anyway, and listings are often written by people that don't understand musical terminology and may be using the terms loosely or incorrectly, at least the way a musician would use it, which seems to often send us on a wild goose chase. I could be way off base here (wouldn't be the first time!), but I think the terms "verse" and "chorus" here can be thought of as simply A and B sections, and one section could have a chorus like "lift" to it which would give it that same feel.

You say potato.....................

EDIT: Check out the form on this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmin5WkOuPw

or this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTxOKsyZ ... ure=relmfu

Not "normal" song form, at least to my ears. Listen to the instrumental and rhythmic hooks. The vocals are used very instrumentally in the Chemical Bros. track. (PS: This track is by Chemical Bros., NOT NIN as the listing indicates).

EDIT EDIT: My ADHD must be kicking in, Casey and others have already covered this ground. First day back at the office, not fully functional mentally!!

[Casey H]

The 'a la's almost always rule... When in doubt, fall back on that.

Mazz... ADHD? I can't even type the four letters without getting distracted!!
I hope Winston was extra nice to you for Dad's day today!

Casey